Anne of Green Gables and the North Shore

Green Gables lies within a National Park so everything is very tasteful, except the gift shop. We arrived at the same time as a group of Japanese - since 1952 the book of A of GG by L M Montgomery has been on their school curriculum so every year 6000 Japanese women (and the odd male) make the pilgrimage to Cavendish to visit LMM's grave and the house. This group weren't wearing the red pigtails, hat, green dress and white pinafore as often happens.

Merryle gave us a masterly resume of the books and the whole Anne phenomenon so the blokes among us had no excuse for not participating.

The house has been beautifully restored and furnished to the period, the early 1900s with Matthew's clothes laid out on the bed and Anne's room just as described. Photo below of me at the front door of GG.

Lovers Lane is a delightful walk on an inviting trail through woods of deciduous trees and evergreens, crossing a bubbling brook and weaving around the trees - this took about 30 minutes and by the time we checked out the gift shop - disappointing, not as good as the one in Charlottetown - it was time to go. The Haunted Woods will have to wait till next time.

Then we drove to the shore where the pink sand and bright red cliffs make a fascinating contrast to the pale flat sea. It was overcast today and no wind - still unusual weather for here.

Lunch was meant to be at a 60 feet salad bar but it had closed for the season so - what a shame - we had to have lobster instead. We all had to wear lobster bibs but the photo of David wearing his bib and attacking his lobster has been censored. That's my lobster in the photo. The restaurant closed tomorrow till next year so we were lucky to get in.

A few more lighthouses and the ultimate gift shop - 3 stories of fabulous STUFF all with 30% off because it's the end of the season - but how can you carry it?

No-one wanted dinner but we all like the Great George's happy hour with free wine and cookies - we'll be sorry to leave here tomorrow.