The drive from Riviere-au-Renard (Gaspé) was not a very long distance but it is a two lane highway (with a lot of road repair and construction) through the countryside so it took a while to get to Parc Inch Arran Camping here in Dalhousie, New Brunswick. This is our RV set up and is our home for the next week.
There was much to see as June Yvonne describes in her section of the blog – she describes many of the things we saw over and over again. One of the things I find fascinating is the bright colors that people use to paint their houses. They are colors I would never dream of painting a house as the colors are very bright and seem to contrast – here is a picture we took in Saint Luce last week when we stopped for a coffee and pastry.
Along the way to Dalhousie June Yvonne wanted to stop at the Mussée Acadien du Quebec – they were closed for lunch so we went to a nearby restaurant called Dixie Lee. They specialize in chicken and to a small extent are trying to be a KFC. They are a franchise restaurant but the chicken was not very good. PRC
June Yvonne and I both write our own sections of the blog because we see things different and we each see things the other doesn’t so we both contribute – we put a lot of time and effort into it and hope that you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy writing it.
If I were a professional writer this would be the place to do it. I’m sitting at the picnic bench with my lap top looking out at the sea in between typing in a few words for today’s blog. If I were that professional or semiprofessional writer and had writers block I could get up and walk along the boardwalk for inspiration. And did I mention the cool sea breeze? In fact I am going in to get a light jacket… The weather here changes very frequently. In spite of this, there are kids and teenagers playing in the water park wearing swim suits.
This RV Park has all kinds of amenities although some are not open as the summer season has not started yet. (Imagine that, friends at home.) What is open now includes an indoor pool and workout area, snack bar (with poutine of course). There is a an ice scream parlor so there are always people walking round with ice cream cones, rain or shine. There is a baseball park, boutique selling locally made items and a fresh fish market. We were tempted to buy some scallops or maybe try lobster again but were quickly dissuaded by the prices. There is also a bistro that does not open until July 1.
Speaking of July 1 – that is Canada Day. It is their Fourth of July commemorating 150 years as a country depending on who you talk to. In Quebec we were told it is much longer than that. Then, the similar situation we have in the US. The US and Canada were here way before Europeans discovered these lands then colonized them and declared them a country, not through peaceful means.
Yesterday on the way to Dalhousie we went to Mussée Acadien du Quebec. I have a particular interest in this topic as I have a friend who is Acadian that curates an Acadian museum in Louisiana. It’s a tragic history. Yet, the Acadians remain a determined, resourceful and fun-loving people.
Since we have been in eastern Canada for over a month, here are some of my observations. We’ve seen piles and piles of cut and stacked firewood. (The winters are brutal and preparation is absolutely necessary). Since it rains so much and it is green, there are always people mowing the lawns, the majority with riding lawn mowers. Despite the often inclement weather, there are lots of walkers, joggers or bikers.
Much like Star Bucks, there’s a Tim Horton’s on every corner. We’ve observed many brightly painted houses. (Maybe to brighten up all the gloomy rainy/snowy weather.) And, of course, poutine is served everywhere…
I’d like to give my fellow Phoenicians a shout out. You have been enduring a record breaking amount of really HOT days. Is it still 118 degrees? So, I will (try) not to spend too much time writing about the COOL weather we are experiencing. I love my beloved Arizona, but we are here for a reason this summer.
We are taking a three day vacation from our vacation. Tomorrow we will be staying at Chatteu Albert. This is Village Historique Acadien. This is a 2.2 interpretive village depicting Acadian life in the 18th century.
After a couple of days learning about Acadian life we will spend some time in the Acadian Isles. There, we will spend the night at an Airbnb.
We will let you know about these adventures when we return to Dalhousie. JY
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