Trip Report Contents
Part One: Introduction & Planning
Part Two: To Boston & Sailing Away
Part Three: Bar Harbor, These Are Tender Times
Part Four: Cloudy and Windy In Halifax
Part Five: Seeing the Sun In Sydney
Part Six: Sunny Charlottetown (This Installment)
Part Seven: Down the Saint Lawrence, a Day “At-Sea”
Part Eight: Québec City. Again.
Part Nine: Into Montréal; Out of Montréal
Part Six: Sunny Charlottetown
Wednesday morning I dined in the
main dining room again; Mike took breakfast at the Lido buffet. We awoke that morning to our only full day of
sunshine; after a tease in Sydney, we were thrilled to see it.
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| A peek at Charlottetown from the boat. What gorgeous sunshine! |
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| Welcome to PEI |
In Charlottetown
We walked from the ship, past Saint Dunstan's Basilica, toward Province House. The church is impressive enough, so we ducked in for a look.
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| Façade of Sain Dunstan's Basilica |
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| Façade of Sain Dunstan's Basilica |
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| Façade of Sain Dunstan's Basilica |
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| Inside Saint Dunstan's |
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| Inside Saint Dunstan's |
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| Inside Saint Dunstan's |
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| Inside Saint Dunstan's |
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| Inside Saint Dunstan's |
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| Inside Saint Dunstan's |
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| Inside Saint Dunstan's |
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| Stained glass at Saint Dunstan's |
Next it was down the street to
Province House, where the proviencial legislature of Prince Edward Island still
meets, and where the discussions were set into motion that would lead to
Confederation, the union of Canada. (The
closest American equivalent might be Independence Hall in Philadelphia, though
a direct comparison isn’t possible.)
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| Façade of Province House |
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| Inside Province House |
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| Mike poses in Province House |
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| One of the legislative chambers. Note the Mace in the glass case. The Mace is the symbolic representation of the Speaker's authority |
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| Legislative chamber |
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| Legislative chamber |
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| Standing on the steps of Province House, looking north, Saint Dunstan's mid-photo, on the right |
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| On the grounds of Province House, looking northward |
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| The north-facing façade of Province House |
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| War memorial at Province House |
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| War memorial at Province House |
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| War memorial at Province House |
Next to Province House is the
provincial art museum, through which we made a quick pass, and then ended up at
lunch at a restaurant in an underground passage attached to the museum.
After lunch we explored around a
little before heading back to the ship.
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| Downtown Charlottetown streetscape |
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| Confederation Centre for the Arts |
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| Looking out across the roofline of the Confederation Centre, with the spires of the basilica poking above just beyond |
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| In each port we saw lots signs welcoming us |
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| Downtown Charlottetown |
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| Victoria Row: a street with restaurants and pubs |
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| Some random aluminum fish on the sidewalk |
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| I thought this was funny: "The Guardian, Covers Prince Edward Island Like the Dew." When I lived in Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal had a similar masthead: "Covers Dixie Like the Dew." |
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| Hmmmm ... "Japanese, Korean, and Indian?" Not sure how they're related! |
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Sometimes you can't see the forest boat for the trees! |
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| Waterfront in Charlottetown |
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| Our ship |
Back aboard, there was time to
freshen up, unwind a little, and head to dinner. Wednesday night we were back in the Canaletto
for more Italian food, with a side of bridge.
The star attraction out of
Charlottetown, is the Confederation Bridge, which is an impressive piece of
infrastructure, spanning the Northumberland Strait, joining the provinces of
New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
Maasdam sailed under the bridge while we were at dinner. The first time I sailed this itinerary,
Philip and I rearranged our dinner reservations specifically to be on-deck as
we sailed under. Here are photos of
dinner and the bridge:
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| The main: Osso Bucco |
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| The main: Osso Bucco |
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| About to pass under the Confederation Bridge, from our dining room table, water-spots and all |
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| About to pass under the Confederation Bridge, from our dining room table, water-spots and all |
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| Passing under the Confederation Bridge, as seen from our dining room table |
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| On the other side |
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| The Confederation Bridge fades out of sight as it heads onto the New Brunswick mainland |
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| This is the view more as we saw it from our table, free of camera zoom |
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| Another of the Confederation Bridge |
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| Later, the Confederation Bridge fades out of sight |
After Dinner
After dinner it was to the piano bar for me, to
the showroom for Mike, though we both met up in the piano bar for the Name That
Tune trivia game, before heading back to the cabin and more towel art.
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| The night's towel creation: elephant |
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| Best towel-creation to that point of the cruise. But, better was to yet-to-come! |
