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Welcome to PEI! :)

Saturday morning, relaxing in the hotel - a well deserved nothing morning. We arrived in PEI last night.

Yesterday morning we left the hotel (well, we had planned to leave by 9, but plans like that rarely work out when you are leaving a hotel).. Headed for a Tim's and Esso (GPS once again lead us on a wild goose chase saying that there was a Tim's down one road, but there wasn't one there - not even an old building of one.. but there was one a little further down the highway that wasn't on the GPS), and we were on our way.

Our first stop was the Olivier Soappery. A little, but impressive company. Started as just a little unsuccessful Bed and Breakfast where the owner's wife made her own soap. Everyone loved the soap, so they closed down the B&B and just made soap. Now, they are a growing company with stores spreading across Canada, one in New York City, and one in London - with all the soaps made in the same (but renovated) barn they started in.
We got a full demonstration of how they make the soap, and got to "sample" several (smell, touch, even wash our hands).
The only issue with the whole natural line is the price. But we still bought a few things.

Then back in the car again. Next stop was in Bouctouche, NB. And back to Acadian life in Pays de la Sagouine. This time, it wasn't focusing on the history, but rather the kitchen parties, and the fun in Acadian culture. They did touch on the history, just not as much as the last place. We got a neat demonstration of a kitchen party from two ladies - showed us how they would dance so the priest wouldn't know they were dancing (tapping their feet to the music), and then how to play the spoons.. One of the ladies was a fantastic fiddle player. The girls really enjoyed that demonstration. We got to visit the island where the buildings are, and wander around looking through them all. There is a cute little building at the very end of the island that is a Kid's building - toys, games, music, plays, and best part - supervision while there are plays going on in the main part of town. So we left the girls there to watch part of the play. I didn't understand most of the play, but because it was a comedy, it was still easy to enjoy it. After getting the girls - with the plan to head out - we saw another play that the girls' enjoyed (again, in French, but a very over-dramatic comedy, so easy to enjoy) - acted by the Barber's Daughters.

Supper in Shediac (A healthy sub from Subway - we are all enjoying the healthy quick suppers from there), and then traveled the rest of the coast. One final stop in New Brunswick - Cape Tormentine - a tiny town with a small quiet beach and a beautiful view of the confederation bridge and the edge of PEI. If it wasn't for the fact that I wanted to cross the bridge in daylight, we could have stayed at that beach for hours.

The last leg of the day.. First crossing the bridge. It's an amazing bridge - so long, with such an amazing view of the ocean and PEI. Then seeing the island for the first time - the vast fields, the rolling hills, the red dirt, the little towns, the ocean views. And finally, arriving in Charlottetown and to our hotel.