9.25.13
Wednesday
This morning
was the first time we could make breakfast on the stove since the first day we
arrived in Nova Scotia on our way north. I came to the conclusion you are not
allowed to make breakfast outdoors in the Provence of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Not being sure what we wanted to
see next we decided to take a trip to a grocery store. Culture shock! There is a strip mall in New Sydney with
Sobes (Think Surefine) a Dollarama (Dollar Store) and a Walmart.
Looking at the map there is a fortress in Louisbourg about 30 miles drive from North Sydney.
Anyone who visits Nova Scotia and misses Louisbourg has missed one of the historic treasures of Canada. The fortress dates back to New France in the early 1700’s. It was sieged by the British in 1744 and the French were sent home; used as a treaty bargaining chip by the British and re-acquired by France in 1748 after which it was resettled by the French; again taken over by the British in 1758 during the Seven Years War, and the French deported for the last time. I learned the difference between a fort and a fortress. A fort is strictly a military installation in which the town (if there was one) remained outside the walls. A fortress has a wall that surrounds the town so the town will also be defended. The recreation of the fortress is only about one fifth of the original size.
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| Cod fisherman and his house |
Cod fishing became a major economic factor. There were hundreds of cod drying racks surrounding the town. Cod is unique in that it only has to be dried, not salted. When it is soaked in water it returns to soft fleshy fish. It did not have to be shipped in barrels but was shipped on pallets.
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| Model of a battery |
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Model of some of the hundreds
of Cod drying racks |
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| Dauphin Gate |
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| Sentry Box |
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| Military Stores |
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| A view up the Quay |
We didn’t arrive until around 1:00PM
and though we got to see most of the fortress this is really an all -day
adventure. There are many living history
actors to interact with and each is very up on the history of Louisbourg. There are demonstrations of lace making,
cooking, military life, and 1700s local cuisine if you wish to partake.
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| Gunpowder Magazine |
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| Inside the "Magizn General" |
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| Frederic Gate |
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| Hotel de la Marine |
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| Chevalier House |
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| Lagrange House and Storehouse |
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| King's Bastian Barracks |
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The Chapel was the only place where civilians
were allowed in side the Bastian.
There was no church in the town.
|
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Saint-King Louis IX
Once patron Saint of the French Military |
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| Confessional |
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| Rainbow over De la Plagnge House |
There is a guided tour consisting
of a talk about 1700 military life, and a merchant’s house, and the house of
the chief engineer who is also the military strategist. Even though he is third in the ranks he
directs and oversees any military action and his decisions cannot be overruled by
the governor.
Unmarried Officers Quarters
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| Our Tour Guide |
Governor's Quarters
Merchant's House
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| The merchant tells of his 12 children |
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| The merchant's wife making lace |
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| Cradle and children's toys |
Chief Engineer's House
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The Chief Engineer has his own cook
who had her own room off the kitchen. |
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| Harpsichord in the Great Room |
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| Sitting Room |
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| Engineers Office/Workroom |
Of course it drizzled the whole
time until we had about 200 yard to walk back to the bus that drives you from
parking to the fortress. Then it POURED! By the time we reached the bus we were soaked
with our raincoats on.
We spent the night at Point of
View RV Park in Louisbourg.
