The boat ride from Prince Edward Island went smoothly. Once we docked in Nova Scotia, we had to drive 105 miles to Halifax (actually Dartmouth), Nova Scotia. Our lodging was the Comfort Inn, 456 Windmill Rd. ($49 Canadian). Annette’s sore leg prompted a visit to the medical clinic where they used ultrasound on her leg. We learned some about the Canadian Health Care System. Annette had to pay since she is not Canadian, but the cost was very reasonable.
Day 8, July 9, Wednesday
Today was spent exploring Halifax. The starting point was the Visitors Center in the downtown. Across the street were large Victorian buildings that reflected the wealth of an earlier era.
We began our main City Tour with the Citadel, a hilltop fortress which dominates the city.
The current star-shaped fortress, or citadel, is formally known as Fort George and was completed in 1856, following twenty-eight years of construction. This massive masonry- construction fort was designed to repel a land-based attack by United States The defensive moat is shown at right. British forces upgraded Fort George's armaments to permit it to defend the harbor as well as land approaches, using heavier and more accurate long-range artillery.
Fort George has a living history program featuring animators portraying life in the fort where soldiers of the 78th Highland Regiment, the Third Brigade of the Royal Artillery, soldiers wives, and civilian tradespersons re-enact life in 1869.
One of the most enduring and recognized symbols of Citadel Hill's role in shaping Halifax is the daily ceremonial firing of the noon gun. The artillery is also used for formal occasions such as 21-gun salutes.
I think what impressed us the most was performances of bagpipes and the fife and drums.
For lunch we ate in the historic mess hall of the fort. Before leaving the Citadel we took advantage of the great overlook. Such a commanding view. Irma and Mike pictured right.
Our next destination was scenic Peggy’s Cove. Located on the far right on the map.
Peggy’s Cove was everything it had been advertised. It was a harming fishing town centered around a narrow ocean inlet.
Peggy's Cove has a classic red-and-white lighthouse still operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The light station is situated on an extensive granite outcrop at Peggys Point, immediately south of the village and its cove. The lighthouse also served as a post office that Annette found useful for mailing post cards.
Here we also spent time looking at a sculpture carved by deGarthe as "a lasting monument to Nova Scotian fishermen." 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.
Towards evening we reached Liverpool. The expulsion of the Acadians set the stage for New England Planters to found Liverpool, naming the town after Lord Liverpool, head of the Board of Trade and Plantations. Initially sympathetic to the cause of the American Revolution, residents eventually "rebelled against the rebellion" after American Privateers repeatedly attacked local shipping.
The lovely 200 year-old Geranium B&B(below) served us for the evening lodging. The yard was well-kept, flowers bloomed everywhere. The home was full of antique furnishings and original paintings. The lady of the house, Joan Bray is a well-known local artist.
June 10, Thursday
We had a magnificent breakfast served in a formal dinning room (above). It was raining, but we launched out on the Lighthouse Trail, along the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. See map on right.
By the time we reached Shelburne, the rain had subsided and we were free to walk through this historic town of (who had fled to Canada from New York during the American Revolution).
Barrel Factory (right)
Most of the buildings were original and dated back to the 1780s. The Barrel Factory had a cooper making barrels, prompting me to purchase a decorative half-barrel.
On a leisurely stroll through the Historic Waterfront (the settling for the movie "The Scarlet Letter" starring Demi Moore and Robert Duvall), we felt we were experiencing history. Eight of the twelve dwellings facing the water were built before 1785. Six narrow lanes and four streets retain the same dimensions and character as laid out by British surveyors who established a city from scratch in 1783 to house over 15,000 Loyalists escaping the American Revolution.
House on right was constructed just for the movie “Scarlet Letter”
The weather was still misty, but we wanted to drive way out on the Yarmouth Peninsula to see a lighthouse. It was really way out. Waves were pounding on the rocks. There was a marker there with pictures of two teenage girls who were suddenly swept into the sea by a large wave. They were never seen again.
After lunch, we began our trek along the western coast , on what is called the Evangeline Trail.
Longfellow's Evangeline was one of the most popular poems in American literary history. As was his poetic practice, once Longfellow had briefed himself on the factual background, he used his material with a very free hand. He was a bard, not a historian; what mattered was the basic story not its particulars. He learned that the French began to settle Acadie, modern-day Nova Scotia, in 1604. For the next 150 years, they cultivated the land, maintained a friendly relationship with the native Micmac Indians. Longfellow portrayed the Acadians as neutral in the ongoing conflicts between the French and the English, when in fact they were not neutral. Their priests had urged them to support the French. The British had a dilemma because this area had strategic importance. The Acadians were removed because they would not be neutral. Longfellow portrays the Acadian as being removed unfairly. The Legend is perpetuated in markers along the Trail.
We saw many sites associated with the Acadians, One such site was St. Mary’s Church, which is considered the largest wooden church in America. Today the area in Nova Scotia is populated largely by the descendants of Acadians who returned after the Great Expulsion.
Further on we explored Grand Pre National Historic Park at length, even though the ticket office had been closed, Acadians from Grand Pré were dispersed in many locations and some eventually returned to other parts of the Canadian Maritimes such as Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and New Brunswick. Many Acadians expelled from the Grand Pré area eventually settled in the New England States and in South Louisiana in the United States. In Louisiana, the term Cajun evolved from the name Acadian. Painting to the right depicts British reading expulsion order in Grand Pre.
Central to the National Park was the stone church and Evangeline statute, a memorial to the Acadians. This Memorial Church, built on the ruins of the Acadian Church of Saint Charles-des-Mines from 1687 but thought to have been destroyed in 1755 during the deportation, was built during the 1920's.
There was also a statue of the American poet Henry Longfellow in the park.
The church was locked, but Annette and Irma found a guard (decked out in uniform) who opened the building and gave us a personal tour. The church housed a painting exhibit on the Acadians of Grand Pre. The guard and Mike are in the picture to the right.
We left Grand Pre (located by Wolfville on the map) and headed westward across the province to return to our B&B in Liverpool. On the way we picked up some sandwiches for nourishment.
July 11, Friday
Our hostess Joan Bray again prepared a magnificent breakfast for us. This time bacon and eggs and all that goes with it. Earlier she had shown us not only her paintings, but some pottery work as well. Fred could not leave without picking up one of her works of art, a beautiful hand painted vane (pictured right).
Leaving Liverpool, we made an Annette requested visit to the charming coastal city of Luenburg (designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995).
Luenburg is internationally known for its historic architecture, reflecting the finest examples of 18th and 19th century churches, public buildings and homes.
While the van was having an oil change at a local garage, we walked along the main street located along the waterfront.
We bought fresh strawberries and Irma cleaned them up for immediate consumption.
We picked up our rejuvenated van and headed northward and then photographed Mahone Bay and the churches along the waterfront. The view across the harbor of its three prominent churches (Anglican, Lutheran, and United) has appeared on many postcards and calendars.
Our ultimate goal was Cape Breton Island. Cape Breton Island is part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
Although physically separated from the Nova Scotia peninsula by the Strait of Canso, it is artificially connected to the island. We took hwy 105 (green line on map) through Baddeck and up the Cabot Trail. The Cabot Trail is considered one of the world's most scenic destination areas.
We pulled off the highway for lunch at the Cackling Hen.
The Cabot Trail took us right up to Cape Breton Highlands National Park. In yellow on top of the map. Just outside the eastern park entrance at Ingonish Beach was the Island Inn B&B where we checked in. There's more to this B&B than a place to eat, sleep and enjoy yourself. It's a place that has seen its share of history and heroes. In the late 1880s, journalist-adventurer George Kennan used it as a base for his work
What a beautiful place to stay! Nice airy rooms.
Our evening walk included a look at the waterfront (lake and ocean).
The water began to have a reddish hue from the evening sun.
July 12, Saturday’
Our B&B price of $59 Canadian (even less US$) included a full breakfast and the chef made it according to our wishes.
Our lesson plans for the day consisted of the Cabot Trail within the Park. We obtained a park permit and started along the eastern shore. Park entrance above. We did have to go inland a bit to see the Mary Ann Falls --and it was clearly worth it.
The eastern shore was rocky, indented with numerous coves at the mouths of picturesque valleys.
We took our time and enjoyed every stop.
Lakies Head and Green Cove offered scenic views.
From these points we could observe lobster boats launching out and retrieving their lobster traps.
We saw several developed natural sand beaches located within the park that were obviously suitable for swimming.
To the northward we took the scenic loop route to White Point...
where we had a picnic lunch on the wharf -- in view of small fishing boats.
We made a slight deviation from our route to visit the beach where John Cabot landed here in Nova Scotia. No one really knows where Giovanni Caboto, the Italian-born explorer we know as John Cabot, first came ashore in Canada. Many historians think it was near here. The postage stamp below suggests Newfoundland.
Along the western shore of Cape Breton we encountered steep hills to a height of over 1,116 feet rise sharply from the gulf, affording magnificent views of the gulf .
We witnessed Beulach Ban Falls...
Pleasant Bay...
and MacKenzie Mountain
Coastline near Cheticamp
At Cheticamp Park there was an information center with exhibits and a movie on the Cabot Trail.
Outside the center, Mike posed as the traditional Scotsman he is. This was the turf of Scottish immigrants.
We decided that instead of making a full circle of the island, we would retrace our steps on the Cabot Trail in the National Park and again enjoy its splendor.
Dinner that even was at the Island Inn where we again scheduled our lodging.
July 13, Sunday
Before leaving Cape Breton, we stopped for lunch at the Lobster Galley, right off of St. Anne’s Bay
The first thing that strikes you when you enter this restaurant is the beautiful view of St. Ann's harbor. After eating we posed on the waterfront. My video tape includes a large bird taking off from a nearby pond.
Our evening meal of the day consisted of a picnic lunch among birch trees in a provincial park. Note the Wulff’s maroon van in the background.
Our final destination of the day was Truro, Nova Scotia, where we had reservations at the Comfort Inn. Our main site of interest was the Tidal Bore. The word "bore" comes from an old Norse word "bara" meaning "a wave". A typical height for the bore as it pushes up the Herbert River would be between 6 inches to 2 feet). Occasionally under exceptional conditions, it can be up to 3 feet high, licking and leaping at the steep slopes of muddy banks as it charges around a bend in the river.
Having free time before the tide was to come in, we took a walk through Victoria Park in Truro.
The well kept grounds were impressive as well as the falls.
Visitors enjoyed the pond below the falls.
When the time came for the changing of the tides, we went over to over to the tidal bore location -- just 3 minutes from the Comfort Inn where we were staying. People were setting up lawn chars and blankets to await the event. Then we watched the tide waters run against the low river.
That evening we slept at the Comfort Inn Truro.
July 14, Monday
We ate our included breakfast at the breakfast nook area of our Comfort Inn
Our objective today was St. John’s New Brunswick. Once through Amherst we turned eastward and then southward to visit Hopewell Rocks. We looked down at the formations below that had been exposed because of the low tide.
We walked down a steep incline to join the explorers. A sign along the way warned that no one should be below when the tide changes and the area is undated with water.
Here we could walk on the ocean floor and observe the tabletop formations and caves caused by erosion.
Some adventurous souls walked out to the water line of Fundy Bay to dig for clams.
We finished our tour of the formations well before the water returned and flooded the area. From here we drove through the Bay of Fundy National Park and then back to the major highway.
We deviated a little to find some old wooden covered bridges.
Then back to hwy 1 and on to St. John’s. We located our Comfort Inn which cost us only $52 Canadian (less in US money).
Our lodging was only five minutes from the bridge and observation point of the Reversing Falls . Reversing Falls is an amazing natural phenomenon that results from a confluence of two distinct forces: the highest tides in the world, courtesy of the Bay of Fundy, and the origination point of the St. John River. When the two meet in a rocky gorge, the high tides overpower the river, causing it to reverse its
flow twice a day.
At a point overlooking the rapids, we watched the water from the ocean (on the right) charging into the river flowing towards it from the left.
The meeting of the waters caused turbulence. Jet boats loaded with tourists zoomed around in the currents.
July 15th, Tuesday, we left for Campobello (still in Canada).
GO TO 1997 NORTHEAST: CAMPOBELLO. ACADIA, LOWELL & LAKE PLACID
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