History lessons

Woke at 6am to hear movement in the room above and muffled but not muted conversation. After a little while a shower started, then more movement that continued until 7. I don't know what they were doing but it wasn't playing dominoes. About 6:30 the shower started again and was still going at 7 when we got up. A peek out of the curtains told us the shower was external and actually heavy rain!

After a good breakfast, we were pleased to note that the rain had pretty well stopped, so started to pack the car in preparation for leaving after a visit to a couple of nearby museums. Between loading the suitcases and loading the hand baggage, the heavens opened and it tipped down. We waited for 20 minutes but it didn't ease so decided to cut our losses, made a dash for the car and hit the road.

Wool mill

We headed for West Pubnico but saw a restored woollen mill as we went through Barrington; as it was only light rain by now, we stopped and went in. A fascinating working re-creation of taking wool from the raw fleece, through carding spinning and dying to fabrication. The mill was in use until 1965 and at its height employed about a dozen people with power provided largely by water turbine. It has been restored though much of the original equipment had long gone. Apparently a power loom was found in the attic room in pieces as originally provided but without assembly instructions.

Acadian Village

The recreation of a typical acadian village of the start of the 20th C at West Pubnico was quite fascinating. Unsurprisingly the majority of the visitors were francophone and as most of the presenters were fluently bilingual, we stayed anglophone. But it was interesting to pick up bits of conversation. Each house in the village had a history and a particular function and the presenters in each house were living the life.

Smith, Acadian Village

The blacksmith was smithing, the boatbuilder was building boats and the fisherman was making lobsterpots and mending nets. There was no electricity or running water, the beds had chamber pots and there was no bathroom.

Dory Maker, Acadian Village

There were no tarmac'd roads and transport was by pony and trap or boat. It was sobering to think that only 100 years ago in my grandfather's childhood, this way of life was common outside towns. We have come a long way in that time. It is easy to think that it was a simpler way of life but the romance dies when you think that by-and-large there were only 2 states – working and sleeping.

'Pumpkin' in the Acadian Village

Working was largely unassisted by machine and sleeping was often on straw mattresses, although most adults had the luxury of feather.

By now the rain had stopped altogether and with the temperature rapidly rising, we set off for Eglise St Marie at Church Point. An extraordinary building it is the largest wooden church in North America.

St Mary's Church

Built between between 1903 and 1905 by local volunteers entirely of wood and is huge. Made to plans by a French (naturally) architect who designed it in stone but built by a local artisan.in wood which was relatively plentiful.

St Mary's Church interior

It doesn't look as though it is made all of wood until very close inspection but it copes with the storms hereabouts well enough, although in a good storm, the chandeliers swing about a foot apparently. It is a very attractive building, not too fussy, busy or pretentious. Painting the exterior in 2 coats of paint requires 1500 litres and the inside 1800. With the price of paint today, I don't fancy that bill!!

The Goodwin Hotel

Finally on to our rest for the night at Weymouth and the Goodwin Hotel. A lovely old place run by a family for the last 42 years. Mum does everything but the cooking while her 2 sons do that. We decided to eat in and were glad we did. On the menu was a surf and turf with scallops. It was one of the best meals we have had washed down with a lovely tasty Joost Cabernet Sauvignon.

Twilight

Before retiring we were able to catch up on our blogging, not having been able to do any last night at Shelburne – although advertised as WiFi, the signal wasn't strong enough.

Weymouth, Canada