Up early, bright sunny skies befitting a town named Summerside, and off to explore.
The tourist info advertises PEI as 'The gentle Island' and it fits. It is largely agrarian with no signs of any industrial activity. Lotsa lotsa farms, dairy and crops, looks like the major products are potatoes and hay. The earth ranges in color from a bright red to a dull rusty red, caused mainly by hematite mixed in with the grains of sand that make up the sandstone that the island is formed from. Evidently it is perfect soil for potatoes. The other occupation here is fishing, of course, but most of the boats have been hauled up to people's front yards for the winter.
Everyone is so friendly. Several times we were driving along the backroads and some farmer or wife or guy working on a tractor would wave at us. At first, I looked around at who they were waving at. It was us. Stunned, we were out of sight before Jan or I thought to wave back. The spookiest was out at the North Cape wandering among the windmills, and I saw an RCMP car coming up the road. I looked away for a moment, then back at the car, and the two cops were waving at me. Not waving 'Hey idiot, get over here', but a friendly wave. Nonplussed, I just stood there not moving and watched them drive away.
The windfarms are stunning, the size of the monsters is breathtaking, and the giant blades turning above me made a 'swooshing' sound as I stood below. Many many pictures and movies later, we left there for Jacques Cartier National Park, then past Summerside again and off to Cavendish, the actual model for the fictional town of Avonlea in the novel 'Anne of Green Gables'.
Along the way, two opportunities to sample the local chowder. No winners here, 'The Loyalist' in Summerside is still the leader but Nova Scotia is on the horizon for tomorrow.
Final destination, Charlottetown, where we settled in for the night.
