Day 15 - Oromocto to Cavendish PEI by Bridget

Wow, day 15! That means we’ve completed two weeks (out of six) of our trip! It feels like we’ve done so much already!

On our last morning with Doug and Elise there were more paper airplanes with improved designs being created and some chess matches happening. It’s been really fun to watch the kids reconnecting with their second cousins. 

It’s tough saying goodbye because we’ve been so thoroughly welcomed and cared for.  And luckily we don’t have to because we are coming back through Oromocto on our return journey so it’s just, “see you soon”  

En route to the confederation bridge is a town called Shediac with a giant lobster.  If there is a giant thing by the side of the road, we gotta stop!

Sam’s weird pose is catching on within the family!

Driving, driving. Always lots of driving. But the big truck is very comfortable. We’re grateful to Chris and Sue for letting us use it. 

We are seeing glimpses of the coast now!

Approaching the bridge!!

Crossing the bridge!

We are now in PEI

I had heard good things about the Blue Mussel Inn near our place in Cavendish, so we dropped our bags at the motel and went straight over. We had a 40 min wait so we wandered around the Rustico Beach. I was already pretty hungry so we thought the lobster flavoured chips would be a nice appetizer for our seafood dinner.  They were yummy chips but did they taste like lobster? I would say no.  Maybe more like an old bay seasoning? 

The dinner was very good. We had oysters, mussels, seafood chowder, salmon and a charcuterie board of smoked fish, crackers, cheese etc. Sam wasn’t too sure about the oysters and seemed a bit off but the rest of us devoured the fresh seafood!

After dinner we followed the motel manager’s advice about the scenic beach route. We stopped at a few different beaches and enjoyed the scenery and fresh ocean  breezes. 

This viewpoint reminded us of our beloved Sunset Cliffs in San Diego and brought back a flood of memories. It was bittersweet for me to think back to that lovely time in our lives. 

Coincidentally my phone made this “then and now” picture of our time in San Diego. Amazing how the time flies

We plan on visiting Green Gables tomorrow so we have been reading Anne of Green Gables together. I am finding it hilarious! It’s interesting how different a book can be each time you read it, as this is the third time I’ve read it. When I read it as a child I appreciated Anne’s friendship with Diana. When I read it as an adult I fell in love with the gorgeous descriptions of PEI. This time around, as a parent,  I am appreciating what it would have been like for Marilla and Matthew, an older brother/sister pair to have this young, dynamic person come into their lives and bring so much joy and enthusiasm. Plus and is the hero we all need - not taking guff from anyone including adults that call her skinny and ugly, cracking her slate over the head of teasing entitled boys and calling out the male teacher for smarmily hanging around a 16 year old female pupil. I love that she tells the truth. To my surprise and delight, Julian and Sam are enjoying it too.