My 2006 East Coast Explorations Of South Western Nova Scotia
My 2006 East Coast Explorations Of South Western Nova Scotia And Halifax
Over the ultimate year or so I actually have had a risk to explore numerous Canada, opening with Victoria and Vancouver inside the summer of 2005, proceeding with a travel to the Canadian Rockies and Calgary past this 12 months. I also took two trips to Ottawa: in the course of Winterlude in February and all over the world recognized Tulip Festival in May of 2006. Then I endured on with a experience to Montreal wherein I had a likelihood to peer the exuberant Canada Day Celebrations in a urban that honestly is aware the best way to celebration!
Naturally I file from Toronto on a steady foundation, given the verifiable truth that I dwell precise right here in Canada’s biggest metropolis. But I discovered that one location changed into nonetheless missing: Canada’s East Coast! I had under no circumstances been on Canada’s Atlantic Coast and it was about time to look a few of the well-knownshows Maritime hospitality for myself.
So with the assistance of Tourism Nova Scotia I worked out a a whirlwind five-day software that might reveal me to the various interesting spots that South-Western Nova Scotia has to offer.
I all started with an advent to the Grand Pr National Historic Site, in the middle of a former Acadian settlement section and place of the Great Expulsion. I had heard of the Acadian expulsion in the past, however this stopover at rather gave me an honest review of this unhappy bankruptcy in Canadian history.
I continued onwards by the lush fertile fields of the Annapolis Valley and arrived in Annapolis Royal, one of several most historic towns on North America’s East Coast. My Acadian heritage lesson persisted with a go to to the Port-Royal National Historic Site, a reconstructed 16th century French fortress on the north shore of the Annapolis River. Tenth-iteration Acadian descendant Wayne Melanson gave me a massive creation to early French background, while his dual brother Alan Melanson endured with Annapolis heritage for the period of the regionally well-liked Annapolis Royal Candlelight Graveyard Tour. An informative and unique introduction to Nova Scotia records…
Whenever I trip I also like to focus on and get to recognise nearby hospitality marketers, and the Garrison House Bed and Breakfast is one of many key hospitality companies in Annapolis Royal. I interviewed owner Patrick Redgrave whose non-public tale illustrates how one Toronto wine merchant was cabo san lucas yacht rentals attracted to Nova Scotia to begin an entirely new life for himself. I additionally had a risk to pattern the cuisine of the Garrison House Restaurant, certainly one of Annapolis Royal’s such a lot extraordinary restaurants.
On day 2 I started my shuttle along the Evangeline Trail, first preventing at the Annapolis Royal Tidal Generating Plant, considered one of in simple terms two such crops in existence within the international. From there I went on a fascinating driving journey along the Annapolis River to my subsequent prevent: the Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural Centre where I realized approximately the historical past and traditions of the Mi’kmaq People.
After a temporary lunch in Digby I continued my southwesterly pressure with various stops to work out some of the appealing church buildings within the St. Mary’s Bay quarter, that is an Acadian stronghold to this present day. My arrival vacation spot became Yarmouth, a ancient shipbuilding and fishing city observed at the western tip of Nova Scotia. I went on a self-guided running travel simply by the downtown arena which traits a widespread wide variety of fantastically restored Victorian background constructions.
Day three begun with delicious breakfast at the MacKinnon-Cann Inn, an additional restored Victorian mansion. I had a risk to interview the homeowners Neil Hisgen and Michael Tavares, the two firstly from america, who have added lower back three Yarmouth Victorian mansions to their former architectural glory and Michael is presently operating palms-on on restoring a fourth estate. This interview chronicles their enjoyable evolution as hospitality marketers and architectural fix authorities.
To study greater approximately the Yarmouth sector I visited the Yarmouth County Museum whose indicates highlight the vicinity’s significance in maritime background. I then continued my force along the Lighthouse Trail, but in an unfortunate incident my apartment automotive landed in a ditch, following which I skilled the on the spot guide of neighborhood residents in Chebogue River – and my first-hand enjoy confirms the general experiences of Maritime hospitality and generosity.
My driving tour continued to the the town of Shelburne, among the many so much vital cities in North America inside the 1700s. My ultimate destination for Day three changed into Lunenburg – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I began a better morning with an interesting going for walks journey of Lunenburg and a temporary go to to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.
I also had a danger to interview Don and Gail Wallace, owners of the Lunenburg Inn, also former Toronto-domain residents, who have selected Lunenburg as their pre-retirement place of abode. This couple made some strategic plans for their Golden Years and Lunenburg will retain to play a colossal function in their life.
Then I headed off at the Lighthouse trail, stopping off inside the picturesque groups of Mahone Bay and Peggy’s Cove. On the night time of Day four I arrived in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, in which I became able to take a moon-lit walk alongside the waterfront to my closing program point for the day: the musical creation DRUM! found at the Drum Theatre at Pier 20.
This exhilarating musical manufacturing featured the songs and rhythms of Nova Scotia’s four fundamental cultures: Black, Acadian, Aboriginal and Celtic, and two hours of center-thumping tune, dance and poetry literally gave me goose bumps. The spirit of this overall performance is captured flawlessly via its slogan: FOUR RHYTHMS…. FOUR CULTURES…. ONE HEART.
My final full day in Nova Scotia commenced with a travel of Halifax, expertly narrated by way of a passionate information – in a kilt. After a stopover at the Halifax Public Gardens, the Halifax Citadel and the Fairview Garden Cemetery, I become motivated to be informed extra approximately Halifax’ background, specifically its connection to the Titanic and the 1917 Halifax Explosion. So I headed into the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to be told greater about the movements that shaped this urban.
One vicinity that deserve to now not be missed on any Halifax itinerary is Pier 21, Canada’s immigration museum. More than 1 million immigrants got here thru Pier 21, and virtually 0.5 1,000,000 Canadian soldiers were sent from here to enroll in the struggle effort during the Second World War. During my stopover at of Pier 21 I had a threat to satisfy among the many museum’s volunteers: Robert Vandekieft, an 89 year antique Canadian immigrant who himself came by the doors of Pier 21 in 1954. He shared his interesting existence story with me, a real Canadian achievement tale that illustrates the significance of Pier 21 as Canada’s “front door”.
My time in Nova Scotia become straight away coming to an stop, so inside the late afternoon of Day five I took the ferry to discover Dartmouth, the “City of Lakes” on the alternative part of the Halifax Harbour. Today Dartmouth is section of the Halifax Regional Municipality, and an enjoyable destination in itself. A quiet dinner capped off five intense and action packed days in Nova Scotia.
I couldn’t support but think of how a lot I had viewed, yet I discovered that there was rather a lot more to work out. I am hoping there could be an probability quickly to explore greater of captivating Nova Scotia – Canada’s Seacoast.