When I was a child my grandmother was heavily involved with the Vancouver Gaelic Choir. Having been raised in a very scottish influenced family, a part of that heritage has stuck with me to this day. The Vancouver Gaelic Choir took a trip to the East Coast of Canada when I was 10 years old, and I still remember the beautiful read soil, Anne of Greene Gables Heritage Site, and the amazing soft sand beaches where you could walk for miles. I still recall swimming in the warm waters, wishing I could stay there for the rest of my life.
Isn't that a feeling you should always want when you go somewhere? Now a few years later, when we came around to deciding what city guide we wanted for the next issue of The Refinery, it felt natural to look at eastern Canada once more. We were thrilled to receive this stunning "village guide" from Rachel Peter's Photography in PEI, and thank her for a fantastic write up, which you can read below!
For more info on PEI, we suggest visiting: http://www.tourismpei.com/index.php3
From Rachel Peters:
North Rustico is not a city nor a town. It's more like a village that welcomes you with open arms. As soon as you come down the first big hill towards the ocean side scape, you smile. Taking in a big deep breath of that salty ocean air prepares your senses for what will come your way. North Rustico is located aside the world famous Cavendish, where Lucy Maud Montgomery's fictional Anne of Green Gables grew up.
Local's call North Rustico the 'crick', for which a 'creek' runs through it. A seaside community, on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is one of a welcoming nature, was founded in 1790. Residents pride themselves on being a unique fishing community and live from the sea. May – July lobster is fished here and proudly ate by all islanders and tourists from afar. Deep Sea Fishing excursions happen daily for cod and mackerel trips and are a fun way to enjoy the ocean and a local fisherman's stories. Fresh local fish and lobster can be bought in the village's fish market. Sweets and treats for afterwards in the local small town bakery. Good food is definitely a part of this community and life.
Such a peaceful, relaxed feeling being in North Rustico. After you finish a seafood extravaganza at Fisherman's Wharf or the Blue Mussel Cafe, you can head to the nearest beautiful beach, all within a 5 minute walk. On one side of the beach, the locals will bridge jump on a hot summer day, the other side is a beautiful white sand beach with dunes and red cliffs. Beautiful landscapes are of no shortage in this area.
Most people stay in B&B and cottages in this area. Most locals would invite you into their home if you there was no vacancy to be found. It is just that kind of community. AirNnb or VRBO can help you find a sweet little ocean front home to stay in.
A sense of strong community values and life and welcomes any stranger in to feel at home. Working together to create a sense of 'home' has always brought travellers to visit and eventually want to stay.
