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Category Archives: Experiences

Canada Rocks

Posted on 2014/07/01 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

Happy Birthday Canada, 147 years young!

PEI 2014 celebration

In PEI this year, we are celebrating 150 years since the Charlottetown Conference that led to the formation of this great country.  Things are ROCKING here today and we will top it off with the biggest fireworks show in Canada.

2014 also sees the return of the musical revue Canada Rocks.  I saw The First Canada rocks in 2005, twice that year.  I was ecstatic to see it come back in 2006 and saw it again.  The following year, we were treated to British Invasion, and the year after America Strikes Back.  For the next 5 years I was looking for a show to equal the performance.  So I was thrilled to see it coming back for 2014.

Canada Rocks Musical Revue

Be prepared for a high energy show.  This is a non-stop, one song after another, singing, dancing extravaganza that is sure to please people of all ages. The show features two dozen top notch singers and dancers that take you on a musical ride across Canada featuring artists and hits from the 60’s to today.

Music fans young and old will enjoy this show. There is something for everyone, including a tribute to our recently fallen East Coast legends.

Make PEI one of your summer destinations, and be sure to include Canada Rocks.  It plays Thursdays Fridays and Saturdays at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

I am planning a return trip to the theatre before the end of August. There is so much going on on the stage that you have to see the show more than once to take it all in.

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Tags: Charlottetown, entertainment, Musical, vacation PEI .

Summer Entertainment on PEI

Posted on 2014/06/22 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

The Festival of Small Halls may be all over, but the fun is just beginning.  Now that we have had a taste of entertainment on Prince Edward Island, it is time to look at the summer’s events.

The Cavendish Beach Music Festival runs from July 4 to 6. It will feature Lady Antebellum, David Nail, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Hunter Hayes, Dean Brody, and many other artists, on three stages.  The festival has been running since 2009 and is the premier country music event in Prince Edward Island.  If you have not yet booked your accommodations, go to http://peiplay.com now to look for rapidly disappearing vacancies.

On August 30, Shania Twain will be here to close off a summer of celebration. The reserved grandstand seats are almost sold out but there are still some general admission tickets.  As with the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, book your accommodations early.

Canada Day is right around the corner.  We promise to have the biggest fireworks show in Canada this year.  We also promise to have top notch entertainers like the Barenaked Ladies, Tegan and Sara, Classified, David Myles, Roch Voisine, George Canyon, and Drum.

The Big Red Music Festival runs June 28, June 29 and July 12. This year, we are proud to bring The Killers to Charlottetown.  Check the full lineup on their site.

The 2014 celebration will include Natalie MacMaster and The Barra MacNeils on July 4.

The Jazz and Blues Festival runs August 21-23. It will feature many artists including the legendary Downchild Blues Band.

July 24 will also see Guess Who’s legendary Burton Cummings coming to Prince Edward Island.

Of course, our great local talent will be playing all over PEI during the summer.  So if you are looking for Down East music, storytelling and toe tapping tunes, there will be plenty of choice.

 

Be sure to include some entertainment on your trip to Prince Edward Island this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tags: Cavendish, entertainment, Musical, outdoors .

Festival of Small Halls

Posted on 2014/06/20 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

The Festival of Small Halls is winding down this weekend.  However, this is just an introduction to small halls and a kick off to the season.

Small Halls are a great way to experience what Prince Edward Island has to offer.  We have so much great local talent that you should plan to include one small hall venue on your visit.

Here are my 3 favourites that are just a short drive from Beside The Trail Bed and Breakfast:

The Milton Community Hall hosts events the First Friday of each month.  Check the calendar for this year’s events.

The Victoria Playhouse in Victoria by the sea is a hidden gem.  This small theatre hosts events daily from the end of June through to mid September.

Harmony House Theatre is locate din Hunter River. Their signature event this year is a reprise: The Island Summer Review 2.  There will be 3 shows per week: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There will also be other shows – check their calendar regularly for new postings.

 

Please be sure to include some local entertainers to round off your Perfect PEI Holiday.

 

Guy

 

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Tags: entertainment, festivals, Island Fun, Island Life .

5 Outdoor Family Trips in Prince Edward Island

Posted on 2013/05/01 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

Canada’s smallest province Prince Edward Island or ‘PEI’ for short is known for its pastoral scenery and lush agricultural landscapes. Its idyllic towns and capital Charlottetown move at a gentle pace, surrounded by Maritime delights, towering red sandstone cliffs and peaceful beaches. Whether you are local looking for new pastures to explore or you are new to the area, PEI offers plenty of fun family days out in the great outdoors. If you are travelling from mainland Canada, you may want to stay somewhere overnight to break up the journey. Look online for listings of Quebec City hotels for a quick kip before setting off on a short drive to the Island.  

Basin Head Provincial Park  

basin-head

 

Enthusiastic guest reviews claim that Basin Head houses one of the best beaches on the island. The park in Souris provides nine miles of white sand along the beautiful coastline with great parking facilities for visitors. You can also learn about the Maritime history of the area in the Fisheries Museum. The popular area fills up quickly in peak times; however, you can walk along the beach to a more secluded area at Bothwell Beach. Take a picnic and laze under the sun in the day park while the kids play in the children’s village or enjoy a cooling ice-cream before a stroll around the Park’s gift shop.  

Prince Edward Island National Park

PEI National Park

 

Prince Edward Island’s National Park boasts a diverse range of landscapes, scenic views and local wildlife. The park is home to woodland, wetlands, sand dunes, beaches and the Island’s signature sandstone cliffs. The National Park is also important for protecting the endangered Piping Plover, a delicate bird species. Parks Canada has been helping to revive the numbers of this coastal bird since 1982, which is continued to this day. The park was also awarded Best Canadian National Park, 2013 by About.com readers.  

Charlottetown

 charlottetown

 

PEI’s capital is a bustling hive of entertainment, activities and historical landmarks. Like everywhere on the Island, you are never far away from water. The bays near the city provide ample activities by the water’s edge including fishing, boardwalk strolling and biking. Alternatively, you can stay inland to discover the Islands history which is perfectly preserved in an array of stunning buildings including the St. Dunstan’s Basilica and Beaconsfield Historic House.

Shining Waters Family Fun Park 

 shining-waters

Take the kids to this family-friendly park which is spread over 30 acres. Take a splash into Buccaneer Bay or climb up the tree houses in the Adventure Woods. Children can also play with animals in the barn as well as watch animated animals in performances and shows. There is also carnival rides for older children as well as canteen facilities for an energy boost at lunchtime.

Burlington Amusement Park

burlington

Fancy an adrenaline rush after lazy days spent on the beach? Kensington’s Burlington Amusement Park is home to PEI’s only batting cage and children’s go-karts. There are a total of 3 go-kart tracks for any age and level as well as bumper cars and mini golf.  

 

~~ Guest Post by Susan Varano ~~

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Tags: Cavendish, Charlottetown, outdoors, vacation PEI .

Shopping in PEI

Posted on 2013/04/22 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

Shopping bagsPrince Edward Island has a lot to offer in the way of nature and attractions. However, there is also a need for shopping experiences.

Sunday shopping is still relatively new on PEI.  Most big stores will not open until noon on Sundays.  However, the convenience stores and gift shops are likely to be open earlier.  Remember also that several of the specialty shops and souvenir establishments are not open year round. Therefore it pays to check hours of operations or give them a call before heading out.

Shopping Malls

If you come from the big city, remember that malls here have from 10-30 stores in them.

Charlottetown

  • Confederation Court Mall
  • Charlottetown Mall
  • Shops of St Avards
  • Confederation Landing (Seasonal)

Summerside

The main shopping areas in Summerside are centered on Granville Street as can be seen on the map. The downtown mall has been struggling for several years due to the popularity of malls int he outskirts where retail space is less expensive.  However, in the summertime, Spinnaker’s Landing is quite a bustling spot.

Shopping outside the two major cities

 There is a small mall in Montague. In the North-West you will find another in Bloomfield. Let’s not forget the Cavendish Boardwalk where you can find all sorts of treasures in the summertime.  Though not a mall, Victoria by the Sea deserves mention.  This is a small village when about half the houses have been turned into shops. This makes for a different walking shopping experience.

Special Gifts and Souvenirs 

What do you get for that friend that has everything? I will give that some thought and give you my favourite ideas on a future post.

 

Guy

 

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Tags: Cavendish, Charlottetown, shopping, summerside .

Plan Your Visit to PEI

Posted on 2013/02/08 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

plan your trip

If you have been following Cindy’s blog, we have been on the road since November. While we have visited many interesting places, it seems that finding out where to go was the biggest challenge.

We visited many information centres, state run and private. We picked up several pamphlets and tour guides. We also did considerable research on the Internet. While these are good resources, we found we were often overwhelmed by the huge number of choices.  How do you pick the best one?

We found that talking to people was often more informative. Sometimes we would strike up a conversation with a store owner and ask where they would go to visit.  This is one of the reason Cindy blogs about our trip.  We highlight the favourite places along our trip; if your interests are similar, you will likely enjoy them also.

This trip has also given me the idea of helping plan trips to PEI. Over the next few weeks, I will compile some of my favourite things to do in PEI.

Nature Lovers Trip

Here are may Favourite Spots in PEI to admire Nature:

north cape windmillsNorth Cape

North Cape is the windiest part of PEI.  It was the first experimental windmill site.  This is where PEI experimented with several designs.  Unfortunately, many of the older models have been dismantled. It is still a great place to learn about wind energy.  There is also an Irish Moss Interpretation Centre. At low tide, you can walk out a great distance between “the two tides”. There, you can often spot seals basking in the sun.

west point lighthouse and beachWest Point Lighthouse

 West Point Lighthouse is steeped in history.  Visit the lighthouse and attached motel to find out more. There is also a beach where you can walk for miles.  On a good day, you might be able to come back with a handful of seaglass.

Brackley BeachBrakley Beach

While Cavendish Beach is very popular, I enjoy Brackley beach. It features the same great sand and unspoiled nature. Now, there is also a bicycle path that runs alongside the roadway so you can pedal your way through nature’s sights.


greenwich national parkGreenwich National Park

Like Brackley, Greenwich is part of the National Park system. So if you get a park pass at Brackley, make sure you also use it at Greenwich before it expires. There is a swimming beach in Greenwich. My reason for going there is the nature trails. Go past the welcome centre all the way to the end of the road. There are several hiking trails. The longest takes you through an open area, a short walk through a wooded area, a boardwalk through a marsh, and ends up on one of the nicest beaches on Prince Edward Island. Turn left and go down a couple of hundred yards. There is a place to climb back over the dunes to learn about their formation.  Be sure to bring suitable sun protection and water. You might be out for a long time.

singin sands beach at basin head parkSinging Sands

Basin Head Provincial Park is the site of Singing Sands Beach. Children of all ages love this beach as they like to make the sand sing.  So come and take your shoes off.  Find a dry patch of sand and walk kicking your feet in the sand. On your way out to Basin Head, you will pass by the town of Souris. As you approach via the causeway, you will see a parking area on your right and a long stretch of beach.  This is also a popular area for beachcombing.

 

victoria park downtown charlottetownVictoria Park

My nature lovers tour ends in Victoria Park. Donated to the city of Charlottetown almost 150 years ago, the park remains a 35 acre park close to downtown Charlottetown. There is a boardwalk all around the outside perimeter. There is also a bicycle lane during the summer. The inner court of the park has tennis courts, a playground, a pool, and trails through wooded areas.  It is a great place to spend the day or to unwind after a busy day of exploring Prince Edward Island.

 

 

 

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Tags: Beach, nature, Travel PEI .

Hurricane Sandy – An Observation

Posted on 2012/12/10 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

For the past 10 days, I have been reminiscing about my experiences on Staten Island with the Occupy Sandy relief Group.  

I recall the Ice storm of 1998: Cindy and I were living in Ottawa at the time.  We got help from hundreds of miles away.  I also remember stories of the Mont Blanc and the Halifax Explosion of 1917: The City of Boston was a major help in relief and rebuilding.  So much so, that Nova Scotia sends a giant Christmas Tree to Boston every year. Hurricane Sandy did not affect us in Eastern Canada and it was our turn (Cindy and I) to offer help to those in need.

We were only there a week.  We readily sacrificed spending Thanksgiving with our daughter in North Carolina; making up for it last Saturday with a big turkey dinner with all the fixings.

Now that we are gone, I am left with an emptiness and wishing I could have done more to help.

Cats without shelter

What about the 50 or more cats in the New Dorp Beach area that are without a home? We heard that 2 people had 20 or more cats each in their home and were looking for help with food and litter for all these animals.

 

hurricane sandy debrisWhat about all the debris that still clutters the streets? Sanitation crews are working relentlessly at picking everything up.  However the amount of debris in the narrow streets it making it difficult.

 

relief donations for Hurricane Sandy victimsWhat about all the food donations that are sitting out in the elements?  Rain and freezing temperatures will soon put these donations at risk.

 

 

occupy sandy  galleyWhat about the people serving food in freezing temperatures? What about those with no heat or electricity in their homes lining up in freezing weather for a hot meal? I heard a comment today about hundreds still without power in New York . . . a month after the storm.

What about all the politicians saying we will learn from this and plan better next time? Did we not hear similar stories after Hurricane Katrina?

Regardless, I am still proud to have played a small part in helping those in need.  My experience has reminded me about a saying concerning people.

There are three kinds of people

  1. those who make things happen
  2. those who  watch  things  happen
  3. those who wonder what happened

Thanks to those who have followed me on this journey.  For my friends in Prince Edward Island complaining about the snow and freezing rain today, count you blessings if you have a warm home and hot food. For those reading my blog to learn about PEI, come back in a day or so when I will resume providing information about our Gentle Island.

Guy

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Tags: hurricane .

If not for BaD LuCk he would have no luck at all

Posted on 2012/12/06 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

In my last post, I spoke about the people in Staten Island.  We got to know a few of the residents quite well, even though I have forgotten most of their names.  One I will not forget is Anthony. He was always there helping out though he needed help himself.

The last night we were there, a strange set of events occurred   Cindy said “I smell something burning”.  Someone answered that it must be the campfire – a smelly piece of driftwood on the fire.  Cindy said it smelled different but we sloughed it off.

It was our last night there as our daughter needed our help in North Carolina the next day. We turned in early.  Cindy went back out to the supply tent to look for kleenex.  She heard some yelling coming from down the street.  She came to get me saying something like “they broke into Anthony’s house.”

evening-fire-alarmAs I headed out, I heard sirens.  Three fire truck arrived on the scene.  They were followed closely by three more – the flashing lights lit up the darkened streets. We arrived on the scene right behind the fire fighters.  We could see smoke oozing from the shingles of a home.  We also saw Anthony, visibly in shock and possibly burned in the fire.  Despite his injuries, he was yelling to the firemen to tell them exactly where the fire was.  We watched as the firemen ripped apart what was left of the water damaged home to find the fire and put it out.

A couple of our volunteers were helping Anthony until the paramedics arrived to begin treating him.  The rest of the story we learned from a news article on the internet.  We have yet to get any more news about Anthony.  If anyone has heard, please let me know.

 

 

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Tags: hurricane .

The People at Occupy Sandy Staten Island

Posted on 2012/12/03 by Guy Posted in Experiences .

When we arrived at the Occupy Sandy Camp – there was a big sign on the sidewalk that said Occupy Sandy.  Unfortunately, by the time we thought to take a picture, it had been removed.  I read somewhere about Occupy Wall Street Hippies, presumably disorganized, that were accomplishing wonderful things on Staten Island.  I guess it was just our good fortune to happen upon their camp to volunteer.

Low Riders Motorcycle ClubThere were also signs from three motorcycle groups: the Low Riders, Rolling Thunder and Hallow’ed Sons. These volunteers brought many resources to the camp and had good local connections. We met Jimmy Carter, a wonderful man who is apparently well known in the circles.

The occupy Wall Street group had many volunteers that spent 24 hours at the camp and often went out on demolition jobs, helping people clean out their ravaged homes. We made several good friends during our week of volunteering at the camp.  Although we may never see any of them again, their faces and special characters are indelibly inscribed in my mind.

Wherever help was needed, whether organizing, serving food, helping the victims, or unloading new supplies, there was always someone available to help out. Chyno was as outspoken as they come.  Not a shy bone in his body.  He had a reputation for getting things done.  he was the go to guy when we needed to go the the “miracle department” as I usually call it to resolve a problem. Donna was one of the head organizers, don’t let her small stature fool you (if I ever find a picture of her), she is a ball of fire and won’t back down from anybody. She kept things organized, made those endless TO DO lists and organized essential shopping trips for critical supplies.  I see many other faces to which i cannot put a name.

Then there were the residents.  5 or 6 of them were at our camp almost every evening.  After they had done what they needed to do in their own homes, they were with us, helping us organize and helping others.  

The old adage is true: adversity seems to bring out the best in some people.

 

 

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Tags: hurricane .

Taking a Break at Occupy Sandy

Posted on 2012/12/01 by Guy Posted in Experiences, Uncategorized .

Cindy and I are beachcombers. When we needed to unwind – like after the morning routine, we would take a walk on the beach looking for treasures.  We found some nice pieces of seaglass – see tomorrow’s post for details.

I also found a coke bottle. You can find these coke bottles in antique shops and garage sales.  But this is a seaglass coke bottle.  Gently frosted by years of exposure, it only has a small chip on the top lip.

 

 

 

This bottle says P.F. O’Neill Bottling Company of New York with an address on Greenwich Street. I have seen various pictures of this type of bottle on the Internet but not one yet that can shed any light on its history or age.  Judging from the thickness of the glass, I would guess it is early last century.

  

 My next and most prized find is this bottle stopper. We now have two in our collection.  Although rare, I know several people have dozens of these but it is always a big thrill when you find one.

 

Cindy also found a clay pipe bowl.  See her scrapandwrap blog for details.

Come back tomorrow to see what we did with the seaglass we found.

 

Guy

 

 

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Tags: hurricane .
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