Sun. Oct 6  The Road Less Traveled

Up fairly early for breakfast so Francine and I could go to St. Michael's for 9 am mass. What a treat!  The congregation was welcoming, the priest was outstanding and the music was impressive. We sat in the third pew not realizing it was for choir members. They told us not to move, just to sing!  The celebrant was folksy and had an important message concerning the ups and downs of relationships, even our relationship with faith. And EVERYONE sang along with the pianist and violinist. 

After coffee at Bean There Cafe, we were off to PEI about 10:30. We were hoping to make the 1 PM ferry; our designated arrival time was 12:52 so we weren't sure if we'd get on. However, we drove onto the ferry dock at 12:54 and right onto the ferry.  It took 75 minutes to cross the Northumberland Strait from Caribou NS to Wood Islands PEI.  Ate lunch and played some "Hand and Foot" to pass the time. 

We arrived on PEI about 2:15 and started our drive to Charlottetown, the provincial capital.  Shortly after leaving the dock we discovered on the map a 4.2 km drive called Jack's Road. It wasn't much out of our way so we decided to have an adventure!  Jack's Rd. is on land that Jack MacPherson farmed in the early 1900s. The road is actually a dirt road under a canopy of sugar maples and hemlocks where hares, foxes and muskrats feed their babies on a carpet of moss. Once again we saw NO wildlife!  However, the road did get muddy and was pretty narrow but it was tranquil. Fortunately we didn't meet another vehicle on this "road less traveled!"

After driving through verdant, prosperous farmland we arrived in Charlottetown and found the Heritage Harbor House Inn very near the center of town by 4 PM. After checking in, having a cocktail and watching the Patriots lose, we walked a few blocks to the Mahan House, a pub that had been recommended. 

We sat at the bar, chatted with the bartender and a couple sitting next to us and had "a pint!"  The bartender suggested the restaurant next door, Sims Steak and Oyster Bar, and she even called to make a reservation for us.  We dined on PEI oysters, scallops and beef....delicious.  It was refreshing to walk back to our B&B....temp in the high 40s and the weather, although threatening in the am, had turned out to be glorious again!  More football and then to bed in another lovely room in another very imposing B&B.