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One thing we noted on Campobello was the absence of crass signage directing visitors to tourist attractions. This gave us the freedom to explore what appealed to us on our own. One of the greatest finds was the small cement tablet, with a notation about the Passamaquoddy lighthouse being the most photographed in the East, all hand-printed, like graffiti! That’s what tourism should be—local folks directing you to an attraction because they themselves love it!
It was clear that there are close connections between communities in the two countries that are within spittin’ distance of each other. Spoken language is accented the same—neither like Maine nor New Brunswick, but a blend of the best of each. Currency is no problem, and probably wasn’t even before the Canadian and US dollars reached close to par. Both being fishing communities, I’m sure there are shared family, kinship and community values.
We hear horror stories of long lines and vigilance at border crossings elsewhere in the country. Not so at the International Bridge. At our first crossing we were formally queried by the border guards. Subsequently, we were greeted like old friends!
When we reluctantly departed the island, we asked the border guard to stamp our passports. He seemed pleased at the request—we were the first “tourists” of the year. It meant going inside the building and waiting until the in-house guard found the stamp, changed it to a new year and date, and finally found a pad that actually had ink.
Penny and I will return to Campobello and Lubec, perhaps entering the island from Deer Island, NB, by ferry. First stop will be across the International Bridge to Monica’s Chocolates. I swear, her fruit bonbons are the healthiest food I’ve ever eaten!
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