I left Montréal Central Station at 12:45 (or so I should have) but we only left at about 1:45 on board VIA train 14 to Halifax, stopping at various places along the Gaspesian Peninsula and in the Maritimes.
The date was the 15 of August. A special date related to this trip. The 15th is the Fête Nationale for the Acadian people. It is the feast of Sainte-Marie-de-l'Assomption. Of course, Canada being as big as it is, I didn't reach Acadia until the 16th.
Acadia was the first French colony in the Americas founded four-hundred years ago, in 1604 when Port-Royal (now Annapolis-Royal) was founded in Nova Scotia. It was composed of Acadie proper, Isle-Saint-Jean (PEI) and Cap Breton. While they were French in origin, the Acadians were unlike the Canadians. The later stayed much closer to France and was much more administrated. The Acadians were more of an agricultural colony rather than the trade colony Canada was.
When it came time for war with the English, the Acadians tried to stay neutral, which led to most being deported back to France or to the American colonies. After which many returned, many went to Louisiana (another French Colony) and some were assimilated to European life, or to Anglo-American life.
I got off the train in Moncton, New Brunswick, a bilingual city that hosts the one of the only Francophone universities in Canada outside of Quebec: the Université de Moncton. I took the bus from Moncton to Charlottetown, PEI.
We drove across the Confederation Bridge.
It was in 1864 that the first Confederation talks occurred in Charlottetown. With troubles happening south of the border, the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick as well as the colony of Newfoundland joined up in Charlottetown to discuss a unification for the Atlantic provinces. Canada, which already existed, united since 1841, had come to the talks uninvited and convinced them to join Canada. Or at least to consider the idea. Later talks in Québec, and London finished off the deal for the new Dominion of Canada.
Prince Edward Island is very beautiful, unlike any province I've seen. The red sand, the beaches, the wheat fields, the small communities... It all makes PEI stand out.... for a while. Charlottetown is beautiful but there isn't much to do after visiting it for an entire day. So off to Cavendish on the only shuttle out of town I can afford.
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