Lots to do today

Tags

Acadia, Canada, Capitol, France, life, Maritimes, Revolution, USA

I had to get up early today at 07:30am which is somewhat like the middle of the night for me. Usually I am a Crack of Noon riser which is the civilized time for retired folks like me.

So at 9:30am I had to be at the Club for the Thursday morning Coffee and Conversation program, today we had an Acadian historian Georges Arsenault, O.C., O.P.E.I whose family has been living on PEI since 1700. He is also an author and has written much about Acadian life and history on the Island. He also has a voluminous collection of old photos of Acadian Life on the Island dating back to 1860. He showed us many old photos of Acadian families and explained traditions in the period 1860 to 1950. It was fascinating, he had wedding photos dating from prior to 1946. How the common people lived if compared to high society, there was a stark difference. Brides has no wedding dress, they simply wore their Sunday best and so did the groom. Only people with money did the fashionable weddings the way we think of them today. The food prepared and served at weddings was also very different from today. Essentially the wedding would take place in Church at 7:30am and then the family would return home for breakfast at 9:00am. Back then Roman Catholics, Acadians are all R.C. , were not allowed to have food before Mass. Everyone was in their Sunday best and all of it took place in the Kitchen including the square dancing. What Acadians call in French souper (Supper) took place at Noon and both meals were offered by the Bride and her parents in their home. The Dinner at night around 6pm moved to the Groom’s parents home for more square dancing and food and of course Whiskey and Island Gin at 50 proof. That’s the Gin I buy for my Island friends, they do not want the English stuff at 40 Proof. The most important element of a successful wedding meal during the day was the desserts and sweets, some families could offer over 30 different types of sweets not including the Wedding Cake which was white and baked usually in the village by a woman who was known for her cakes and hired for that day. Which reminded me of my great Aunt Marie-Ange in Charlesbourg near Quebec City who was known at Christmas for her desserts and sweets.

The family photos are also interesting, most taken outdoors for the light in an age when no flash existed. Women in Acadian fashion have their heads covered by a bonnet or large scarf, custom being that only unmarried maidens could show their hair. Families were also large on average 12 kids and many upwards of 19 kids, all living under one roof in small farm houses. One wonders how they did it. It is only again after 1946 that people start having small families of 2 or 3 children.

After the talk, I went to my barber Jared who is a very nice person and great to chat with, we talked about what had happened the previous day in Washington D.C. at the Capitol building. He was working so could not watch television and was being told by his customers what was happening, he was in disbelief like I was and many other people. Though he remarked and I agree, we could see all this coming and were bracing for it. How come the Capitol Police did not prepare, were they over confident? I watch it all and was sickened by it, how can the symbol of a democracy be attacked like that by a mob which looked like Duck Dynasty. Ignorance on parade, truly sad. I was wondering if the Ceausescu solution could not be applied to Trump and his family, worked in Romania in 1989. What I fear like a lot of people is a possible return of another Trump type in 4 years, populist but more intelligent and cunning. Is the USA sliding into authoritarianism, it could happen after all 75 million Americans voted for him, hopefully not and the world will move on.

Afterwards I went to the Service Canada Office which provides info and registration for all Federal Government Programs, one stop shopping. This was instituted some 8 years ago by the Canadian Government. I was having some problem online with an application and could not get anyone at their 1-800 number unless you are willing to wait an hour or more on hold. So I simply went down to the Office and saw an Officer in 5 minutes. She answered my questions and all appears all right, I am much relieved.

Reading again

Tags

Acadia, Faragher, Josephus, Kneale, Maritime, Palestine, Rome

Well I have been reading some more, reading usually in the evening before bedtime or until Morpheus comes to take me to the land of dreams. Lately I have been reading the Essential Works of Josephus compiled by Paul Maier.

Titus Flavius Josephus born Yosef ben Matityahu יוסף בן מתתיהו‬, was a first-century Roman-Jewish scholar, historian, born in 37 CE in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of  priestly descent and a mother who claimed royal ancestry.

He initially fought against the Romans during the First Roman-Jewish War as head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 CE to Roman Forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata. Josephus claimed the Jewish Messianic Prophecies that initiated the First Roman-Jewish War made reference to Vespasian becoming Emperor of Rome and founding the Flavian Dynasty. In response Vespasian being superstitious  decided to keep Josephus as a slave and presumably interpreter. After Vespasian became Emperor in 69 CE, he granted Josephus his freedom, at which time Josephus assumed the emperor’s family name of Flavius and lived with them on the Palatine.

Flavius Josephus having defected to the Roman side and was granted Roman Citizenship. He became an advisor and friend of Vespasian’s son Titus, later Emperor, serving as his translator when Titus led the Siege of Jerusalem. Since the siege proved ineffective at stopping the Jewish revolt, the city’s destruction and the looting and destruction of Herod’s Temple (Second Temple) soon followed.

Josephus recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the first century CE and the First Jewish–Roman War (66-70 CE), including the Siege of Masada. His books provide valuable insight into first century Judaism and the background of early Christianity.

The works on Jewish history presents God or Yawveh יהוה as a vengeful god who thinks nothing of ordering the slaughter of entire cities over and over again simply to let his people win. His people turn against Yawveh many times but he is willing to forgive and forget if they do his bidding, more conquest and more killing. He always rewards his male followers by giving them fertile wives bearing many sons. Reading this reminded me of the book by José Saramago, The Gospel according to Jesus Christ, in this book Saramago present Yawveh has a rich Jewish merchant who is quite willing to do anything to get his way, unscrupulous and sadistic.

Josephus is interesting to read because it is the only account of that period to survive and can be used to compared to what you read in the Old Testament and the Gospels. Josephus wrote for his patrons the Flavian in Rome presenting their point of view.

The other book I read was a history of Rome in 7 sackings by Matthew Kneale. It is a different approach since it speaks directly of the ups and downs of Rome as a city as invaders come and go, from the first in July 387 BCE when the young city became embroiled in a conflict with a band of Gallic Celts led by the warlord Brennus to the last being the Nazis occupation in 1943-44.  Lots of details on daily life of Romans through the ages and what life in the city was like.

I am now reading a book I picked up during our trip this September in Nova Scotia entitled A great and Noble Scheme, the tragic history of the expulsion of the French Acadians from their homeland by John Mack Faragher a professor at Yale.

The history of the Acadians is one that touches all French speaking Canadian families in one way or another. Though officially the Acadians are forgotten in the history of modern Canada. Their deportation from the region that is today the Maritime Provinces of Canada happened in 1755 at the time this part of the world was still a band of colonies being disputed both by France and Britain, a pawn in Imperial gamesmanship. It is a complicated history yet fascinating to read, a civilian population at the mercy of two great powers who did not think much of the people.  The book is also interesting because Faragher present how France managed or we should say mismanaged its colonies overseas and how Britain was already involved in free market experiment and parliamentary consultation with colonists a concept totally foreign in France and seen as dangerous to Royal authority.

Faragher writes about social mores and how Acadian men often coming to the colonies alone would take native Mikmaw wives and become in the process assimilated into native culture though retaining their European heritage.  Speaking French and integrating Mikmaw words and expression into daily conversation. There was also amongst the Acadians a mix of Protestant Huguenots and Catholics fleeing the wars of religions in Europe, many showed litte religious fervour, everyone was in North America to trade and make a better life than what they left behind in France. On the other hand the social life of the New England Puritans was vastly different, no such mixing of races, lots of religion and horrified curiosity towards these Acadians with whom they did a lucrative commerce between Boston and Port Royal, the Puritans found the Acadian amusing, scandalous and rough.

Faragher’s book does away with the romantic notions and the often partisan presentation in most history books. It brings clarity to a confusing but compelling tale.

Day two

Tags

Acadia, Canada., Charlottetown, house hunting, Maritimes, PEI, Potato, rentals

This morning we got up late, we were more tired than we thought, air travel and then road travel though very easy is tiring when you are in new parts of the country. I did not know what to expect from the Sea Bridge crossing it was uneventful. We had an excellent seafood dinner just a few steps from where we live, it is the only opened restaurant as far as we could see, pubs where also closed because of a Civic Holiday in the Province. There was lots of people and a joyous atmosphere.

This morning we had some coffee and then went out shopping at the mall, all of 5 minutes away up the street, remember this is a small Capital and the distances are short. I have never shopped at Sobey’s for groceries, I only know the owner because he gave $20 million to the National Gallery. I did find the store confusing, per example bread can be found in 3 different locations, the butter section is separate from the milk and the eggs which are all in very separate sections, we could not find unsalted butter but did find extra-salted butter it is also called British butter, had never heard of this before. The un-salted butter was in a separate section with other frozen foods, strange. As for prices well it is the big chains, Sobey is more expensive than Loblaw’s which is known as Atlantic here in the Maritimes. However potatoes are dirt cheap 10 lbs for 0.99 cents, now that is a bargain. What to do with 10 lbs I do not know. Maybe Jean-Paul and Guido in London could make helpful suggestions. https://itsmyhusbandandme.wordpress.com

So while in the USA and Canada it’s Black history month in PEI it’s Potato Lover’s month, which by the way is pretty inclusive if you think about it, anyone is welcome as a Potato Lover, anyone!

We do want to go to the Farmer’s Market this weekend to see what is on offer, it looks pretty good and nice from their website.

Went to the liquor store, good selection and they have several brand of liquor in small mickey’s of various sizes which is very practical, you can put the contents in your little flask you carry around with you for a fortifier when needed. Otherwise wine prices are the same as in Ontario, Champagnes are still over priced compared to Ontario. Apparently prices are better in New Brunswick. Since the COSTCO is in Moncton you could make it an outing and buy champagne at the same time. I am sure everyone who goes to COSTCO also then drops by the Champagne store for bubbles.

The rest of the day we went to a gallery to view paintings by a local artist Robert Milner, now the paintings were un-equal in quality, some like his landscapes had an Alex Colville feel to them and others were evocative, while his birds and fauna was almost naive in style.

The weather here has turned quite mild, Spring like and since the streets run down towards the harbor there is quite a lot of water all around, now tomorrow is will be 9 C or 50F which is quite warm for February and we are suppose to get torrential rains up to 25cm in one day, that is 10 inches of rain. Apparently there could be flooding, I am not surprised, though this is better than the snow storm in Ottawa today.

I think we are suppose to see 5 properties tomorrow with the agent starting at noon time. Hopefully something will gel and may strike our fancy, all are located except one, in the downtown core of Charlottetown.

 

 

Charlottetown, PEI

Tags

Acadia, Canada., Charlottetown, Confederation, Maritimes, PEI

We arrived in Charlottetown on the 20th, a direct flight from Ottawa, about 80 minutes    considering the distance 1000 Km. We could have driven it over 2.5 days but frankly I found that just a bit too long for me, since I am the single driver.

Arriving at Charlottetown airport, we went to the car rental agency and they gave us a Jeep Patriot, I had never driven one of those but I liked it right away. The drive from the airport to the centre of town is about 12 minutes, not exactly far and the speed limit is 40Km per hour not fast either. This is the first thing you notice, life is much slower here and people have time, there is no stress and no rushing about or multi-tasking. Charlottetown has a population of 34,000 people, the city celebrates its 250th Birthday this year. For such a small town, it is full of important historical significance in the history of Canada under the French and then after 1763 the English Regime.

Entrance to the Port of Charlottetown seen from Fanningbank (Government House). On the right in the distance is Port La Joy, later Fort Amherst, today a National Historic Site and the Haché-Gallant Farm. Beyond is the Northumberland Straight and the Coast of New Brunswick.

Known as Port La Joy by the French and then by the English as Fort Amherst until 1768 went it became Charlottetown. The story of PEI is that of European Imperialism and the various wars between France, England, Austria and Spain between Sovereigns who were all trying to assert world domination.

The original map of PEI made some 250 years ago by a British Officer Samuel Holland. This photo was taken from the balcony of the Art Centre in Charlottetown. It is very detailed and very large, on loan from the British Archives for the first time ever.

In making this accurate map and surveying the land for the first time, Holland divided the Island in 62 concessions and named over 100 places on the island. In 1768 the British government decided to sell the concessions to wealthy members of the British Aristocracy who were absentee landlords, none ever visited the island and in turn installed a system of tenured Farmers (feudalism). This turn of events would drive the Islanders to form a Union in 1864 with the other Provinces of Canada to escape from this servitude. To this day Laws in PEI strictly controls the amount of land a Foreigner or Non-Resident can buy on the Island. Non-Residents also pay two times more taxes than residents.

Province House Legislative Building of PEI, Georgian architecture. This is where the Conference on the Maritime Union and Confederation took place in 1864 before moving  to Quebec City for final ratification. The building is closed and currently under renovation for the next 5 years.

What is beautiful about Charlottetown is the urban design of the city. The British planners wanted a city like London full of parks and Squares with broad streets on a grid pattern. This is what you see today, magnificent Red Sandstone architecture, elaborate Victorian wood mansions, and many imposing stone Churches. Two famous names associated with the development of the City are the Harris brothers who worked in Charlottetown. The architect William Critchlow Harris (1854-1913) built many imposing buildings and houses which survive to this day. His brother the celebrated Canadian Painter Robert Harris (1849-1919) decorated with frescoes many buildings and churches, he was also a great portrait artist and he painted the 33 Fathers of the Canadian Confederation. Many of his paintings are in the National Gallery in Ottawa.

The Steeples of St-Dunstan dominate the Capital.Built in the French Gothic style by architect Francois-Xavier Berlinguet.

R.C. Bishops Palace and seat of the Administration of the University of PEI.

The oldest brick house in Charlottetown c.1831 on Water Street on the corner with Great George Street.

The type of dormers on the roof line was the fashion between 1862-68. So you know more or less when these buildings once private homes were built.

Another brick building once used for the Government of PEI built c.1840

St-Paul Anglican Church, in Red PEI Sandstone, the building is far larger than it appears here and not in this photo is the Bishops Palace at the back and Parish hall. All of it built at the same time. Many Fathers of Confederation attended this church during their lifetime.

City Hall of Charlottetown, one has to remember that all this was built at a time when the city had a few thousand souls. Today the Capital has 34,000 inhabitants. Very impressive architecture for such a small town and it speaks of its importance in Canadian History.

The home of a prominent family now a private residence for Elderly Ladies.

One of several paintings in the side Chapel of All Souls painted by Robert Harris.

Here Harris takes from the Divine Comedy of Dante in the Circle of Hell. The Chapel has these beautiful murals all around.

One of the many City Parks in Charlottetown.

Water Street with the brick Customs House and its steel shutters. During the Prohibition the Government confiscated all alcool and stored more alcool into this building. Since drinking alcool was prohibited the Government got involved in the sale and export of liquor. Yes people were paid to make the stuff and it would then be sold on the mainland. This way respectability and temperance or the facade of it could be maintained.

Another private home with a large lot all around

The homes are beautifully maintained, despite their size and being sea front properties  most are valued under $240,000. Strangely most people in Charlottetown believe those prices to be astronomical.

Beaconsfield, a museum today built c. 1860

One of the marinas, Charlottetown welcomes also large cruise ships like Holland American.

the view of the Harbor ”La Joy” of Charlottetown

Fanningbank the Residence of the Lieutenant Governor of PEI, C.1830, Georgian Style. The Fathers of Confederation met here many times and dinners and balls during the conference of 1864 took place here. It is set in a giant park facing the Harbor.

A very elegant town full of very nice people who live almost in an era long gone at a more civilized pace. Charlottetown made a big impression on me, we are going back to experience it again in the near future.