Le Site D'Autre Fois

This Site, in Havre-Aubert, is listed as a tourist attraction, but it is much more than that. It is a history lesson, and takes the visitor back in time to the early settlers, the Acadians, and gives snippets of their life through a miniature village, and full scale buildings. It is a place of culture, begun by Claude F Bourgeois .

As we entered, it was apparent that knowing the french language would have been a big plus, as there was an activity/film that took place in the theatre where one would be introduced to the site, and the history involved. Understanding very little french, we were encouraged to walk about the site and enjoy. There were various signs of explanation in both french and english.

I took a lot of pictures, too many to share here. I was intrigued by the miniature village. Such detail.  Beside and in the full size buildings, were animals and people. (I believe these were made of fibreglass. At the end of our walk, while sitting at a picnic table resting my poor old legs, Captain Claude invited us into the theatre to share some things with us. He took the time to show us various things, that we would have missed because of our not understanding the language. All the while, he was speaking in french, and yet doing his best to give us understanding. He was amazing. This man is a story-teller, a writer of books and songs, and very, very charming. I bought his book, and in it is a CD of his songs, which I enjoy even though I do not understand it all.

Here then, are a sample collection of the pictures........

The Captain himself and the piece of netting he made and gave to me.

 

Miniature church

Grave 'stones'

Miniature home and outbuilding

 

Inside the home (full size)

The farmer and his horse & wagon

A look at the area covered (this is just a portion)

Another scene - a fisherman

 

An absolutely beautiful place to visit.

More to come......

A zodiac ride....cliffs and caves

 

 

L'Ile-du-Havre-Aubert

     There were lots of great things to see and do on this island, but my favourite spot is a historic site, La Grave, meaning pebbly, sandy terrain, not the grave as I first thought. Here, there are lots of craft shops, cafes and restaurants and crowds of people are walking all over the place, including on the road. We soon found that the pedestrian has the right of way. It would have been nice to join the crowd and wander in and out of the shops, but that didn't happen.

We went to the Sea Museum and the Aquarium, and an absolutely fantastic restaurant with the name of Vent du Large, with an adjoining boutique Bleu Mer. This was the first time we visited, but the next day we returned for another meal and gift buying.

The first Acadians settled here in Havre-Aubert, and this island is the most forested of the archipelago. The day we returned, there was an Acadian celebration happening. Someone told us what was going on, and we could hear the "boat-builders" hammering and sawing away, down the beach. Teams would build a 'boat' and later in the day, race that boat. Some teams were in costume. We didn't see the boats, (darn), but certainly heard the happy voices. Again, I would have liked to spend more time here, but.......

Both of these pictures are of a part of a ship

that had been wrecked long ago.

A fisherman had dragged it up.

The wood was joined together with wooden pegs.

This was outside the museum.

 

You will see these barrels, pictures of them and souvenir

barrels all over the islands. In 1910, a barrel such as this carried mail

from the Islands to Nova Scotia, when the islands lost contact with the

mainland because of a break in the underwater telegraph cable.

 

This would be the beach area where later on

the boat building would take place. (I think)

 

 

Next we went to the Aquarium, where there was a really nice young interpreter who guided me around the touch tank, giving lots of information and showing the creatures, while I took pictures.

 

love the little face on this ray

hermit crab

 

Vent du Large

 

A very interesting place, with a very nice waiter,

who took our picture.

 

Random shots.....

 

 

Seeing these pictures again, makes me wish I was back there.

 

Until next time....

 

 

 

 



More of Les Iles de la Madeleine

      It has been a while since my visit to the Magdalen Islands, and the notes I made about each place now seem insufficient. This is the problem with going to so many places for short periods of time. I tried to write about each set of pictures I took, as we drove away and on to another stop, therefore, my notes were sketchy, and if the road was the least bit bumpy, unintelligible. I wish I could have stayed weeks here, instead of 3days.

     As I write this, I am checking my guide book for reminders of what I saw, and where it was. It would be easier if I had downloaded my pictures in sets, rather more than 200+ photos at one time. The water and cliff photos are hard to identify, since I didn't always get the information down.

     After our trip to the Islands, we went on another road trip, visiting Grand Manan, an island in the bay of Fundy, Kings Landing, near Fredericton, along with the island of Campobello, all in New Brunswick. It will take me a while to get to this trip.....

     And so I will share some pictures, and mention the things that really stand out in my memory.
There is  the beauty and peacefulness of the island, the long, beautiful sand beaches, the crumbling cliffs, and some scenes that just took my breath away.

 There was the amazing fact that the islands were formed eons ago, by salt deep in the earth bursting up through the surface because of immense pressure bearing down on it from the earth. That is a very simplified explanation, but the result is that there is a salt mine on Grosse Ile which is producing around 1.5 million metric tons of salt per year, which is exported for use on roads for de-icing. (Once again, the information comes from the guide book)

 

This type of salt is extremely rare, but was mined at Mines Seleine

 

These are all salt. I found this fascinating.

 

We went to Sea Cow Path and discovered that in the 1700s, Walrus were very plentiful but they were hunted to extinction.

 

The people on the islands were so friendly. These two gals were at the White Caps Cafe. We had visited the Little Red School House, and the Veterans' Museum, and were delighted to find this little cafe, downstairs at the school house. This was a new venture, and I am hoping that all works out for the owners. Oh, and the coffee was delicious. We chatted with these girls as though we had known them for more than just 5 minutes. It was like that with almost everyone we met. The warmth and friendliness is priceless.

 

 

More to come....when I check my notes and get my pictures in order.

 

Ahhhhh, Les Iles.....

The Iles de la Madeleine are located in the middle of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and part of the Province of Quebec. There are about 12 islands, five of which are linked by long thin sand dunes. From northeast to southwest is around 88km. They are quite simply, beautiful! They are very different from Nova Scotia, as there are not a lot of trees, except in a few places. Nothing like the miles and miles of woodland we find here. It is a vista of sand, sea and sky, salt marshes, different coloured houses, cliffs and caves. The wind is a constant companion. Spellbinding.

If you are fit, the way to see the islands is to bike. In our case, the car had to surfice. In one of the many lagoons, we came across kite surfers. The kites are huge, and as the wind catches them the surfers are carried along, at a pretty good clip. Some pros were doing tricks, and others were enjoying the speed as they skimmed the water. It was so neat to see the sky filled with colour and the surfers going back and forth racing along the water.

In English, we say the Magdalene Islands, but in French it is Les Iles de la Madeleine, which initially confused me, because there is no 'g' in Madeleine. In 1629, Samuel de Champlain wrote on a map, 'La Magdelaine'. The name, Iles de la Madeleine, was given to the island archipelago, in honour of Madeleine Fontain, wife of Francois Doublet de Honfleur, concessionaire of the Islands, in 1663. (From theOfficial Tourist Guide). During the "Grande Derangement", when the Acadians were deported from Nova Scotia, some made their way to these islands. The French spoken on the islands is rooted in Acadian French. The Madelinots, as the islanders call themselves, are warm and extremely friendly.Those with whom I attempted to speak in my old high school french were very patient, and the conversation usually ended up with laughter, and sometimes hugs. Delightful.

There is so much I want to say about the islands.I will share a few pictures, and you can see what I saw. I was disappointed when I got home, because the shots do not do the islands justice.

The dunes

The cliffs

Beach

 

Little starfish trying to make its way back to the water.

Working of a new wharf

 

I have more pictures to share

and stories to tell.

It will take time for

me to do it well.

Au revoir.

 

Iles de la Madeleine

     The Captain and I took a little trip a while ago, and it has taken me a while to just sit down and write about it. Before I begin though, I would like to thank my readers for your very warm and kind comments on the previous blogs.

     We left on the 30th of July for Souris, Prince Edward Island, from where we would catch the ferry to Iles de la Madeleine. Neither of us had been there before, although the captain had flown over it during his years in the airforce.

     We took a ferry from Nova Scotia to PEI, and stayed at the Lighthouse and Beach Motel that evening. This is the view from the porch looking down across the grass, and Sheep's Pond.

 

 

Since we had a few hours the next day, before the ferry would be leaving, we visited some friends, and then went the East Point Lighthouse. On the Admission price list, there were the initials "A.W.E." and when we asked what they stood for the nice young man told us it meant "Adults With Experience", that is, seniors. I like that.

 

 

Then we headed for the Souris dock as we were to be there an hour before the ferry left.

 

 

The Ferry Comming in
 

                                                                                   

                 On the ferry

 

 





 

So long PEI

We are churning, on a five hour ferry ride to the Iles.

 

So much to tell you, but not tonight. I had to make the effort to start this. Now it won't be so difficult to get back to it.

 

Still here..

.....................but I haven't gotten back into the posting mode as yet.

I want to say thank you to all who made such kind comments on my last post. It is still such a shock.

I will return to posting in a little while. I have lots of things to say, just not ready yet to settle down to write.

Once again, thank you.

My Friend...

 

You were a very special woman

You loved and were loved

But you have gone

And I am still here

Missing you….

 

It is hard to think about the days

And months ahead

Without you.

Your quiet ways

Your beautiful smile

Your loving, caring, compassionate heart

No longer will grace my life.

 

It cannot be real……

You have gone,

I know you are in heaven
But I wish you were here.

 

I loved to hear your voice

As you read poems at Cantata
Words sometimes written
Just for you
Just so I could hear you read.
No longer will I hear your soft,
Expressive, tender voice.
I can almost hear you now.

Almost…….

 

Friends for more than thirty years

Not long enough
Not long enough.

You were so warm, loving,

Understanding, supportive.
You held me up, when I was down
You gave me hope, encouragement.

You loved me. You cared.

 

I cannot believe you are gone

When will it become real to me
To your family.

I close my eyes, I see your smile

I miss you.

You left us far too soon.

Your family mourns

Your friends mourn

Even the heavens shed tears of loss and sadness.

 

A gentle soul, a loving heart,

Caring, compassionate, determined.
When you made your mind up
That was it!
A decision made, a decision kept.

 

I missed you when you decided
You couldn’t sing anymore.
As much as we cajoled
Begged,
Your decision was made.
It makes me smile as I think of it.

 

Oh Diane......

Whatever will we do without you?

What would you say to me, to friends, to family?

What would you tell us?

 

With a glowing smile, a tender hug,

Loving words…..perhaps you’d tell us

To take each day as it comes,

Live it to the fullest,

Think of you often,
Remember the good times,
The laughter, the giddiness,
The difficult times, and the tears,

And carry on.

I will try, my friend.

I will never forget you.

I love you.

I know I’ll see you again.

I give thanks to God above

For the gift of your friendship.

 

Until we meet again,

Shalom.