Canada Day

I’m sure Prince Edward Island is beautiful…particularly when it’s not raining. However, this beauty was veiled by the continuous, multi-directional and incessant rain. I think the only direction it hasn’t been raining is up from the ground but that was made up by the many puddles, or should I say small lakes, that make a great super soaker effect as cars pass by at full speed and project a wall of water on unsuspecting and naive tourists. This is the PEI I came to know and…well not love today.

Connie is pretty much sick of my complaining – that is my interpretation of her reactions to my less than positive comments about the continuous mist in the air. Well, you be the judge.

After listening to the IT guys turned musicians, we were treated by a fire works show in the campground. Shortly after, the wind began to blow and the awning was bopping up and down (I think it might be a bit damaged after our heavy rain storm on Cape Breton Island), so I decided to retract the awning part way and move the chairs, campfire in a can, etc under the covered part of the awning. After I fell into a deep slumber, the wind picked up and Connie decided to fully retract the awning and move everything under the trailer to keep it dry. I decided to remain in my cosy bed.

The rain started to fall about 11pm and it along with the incessant wind continued all night until about 730am. After about an hours procrastination I got up and went outside to assess the damage. Not surprisingly everything was soaked. Even the chairs placed under the trailer didn’t escape the sideways torrent of rain. Methodically I wiped everything down, packed it up and placed it in its rightful place. Rather than enjoy my cup of coffee in the campsite, I convinced Connie and Zach that we should go downtown Charlottetown and find a breakfast spot, where I could get a decent coffee and they could have a bite of breakfast.

However, before we could depart, we needed to wait for Zach to rise from his restful slumber. While I waited, I decided to warm up and sit in the truck. Connie joined me within a few minutes and surprisingly Zach a few minutes following that. I said “wow that was quick! I though you were going to shower.” He went on to explain that he needed to cut short his morning regimen to join us in the truck because the idling vehicle was killing the polar bears.

We arrived downtown about 1015am, parked and made our way to the the Receiver Coffee Company. We sat inside, a nice reprieve from the drizzle and on/off again downpour.

After leaving the cafe, we made our way through some souvenir shops and Zach found a PEI license plate – the 1997 version (the year he was born). Connie picked up a few things and I amused myself reading the humorous greeting cards.

The rain started to increase its intensity, so we made our way back to the truck to find directions to Victoria Park, where the 21 gun salute would take place. Under normal circumstances we would have walked to the park but today was far from normal. We drove through the lovely rain and parked relatively close the park. From there we walked with our rain coats and umbrellas and found the cannon, accompanied by a sole soldier. I went over and chatted with him…a nice young man…Peters was his name and he was born somewhere on this lovely island. I asked him about the weather and whether this was typical. His response was that typically that it can change at any moment. I thought to myself, that sounds splendid! I felt proud of Mr Peters though as despite being soaking wet he remained cheery.

Just before noon, the rest of Mr Peter’s troop arrived and right on the dot of 12 noon, they began to fire the cannon. Twenty-one times they fired it and by the time they were done we were soaked to the bone.

Connie informed us that the Canada Day festivities would get underway immediately following the 21 gun salute, so we headed over to that area of the park to find the CBC television crew filming the small crowd of people. They were pleading for us to come over and join them, so it didn’t look like such a small group. Being the good Canadians we are, we went over to join the group. However, after standing in the pouring rain for about 10 minutes, we decided to leave (small crowd or not) and return to the truck. I suggested we go find a place to have a hot toddy and something to eat. We decided to return to the truck using a different route…a much busier one where copious amounts of water filled the street and cars became water cannon launchers to us pedestrians walking on the sidewalk. By the time we reached the truck, we were completely soaked, so drove back to the campsite to change.

After a quick change of clothes, we returned downtown Charlottetown to have lunch at an Irish pub. Following lunch we walked around town some more, visited some shops, walked to the waterfront, Zach played a very out of tune piano (I think it might be the rain), and later I sat and chatted with Sir John A MacDonald.

We then decided to drive out to Cavendish to see the beach and visit Green Gables.

After returning to downtown Charlottetown, Zach went to meet up with Aiden, one of his friends from UofT who has a daily gig playing jazz downtown on Victoria Row. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to hear him play as their gig was cancelled due to rain. We also learned the Canada Day fireworks were cancelled tonight due to…you guessed it rain.

While Zach chatted with Aiden, Connie and I walked down to the Lobsters on the Wharf to say hi to Dave Mac, the brother of Connie’s friend Andrea Cooper. Unfortunately, Dave wasn’t there today. The guy at the front counter thought he was and went back to get him but shortly after returned to apologize. He said, “Dave is usually here”.

We then made our way to The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse to have a bit of dinner and listen to some live Irish music. These guys were really good and it was a great way to top off the evening.

Tomorrow morning early we are off to New Brunswick for one night on our way to Montreal. Can’t say I’m going to miss this PEI rain.