Island views

A common event around the Maritimes are the  all-you-can-eat dinners.   In the small quaint villages, you can find this offering most nights of the week.   Often held in community halls or churches, they have also become commercial establishments and we wandered over to the New Glasgow Lobster Supper restaurant the other night........it was busy !!   It was large open room with long tables and lively conversation and crying babies but we  managed to get a table for the 4 of us and the first course was the world famous mussels of PEI.   

After sampling a bucket and a half, the group declared that the mussels lived up to the hype.   One of us did not enter into this debate and enjoyed her soup.      Next came the salad, mixed green and potato followed by a lobster (size of your choice).   The bread was 'fresh from the oven' as advertised.   After all of that, if one cared, there was various fruit pies, strawberry shortcake and the promise of mile-hi lemon meringue pie.    But, unbeknown to us, you had to get there by 6 to get the lemon pie as it 'always' sells out by then.......well, why don't they just make more if it happens all the time.  !!   The pie also comes with ice cream and you can try several varieties if you already aren't more stuffed  than on Thanksgiving Day.

 We depart this pretty place tomorrow.    PEI is a sharp contrast to the other places we've been..... it is called "The Gentle Island".   It is very pastoral and peaceful.  

 We'll head down near the Canadian border for a couple of days and then cross over into Bangor.

We did make it to a rip-roaring ceilidh (kay-lee) at St Mary's Church.   Built in 1902, it is huge, holding over 600 foot stomping, clapping locals and us.    

 This picture of the interior, shot by P's iPhone, shows the massive soaring ceiling, covered in wood strips.   It cost $20.000 to build back then as much of the materials and labor were donated by the parishioners.    

Today we wandered down the hill for a delicious breakfast at a restored butter creamery.   It is light and airy inside with large 2 story windows.    This picture is terrible but I used the iPhone to try and capture the subtle beauty  of the stained glass depictions on the windows.    They represent the life cycle of the salmon in the bottom pictures and there are about 8 panels....the upper are of various birds that inhabit the area.  The place was very busy or I would have tried to get better access to try and capture the beauty.   

Today I noted a hint of fall in the air......there is just a feel and look about it that is so familiar.    The leaves are starting to flutter down and a few of the trees are turning.   The time has gone by quickly and we only have about 2 months of travel left before we head home for the winter.    But we won't be heading south for awhile yet.....the travel-blog has much more exploring to do.......!