THE AGENDA. Part one: go to PEI in the dead of winter and, incidentally, spend Christmas and New Year alone, in order to figure out if island life is for us. Part two: when we decide that island life is for us, determine on which part of the island we want to put down permanent roots.
Therefore, we have been doing a lot of reconnoitering as we get to know more intimately this island known as PEI. Some of the places we have checked out as consideration of us living there are these charming places, in no particular order since our wanderings have taken no particular order.
NORTH RUSTICO, North Rustico
We know North Rustico pretty well already as we have spent a lot of time there the last couple of summers while RVing on the island. It's a smallish fishing village that features some of the best lobster dinners you'll find on the island in the summer time, Fisherman's Wharf Lobster Dinners, North Rustico, and is also home to one of the best sea food restaurants we have ever been in, The Blue Mussel. The Blue Mussel is also the nifty little place where I met a very famous person.
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| The Blue Mussel Restaurant - best little sea food restaurant. |
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| Taken from the Blue Mussel Restaurant looking toward North Rustico |
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| Me and my famous person sighting. |
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| Christmas lights in North Rustico,2016 |
One of the places we looked as a possibility to live is RUSTICO, a smaller village south of North Rustico on a peninsula with plenty of waterfront and water views. We looked at and contemplated purchasing a vacant lot with a view of the harbour. The little brown dot is Kaede sniffing around.
MALPEQUE BAY in the Darnley Basin, Malpeque Bay . On New Year's Eve day we drove through the Darnley Basin on our way to Kensington and then Summerside. This area of Malpeque Bay was peaceful and serene and I tried to capture that tranquility. The peace and serenity were perhaps a little too peaceful and serene for us; regardless, it is quite beautiful.
KENSINGTON Kensington, PEI - some information
Kensington sits pretty much in the centre of the island and has a population of about 1,500. Kensington is a 'going concern' in island terms because of a year round population. Although it's only about ten minutes from Summerside it has a year round restaurant (that's a big deal on the island), a deli that sells really good homemade meat pies (yup, we tried one), a pharmacy and a grocery store. There is a wonderful pub, converted from a disused train station that one critic said was the best converted train station he had ever seen, and the food was excellent to boot.
There are no longer any trains servicing the island now that roads are better and cars have become the order of the day but, if you are interested follow this link to read About Trains That Used to be on the Island
STANLEY BRIDGE is where we currently live in our fabulous rented house. As has been stated before, Stanley Bridge is not much more than a cross roads with a gas station. In summer it is a very busy tourist destination, catering to golfers More Golf Courses per Capita, with a majority of the golf courses in the area known as North Shore, where Stanley Bridge is located. It also profits from spill over from the thousands of tourists who visit PEI every summer to visit Cavendish and see the magical world where Anne Shirley grew up. Cavendish and all things Anne. In the months of July and August, Cavendish plays host to a daily average of 7,500 residents. In the winter months, Cavendish is a virtual ghost town with even the grocery store emptied of all stock, and amusement parks abandoned beneath a layer of snow.
SOURIS. Souris in a Nutshell Souris was one of our favourite places to spend time during our summers here. It's another happening town with just enough amenities to keep residents happy and alive during the winter without daily trips to Charlottetown or Summerside. Souris has some of the most beautiful beaches around, great restaurants and lots to keep a tourist busy for a day or two. From the town of Souris you can travel to the Magdalen Islands, a five hour ferry ride. We have not done this trip yet but it is certainly in our future plans. The Magdalen Islands, although closer to PEI and NS, are part of the Province of Quebec.
Built in 1880, the Souris East Lighthouse is a wood-constructed tower on Knight Point overlooking the town of Souris. Visitors can climb to the lantern room, walk out to the balcony, and discover the panoramic seascape views of the harbour and town of Souris. Erik and I and the dogs have had summer picnics in this delightful spot. We had a less than delightful picnic this winter when we ate our lunch in the car, listening to the 70-80 km/h winds that were whistling by. That's not to say we didn't still enjoy the view of Souris and the ocean waves but being in the car was a true bonus.
STANHOPE, another of the small towns along the north shore of PEI and part of the Cavendish tourist scene, Stanhope was the original home of the first group of British emigrants in 1770. During PEI`s rum-running era Stanhope was a local hotspot; it also epitomizes the beauty and tranquility of the North Shore.
While all of these villages and towns had their own beauty and each offered new residents, like us, something unique, with the remoteness during the winter months we quickly decided they were not going to suit our lifestyle. So, it's onward and upward in our search for the perfect place to hang our hats, permanently.
Don't be left with the impression we spend our days doing nothing but tooting around PEI looking for a place to live. We have made great strides in other areas of our new lives here on the island which you will be privy to next time when I write about FLIES, A PUB and PLENTY OF WIND.
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| One of the homes already built in the area. |
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| View of North Rustico harbour from the lot. |
MALPEQUE BAY in the Darnley Basin, Malpeque Bay . On New Year's Eve day we drove through the Darnley Basin on our way to Kensington and then Summerside. This area of Malpeque Bay was peaceful and serene and I tried to capture that tranquility. The peace and serenity were perhaps a little too peaceful and serene for us; regardless, it is quite beautiful.
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| The red building in the distance caught my eye |
KENSINGTON Kensington, PEI - some information
Kensington sits pretty much in the centre of the island and has a population of about 1,500. Kensington is a 'going concern' in island terms because of a year round population. Although it's only about ten minutes from Summerside it has a year round restaurant (that's a big deal on the island), a deli that sells really good homemade meat pies (yup, we tried one), a pharmacy and a grocery store. There is a wonderful pub, converted from a disused train station that one critic said was the best converted train station he had ever seen, and the food was excellent to boot.
There are no longer any trains servicing the island now that roads are better and cars have become the order of the day but, if you are interested follow this link to read About Trains That Used to be on the Island
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| Island Stone Pub, Kensington |
STANLEY BRIDGE is where we currently live in our fabulous rented house. As has been stated before, Stanley Bridge is not much more than a cross roads with a gas station. In summer it is a very busy tourist destination, catering to golfers More Golf Courses per Capita, with a majority of the golf courses in the area known as North Shore, where Stanley Bridge is located. It also profits from spill over from the thousands of tourists who visit PEI every summer to visit Cavendish and see the magical world where Anne Shirley grew up. Cavendish and all things Anne. In the months of July and August, Cavendish plays host to a daily average of 7,500 residents. In the winter months, Cavendish is a virtual ghost town with even the grocery store emptied of all stock, and amusement parks abandoned beneath a layer of snow.
SOURIS. Souris in a Nutshell Souris was one of our favourite places to spend time during our summers here. It's another happening town with just enough amenities to keep residents happy and alive during the winter without daily trips to Charlottetown or Summerside. Souris has some of the most beautiful beaches around, great restaurants and lots to keep a tourist busy for a day or two. From the town of Souris you can travel to the Magdalen Islands, a five hour ferry ride. We have not done this trip yet but it is certainly in our future plans. The Magdalen Islands, although closer to PEI and NS, are part of the Province of Quebec.
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| Year round service to the Magdalen Islands |
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| The Lighthouse in Souris |
Built in 1880, the Souris East Lighthouse is a wood-constructed tower on Knight Point overlooking the town of Souris. Visitors can climb to the lantern room, walk out to the balcony, and discover the panoramic seascape views of the harbour and town of Souris. Erik and I and the dogs have had summer picnics in this delightful spot. We had a less than delightful picnic this winter when we ate our lunch in the car, listening to the 70-80 km/h winds that were whistling by. That's not to say we didn't still enjoy the view of Souris and the ocean waves but being in the car was a true bonus.
STANHOPE, another of the small towns along the north shore of PEI and part of the Cavendish tourist scene, Stanhope was the original home of the first group of British emigrants in 1770. During PEI`s rum-running era Stanhope was a local hotspot; it also epitomizes the beauty and tranquility of the North Shore.
While all of these villages and towns had their own beauty and each offered new residents, like us, something unique, with the remoteness during the winter months we quickly decided they were not going to suit our lifestyle. So, it's onward and upward in our search for the perfect place to hang our hats, permanently.
Don't be left with the impression we spend our days doing nothing but tooting around PEI looking for a place to live. We have made great strides in other areas of our new lives here on the island which you will be privy to next time when I write about FLIES, A PUB and PLENTY OF WIND.
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