Neal Sanders

I have the pleasure to have just returned from a long weekend in Canada’s Atlantic provinces, specifically Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It is a beautiful land, especially in the weeks before the tourists overrun it. Herewith, a report. <BR> <BR>* * * * * <BR> <BR>Travel to a foreign land is seldom free of risks. Among my honeymoon photos is one of my wife and I being arrested by the Venezuelan National Guard after we inadvertently stumbled into their secret bivouac area during riots in Caracas. We were on the Mediterranean when the U.S. bombed Libya and in Vienna for Chernobyl. In Tokyo, the hotel across the street caught fire during our stay. <BR> <BR>I list these past travel experiences not because I am encouraging readers to avoid the places we go (although more than a few friends call to check our planned itinerary to ensure our paths will not cross), but to provide credentials that we are no strangers to controversy and that sometimes, we just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Which is how we came to land in Prince Edward Island in the simmering midst of the Lesbian Lust imbroglio. <BR> <BR>A little background: In the early years of this century, a Prince Edward Island (PEI) author named Lucy Maud Montgomery penned a series of books about a fictional, red-haired orphan named Anne Shirley. The most famous of these was “Anne of Green Gables.” The books have been in print continuously ever since and, in the past decade, PEI has built a thriving tourist industry around Anne (more on this later). All was placid in PEI until earlier this month when a college professor from Wicked Ontario delivered a paper at a conference in Alberta entitled, “Bosom Friends: Lesbian Desire in L.M. Montgomery’s ‘Anne’ Books”. The author of the paper built her thesis around the idea that, while Anne may have married Gilbert, she reserved her most rapturous language for her “bosom friend” Diane Barry. Ergo, Anne was a closeted lesbian. <BR> <BR>News of this deconstructionist missile landed in PEI like a hundred-ton sack of potatoes and things haven’t been the same since. I asked the desk clerk at our hotel in Charlottetown if the hotel had an official position on the question of Anne’s lesbian lust. “Don’t get me started,” he said. “Everybody thinks it’s disgusting. These people from off-island telling us what Anne was.” At a restaurant in South Rustico, the response was even more vivid: “I don’t care what they say. Anne was a sweet girl.” At a Richmond crafts shop, the response was more even-handed. “It’s possible, though I don’t think its anyone’s business.” <BR> <BR>I think I’ve already mentioned that Anne was a fictional heroine. It just doesn’t seem that way when you’re on PEI and Anne Shirley’s face adorns your license plate. Lucy Maud Montgomery lived near Cavendish on the island’s north shore (the tourist maps call that “Anne’s Land)”. There is, in fact, a beautiful old house in Cavendish with green gables, located in a field that evokes the 1890s, the time in which “Anne of Green Gables” is set. Unfortunately, the field ends at a visitors’ center that dwarfs the house by a factor of, say, ten. There is parking for 500 cars and dozens of buses. There is an Anne of Green Gables golf course, miniature golf, restaurant, motel, and gift shop. Also nearby is a Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum and a full-size replica of the space shuttle (I cannot fathom why this last item is here, and I do not recall an “Anne in Space” title in the series). In and around Cavendish, Anne is very big business. <BR> <BR>(end of part 1)

Neal Sanders

(Part 2 of 3) <BR> <BR>If you draw a one-mile circle around Green Gables and do not venture into that unfortunate zone, PEI is a beautiful place. It is an island caught in a time warp, modern enough to have great restaurants but timeless enough to have miles of unspoiled vistas at every turn of the road. Much of the north shore is a national park and a scenic road runs past the red sandstone bluffs, beaches, and dunes. There is scarcely a four-lane road on the island nor a need for one. Much of the land is agricultural but the bays and inlets are everywhere and each crossing affords a new opportunity to stop, look, and admire. It is a neat and tidy island; the farms are well tended and the homes bear the stamp of loving care. We were prepared for the beauty and we were not disappointed. <BR> <BR>But nothing prepared us for the lupines. From early June until the first week of July, PEI is awash in a sea of lupines. The flower covers every ditch and swale; spikes of purple, blue and pink encroach into lawns. There are hundreds of miles of lupines on this island, and the people of PEI appear to know what kind of treasure they have. Properties that are otherwise mowed to football field regulations give way to rowdy tangles where there are lupines. For the rest of my life, I will not be able to see a lupine without thinking of Prince Edward Island. <BR> <BR>Crowds: There were none. The weather on PEI was beautiful while we were there, the high was 80 degrees, the nights were cool, the ocean breeze was a constant. But schools in Canada run until the last week of June and so the crowds stay away until Canada Day (July 1). We were told by everyone we met that July and August are very crowded, restaurant waits runs to an hour or more and those two-lane roads become parking lots. After (the American) Labor Day weekend, the crowds disappear again, though the warm weather lasts at least through the month. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend PEI in June. <BR> <BR>As to lodging and dining: we stayed at the Holiday Inn ten minutes north of the center of Charlottetown. It is a new property boasting an indoor pool. We didn’t get the room we reserved and the one we did get was dirty, but a well-placed complaint got us a very nice room and an apology. We ate two great meals at Sirenella, an Italian/seafood restaurant on Water Street in central Charlottetown. We had another excellent meal at Seasons in Thyme, a Summerside restaurant with a French-leaning menu and an idyllic view of the Dusk River inlet. Finally, our breakfast at the Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant in North Rustico was inexpensive but hearty, and the staff was a pleasure to talk with. <BR> <BR>PEI has enough cottages and bed and breakfast institutions to house several tens of thousands of visitors. Apparently, come the beginning of July, every one gets filled and stays that way until the end of August. Some of the B&Bs we passed by were the archetypical gingerbread cottages in a field of lupines. Others with cutesy names like Anne’s Seaside Bungalow were nothing more than a spare bedroom in a 1950s ranch house. I can offer no way of divining the good from the bad; the PEI Visitors Guide has photos of some properties. Many of the motels we saw were small facilities. Our choice of the Holiday Inn was in large part a result of a desire to avoid an unpleasant surprise. <BR> <BR>Prices: Inexpensive to moderate by U.S. standards. The Canadian dollar is currently worth 67¢, which makes meals and lodging very reasonable to U.S. travelers. Tip: buy your gas on PEI. Provincial taxes are fully 10¢ less per liter than in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. We smugly filled up just before driving onto the Confederation Bridge and started kicking ourselves ten miles later. <BR>

Neal Sanders

(Part 3 of 3) <BR> <BR>Our trip began and ended in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and we tried to see as much of that province as possible in the time allotted. Some notes: <BR> <BR>The drive south and west of Halifax through Peggy’s Cove, Chester, and Mahone Bay to Lunenburg is one of the great oceanfront drives you will ever make. Routes 3 and 333 constitute the Lighthouse Route and, in an afternoon, you can see more breath-taking ocean scenery than seems possible. Here, too, there are lupines, though not nearly in the profusion that makes the landscape of PEI so striking. An unexpected highlight was a stop at the simple, dignified memorial to the victim of a Swissair flight that went down offshore from Peggy’s Cove in 1998. The memorial includes a walk through a dense mat of seaside vegetation; one of the few opportunities you have to see up close the tiny flowers and plants that make up the coastal land. <BR> <BR>The village of Lunenburg hasn’t changed much since the late 19th century, and that’s by design. The town’s colorful buildings and port are part of a United Nations World Heritage site. As such, driving into town is making your way back to an earlier century. The town, however, is more for looking than for experiencing. The shops seemed… dispirited. Mostly dark and with the same repetitive tourist merchandise. <BR> <BR>Halifax was a pleasant surprise; a compact city with a very lively downtown. We enjoyed walking through the old wharf buildings, mostly converted to shops, especially one specializing in Nova Scotia-made leaded crystal. We dined at Sweet Basil on Upper Water Street and found the food very good, the menu imaginative. Had it not been illegal to do so, we would have made an entire dinner out of their mussels. <BR> <BR>And all over Nova Scotia there is ice cream; little shops in crossroad communities sporting 20 flavors of the stuff. Trailers parked in the middle of nowhere selling soft-serve. Ice cream is the Nova Scotia vice, waiting to be sated. <BR> <BR>We stayed at the Holiday Inn – Harbourview. Nice hotel, lousy location. Our room had a great view of the center of Halifax from across the broad harbor, and that was the problem: every trip began and ended with a trip across a toll bridge. Had we to do it over again, we would have stayed at the Delta Barrington, right in the center of town on Barrington Street. <BR> <BR>All in all, it was a delightful trip to a beautiful land. May the lupines continue to spread. <BR>

Vanessa

Neal, <BR> <BR>I too am just returned from the Atlantic provinces. And like you, I'm glad I went in June. I don't think PEI crowded with tourists would have been nearly as nice. As for Green Gables, it's a must if you're an Anne fan -- just avoid pretty much everything else in the general area. Made me thing of Niagara Falls on a bad day. <BR> <BR>And, yes, the lupins are amazing! <BR> <BR>

Paula

Neal, you write beautifully! I grew up in Nova Scotia & worked during the summers on PEI. Even if I didn't know EXACTLY what you were talking about, your trip report wld. make me want to go there! I now live in Toronto but my heart will forever be in The Maritimes! <BR>

April

Thanks for yet another splendid and amusing report. Curious about one thing though. You mention the American Labour Day weekend - is it a different weekend than the Canadian one?

Neal Sanders

Vanessa, Paula, and April, thanks very much for the kind words on the -- what is this, anyway -- an essay? "Trip report?" I dunno. <BR> <BR>Anyway, Vanessa, I am second to no one in my admiration of the Anne books. They were a journey into another place and time when I was growing up. But, when I saw the Green Gables Visitor Center, I was (to put it mildly) taken aback. And, the development around Cavendish is the antithesis of what L.M. Montgomery wrote about her island. Amazingly, that PEI still exists nearly a hundred years later, but you have to get well away from Cavendish to see it. And, is it lupins or lupines? I've seen both and went with the spelling that matched the pronunciation. <BR> <BR>Paula, the heartbreaking part of being in Nova Scotia and on PEI and talking with people -- especially younger people -- was that for many of them, there's little or no economic future. Like you, they migrate to the urban centers where there's more to do than wait tables for three months a year. It turns out that finding staff (and especially staff that will show up on Monday morning) is growing more difficult each season. <BR> <BR>April, I am prepared to be plead ignorance and be embarrassed. After it was established that I was U.S. by nationality, two people with whom I spoke called it "your Labor Day," which I interpreted to mean that, like Thanksgiving, the holiday is celebrated on different days in the two countries. Please straighten me out on this point! <BR> <BR>And, in response to a email sent me off-line, yes, I believe that Megan Fellows is the definitive Anne. To re-make the film with another actress would be an act of sacrilege.

ron

Indeed, Neal, whether it is Labor Day or Labour Day, it still falls on the first Monday in September. And while things are being straightened out, her name is Megan Follows.

kam

Neal, as always, your report is tops. I think I will add this area to my long list of "must visits." One question--from where to where did you fly? We would be coming from SF and am confused at to how best to do it. Thanks.

Mary Sue

A wonderful report, Neal. I have been wanting to go to PEI ever since the first time I watched Anne of Green Gables and saw the beautiful countryside. I made my husband watch it with me a couple of years ago and he wants to go there too. I am wondering the same thing as Kam: what is the best way to get there? Is it possible to fly into Charlottetown or is it better to fly to Halifax and drive over? Did you think the amount of time you spent there was enough? Thanks for sharing your experiences - I always enjoy them.

Neal Sanders

Kam and Mary Sue, Charlottetown has air service only from Halifax, Montreal and Toronto, and the service appears to be limited to small craft. We drove from Halifax, taking the Confederation Bridge in one direction and the ferry in the other. It's about four hours driving via the bridge; three hours if you go by ferry and you don't have to wait. <BR> <BR>Halifax has non-step service out of Boston, New York (Newark Airport), Washington (Dulles), as well as the usual suspects in Canada. Our American Airlines flight was an interminable two hours on a 40-seat prop, though I notice that Air Canada uses regional jets. <BR> <BR>Yes, Ron, it is Megan Follows. Interestingly, and perhaps to ensure that she wouldn't be forever pegged as the spunky orphan, I saw her a year after "Green Gables" aired in "Liasons Dangereuse" at Williamstown, playing a role that was distinctly un-Anne in character.

doc

When we visited PEI and Green Gables several years ago we were quite surprised to see a young Japanese girl in a wedding gown! We were told that this was not at all uncommon; that many Japanese youngsters begin to learn English by reading "Ann of Green Gables" and become so enthralled with the story that they want a marriage just like Ann's. So this young couple that we met, along with their interpreter, made a special trip to PEI to have a repeat of their formal wedding ceremony in Japan. We were invited to stay for the event, local organist included! All in all a great experience.

lisa

Thanks for the post, Neal. I had not heard about the "scandal"! <BR> <BR>A friend and I made a similar trip a couple of summers ago -- from Boston up the coast of Maine, to Halifax and then PEI -- and had a wonderful time as well. People were so friendly. We did visit the Anne sites and although they give new meaning to the word "touristy" we still loved them because we loved the books so much. It did seem like much of the population of Japan happened to be visiting PEI when we were there (August). By the way, at some point I read an article about the Japanese obsession with all things Anne, and it mentioned that there is some kind of a theme park in Japan called "Canada World" (I think) whose logo is a red-headed girl with braids who looks suspiciously Anne-like. Does anyone know if this is really true? <BR> <BR> Would have liked to have seen the lupines. Loved the colors of the landscapes on PEI, especially the contrast of the red dirt roads with the blue ocean and the black-and-white painted churches -- a photographer's dream. <BR> <BR>Sorry to hear you stayed in big chain hotels though -- Canada is full of wonderful inns and B&Bs! In Halifax I recommend the Waverley Inn which was only a few blocks from the waterfront and had lovely rooms and service, and is a great value for the money. <BR> <BR>Isn't the food wonderful? All that lovely seafood. I'll never forget the taste of the fresh Malpeque oysters I had on PEI. <BR> <BR>And yes, Megan Follows was perfect in the part -- as were Richard Farnsworth (did anyone see him in "The Straight Story" recently? Wonderful!) and Colleen Dewhurst. <BR> <BR>P.S. Doc -- As she says numerous times throughout the book, it's "Anne-with-an-E"! <BR> <BR>

Maria

I'm going to PEI in October. I'm trying to decide on a hotel. I was interested in either the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel in Charlottetown or the Delta Prince Edward in Charlottetown. Does anyone have a suggestion to which is nicer. Thanks

Jody

I think that the Delta Prince Edward is nicer. It is right downtown on the waterfront in the middle of all the activity and great pubs. I would choose that hotel for sure. <BR> <BR>Jody

Jocelyn

Neal, <BR>I read your excellent report on your recent trip to PEI. What exactly are we talking about here? Our family is visiting PEI in August. How serious was this "Lesbian Lust" fiasco? Are there protestors prevalent the problem was or how much it spoiled the trip for you. I have an 11-year old, impressionable daughter who has loved the "Anne" story. Obviously I do't want that to be ruined for her. Go or don't go? Okay for kids? Since reading your article, we're considering just going to Nova Scotia instead. Please respond. Thank you.

Vanessa

Jocelyn, I was in PEI in June and never heard a thing about Anne being labeled lesbian. In fact, the only time I've heard it being discussed is on this bulletin board. Take your trip to PEI...your daughter will love being able to see the farmhouse that inspired Green Gables.

Neal Sanders

Jocelyn, while the "lesbian lust" paper was in fact delivered by a Toronto professor (as I wrote), please view it as a humorous introduction to an essay about an island I enjoyed a great deal. To the wonderful people of PEI, Anne Shirley is very real. She is not a fictional character, and islanders do not take kindly to outsiders trying to psychoanalyze her. <BR> <BR>My attempt was to introduce the PEI fascination with Anne of Green Gables in a way that was very current and, hopefully, a bit funny. However, I also meant what I wrote about the areas around Cavendish... they are horribly overhyped and have launched a set of "attractions" that are antithetical to the beauty that Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote about. If your daughters love the "Anne" books, then take them to PEI and show them the stunningly beautiful coast, the acres of farm fields, and the quaint villages that still dot the island.

Jocelyn

Thank you to Vanessa and Neal for your reassurances. We will proceed to PEI as planned. Although I was unable to ascertain from Neal's original essay just what sort of problems this might have created in "Anne's Land", I now feel completely satisfied that it will be the imaginative, enchanting experience that I envision for my children. As you suggested, we do plan to focus on the geographical beauty and contrasts of the surrounding areas and sidestep the tourist "junk". Thanks again for your quick respond and for putting my mind at ease. I recently check out a great book at the library entitled "County Roads of the Maritimes" by Judith Comfort and the section of PEI is excellent. I recommend it.

Janice

Neal: I was moved almost to tears by your fond description of my home. My husband and I are both from PEI, but moved to Calgary 2 years ago when he graduated and got a job here. I miss it most at this time of year, so glad you "got" the attitude and atmosphere, and glad you enjoyed it and spread that on to others. You are so right about job opportunities for young people. The Island needs some industry to keep people like us there. Happy travels! <BR>