Day 5 of 7 Days of Canada & New England Discovery Charlottetown PEI on the ms Zaandam

This morning Nancy picked us up at the terminal and gave us a wonderful tour of PEI.  Toured half the island. Beautiful sunny and windy day. Don made us a lobster chowder and Nancy made a yummy rhubarb crisp. We had a great visit with them.

          Don Bob & Nancy 

         Red red soil

      French River

       Still cleaning up after Sept        Tornados

 

Day 3 of the 7 Day on Canada & New England Discovery Halifax Novia Scotia on ms Zaandam

 Today we met with Connie Bryant from Florida. Frank was with family helping out with the fires that were 1 block from them evacuating. Weather was cold but very windy.  Took Connie to lunch at the BaaBaa Black Sheep. It was great food   So nice to catch up with her. It’s been a few years that we have seen her. Halifax is such a neat city.  So easy to get around.  One of the first things Haligonians will tell their visitors is: “you must take ride on the ferry!” The Halifax-Dartmouth ferry, is the oldest saltwater ferry in North America, and the second oldest in the world.  A ride on the ferry costs the price of a bus ticket and takes about 15 minutes to travel to Dartmouth, with views of Halifax, Dartmouth and the Bedford basin, the two bridges, and the harbor’s islands.  Local Tip: Ask for a transfer (a small slip of paper). This gets you a free return journey within an hour, so you can spend some time on the Alderney Landing waterfront (or just hop back on the ferry back to Halifax!)

Day 4 of the 7 Day on the Canada & New England Discovery Sydney Cape Breton Novia Scotia on ms Zaandam

Once again we have arrived back in Sydney N.S.  We just walked around the area.  

This Sydney Merchant Mariners Memorial tells the heroic story of the sailors on merchant ships carrying equipment and supplies to the Allied forces in Europe during WWII.

Some pictures from the ship today

Day 2 of the 7 Day Canada & New England Discovery Bar Harbor Maine on ms Zaandam

Walk around bar Harbor for the afternoon.  Had a Lobster roll 32.00 for 6oz yikes but what the hell

 

Day 1 of the 7 day Canada & New England Discovery Boston-Montreal on ms Zaandam

 Last night we said our goodbyes to our friend Wendy as she boards her plane this morning back to L.A.

So Bob and I have this day to explore just taking our time.  Maybe get a local guide to give us some history .Local guides are great to use and very reasonable.  

Boston Harbor replica of the Boston Tea Party ship

Day 7 of the 7 day Historical Coasts Bar Harbor Maine on ms Zaandam

Ahh, we loved Bar Harbour but as usual, just not enough time there. Tendering takes a lot of time as well.   We waited till most people were off.  We are here till 4:30 all aboard. Bar Harbour is a little seaside 'village' nestling into the rugged coast under the Acadia Mountain Range. The whole town is a National Park (100 years old)so there are so many hikes, drives, bike rides, mountain climbs, kayaking, nature cruises etc and it is all spectacularly beautiful. There are different viewpoints around each corner, lobster shacks everywhere with all their nets and pots etc scattered around. The little town was also lovely with just one Main Street of interesting little shops, restaurants on the waterfront and of course most of the activity happens on the waterfront with boats and people constantly coming and going.

There are a few things that I want to pick up at the grocery store here.  Wendy leaves tomorrow to head back home to Los Angeles.  It’s been a lot of fun traveling with her once again.  Save travels home.

Day 6 of the 7 Day Historical Coasts Sea Day on ms Zaandam

 Finally we have a Sea Day.  Time to relax, eat and have some more fun.  This morning we had a wonderful breakfast in the dinning room.  So much easier for Bob to let the waiters wait on him than him trying to fight the lido.  

Tea time We love this on HAL.  So relaxing 

Day 5 of the 7 day Historical Coasts Sydney Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia on Ms Zaandam

With no tour on the day's schedule we heard all this banging and clanging outside.  The crew was having a life boat drill and had lowered several life boats.  We decided it's time to now get off the ship.  The Worlds largest Fiddle is located here in Sydney's waterfront. It greets passengers as they arrive via cruise ship.  The fiddle and bow reach a height of 60 feet,  The big Fiddle as many call it was designed and constructed by Cyril Hearn in 2005.  It is a nice tribute to the folk music and traditions of the Celtic community.  Sydney is a former city dissolved in 1995 and is on the East coast of Cape Breton Island in Novia Scotia.