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Location Date North America 
1482192000 South America 1481500800 Oceania 1473289200 Asia 1461970800 Europe 1370041200 Africa 1289520000 -
Location Date Texas 1482192000 Washington D.c. 1482105600 Florida 1481846400 Hawaii 1258070400 Massachusetts 1096326000 Maine 1096239600 Nova Scotia
1096153200 Prince Edward Island 1096066800 British Columbia 1095548400 Rhode Island 1095462000 California 1094770800 Nevada 987116400 Washington 932338800 Alberta 931993200 Alaska 931474800 New York 815702400
This morning we rose at 5.30am and had brekky in the Kings Court. Our tour tickets for Sydney (Tour of Cabot Trail, all around the top half of the island) said to be in the theatre at 7.15am, but we still didn't leave till about 8am. The tender trip took about 20 minutes.
Our tour guide, Maureen, was saying that on Monday (the day we were supposed to arrive) the waves were crashing into the car park. The city of Sydney had made a plaque to give the commodore commemorating QM2's first Canadian port of call - but now it wasn't so I don't know what became of that. The TV channels and everyone were there too, but had to then go on to Quebec. Maureen wanted to know all about the ship and asked for any mementos - she got maps, matches, serviettes and I don't know what else!! Like a good Canadian, she can't stand the Americans either!
Meanwhile, the 8 1/2 hour tour was very picturesque. We had morning tea at a resort that costs $1000/night to stay at - souvenirs awfully expensive so didn't buy there. The coach people gave us a bag each for morning tea - with a bottle of water, a bag of mini-oreos, a muesli bar, a box of raisins and an orange juice.
The people of Cape Breton are interesting - all of either Scottish or French descent. They start Gaelic classes at school in Year 2 - it is a compulsory subject until the end of school. Sometimes the Scottish Highland Dancers are the World Champions. The Acadians are the French descendants. They were driven out by the British but were eventually allowed back. The word cajun (as in New Orleans) comes from Acadian. We had lunch in an Acadian village, Cheticamp. The restaurant was very organised and the food was lovely.
We then went on to a big souvenir shop where the prices were really good. After that we drove another 2 1/2 hours to get back to Sydney. We were to be on board by 5.30pm for a 6pm sailaway, but it was 6.15pm when we got back on board (with another 3 buses behind us) so we were late leaving.
We were too tired to get dressed up for dinner so we ordered room service and watched "Eternal sunshine of the Spotless Mind" - really weird movie!!
Our tour guide, Maureen, was saying that on Monday (the day we were supposed to arrive) the waves were crashing into the car park. The city of Sydney had made a plaque to give the commodore commemorating QM2's first Canadian port of call - but now it wasn't so I don't know what became of that. The TV channels and everyone were there too, but had to then go on to Quebec. Maureen wanted to know all about the ship and asked for any mementos - she got maps, matches, serviettes and I don't know what else!! Like a good Canadian, she can't stand the Americans either!
Meanwhile, the 8 1/2 hour tour was very picturesque. We had morning tea at a resort that costs $1000/night to stay at - souvenirs awfully expensive so didn't buy there. The coach people gave us a bag each for morning tea - with a bottle of water, a bag of mini-oreos, a muesli bar, a box of raisins and an orange juice.
The people of Cape Breton are interesting - all of either Scottish or French descent. They start Gaelic classes at school in Year 2 - it is a compulsory subject until the end of school. Sometimes the Scottish Highland Dancers are the World Champions. The Acadians are the French descendants. They were driven out by the British but were eventually allowed back. The word cajun (as in New Orleans) comes from Acadian. We had lunch in an Acadian village, Cheticamp. The restaurant was very organised and the food was lovely.
We then went on to a big souvenir shop where the prices were really good. After that we drove another 2 1/2 hours to get back to Sydney. We were to be on board by 5.30pm for a 6pm sailaway, but it was 6.15pm when we got back on board (with another 3 buses behind us) so we were late leaving.
We were too tired to get dressed up for dinner so we ordered room service and watched "Eternal sunshine of the Spotless Mind" - really weird movie!!
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