Adventures for Anyone

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Jen's List, My Latest Book, Whatever...Let's Go to P.E.I!

As I finished a second edit on my latest novel, my characters made a short stop on Prince Edward Island, Canada. As I read over the text, I remembered seeing it on a bucket list somewhere, and wouldn't you know, Jen had it on her bucket list! So, here we go.

Prince Edward Island, or P.E.I. is one of the Eastern Maritime Provinces of Canada. It resides off the coasts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, south of Newfoundland and Labrador. Home of the Abegweit First Nation of Lennox Island, the First Nation's People of P.E.I. are the Mi'kmaq. P.E.I is also part of the Acadian Provinces, and there's a lot of Scottish history there as well. You'll find a lot of live Scottish music and a good bit of Scottish arts, crafts, drink, food, and overall culture.

History is a massive theme on Prince Edward Island. Having been part of several empires, regimes, and part of many different countries over the years, you'll find ancient forts, open air museums, traditional museums, historic sites, and Lennox Island and all it has to offer. There are also a few lighthouses across the island that are open for visits. Some have museums on site. One is available for rent as an Air B&B.

One of the most famous pieces of P.E.I. history is that of Lucy Maud Montgomery and "Anne of Green Gables." Lucy grew up on Prince Edward Island and her stories are based in the area as any good writer would do. There are five locations to celebrate the famed stories around the island, including a homestead museum and the birth home of the author. There's also a musical about the stories at a theater named after them. Lots of "Anne of Green Gables" things to see and do.

Would you like to bring the whole family to P.E.I.? Then you might want to visit Cavendish. Famed for their awesome red cliffs and rock formations, Cavendish is a great beach spot.

But, if you have kids, they'll drive you nuts about how bored they are. Especially if you come from the United States and their phones don't work. So, given the massive popularity of the shore at Cavendish, the locals decided to put in some man made tourist attractions many years ago. They have music festivals, campgrounds and all kinds of things to do.

Another thing that Cavendish has is a water park and Sandspit Theme Park. There's a lot of rides for the kids and they even have a Cyclone Rollercoaster. Just a bit of Coney Island in the north.

Getting outdoors is not problem on Prince Edward Island, as a matter of fact, it's expected. With P.E.I. National Park, The Confederation Trail, and many provincial parks, the options for outdoor fun are endless. Being a set of islands, there's beaches and cliffs, coastal rock formations and boardwalks in national wetlands to enjoy. Biking, hiking, and beaching are a few of the most popular pasttimes in the province.

What you won't see a lot of on Prince Edward Island are trees. Being a northern province and an island, there are trees, but you won't find a lot of the dense woods that you find in other parts of the Atlantic Seaboard.

P.E.I. is scenic, as are many of the archipelagos along the east coast of America. There are some designated scenic drives around the province. There are massive boardwalks through marsh lands for the nature enthusiasts. There are bike routes, hiking trails and so much more.

Fishing is the name of the game in Prince Edward Island. Not far from the famed Grand Banks, the culture has long since revolved around fishing. Most of the giant Cod Fishing gurus have gone by the wayside, but the lobster fisherman are still on the water today.

Boats are a big part of life in P.E.I. They are necessary for travel, work, and leisure. You can make arrangements to go fishing, lobstering, crabbing, or just sailing while visiting the islands.

Charlottetown is the capital and main hub of P.E.I. The international airport is there. They're main harbor is there. It is by far the largest city in the province. They have all the clubs, restaurants, hotels, theaters, shopping and so forth that modern tourists love. If you take a cruise to P.E.I. it will stop in Charlottetown. They also have the only city historic district in the province. Most historic areas are rural or in villages. If you want to stay someplace central, Charlottetown is a great choice. It sits in the middle of the province, between the two main parts of the main island.

As with any island, especially just off the coast of Canada proper, you'll need to know how on Earth to get there. The most obvious is to fly. There are also several cruises that stop there. However, flying or cruising leaves you needing to rent a car. There's a lot to see on P.E.I. and you'll want to see a lot of it. It's a long way from East Point to West Cape. The provincial parks are spread out, and if you want to see the lighthouses; you'll need a car.

So, if you can drive to Prince Edward Island, do. Confederation Bridge is the longest connector bridge over potential ice floe lands in the world. It's 8 miles long and when you make landfall on P.E.I. one of the "Anne of Green Gables" attractions is close by. The bridge runs from Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick to Borden-Carleton on P.E.I.

You can also load those cars onto a ferry. Northumberland Ferries travel between Souris, P.E.I. and Caribou, ME; Nova Scotia; and the just off shore Wood Islands. It takes roughly five hours to get from Nova Scotia to P.E.I. Visiting the Wood Islands and Northumberland Provincial Park is a lot of fun too and they are close to the Woods Island Ferry Terminal.

Are you looking for something more traditional for tourism? Prince Edward Island has that too. They have horse racing, country shopping, sightseeing tours, sailing trips, a casino, a Ripley's Believe it or not museum, theater, cooking classes, golf, and so much more.

There's five star dining, spas, shopping and most anything you can find in more congested citified areas. There's a lot of ways to spend money and live it up in the lap of luxury.

Also, there's all the traditional watches; whale watches, seal watches, puffin watches.

But, if you take the time to travel to a lovely island province like P.E.I. I recommend you take the time to visit some of the one of a kind sights. Take a look at all the natural beauty. Visit the place where houses are made out of bottles. Go to the potato museum. Go fishing with the Fiddling Fisherman. Stop at Cow's Creamery for ice cream...one of the top ten ice creameries in the world. Embrace the unique lifestyle of the island. Atlas Obscura had a field day logging the attractions they found that were out of the ordinary on Prince Edward Island.

P.E.I. is a place to learn about a cultural history. It's a place to enjoy unique natural beauty. It's a place to get outdoors and enjoy everything the place has to offer. Take the time, meet some people, try the food, take part in a cultural event, and enjoy everything that seems just a little off. This is not a typical tourist spot, so don't try to treat it like one. Jump right in, do as the locals do, learn something, and enjoy!

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https://www.hometogo.com/search/53be541f93af1?adword=bing%2Fus%2Fkwd-83700745946120%3Aloc-4086%2Fct%3Ds%3Blc%3Dlt%3Bd%3Ddt%3Btc%3DUS%3Bln%3Den%3Bot%3DVRen%3Blt%3Dab%3Bmt%3Db%3Bcid%3Db4e1ddf4c88235c5%2Fca%2Fn-a%2F53be541f93af1%2F83700437753828%2Fprince%20edward%20island%20canada%20vacation%20rental&hl=en_US&mktasp=acid%3D136001892%3Bcpid%3D399046912%3Bagid%3D1339205768372536%3Badid%3D83700437753828%3Bkwid%3Dkwd-83700745946120%3Aloc-4086%3Bdvce%3Dc%3Bkwrd%3Dprince%20edward%20island%20canada%20vacation%20rental%3B&msclkid=bf0f991387a51d3e2aaafbdc87d42e2e&utm_campaign=ct%3Ds%3B%20lc%3Dlt%3B%20d%3Da%3B%20tc%3DUS%3B%20ln%3Den%3B%20ot%3DVRen%3B%20lt%3Dab%3B%20mt%3Db%3B%20cid%3D24973684e2e28a10&utm_content=dc%3DCA%3B%20ll%3DPrince_Edward_Island%3B%20pt%3D%3B%20lid%3D53be541f93af1%3B%20aid%3D0a79b8b9391fc526&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=prince%20edward%20island%20canada%20vacation%20rental

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Thursday, July 7, 2022

Classic Favorite...With a Twist, Jen Sends us to Magaret Island in Budapest!

30 years ago or so, I visited an exotic land, and that visit would change my life forever. My friend, Jen, has officially placed that spot on the bucket list for the blog, and I am more than willing to write about it. She did specify Margaret Island (Margitsziget), but welcome to Budapest!

Back in 1992 when I visited, it was not only winter, but a brand new country. Gone were the ghosts of Soviets, Hapsburgs, and Nazis; and Hungary was independent. The hidden hospitals in caves, and all the other ruins of wars past would soon become monuments, memorials, gardens, and reminders to never do WWII again.

For anyone who's never been to Europe, reminders are a theme, and I think a good one. They don't ever want to live through the kind of destruction and genocide they survived during WWII. The theory is that if it's in your face, you can't forget and therefore, hopefully will never go there again. I admire that. I wish the United States was that attached to their history. I wish we knew the value of leaving history in place to warn future generations of tragedies that we never wish to repeat.

Anyway, Buda is historically on the west side of the Danube and Pest is on the east. A long time ago, they became Budapest. That's how we know them today. With the remnants of royalty sitting on top of Castle Hill on the west riverbank, and the world famous Parliament Building on the east shore, the history of the city comes alive.

Let me start by saying the Parliament Building looks more like a castle and the Castle looks more like a government building. Both in Budapest are beautiful. Castle Hill is a neighborhood where you can see some of the best of the old world. The neighborhood itself is ancient, narrow roaded, and geared for tourists. You can take the funicular up to the hill from the river. You can also drive or ride a bus across the famed Chain Bridge. While on the hill you should visit the castle and check out some shops. There's great coffee, goulash and other Hungarian specialties, and if you like you can get your future told by a Gypsy.

Hungarians and Gypsies have a checkered past, so don't be surprised if the Magyars don't seem fond of Gypsies. On that note, Magyars are just that. They don't refer to themselves as Hungarians. And, while they remember their history as a lesson, they don't like to live it. They prefer that visitors learn a few phrases of Magyar before they visit. A lot of people do speak English at least a little, and that they don't mind. However, they speak German, but they hate it. It's a strange relationship with the language, but it's a real thing. And, if for some reason, you speak Russian; don't even go there. German and Russian languages strike a raw nerve in Budapest.

All that being said, Budapest is a wonderful city with so much to offer, so much to learn, and so much to do. They've joined the ranks of a city with an Eye. You can get a bird's eye view from the giant wheel. It's great for a little downtime or photos.

Budapest is easily navigable by public transportation, so take the tram, subway, bus, train, boat and whatever. It's a great way to get around town. You'll meet people and have time to see the city. It's a beautiful city and a great idea is to not miss the view because you're driving.

There's a city market, parks, tours, walking tours, a Jewish Quarter, historic neighborhoods, opera, theater, ballet, shopping, foodie options, and so much more. One thing that you can't miss is the trip up to The Fisherman's Bastion. It overlooks the city from Castle Hill and is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. I also must mention that musicians play there every evening, and you have a beautiful nighttime view of the city, the Parliament Building and the Chain Bridge from there. It makes for a magical evening.

Other places to visit include the Dohany Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter. It has a long history and is the largest Synagogue outside of Israel. Another place is Andrassy Avenue, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There's a museum called The House of Terror, which as movielike as it seems, is a historical museum showcasing all the tyrants that have ruled over the area. Take a walk along the Danube Promenade on the Pest side. Visit Gellert Hill, see the Lady Liberty Statue (the only statue remaining from Soviet times.) There's also a citadel on that hill with an enormous history and a great view. There's a riverside sculpture of iron shoes reminding us of deaths of WWII. And, if you look closely, there are some interesting statues around town that you can investigate. There's Steve Jobs, Ronald Reagan, Bela Lugosi, and even Columbo. Interesting stuff.

One of the activities that Budapest and Hungary are most famous for are the baths. They're all over the city, and they are places where the locals have gathered for centuries. There are pools, spas, thermal baths, and more recently water parks. The Gellert Baths are from the early 1900's and the buildings are in Art Nouveau style. Another famous bath is the thermal Szechenyi Baths. Also worth a visit.

But, Jen asked for Margaret Island, so I'll discuss the most amazing waters in the city. Part of it is the Palatinus Baths, or Palas as the locals call them. There are several sections, some thermal, some cold. They have something for everyone there. There's a spa with it, and an enormous pool. It's the bath of Magaret Island, and a great place for the whole family.

The people of Hungary have declared swimming their national sport, and Margaret Island is ground zero. The Alfred Hajos National Swimming Stadium with four floors of swimming pools and training centers is one of the largest swimming centers in the world. It's open to the public year round. It has both indoor and outdoor facilities. It's a spectacle to see.

On other notes, there's also a water park on the island. There are a lot of places to enjoy the water and swim.

The best of the spas is associated with the Grand Hotel, the only luxury accommodations on the island. There is however, a hostel available as well and some private rentals of various kinds.

If you like water, but don't wish to swim, there's a musical fountain. You can't swim in that or the authorities will sack you with a hefty fine. They perform, just like at the Bellagio on a regular schedule.

The island has a historic water tower as well, which you can climb and overlook a good portion of the riverfront areas of the city.

Did I mention that Margaret Island sits in the middle of the city in the middle of the Danube River? It's a great spot. There's no driving on the island unless you're headed to a hotel or parking area. They are clearly marked, so don't drive outside the lines. Margaret Island is a pedestrian island. They have multiple means to get around from a train on wheels, to electric golf cars, Segways, scooters, carts with drivers, electric and pedal bikes that can haul up to 12 people. Other than that, you'll need to walk.

Margaret Island is full of gardens. There's British Gardens, Rose Gardens, and even Japanese Gardens. If you like to run, there's a specifically designed running path along the river. There's a lot of different areas for different activities. There's playgrounds for the kids, there's sculptures that you can climb up in. There's a museum. There's a lot to do. And, most of it is free. Can't stress that enough.

If you like to eat, they've got that covered. There are a couple of fancier restaurants on the island, but the best spot to eat is at what they call the buffets. Hippie Island, Wonder Island, Steg, and Champs are probably the best known eateries, but they have something for everyone. Just look for the giant Budapest sign.

Maps are available in several areas, as are souvenirs. It's a tourist paradise that comes with something for everyone. They even have a petting zoo for the kids; or for the adults if you love animals.

It's easy to spend days on the island, especially during the summer, but most of the island is open well into the fall and opens relatively early in the spring as well.

Budapest is an amazing historical city that pleases all of the senses well into the modern era. I visited many years ago, but in my mind it seems like yesterday. I remember every sight, every smell, every sound. I remember an open, honest, and yet friendly people. I remember some of the most beautiful architecture I ever saw. It was one of the greatest places I ever visited, and probably the area where I learned the most about my surroundings of any place I've ever visited.

There's a way in Budapest. It's not just the tourists going to the baths, thermal or cold, with or without spas. The locals see it as a traditional way of life. Remember, when you visit a bath, you'll be interacting with people who live there. That's what I call travel. You can't beat that.

Margaret Island is an amazing place sitting right in the middle of the Danube, where you can do pretty much any activity and is a must visit while in the city. It doesn't matter how you get there. You can even take a Viking River Cruise and stop there. You can walk, drive (as long as you park), take a boat. It's one of the loveliest places you'll ever visit.

So, Budapest is amazing. The culture, the activities, the history, the architecture, the people, the food, the view, the island, the opera, and everything else. It's a one of a kind place, with one of a kind things to see and do. So visit Margaret Island, take the funicular to Castle Hill, sit atop the Fisherman's Bastion while someone plays guitar, soak it all in and enjoy!

https://www.opera.hu/en/about-us/building/opera/

https://www.visitacity.com/en/budapest/attractions/hungarian-state-opera-house?campaginid=428242938&adgroupid=1280931466112115&targetid=kwd-80058452559674:loc-190&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Hungary%20Auto%20Attractions%20G-US-In-EUR&utm_term=about%20national%20opera%20house%20budapest&utm_content=Budapest%20G3%20-%20National%20Opera%20House

https://www.budapestbylocals.com/budapest-eye.html

https://justbudapest.com/the-jewish-quarter-of-budapest/

https://www.budapest.org/en/things-to-do-budapest/jewish-quarter/

https://www.offbeatbudapest.com/budapest-city-guide/neighborhoods/jewish-quarter-district-7/

https://welovebudapest.com/en/article/2021/11/17/sights-culture-once-upon-a-time-in-the-gypsy-quarter-of-buda

https://www.bigboytravel.com/europe/hungary/budapest/castle-hill-walking-tour/

https://www.offbeatbudapest.com/budapest-city-guide/neighborhoods/castle-hill-district-1/

https://timelesstravelsteps.com/2022/04/09/castle-hill-budapest-17-best-things-to-do/

http://www.budapest-discovery-guide.com/castle-hill-budapest.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274887-d526980-Reviews-Palatinus_Strand-Budapest_Central_Hungary.html