Need Peace? Go East!

Monthly Archives: August 2012

Gold Cup Parade

Posted on by Posted in Uncategorized .

A few days ago I talked about the Gold Cup Parade.  Gold cup parade day is Friday August 17th.  Remember that Gold Cup Parade day is pretty much a provincial holiday in the Charlottetown area.

For those that may be coming to Charlottetown on Friday, you may experience traffic delays and road closures.  The parade forms on North River Road, which is also called the Lower Malpeque Road as you approach Charlottetown.  Since parts of the lower road will be closed, the Upper Malpeque road (Route 2) will experience incraesed traffic flow as will University Avenue.

Consult the route map on the Gold Cup Parade Day website for more details.
This has been a public Service Announcement.

Guy 

Emblems of PEI

Posted on by Posted in PEI the Garden Province .

Just a short drop in today – I have many oars in the fire and I need to get all my ducks on the same page.

PEI Emblem CoinIf you are planning to visit PEI, perhaps you need a bit of research. Do you know the various emblems of Prince Edward Island?  We have a provincial flower, bird, tartan, soil, tree, and of course a flag and coat of arms.

Has anyone seen this coin? Do you have any idea where I might find one?

When I asked Google (because Google knows everything), for “PEI emblems” the first hit took me this website that features a short paragraph on each.  Enjoy the link.

There is also a recent Island Hymn (2010) that you will find here.

Enjoy your day . . . Guy

Frugal on PEI

Posted on by Posted in Frugal .

I’m all about frugal, not to say cheap.  You may have heard that average salaries are low on PEI.  Therefore,many people are looking for ways to save money.

bar of soap

I’ve been looking at ways to save on soap. Hand soap pumps help to cut down on the melting soap bar on the sink.  I have heard of watering down the handsoap. However, that only seems to be helpful if you have children who like to use LOTS.

Body Wash Bottle

Next I turn my attention to the shower.  What about body wash? But it seems I keep having to reload. Squirt after squirt after squirt – it seems I use much more than if I was using soap.

 

tulle bath sponge

Tulle to the rescue!  Many bath stores sell tulle sponges.  You can easily make your own by cutting up pieces of tulle and making a FLOWER.  Now I find that one squirt of bath gel lasts the whole shower.  Easy solution to a thrifting issue.

Do you have any time or money saving ideas? I’m eager to share and learn. Please send me your tips or links to your blog posts.

All this talk of soap makes me feel like taking a shower….Guy

Cycling PEI and Services

Posted on by Posted in The Confederation Trail .

cycling the trail in Prince Edward Island Many people come to PEI to cycle on the Confederation Trail. It is a very serene way to travel. Though you spend quite some time looking at fields and trees, you can also appreciate some nice vistas as depicted here.

At our Bed and Breakfast, we spend quite some time talking to cyclists. The most common comment we get is difficulty finding pit stops on the trail. So I highly recommend that you do a bit of research before coming. Most of our cycling guests come to us from West to East so we are most familiar with the issues between the Confederation Bridge and Charlottetown.

There are plenty of services in Summerside.

From Summerside to Kensington is about 14 kilometres. As you approach Kensington, you may see two dairy bars on your right. This is a perfect stop on a hot day. You can also find restaurants in downtown Kensington.

If you are coming from the Confederation Bridge, your best pit stop is probably in Hunter River 37 km away. It is also 32km from Kensington to Hunter river. As you cross the main road in Hunter River, you will see a backpacker’s sign saying “supplies to your left.” It will be a hike back up the hill to get back on the trail, but you are still some ways from Charlottetown.

In Hunter River, there is a bakery that I believe is still closed on Mondays. Other days you can get a good meal and some fresh bread. There is also a convenience store in the village so you can stock up on those high calorie or high caffeine treats.

Grandma's Tearoom on the Confederation TrailHunter River to Winsloe is 20km. Now you are on the edge of Charlottetown. From here you are 11 km to downtown Charlottetown. However, if you are continuing your trek on the trail towards the North East, there is an excellent place to stop right on the trail. Between trail marker 174 and 175 you will find Grandma’s Tearoom. There are a couple of picnic tables in the back yard that are usually in the shade. You can also get some iced tea and a light lunch while relaxing in the tearoom or on the deck. This location is part of the Cyclist Welcome Program so feel free to stop there to refill on water or take a bathroom break.

 In the event your day is about to end, this location is also a bed and breakfast with family friendly rates. There are two rooms with single beds that are perfect for resting up after a hard cycling day.

 I hope you will enjoy a cycling holiday in Prince Edward Island; be safe!

 Guy

 

Not Criminally Responsible

Posted on by Posted in PEI the Garden Province .

Only in PEI

A few days ago I was talking about a cycling fatality. Now another story rears its ugly head to make me cringe.

motorcycle accident

A driver runs down a motorcyclist.  As if this is not enough, he proceeds to give him a severe beating.  The injuries are so bad that he has part of his leg amputated.

Now they say the accused was not mentally capable of determining right from wrong. Let’s hope they also find he is not capable of determining right from left and remove his privilege to drive a car.

You can read the story here.

Tomorrow, we’re back to good news stories

Guy

PEI Air Show

Posted on by Posted in Experiences .

The Atlantic Canada Air Show is coming to Summerside Prince Edward Island.  The airshow dates are August 25 and 26 and it is being held at the Summerside Airport.   

RCAF Snowbirds aerial team

Canadian Snowbirds

This will be only one of two places this year that you will be able to see the Blue Angels and the Snowbirds.

 

US Navy Blue Angels aerobatic team

US Navy Blue Angels

Don’t miss out on this exciting event and get your tickets early for the Atlantic Canada Airshow.

 

Guy

Safe Cycling in PEI

Posted on by Posted in The Confederation Trail .

You may have heard that in July, there was a fatal accident involving a motor vehicle and a cyclist. While the accident was not as outrageous as the picture depicted here, I thought a shocking photo would get your attention.

Please, if you are planning on cycling on Prince Edward Island, be extra careful. The lady who was killed was wearing reflective and protective gear.  That did not protect her enough from the drunk driver that hit her.

If at all possible, stay on the Confederation Trail where you are less likely to become a statistic.  If you want to ride on the highway, please consult this list of roadways with paved shoulders.

We used to tell aggressive drivers to watch out for pedestrians.  After all, once you get out of the car, you become a pedestrian.  Cyclists should not have to live in fear as Ian Brisbin so well said. They should feel safe on any roadway, paved shoulder or not.  Perhaps we should force drivers involved in cycling accidents to use a bicycle for awhile to “walk a mile in our shoes.”

cyclist welcome sign

While cycling,  watch for establishments that display the Cycle Friendly logo. This logo identifies an establishment that caters to cyclists by providing safe storage, water refills, etc.

PEI has a lot to offer for cyclists; please be safe and have a great holiday on our Island.

 

Guy

Tourism Inspection Fees in PEI

Posted on by Posted in Hospitality .

 Tourism Inspection Certificate

Inspection fees are on the rise in PEI.  There has been considerable negative feedback on this:

  • We have to pay for government’s extravagances in other areas
  • We’ll have to pass the cost along to the customer
  • Government is taking money out of my pocket that I could direct to improvements
  • This is a disincentive to new operators who will go underground

I’m not ready to take sides yet.  Let’s try to have an objective look at the situation.

Currently, Tourism establishments pay a licencing fee which includes inspection.  Starting next year, the rates will increase to almost double by 2014.  This year, I paid $100 for my licence.  This includes about an hour visit from an inspector, issuing the licence, preparing the inspection reports, keeping records, and publishing the inspection reports on the Internet. Even at the reportedly low salary rates for PEI (minimum wage here is $10.00), you be the judge if this is getting your money’s worth.

Others think the inspection system is archaic and should be forgone, relying on user reviews on Twitter, Facebook, Trip Advisor, etc.  See Robert Patterson’s blog for one such opinion.  While I agree with much of what he says, those of us in the industry know that some Trip Advisor reviews are faked.  Some are written by the owners to boost their ratings, and some by the competition to lower their ratings.  Still, it is true that an official scheduled inspection only provides a sometimes rehearsed snapshot of the establishment.  While there is no perfect system, it seems that licenced establishments should be inspected by some governing authority.

Come back tomorrow for more information for tourists in PEI.

 

Guy

 

 

 

 

Gold Cup and Saucer Day

Posted on by Posted in Experiences .

Gold Cup and Saucer Day is one of Prince Edward Island’s biggest events.

Gold cup and saucer parade

When you look at the list of statutory holidays, you will see that some swap out the civic holiday in August for the privilege of participating in or attending the Gold Cup and Saucer parade. Now that is dedication.

The parade was established in 1961 and continues to draw tens of thousands of spectators.

 

harness racing on PEI

Gold Cup and Saucer day culminates with the Gold Cup and Saucer race. This is one of the most celebrated harness racing events in Atlantic Canada. The best and fastest racers gather in PEI all week for trials that culminate with this signature event.

There is a countdown clock on the Red Shores website that shows today just over 10 days left before the big race.

Formerly called the Charlottetown Driving Park (CDP), Red Shores Raceway was opened in 1889 and continues to be a major attraction on the Island.

So Come to Prince Edward Island for Old Home Week and if you are a harness racing fan, don’t miss the race for the cup.

 

Guy

Old Home Week in PEI

Posted on by Posted in Experiences .
Old Home Week, Summer fair

Old Home Week, Summer fair

Old Home Week is a late summer classic in Prince Edward Island.  Running for 125 years, Old Home Week it is the largest of the farm and family fairs on PEI.  Now let’s not get carried away. Charlottetown has a population of 45,000 and Prince Edward Island boasts 140,000 inhabitants. So don’t expect something the size of the CNE in Toronto. That being said, Old Home Week features a midway, agricultural exhibitions, competitions, and the usual gathering of various local crafters and exhibitors.

Prince Edward Island has a lot of talent and it is showcased proudly during Old Home Week.

Old Home Week is a time when people come from all across Prince Edward Island to take part in this annual family event.

See the details of Old Home Week on their web site.  There is nothing old about it.  I prefer traditional fair.

So if you are planning a trip to PEI in the next few days, mark August 9 10 18 on your calendar.