Being a tourist.

Throughout my trip across Canada, the one thing I've noticed most is, I won't accept I'm a tourist.

Every time we've stopped at a tourist attraction alone the way, I catch my self thinking, or saying aloud, 'I wish there wasn't all these tourists' (I guess it's the home soil, telling me I'm a local, no matter where I am in Canada ). I've explored all these interesting places, learned, and refreshed my memory about Canadian history, that I've failed to remember from Mr. Mansfield's Social Studies class in high school. And I still won't accept being a tourist is okay.
I guess what I've discovered is; if I want to see the attractions I've got to join the herd of tourists alike and get that mandatory photograph of Anne of Green Gables, accepting my tourist name tag.

It's Anne! Anne with an 'e'.

But when you need break from the herd, take a step on the beaten path, only the locals will tread...

Quiet road, through a potato patch.

Find those hidden gems every local knows about, the quiet beaches, barn style restaurants, the secret lighthouses, the hidden views, quirky restaurants and cafes... These are the places I love visiting, and experiencing. I always feel a true sense of the community here, and never like a tourist.

Of course this past week was mostly with the herd. We stayed a few nights on the Acadian Peninsula in New Brunswick, exploring the islands and having our first tastes of lobster (mine was to chewy. :( ).

We spent one night in Kouchibouguac National Park, riding bikes around, relaxing for once. Then later in the evening I convinced the oldies to go out past their bed time and hunt for rainbow coloured plastic chairs at 10pm at night (It was a scavenger hunt!). I do believe they had just as much fun as I did. ;)

Next we drove down to Moncton, NB, I quieter city, we watched the Tidal Bore. Soon we discovering that was the only thing to do in Moncton, we had an earlier then usual dinner of pizza, from a wood-fired, stone oven and went to the Magnetic Hill for an optical illusion! Who knew it would be so fun, we tried it three times. ;)
Finally we the next morning we joined the herd again and explored Hopewell Rocks and the Bay of Fundy National Park.

Time to visit PEI!

Time to go over the Confederation Bridge!

And there's the island! 

Sorry all, you'll have to wait for my next post to hear my stories of this little island. Hint: we visited Anne of Green Gables! (I know big shock, not like it was my first picture or anything...)

ETR: < :20

Gabe.