MORE NOVA SCOTIA ADVENTURES

Yesterday we were blessed with another sunny weather and planned a full day. We drove the car from Klahanie Kamping in Aylesford to the Town of Digby for their world famous Digby scallops.  There was a low hanging fog over the water with blue skies above.

Another quaint village

We brought out cooler with us and bought
three pounds of those nasty scallops

We saw a sign for Sandy Cove Beach and made a slight detour to check it out.  It was a beautiful sandy crescent beach and very petty.

Sandy Cove Beach

Of course, we had to stop for lunch to taste those world famous scallops and they were delicious.  I read about the local wineries in the Annapolis area and needed to try a wine made from their local white grapes called Tidal Bay which complemented the seafood lunch.

Our view on the Tiverton Ferry

Our ferry

Then we took a ferry in Tiverton to see the Balancing Rock, a columnar basalt sea stock resting precariously on end.  We were glad we put on our hiking shoes to get to it because it turned out to be about a mile in on rocky terrain with many, many steps to climb.  It definitely got our hearts pumping and was a good workout with a rewarding view at the end.  But you must remember what goes up must come down or visa versa and the stairs going back up were a nice challenge.

Nice walk through the woods

Look at this little cutie

Lots of steps to get the the Rock

Climbing down and thinking about the
walk back up

The Balancing Rock

I read about Tommy's Branch Look-Off and it sounded interesting, so we detoured a bit to find it because it was off the beaten path.

The tree of hearts

Signing the guest book

Actually, the property is privately owned but they allow the public to visit and see the view.  They have two cabins up there, a hammock and picnic tables.

Some of the view

The look out

One of the cabins

Thanks for stopping in to say hi.

LUNENBURG AND MAHONE BAY, NOVA SCOTIA

We listened to the rain tapping on the roof all night and it continued this morning.  This area is in desperate need of rain and the locals are happy to see it. But we were happy that it stopped for the afternoon and we were able to get out without raincoats and umbrellas to visit the area.

Our first stop was a short drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Town Lunenburg.  A port town situated on the province's south shore.  The first half of the 17th century this site was a Mi'kmaq and Acadian village for over one hundred years.  The Acadians established a kinship and trade relations with the local Mi'kmaq and settled among them.

In the 19th century the town evolved as a major center for offshore banks fishery and the building and manning of fishing schooners.  The most famous fishing schooner was the Bluenose built in 1921 which brought in record catches.

The museum was three floors and two ships -
well worth the price of the ticket

Loved the bright colored houses and businesses

Model of the Bluenose

Local artist carved this replica of the
largest cod caught by rod

Whale skull

Whale Jaw

More beautiful colored homes

Largest church in Lunenburg

We stopped at a cute little place called the Tea Brewery and they had gluten-free brownies for Denis and gluten-free macaroons for me.  I had a lovely lavender cream earl grey tea to go with it.

After our snack we were ready to take in Mohone Bay known for its photogenic three churches and unique shops.  What a pretty place.

You can see the three churches in a row

Again, more color

Denis spoiled me with dinner out again tonight.  We stopped at a restaurant called Oh My Cod and I had bacon wrapped scallops and Denis had the cod sandwich.  Both were delicious.

Thanks for stopping in to say hi.

NOVA SCOTIA - THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES

Friday morning we drove from Baddeck to Glen Margaret a couple hundred miles.  Unfortunately, we got stuck in a traffic jam shortly after filling the tank and hitting the road.  We saw the traffic and everyone was turning around for an alternate route but with 43 feet of motor home and a tow vehicle attached, turning around didn't sound like a good idea.  We walked down to the scene of the accident and the fireman told us that a SUV and a semi collided and there was a fatality.  They were waiting for a coroner and it could be up to 12 hours.

We unhitched the tow vehicle and turned around.  The detour took us 30 minutes around on winding, bumpy roads but it was better than waiting 12 hours for the road to clear.  Thankfully, the remainder of the drive was uneventful and we arrived safely at Wayside Campground in Glen Margaret.  Again, we found ourselves with a beautiful waterfront view and full hookups. Glen Margaret is a rural community on the Chebucto Penisula and was first inhabited by the Mi'kmaq Indians.

Yesterday, Saturday, we got an early start and planned on visiting Halifax Harbour.  Our friends told us to be sure to check out the boardwalk and marketplace and we were not disappointed.  It was a beautiful, sunny day and perfect for walking and walk we did, over 17,000 steps for some 7 miles.

We not only checked out the length of the scenic boardwalk, the overwhelming farmer's marketplace but we also walked up (and I mean UP hill) along historic St. George street to the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site and back down to the boardwalk for lunch at the Bicycle Thief.

Here are some of yesterday's highlights.

We bought rhubarb, blueberries and
sourdough bread 

Crazy how much stuff they sell

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, had the turret clock
manufactured before his return to England in 1800

Cannon fire

Fort George is the fortified summit of Citadel Hill.  The hill was first fortified in 1749, the year the town of Halifax was founded. The Citadel's star-shaped architecture is impressive and you can understand why they chose this location.

Changing of the guard

Perfect place to people watch on the boardwalk
and see the sailboats on the water

View from our window at Wayside Campground

The village was formally founded in 1811 when the Province issued a 800 acre land grant to six families of German descent. In the early 1900's the population peaked to 300. In 2003, Hurricane Juan damaged the cove's breakwater and in 2009 Hurricane Bill further washed it away.

View of Peggy's Cove in the background

Did anyone read You Can Pick Me Up at Peggy's Cove by Bryan Doyle?  The youth novel was made into a movie in 1982.

On the way to Peggy's Cove we stopped at the Swissair Flight 111 Memorial that crashed September 2, 1998 into the Atlantic Ocean near St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia.  All 229 passengers died that day.  Sculptor William deGarthe lived in Peggy's Cove and he carved the 100 foot granite outcropping monument.  It depicts 32 fishermen, their wives and children enveloped by the wings of St. Elmo, the patron saint of sailors, as well as the legendary Peggy.

Granite Monument

Memorial of plane crash

Peggy's Point Lighthouse - I purchased a
charm to add to my travel charm bracelet

Very long day for both of us but we're glad we crammed so much into a beautiful sunny day.  Thanks for stopping in to say hi.

GAELIC NOVA SCOTIA

What a beautiful day to learn the history of Gaelic Nova Scotia. Through the late 18th and early 19th centuries, thousands of Gaels immigrated and settled in Eastern Nova Scotia.  Despite the harsh climate and landscape, they cleared the forest and cultivated their land to establish new lives and communities.  The Highland Village brings that identity to life through interpretation and programming.

The Village had a time line of buildings from The Black House of Gaelic Scotland from 1770-1830, The Forests of Nova Scotia with their log houses, centre chimney house and barn from 1770-1850 and The Building of New Communities from 1850-1880 with the centre hallway house and church,  from 1880-1920s we saw the school house, general store, the forge, carding mill and turn of the century home.

What I found interesting was we could tell what period of time it was by the type of stove in each of the houses.

The most fun was participating in a Gaelic gathering with singing and conversation.

View from the village

The Black House 1700s

Working farm with goats, horse, chickens
and this hog

Always busy - she's making doilies

School House

Blacksmith

Pretty landscape

Singing and socializing

Met up with old and new friends for dinner
Bonnie & Clyde

Thank you for stopping in to say hi.