best laid plans

I know I said I would post on our holiday but the wifi was spotty and slow so never did. But here are my memories of the trip.
We flew from GP to Moncton left at 9am arrived at 11:30pm, with stops in Cowtown and Montreal.  We were going to stay with Wilf's old navy buddy Les and his wife for a few days at his cottage in Grande Digue about 30 minutes out of Moncton, beacuse of the late hour we decided to book a room for the first night then pick up our rental in the morning. So called the hotel for the shuttle, he was not awake so they said just gat a cab and they would  pay.  Did that, hotel was nice and Wilf asked the girl at the front desk where Grande Digue was from there. She looked a little puzzled but said she had just  moved there from Alberta so she was not sure.  The next day went to pick up the shuttle it was not there again, so took a taxi Wilf asked where Grande  Digue was he laughed and said Grande Dig you mean?  Maybe if we had said it correctly the lady might have known where it was.  Anyway we set off Les had said they would come and get us but Wilf wanted to try it, so Les sent directions which Wilf promptly forgot. We find grande Digue then drive around for a while, ask for directions at a store get lost again but finally arrived at the cottage.  It is beautiful about 300 yards from the beach on the Northumberland Strait so it is warm water.  Les and Deb are very welcoming and we hit it off right away.  It was like Wilf and Les had stayed in touch for all those years instead of the reality which was they had lost touch for 35 years, only got together for the first time last year.  Being in the navy for 37 years Les alwYs wants a plan and we did not have one. But got along anyways. I had said to Wilf I did not want them to feel obligated to show us around, but they were welcome to come.  So we said that to them and they wanted to show us around.  The first day we sat around and talked.
The next day we went to Bartouche which had an Acadian village, based on books and a play written by a lady about Acadian lifestyles, it was most interesting, I would recommend it highly although all in French the people did speak English to us and we fid the English tour.  Then off to Hopewell rocks on the Bay of Fundy, pretty amazing. The are also called the flower pot rocks. The tide is very fast and comes in very high there. The national park service keeps a sharp eye out for the tides and clear dvryone off in a hurray because it is so fast. The day before we got there they had to rescue 4 boys who got caught on a rock because they were hiding when the rangers went out to get people in.  That night Les made us seafood supper, muscles, scallops and lobster rolls.  Wow so tasty.  Les cooked all the meals while we were there, sure is a good cook.
The next day George (another navy buddy) and his wife Beth came from Fredricton for a sort of mini reunion, another very nice couple lots of laughs. They stayed until Sunday.
On Sunday night Les suggested we go to Parrsboro and they would pick up their motorhome and trailer with the miata and motor bike and spider and see some of Nova Scotia. We could all stay in their motor home and tour around, they on their bikes and we couls drive the miata. So that is what we did. Drove to Parrsboro and stayed overnight, did some sight seeing around there the next day, went on a coastal drive, saw Ottawa House  built by Charles Tupper, father of confederation and prime minister I think as his dummer home, it was beautiful. Very nicely restored. We then drow out to the force, it is an experimental thing, where they are trying to see if the tides there can generate energy, it has been done successfully in England and they are trying here, very very intersting.  The next day we headed to Haifax.
We  were meeting an other naval buddy, Sylvain,  who could not make the BBQ in Grande Digue, another very nice guy visited for a couple of hours then off to Bridgewater to a campground. Sat around talking at a campfire for the night.
off to Lunenburg, the next day. We were in the Miata they were on their bikes. Really liked it there, so many beautiful old homes, it was great to just walk around and look at them. There are lots of churches there also, one we went into had been rebuilt to the original after 60 %had been burnt down in 2012. It was the most beautiful church. While there a violinist and pianist were practicing for a concert, it was amazing and so beautiful.  I founf a wool store in Lunenburg and bought some NS wool, very pretty.  The Bluenose 2 was in the dock, such a interesting ship, just like the dime.  We also went to a distillery called Ironworks very nice rum, so I bought a bottle, so smooth. They also made liquors that were good.
Back to Parrsboro for wings night at the local pub.  But before that to Advocat for the best seafood chowder I ever had, a little restaurant that hols maybe 10 people in a holiday trailerpark, run by friends of Deb and Les. Big chunks of lobster, haddock, scallops in a very creamy buttery broth,  it is a family rdcipe that the cook does not tell, well worth the trip.
the pub night was fun, looked like the whole town showed up. Live entertainmet with dancing. The singers were very funny and actually sang the lyrics "the bathroom  is on the right". I laughed and laughed.
we decided we wanted to go to PEI, so talked to Deb and Les and gave them an out if they wanted it, but they decided to come with us. We went across the Confederation bridge at times it felt we were driving on water if you looked out the window.  Went to Charlottetown and walked around there, found some amazing wool bought too much but so what.  Then eent to the campground by Cavenfish beach.  Next day drove around PEI, went to a Lucy Maude Mongomery museum that was in the house she was married from. I think it was called Silver Birch, very well done, just drove and looked at the island, so pretty.  The next day we left, but I had seen an ad as soon as you got off the bridge "get your picture taken as Anne" and wanted to do it. Everyone was game, so we did and the pictures were hilarious, I feel it was the best value for $4.00 pp that you can get on the island. Back to the cottage for one last night then we went home. It was such a great holiday, relaxing and full of fun we made some very good friends and enjoyed ourselves immensely.