DAY 22---SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA

 

        Our position after docking in Sydney on the island of Breton in Nova Scotia.  The top two photos are from the ship's navigation channel on tv and the bottom two are from the port lecture guy's presentation.  It is overcast and 63F as we docked here at 11am.

LAST EVENING

        This segment has nearly 300 first time cruisers on Regent.  65% of us have cruised before.  Here is the breakdown.

Commodore (over 2000 nights on Regent)----0

Diamond (over 1000 nights)----4    Rebecca & I are 2nd & 3rd in most number on this cruise with 1063.

Titanium  (400 to 999 nights)----18

Platinum  (200 to 399 nights)----33

Gold  (75 to 199 nights)----116

Silver  (21 to 74 nights) and Bronze (7 to 20 nights)---277

                                     There was some entertainment by the cast at the party.

                        I had ordered Rombauer chardonnay to go with our miso sea bass.

       Bea Kessler, one of the Cruise Consultants and long time friend, joined us for dinner.

                                                        I started with this lobster bisque.

                                          All three of us had a Mykonos salad (Greek salad).

   The miso glazed sea bass melted in our mouths.  So good!  We had rice and green beans with it.

                                         White chocolate croissant pudding for dessert.

        This was the only descent photo I took at the "Broadway in Concert" show.  We sat on left side front row and the orchestra's drummer was so loud I left after a few songs.

NOVA SCOTIA

        Nova Scotia is a province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and the most populous province in Atlantic Canada with a population of nearly 1 million.  It is the second most densely populated province in Canada and second smallest province by area.  The province comprises the Nova Scotia peninsula and Cape Brenton Island (where we are today in Sydney), as well as 3800 other costal islands.

        Nova Scotia's capital and largest municipality is Halifax (where we will be tomorrow), which is home to over 45% of the province's population.  The province is the world's largest exporter of Christmas trees, lobster, gypsum, and wild berries.  Its export value of fish exceeds $1 billion and the fish products are sent to 90 countries around the world.   Coal mining and a large steel mill have basically ceased on Cape Breton island (again where we are today in Sydney).  Nova Scotia's tourism industry showcases it's culture, scenery, and coastline.  Over 2 million tourists visit here every year.  It is a very popular cruise ship destination.

SYDNEY

Sydney is a city on the east coast of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.  It has a population of 31,000.  Between 1900 and 1945 Sydney became home to one of the world's largest steel plants fed by the numerous coal mines in the area.  By the late 1960's the coal and steel industries had fallen on hard times again.  The government took over control but by the early 1990's, both industries were in trouble again and were permanently closed by the end of 2001.

        Sydney experiences a cool summer, and windy, wet, and stormy winter.  Sydney's economy was aided by the Harbour dredging project that was completed in 2012.  Cape Breton island and Sydney has become home to a significant tourism industry. 

TODAY

        Looking like rain showers in the area when we opened our curtains at 7:30 this morning.  Overcast and 63F.

                                         Passed by some wind turbine blades as we sailed in.

                                                           Sydney's cruise terminal.

        Lunch in La Veranda:  blue cheese, deviled egg, anchovies (of course), coleslaw, tuna on chip, and some kind of creamy chicken.  After this I had some beef stroganoff.

                                                 Few bites of some pizza.  Not so good.

                                                               World's largest fiddle.

                                                   Some photos taken from the sports deck.

        Guess they were expecting some high winds or rough seas as deck lounges are tied down.  Seas were not rough last night.

        I was scheduled to do a 2 hour walking tour here in Sydney this afternoon but decided to just do my own walking tour.  I was off the ship for 45 minutes and saw a lot as you will see in the photos

below.

                                          Craft shops just outside the cruise terminal building.

                                               Lots more crafts stalls inside the terminal.

           Love this to show crew to go for fast internet.  They have to pay for using the ship's internet.  

                                                      Biggest fiddle from ground level.

                                                                Heading into town.

                                           Anglican Church of St George built in 1785.

                                                        Sacred Heart Downtown church

                                           Bank of Montreal from 1817 but now a museum.

        The main shopping street was blocked off today with all kinds of craft shops set up and with snow plows, police cars, military jeep, and fire trucks on display.  It started a very light sprinkle when I got here.

        There was even a band at the end.  I asked a security guard if this happens often or just a special weekend.  He said they do this several weekend during summer.

             "Flavor of the Water" is strange name for a restaurant above the cruise terminal.

        They are showing the Oregon vs Northwestern college football at1pm on our tv to be followed at 4:30 by Texas Tech vs Oregon St.

        Here is tonight's Compass Rose menu.  At lunch we asked Rey, the Sette Mari maitre d, if he could arrange for the chef to make a veal parmesan for me.  The Sette Mari chef, said yes, so we will dine up there for the last time on this cruise.

        Of course we'll be heading to the Meridian Lounge for some pigs and cocktails.  Then head up to Sette Mari at 6:30.  We sail again at 6:30 so can watch the sail out from there.  I'm sure Rey will be saving us a window table as usual.  We'll be in Halifax, Nova Scotia, tomorrow.

        We definitely want to go see Kenny James' show in the theater at 9:30.  We talked to him, and his son, Trevor, briefly in Compass Rose last night.  This will be his second and last show.

       Good news is Rebecca is starting to feel better from the bad cold she has had for several days.  It's good for me as less coughing by her during the night.  Glad I went into town earlier as it is raining now at 3pm.  Had I gone on my tour I would be all wet now!