Monday, August 31, 2026
Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada
66F and sunny!
Cape Breton Island is world-famous
for its traditional fiddle music,
deeply rooted in Scottish and Celtic traditions.
60 ft. high, solid steel, weighs about 8 tons
We were already in port this morning when I looked out our balcony
door---it almost looked like we had docked in front of someone’s house on
Chautauqua Lake, NY. Houses, trees,
sunshine! Hooray! Land Ahoy! Admittedly,
the dock was a little bigger than those on Chautauqua, but the trees! I have awakened
myself from a dream of rocky seas!Sydney Port from our balcony
Before long, we were off the ship in a small shopping area,
with many fine crafts—beach glass jewelry, knitted scarfs, hand painted souvenirs,
soaps, Harris Tweed, and more. Soon we
were walking uphill into the small town of Sydney, population 17,400. The people
were extraordinarily friendly with a grand sense of humor.
The port guide mentioned that Sydney once was home to one of
North America’s largest steel mills, fueled by rich local coalfields. Sydney
also served as a vital staging area for naval convoys heading to England during
both World Wars. After the Second World War there was a decline in both population
and industry. The economy has since improved with the creation of a world class
harbor. Tourism has given the area a great boost.
As we were walking along the main street, Charlotte, we
stopped at a bench for a rest. Moments later we heard a large boom. A box truck was
unloading its cargo for a nearby YWCA, just across from where we were sitting. The
cargo fell off the truck onto the street, and we realized it was boxes and
boxes of bottled bleach. Some bottles
were leaking. Soon the sirens blared and two firetrucks arrived to take care of
the “hazardous” situation. TK knew the
routine by heart! We continued our way, satisfied that the professional
firefighters knew what they were doing.
Bleach spill on Charlotte Street
TK always carries Erie Fire Department patches with him, so
we set off to find the firehouse so he could trade patches. The brand new fire station was not far away,
and we had a nice chat with the fire chief.
TK bought a T-shirt and they traded patches. Chief recommended the
Governor’s Pub and Eatery near the port.
Fire Chief
Off we went for a delicious lobster roll
($35) with fries.
Governors Pub and Eatery
Janie's lobster roll and fries
TK and Janie
with family--I swear they could be!
Just a day of more memories made together.
TK’s Takes: He really liked the corn
chowder with his lobster roll (better than the one on the ship). There was Diet
Pepsi at the restaurant. The people were very friendly and gracious. The dock area is like a neighborhood.
"GUESS WHAT THIS DRINK IS?"--TK's CONTEST UPDATE
We had three great entries:
- Lemonade--J
- Pineapple juice and Sprite (ish)--A
- Orange juice*** --D
And the winner is... Donna. Yes, despite the fact that the drink neither tastes like orange juice nor even looks like orange juice, it is indeed called orange juice by Princess
