I was there a week and only managed to see a few tiny corners of the island. It's beautiful, it's remote and it's mostly wilderness. The mixture of cultures in the people's history gives the place a unique charm - there's a slightly Scottish feel about some of the landscape, there's a hint of Irish craic about the way people talk with each other and there's a very welcoming Canadian friendliness. Unfortunately the highways and associated 'restaurants' are distinctly American, but the locals eat well, a lot of them eating fish and meat they hunt themselves and some keeping veggie patches and chickens too.
Many of the people I've met work away from the island for part of the year, there being a lack of jobs in Newfoundland. Those who work on the island are working for the government or in tourism. The big industries were fishing and mining, which have largely been taken over by outsiders.
Having only seen a fraction of the island out of season, I know I have to come back over a summer to make the most of it.
I spent my day on the ferry and in the car, driving back into the Cape Breton fog I left behind a week ago. The winding roads left a lot to be desired of my american hire car, and the state of the roads here is something else! Aberdeen City Council, you have been well and truly out-done. I spent a lot of the time swerving around the road to avoid potholes and twice thought for sure I must have burst a tyre on craters I didn't have time to avoid.
But I made it to the national park (not that I can see any of it for the fog!) and I have checked into my lovely 2 bedroomed cabin, complete with my own kitchen. Yes! Take that, drive thrus and take out restaurants!
Looking forward to seeing the park tomorrow, if the fog clears. The view from my balcony is already pretty impressive, even in the evening fog.
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