The Maritimes...

Fundy fish boats dried out at low tide (Alma, NB)

After crossing the border into New Brunswick, we had lunch in Saint John, then headed to Alma (NB) to check out the Bay of Fundy's "world's highest" tides. We were impressed: they are indeed huge!

Boats re-floated at high(er) tide (Alma, NB)

We then headed over to Nova Scotia, with plans to camp for a couple of nights at Five Islands Provincial Park, another good place to observe the Fundy tides. A very windy first night turned out to be fortunate, as the following windless morning brought out the many biting flies. With heavy rain forecast for our second night of camping, we decided to decamp in the early afternoon and head to Halifax.

Camping at Five Islands Provincial Park (NS)

Red Head, Five Islands (NS)

Halifax was another "return" for David. In September 1979, David flew off to Halifax to start a Masters degree at Dalhousie University. But it didn't work out (he and his supervisor didn't "work well" together... hah, that's putting it nicely), and he left Halifax by early January to start a Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa (which did work out very well...). So it was especially poignant for David that we stayed in the Dalhousie student residences while visiting Halifax on this trip.

We spent a lot of time in Halifax, and enjoyed this very livable city. We also took a day trip to visit Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, Peggy's Cove, etc. We were early enough in the season to be able to enjoy/appreciate Peggy's Cove without it being totally overrun with tourists.

University of King's College, Halifax (Canada's oldest chartered university: 1788)

The iconic "Bluenose II" in Halifax harbour (heading to the Great Lakes the next day)

Peggy's Cove, NS

Peggy's Cove, NS

Lunenburg, NS

After Halifax, we headed up to Cape Breton. Drove around much of the island, including one night camping in Cape Breton Highlands National Park (where we swarmed by flies, with both of us receiving many bites... camping is just not working out on this trip...). Our visit to Louisbourg National Historic Site was a letdown, partly because it wasn't fully open (Parks Canada again) but also because we are not much enthused by such a reconstruction and reenactment of 18th century life. But its history is fascinating and the location and surrounding countryside are spectacular. In contrast, we very much enjoyed our visit to the Alexander Graham Bell museum in Baddeck. Finally, the scenery along the Cabot Trail was spectacular (unfortunately, we didn't dare step outside our car due to the clouds of ravenous flies).

Reconstructed Fortress Louisbourg, Cape Breton, NS

The best part of our visit to Louisbourg... freindly goats!

Cape Breton has some strangely named places...

Broad Cove, Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island (Lobster boats picking up traps)

Next stop was Pictou (NS), on the way to Prince Edward Island (PEI). We had not planned to visit PEI on this trip, but decided it just wouldn't be right to miss it (we've already visited Newfoundland and Labrador in a previous trip). We drove the 13-km-long Confederation Bridge connecting PEI to New Brunswick (the ferry schedule from Pictou didn't work out; indeed, we arrived on PEI before the ferry would have left Pictou). PEI is the 9th province we travelled to/in on this trip.

Gotta have lobster when in the Maritimes...

We are currently in Charlottetown, PEI. It is a tiny and cute city. Province House, where the plan for the Confederation of Canada was first conceived/planned is currently closed for renovations by Parks Canada (seems to be the year for this sort of thing...). And it is pouring rain. We drove around the island in the rain, saw lots of red mud (home of Bud the Spud), cute harbours, something called "Green Gables" 😉, lots of "Anne" this and that, and drove through Malpeque (famous for oysters).

Heading back across the Confederation Bridge tomorrow (and its $48 1-way toll), planning to drive up New Brunswick's Acadian Coast.