Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Is the CA for Canada or California - 'Cause I think we just drove HWY 1

Another week and another beautiful setting.  Beginning to wonder if we are getting too used to the sights - as starting to think this is normal!

The beginning of this week brought Cape Breton, Nova Scotia - specifically Baddeck (ba - DECK) on Bras d'Or Lake (bra - DOOR).  More bays, lighthouses, boats and perfect scenery - except for the lack of fall colors;-(

Baddeck Bay on Bra d'Or Lake - near our campground.


Not a minute to be lost after arrival - The Baddeck Ceilidh (KAY - lee) started at 7:30.  This is a 'gathering' of friends - and in this case included traditional Celtic music with bagpipes, dances, lots of information and snacks.  What a way to get into the spirit of the area.
An evening gathering for music and story telling.. a Ceilidh in Gaelic

More golf - today the Bell Bay GC with more beautiful scenery to take our minds off the golf --

Nice view from the Bell Bay Golf Course.

Can you guess why it is Bell Bay??  You may not know, but Alexander Graham Bell bought a house on the point you can see in the background and created several of his many inventions here.  We all know him for the telephone (in a form no longer used by most!!) - but, he was quite prolific!  He invented a plane that was the first to fly in Canada - on the very lake you see above (in the winter when it was ice) and a hydrofoil, which was also tested on the lake above.  Perhaps the most astounding accomplishment (besides the telephone) was the creation of a method to 'communicate' with the deaf.  Through this he became a good friend of Helen Keller - and one of his deaf pupils became his wife.  All of this we learned as we toured the Alexander Graham Bell museum located here in Baddeck.  

Then - the BIG event for the area.  The Cabot Trail drive around Cape Breton Highlands NP and Top of the Island.  The bodies of water viewed included the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  Really reminded us of Highway 1 in California - thus the title of this post.  Hikes, whale watching and taking pictures are prescribed activities - so will let the pictures provide the story --

The western side of the Cabot Trail above the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  Doesn't it look like Highway 1 in California??

Lobster traps waiting to be put to work.

A pod of pilot whales hanging out near our whale watching boat.



Early morning eagle along the roadside.

An eastern section of the Cabot Trail above the Atlantic - see any fall colors????
Then there was one more day of golf here on a top 100 in the world course!!  An interesting course with more gorgeous views -

The Highland Links course was much the challenge, but had some really nice settings.

Seems like this has been a very short few days, but time to move on again.  Tomorrow the destination is Peggy's Cove near Halifax, NS.

See you there - E & G

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