A thirteen hour drive from home and seemingly too small to be worth the ordeal of flying, I made peace long ago that I might never visit the novel worthy setting of Prince Edward Island.
During my elementary years, I read all six novels in the Anne of Green Gables series, however it was the Canadian television movies from the 80’s that made the characters come to life. It wasn’t merely the actors, though not a single one would I change, but it was the perfect phrasing of the music, the well-written dialogue, and the presentation of Prince Edward Island all together that made for an unforgettable, watch over and over and over again, movie. To me, these movies are untouchable, ones that should never be recreated, along the lines of The Godfather or Rocky. No one but Marlon Brando can play Vito Corleone. Sylvester Stallone is Rocky. And no one but Megan Follows need play Anne Shirley. While I’ve yet to see the newest rendition of the classic story on PBS or what is coming to Netflix, I already know the Anne Shirley I grew up with can never be replaced.
If, like me, you’ve read the books and cried when Matthew gave Anne her dress with puffed sleeves, laughed as Anne and Diana became covered with mud in the cow pasture, and shook your head as Anne refused Gilbert’s wooing—you must, I repeat MUST visit PEI.
A statue of Anne greets visitors upon entry to the island
Our road trip originally was to be a tour of all the New England states we had never been to plus a revisit to Stowe, Vermont. Then I decided to ‘just see’ the distance from our stop in Bar Harbor, Maine to PEI. They were s o close (six hours to be exact, so no, not really so close) that it would be a shame not to add PEI into the trip.
If you’ve read the books or seen the movies, these pictures will warm your heart with nostalgia for that red-haired girl and her island.
Picture Anne standing here in the puffiest sleeves of all hugging Matthew who ‘doesn’t want to ruin her dress’.
We were able to tour the inside of the home. The rooms are preserved to look exactly as described in the books.
Remember the Haunted Wood where Anne let her imagination get the better of her?
I wonder if it would have been so terrifying if Anne had a view of a golf course.
Apparently, we had just missed Anne (when we had golfed the day before) playing a hole at all the local golf courses.
Green Gables is located in Prince Edward Island National Park. One might think I would dress appropriately for walking around such an area.
But no. I channeled my inner Gram* and wore boots with heels instead of sneakers.
*I’m not sure if Gram even owns sneakers. She is usually found dressed in all black with three inch heels on.
Currant wine or raspberry cordial?
Lover’s Lane
We passed the Lake of Shining Waters on our way to the Anne of Green Gables Museum at Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Aunt and Uncle’s home.
We would have taken a carriage ride with Matthew, but it was too windy.
So instead we walked around the grounds and admired PEI’s famous red sands.
Here was the highlight of Prince Edward Island for Lance (aside from golfing).
From day one in PEI, he said we were going to visit the ‘Anne Dress Up’ at the entrance of the island. The following pictures are therefore a product of his forcing me to pay $6 to pose as Matthew and Anne.
Part of me thinks he should have dressed up as Anne, too.
Green Gables Heritage Place
Prince Edward Island National Park
Anne of Green Gables Museum
5 Gerald McCarville Dr.
Kensington, PE
C0B 1M0, P.E.I., Canada
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