Wednesday, August 3

We started the day by checking out of our little cabin in Rustico, packing up the rental car and heading back toward Cavendish. Just a mile or so from Avonlea village is the official national park site of Green Gables House. (Which is, of course, the home of LM Montgomery’s relatives, on which she based the Green Gables of her books.) The skies were a bit overcast, and we couldn’t be sure we wouldn’t get rained out of our walking tour of the house and grounds, but we decided to risk it. So after a quick tour of the museum and a viewing of the short film about LM Montgomery’s time on the Island, we were off.

As we were leaving Green Gables (after a lengthy visit to the gift shop), it began raining in earnest, but that didn’t stop us from making a stop at the site of Maud’s childhood home. While the building was torn down years ago, there’s still a gift shop there filled with books. And oh the books we bought! We stocked up on all sorts of her lesser-known works before dashing back through the rain and hitting the road toward Charlottetown.

We arrived in town about 3pm, ready to check into our last home of the trip, The Shipwright Inn. Located in the historic district of Charlottetown, this old home is amazing on every level. Simultaneously large and quaint and decorated with 19th Century sea-faring pieces, we loved staying there. We were delighted to have the Tiller Flat, the basement apartment, complete with a spacious living room, cute kitchen, and it’s own enterance.

Our hosts Judy and Trevor Pye were incredibly gracious and don’t even get me started on the 3pm treats. Hannah discovered them first. Every afternoon Trevor set out sweets that made our day! Berry pastries and brownies the first day. Cookies and scones the next. These were so wonderful that even weeks after our return home, Hannah and I would call each other to lament that somewhere Trevor was putting out treats that we couldn’t enjoy.

That evening we picked up Subway sandwiches and enjoyed them in our little kitchen in our flat before heading toward the Confederation Arts Center to see Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. We had hoped to see this musical before seeing Anne and Giblert, which we’d seen on Sunday. After such a wonderful experience at the smaller theater in Summerside, we had high expectations of the Island’s flagship musical.

As it’s name suggests, this musical covers Anne’s story from childhood to adpotion by Matthew and Marilla to school with Diana and Gilbert. And we had the perfect seats (4th row, right in the center) to experience it. The actors were clearly talented, and the dancing lit up the stage. The settings were so creative and the seats were even comfortable. But somehow it was missing that spark. I didn’t walk away singing the songs or reliving the dances. And Hannah and Mom felt the same way. We were glad to have seen it, but didn’t feel like we’d need to see it again. But that was okay because it turned out to give us another exciting adventure for Thursday.