Arthur J woke to the sound of voices that were coming from outside the ship. How could that be? They were at sea. He got up, opened the drapes, pulled open the glass door and went out on the balcony of  his cabin. He looked below. They were in port, tied to the dock in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The voices were coming from the people on the dock; he hadn’t imagined hearing voices. They were real.

He turned to the right and saw the biggest instrument he had ever seen. It looked like a big version of the violin that Yundi played in the “Can Do” Street Community Center orchestra back home.

Just then Grandma Maureen joined him on the balcony. Arthur J said, ” Look Grandma, a large violin.” Grandmas Maureen gave him a smiled and gave him a morning hug.

She replied,”No Arthur J. That is a fiddle. The largest fiddle in the world.”

Arthur J looked confused and asked, “But why is the largest fiddle in the world here and not in a big city”?

Grandma Maureen answered saying, “It is here to remind visitors of how important fiddle playing is the the people who live in this part of Canada and just how many wonderful fiddle players and other musicians come from this region.”

Arthur J thought a moment and asked, “When we get off the ship, can I get my picture taken with the fiddle for show and tell at school in September”?  Arthur J and Grandma Maureen were too busy looking at the fiddle to realize that the girls were up and standing right behind them until they began to say, “Me too, me too we want our pictures taken with the big fiddle!”

So that is just what they did after getting dressed and having breakfast; they got off the ship and got their pictures taken with the Biggest Fiddle in the World!

Be sure to come back soon to read more about Arthur J’s,  Annie’s and Kathy’s continuing cruise adventures!