Atlantic Crossroads Festival Journal

Atlantic Crossroads Festival
Newfoundland 2005

I had time to kill and decided to stop in Baddeck. In addition to its being my favorite town in Cape Breton, there�s always some good music going on there. To my delight I discovered that Kyle and Sheumas MacNeil were playing at the Masonic Hall for a square dance. I ate a bite at the Yello Cello and sat at the look-off across from the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, taking photos of my fave Cape Breton lighthouse. Got some great photos of the boats, especially the large sailboat tacking through the bay to their slip. It was an impressive sight to see.

The Alexander Graham Bell Museum is here for a good reason. For a large portion of his life, he lived right here in Baddeck, in a big house at the lakefront. He invented so many more things than the telephone that we know him for. Hydroplanes, kites that hold human passengers, and much more was created here. he also worked on teaching deaf people to speak.

This scene fascinated me. It married the old and the new and I couldn't help but think this is how it looked at some point when the Scots were arriving in the New World here.

I met John from Ohio here - he was touring Cape Breton in a big bus with his family. They have seen the Colorado and Canadian Rockies, New England and now Cape Breton

I sat for an hour waiting to take this photo. It was well worth it. I love the sailboat heeling to port.

Then I moseyed on up to the Masonic Hall, paid my $8 and got ready for a great evening of music and dance. I tried to take set dancing the last time I attended the Gaelic College but couldn�t do the steps because of my injuries from my accident. So I�ve been content to enjoy the Cape Breton fiddle music (my favorite fiddle music!) and watching everyone have fun. Turns out the Gaelic College was having a Set Dance Week and there had been a different set dance presented every day to the students. At night, they had musicians from that section of Cape Breton playing the music that you�d normally hear with the set dance. Tonight was the Sydney Set and tea and oatcakes would be served. I was a tad upset to find out that I�d miss Mac Morin and Ian MacDougall two nights hence for Mabou Night. Mac owes me a t-shirt (long story) and Ian was my very first fiddle teacher. I wrote them a note and asked the girl at the merch table to pass it to them. She said she would.

When Kyle and Sheumas came out to set up, I waved and they did a double take. Sheumas laughed and said, �You�re HERE? You sure get around! What are you doing up here from Philadelphia? And where is your friend?� Andi will be happy to know he remembers her. Kyle remembered she is from Buffalo and was usually with me when I saw the Barras. �Driving?� said Sheumas as Kyle pantomimed. �Punishing yourself by driving,� he chortled when I answered in the affirmative. They told me to enjoy myself and asked when I was coming back. Kyle told me that the Barras are playing the Gaelic College on July 13th. ARGH!!!!! That�s a day after I leave Cape Breton on my way back. Maybe I can stay an extra day. After all, I�ve been invited to the show!

More dance in Baddeck