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Friday 2 July 2010

The North Umberland Coast

Pictou, Nova Scotia

After a long drive out of PEI, we find ourselves poised to explore the rugged Cape Breton Peninsula and perhaps take the six hour ferry to Newfoundland. Most of the place names and people are Macs: MacKenzie, MacLeod, MacLellan...

We went shopping this afternoon for groceries and purchased some wine at the local Provincial liquor store. The prices her for wine, milk and gasoline are much higher than in the States. Fortunately, I'm smoking a pipe these days. You don't even want to think about Canadian cigarette prices. Last time we went though Canada they were $12 a pack. I bought some scallops and some bacon to wrap them in. They had some really big lobsters in a tank for $6 a pound, but I don't have the heart to throw them in a pot of boiling water.

We've got good Wi-Fi here so I went online and:
  • Renewed all our vehicle registrations
  • Paid our vehicle insurances for another year
  • Received an amended income tax return from our tax guy and mailed it off to hopefully collect the money I sent the IRS that they misplaced. Postage was $1.15 Canadian.
We can't ride our bikes in Canada unless we buy bike helmets. Having free medical care brings with it certain costs and obligations that we find amusingly restrictive. Mrs. Phred and I have been busted in numerous States for ignoring motorcycle helmet laws. Usually we plead ignorance and talk our way out of a ticket. Most highway patrolmen seem to find the concept of Grandpa and Grandma with no helmets more funny than scofflaw.

We'll stay here a day, explore the Umberland Coast and see a couple of the little local maritime museums, have lunch and maybe do some sea kayaking to see some Puffins. Who knows?

Pix tomorrow?





2 comments:

  1. wondering what you might have wrapped in scallops and bacon and what a puffin is, respectfully, David

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  2. David,

    I will partially cook the bacon and then use the bacon to wrap the scallops. It's a little like wrapping a water chestnut and piece of chicken liver in bacon.

    Anyhow, A puffin is a strange waterbird that has little stubby wings. It can fly underwater in search of fish about as well as it flies though the air.

    Stay tuned for puffin Pix.

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