After a continental breakfast at our Comfort Inn and a stop at Frenchy's we were on our way to Cape Breton. Frenchy's is a look at the original Marshall's in Beverly...bins of clothes from major clothiers like Saks and Old Navy, probably previously worn and returned, very cheap and making you feel like you needed to wash your hands. We didn't buy anything!!
We were on the road to our next destination, Louisbourg Fort, at 9:30. The road took us a little inland to view the transforming fall foliage and then back to vistas of the Atlantic. We stopped just after arriving on Cape Breton for coffee at Tim Horton's (Canada's answer to Dunkin Donuts!). The scenery was unbelievable with vistas of the huge Bras D'or Lake and rural areas where immense lengths of roadway were being prepared for paving. After a stop for provisions and then lunch in the car, we arrived at Louisbourg Fort about 2:30.
We decided to do the tour of the fort which afforded us the opportunity to enter reconstructed houses of the era. People in costume humorously described life in the early 1700's in this fort maintained by the French. The whole fort is the largest restored historic site in North America. A soldier recruited in France told us of the horrors of living, 3 men to a single bed, with barely any pay, subservient to the officers. A domestic in the Captain's house told us of her life as compared to the privileged "Madame" of the house. A cook's helper showed us how she helped the cook in the Engineer's house and where she slept on the floor. And a musician played the harpsichord for us as he prepared for a "soirée" in the same house. So informative and entertaining!
Upon returning to the car, very wind blown and chilly, we discovered that "Marilyn," our GPS was frozen!! However, with the aid of our maps, we were able to find our way to Baddeck, 60 km away, where we were staying for the next two nights. We even followed our noses to Belle View B&B with a beautiful of Baddeck Bay! This place is incredible....lovely rooms in a very well-appointed Victorian home with a friendly and helpful receptionist and a mysterious owner.
After a drink in our room, the 4 of us headed for the Cable Restaurant in the Telegraph Hotel for a delicious dinner: scallop, grapefruit and avocado salad, lobster risotto and steak. It had gotten cloudy and chilly,in the low 50's, so fall has definitely arrived. So, back at our B&B, we said goodnight. Tomorrow we drive the Cabot Trail, one of the most amazing drives in the world.
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