It's been about a week since I've had real internet access. I have to chuckle at these places that claim to have internet access. The last campground had a room with a phone and I was told I'd have to have my own modem and toll-free IPS number. Chuckle. I did finally find internet access at the Gaelic College ($2.00 for as long as you want).
This morning I came up the Cabot Trail along the northwest shore of Cape Breton. Spectacular scenery.
I'll post some photos from the road. And a couple of pictures from the resort I'm staying at (Markland Resort). It's very beautiful here; I could definitely stay longer than three nights. Tomorrow I plan to spend some time at a place called Meat Cove, where they say you can see the whales playing. It's just up the road and it's really at the northern end of the island. 
This last photo is the beach at the resort. It's a short walk though a field of wild flowers and a small woods. Roxie had a ball chasing the waves.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Today was another warm sunny day, but windy at the ocean. We went through Sydney, the largest city in Cape Breton, and Glace Bay on our way to the Fortress of Louisbourg, a national historic site of Canada. The fortress has been partially restored over the past 20 years. It was originally a fortified seaport founded by the French in 1713 to protect French interests in Quebec. It was captured by the British in 1745, and then given back to France by treaty in 1748. The British changed their minds again and recaptured the fortress in 1758 and again sent the French inhabitants back to France. I’m sure the French were very tired of this after the second time. To make things worse, the British blew up the fortress in 1760, and then withdrew their troops in 1768. At any rate, the reconstructed buildings were very interesting to tour. They had thousands of historically accurate artifacts, not to mention the pigs, turkeys, and chickens in the King’s Bastion. Twice a day they have a military demonstration that includes shooting a cannon.
This picture shows several of the hundreds of cannons that protected the fortress and outlying lands from the British. 
The next is a view of the fortress and a typical fisherman’s house.
This is the lighthouse in Louisbourg.
Monday & Tuesday, September 17 & 18, 2007
Today we drove from Peggy’s Cove to Antigonish, stopping at Clam Beach Provincial Park for a picnic. The first two photos show the lighthouse at Peggy's Cove and the view from the lighthouse. It's said to be the most photographed of all lighthouses in Canada. You can see why. Unfortunately though, lots of people like to see it. Fortunately for me I got there early, before the crowds.
On my way out I saw at least a dozen tour buses loaded with folks on their way in to see the lighthouse. I couldn't have given T@B tours to so many people.
Next day (Monday) we drove to North Sydney. Tomorrow we’ll tour the Fortress of Louisbourg historic site.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Today at least the sun was out when I got up. We broke camp quickly and headed south and then east along highway 103 (the Lighthouse Trail). Stopped at a lighthouse that was being repaired (Baccaro Light ) and a lighthouse in a little park next to a working peer (Medway Lighthouse Park). We drove through Lunenburg and Riverport, with a stop at The Ovens Natural Area. Checked out a campsite there and it was beautiful. On a rock overlooking the ocean. But it was too remote and there were no hookups, and just an outhouse. Then we drove all the way up to Peggy’s Cove. We’re staying at a campground just outside Peggy’s Cove so we can stop there in the morning and then head up the coast. There is a place on the other side of Halifax that sounds like it would be nice to see. Then we’ll head for Cape Breton Island. I think I’ve been anxious to settle in somewhere and stop all this driving. On Friday, we go to the Markland resort at the top of Cape Breton, so we want to be within a couple of hours of there the night before (Thursday).
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Sure enough, it was raining when we woke up this morning. We left the Plantation campground as soon as we could and started driving down route 101 along the northern coast of southwest Nova Scotia. We stopped at Annapolis Royal and toured Port Royal, which is a re-creation of the oldest permanent European settlement north of St. Augustine, Florida. They slept on horsehair mattresses (if you could call them mattresses). It was very dark, rustic, and lacked any feminine influence. It appeared to house only soldiers and gentlemen. There was lots of wood to be chopped and the cannons protected them from marauding folks.
Before I could make my way to the Port Royal tour, I had to give T@B tours to an entire busload of tourists from the US. It was really pretty funny, but they had a lot of questions. Then I went downtown to Annapolis Royal to tour the Fort Anne site. I decided against doing the tour and I just walked around the grounds. I was accosted by a couple who wanted to see inside the cute little trailer. Then it started really pouring so I headed south. Drove until I found a campsite at Darling Lake. Saw three lighthouses on the way.
