First there was our 3 hour boat trip from Englishtown to 'The Bird Islands'. There is a bit of a bald eagle problem here as you will see.
 |
| Puffin Boat trip |
This morning, before the England game, we visited the Sydney and Louisbourg Railway Museum. Lots of preserved bits and pieces and many scale models. The railway did most of its business hauling coal and there was a 3 storey jetty on the Louisbourg Wharf (just behind our campground pitch - now housing a rather noisy and smelly fish factory - the whole town holds nose at 10.15am every day when the fish offal is trucked out!). Louisbourg was the preferred location as the Canadian entreport because its harbour didn't freeze over during the winter as badly as others such as Sydney or Englishtown.
 |
| Trains |
Another 3 hours this afternoon at another National Historic Site of Canada - the Louisbourg Fortress. It was established as a french fortress, the frence having arrived in 1713. It was named after King Louis 14th and built during the reign of Louis 15th. Louisbourg quickly became France's most importnt stronghold and seaport in what is now Atlantic Canada. Later it was the scene of two decisive sieges between the English and French in 1745 and 1758. By 1760 it lay in English hands and its fortifications were destroyed. James Wolfe (Westerham again) was the hero of 1758. The Fortress today is the largest recontructed 18th century town in North America.
It was more role playing like the Citadel in Halifax but on a bigger scale. The soldiers and townsfolk made conversation as though the tourists were players too. Mostly we were greeted in french. We were in deep trouble as soon as we opened our mouths! It was explained that the date was 1744 and the whole town was on high alert because of fear of the arrival of the english. The soldiers in particular were very cagey when talking to us and suggested our freedom might be in jeopardy!
 |
| Louisbourg Fortress |
So actually, apart from the bald eagles, it was the same as a trip to the Farne Islands?
ReplyDeleteLast Doctor Who on Saturday.
Everything and everyone old-fashioned and French - were you on the Channel Islands?
ReplyDeleteRe tides: I just read in Country Walking magazine that 115 billion tonnes of seawater flows over the coast of Nova Scotia at high tide, enough to make the adjoining land dip. I expect you noticed.
ReplyDeleteRe tides: I just read in Country Walking magazine that 115 billion tonnes of seawater flows over Nova Scotia at high tide, enough to make the adjoining land dip. I expect you noticed.
ReplyDeleteAnd if a thing's worth saying, it's worth saying twice. I said, if a thing's worth saying, it's worth saying twice.
ReplyDeleteWow what a trip!
ReplyDelete