Saturday, June 27, 2009 – Day 30

Province House – History of Canada
As we were staying in a hotel in the heart of Charlottetown, we were within walking distance of everything we wanted to do. We decided to start our day with some history and so we headed straight for Province House. Province House is the PEI legislature which is now a National Historic Site.

The reason this building is so significant is because it is the location of the Charlottetown conference where the Canadian fathers of Confederation first met all together to discuss the idea of uniting Canada into one country. There was an older but excellent film to describe the events which took place September 1 to 9, 1864. Our kids really enjoyed hearing about the birth of what we now know as Canada. We toured the upper rooms as well which show where the conference took place and the current legislature.

Not knowing what to see next we decided to take a horsedrawn carriage ride through the city of Charlottetown. It was interesting but I think the 30 minute tour would have been just as well as the 45 minute tour.
Canada Day celebrations were getting underway as we walked along the waterfront. There were activities (strongman competition), games, buskers and pavillions scattered all over the place. Too bad we couldn’t stay longer in Prince Edward Island to enjoy Canada Day itself.

Anne of Green Gables Musical
The highlight of the day was the evening musical that we pre-purchased tickets for. The Anne of Green Gables Musical is now 45 years old but it is an amazingly creative adaptation of the book by L. M. Montgomery. What was refreshing was that it was created before the movie and so it has a different perspective. The singers, music and orchestra all brought this lively and fun performance to a life of its own as the Anne of Green Gables story was told. Every one of our kids enjoyed the performance as did us parents and it is definitely a must-see activity for those visiting Prince Edward Island.