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| Look how far we have traveled |
Cape Breton Island is the large northeastern region of Nova Scotia where we’ve just arrived and begun to explore. So far we have visited two wonderful Atlantic Canada historical sites. The Fortress of Louisbourg is a reconstructed 18th century New France community representing life in Louisbourg between 1713-1758. A shuttle bus took us half a kilometer to the sally port gate. We lived, only for a day, 1744 life in this fortified French colonial town surrounded by a moat.
It is not a military fort as such but the presence of uniformed New France soldiers were seen everywhere as well as period costumed town folks.
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| French soldiers of 1744 at Louisbourg |
A towering, distinctive spire rises above a sprawling complex of stone and wooden buildings. It does not take long for one to grasp the living history of the French here. They came to Louisbourg in 1713 following territorial losses to the English in Newfoundland and Acadia (Nova Scotia in the war of the Spanish Succession. Based on the thriving fishing and trade industry, the town quickly became France’s most important and strongest seaport until the English laid siege in 1745 on what is now Atlantic Canada.
We strolled the streets alongside the costumed citizens of Louisbourg as they brought to life their 1744 authentic daily activities.
Catching a military pipe band marching along with rifles and cannon demonstrations added excitement to the day. Our adventure here rated as a Top Ten Belvedere hands down.
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| A moat surrounds the reconstructed Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia |
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| Lac Bras d'Or Lake |
The following day being rainy was a good chance to visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck. There is a museum displaying the H-4 Hydrofoil experiment he invented as well as numerous other devices. It was interesting to learn that his grandfather and father specialized in elocution and declamation for speech therapy with the deaf paving the way for his own desire to work in speech and communication. Bell’s mother and his own wife Mabel were both deaf. He taught speech to the deaf in his early adult years and spent most evenings on his passion making inventions. He and his wife Mabel built their beautiful home in Baddeck across the channel calling it Beinn Bhreagh (Gaelic for beautiful mountain).
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| Bell with his grandchildren |
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| Alexander G. Bell's home in Baddeck looks out toward the lighthouse |
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| Beinn Bhreagh the Bell Estate |
It is understandable why the Bells moved here in Nova Scotia to escape their hectic life in New York ... It is absolutely lovely and peaceful in this Lac Bras d’Or Lake region. Bet you didn’t know Alexander G. Bell was the co-founder of National Geographic Society. The other co-founder was his wife’s wealthy father. In 1922 Bell died at his home in Baddeck. He and his wife are both buried there.The property is still owned by the family and unfortunately is not open to the public.
We plan to catch the ferry to the ROCK (Newfoundland) tomorrow for the coming week or two. JR replaced a new battery on the Toad. Thank goodness as Christa will be driving it separately on to the ferry. Afterwards we plan on returning back to catch several other top belvederes throughout Nova Scotia. Blessings to you.
