Out East in 2002
Finally, after many years away from the Maritimes, I had a chance to return and visit some of my old haunts and find a few new ones.
I even got the nerve up to stop by Victoria, PEI and memories of my first love came flooding back like it was yesterday.
Talking to a grizzled old-timer on the dock, a dock that now caters to tourists rather than fishermen, I chatted about how the tide would pound against the cliffs in the next bay over. You could sense his surprise at a landlubber city-slicker type tourist talking about things only known to the locals. Of how the dock was in days gone by, and the dance hall down the road a spell.
(I shall soon add a pic here of the dock and the bay)
Finally he asked me how I knew these things....and I told him of a fair lass from the Lower Tryon Road and how as barely a teen I had fallen so deeply in love. First loves are like that, but circumstances came between us and I never returned but once. She never knew. Yet in letters found three decades later, only then did I discover that she felt the same way...letters and papers that were kept from me.
That old-timer knew her and where she lived and even gave me her number and her married name, but too many years and too many things have passed since that time of innocence for me to call. Did I make the same mistake twice? I think not - some things are better left in memory where harsh reality never dares venture and we are as we were - two youngsters in love forever.
Farewell and Godspeed Mary Lea - know you are never forgotten when Scarborough Fair plays.
On a happier note:
I made a new friend in Gib, the owner of the Just Duck Inn north of Kensington PEI, a ham radio operator, who also runs a bed and breakfast with his wife.
I spent a few hours in his radio shack and was able to write an article in TCA that mentioned my stay at his lovely home. Gib and I played radio while Robert enjoyed talking computers with some other like-minded guests.
VY2GIB - Gib
And here is Gib showing off the sign to his establishment
As much as I love PEI, it was soon time to say goodbye to the red sands and off to Cape Breton.
You always do the Cabot Trail counterclockwise!
Robert hates his picture taken - but he can be fooled when not paying close attention!
Then off to New Brunswick!
Can you guess where we were?
I will add more pics soon from the hundreds taken on this trip