My 2006 East Coast Explorations Of South Western Nova Scotia
My 2006 East Coast Explorations Of South Western Nova Scotia And Halifax
Over the last year or so I even have had a danger to discover a great deal of Canada, opening with Victoria and Vancouver inside the summer of 2005, proceeding with a trip to the Canadian Rockies and Calgary formerly this 12 months. I also took two trips to Ottawa: all over Winterlude in February and throughout the area well-liked Tulip Festival in May of 2006. Then I continued on with a trip to Montreal in which I had a probability to work out the exuberant Canada Day Celebrations in a metropolis that simply understands a way to get together!
Naturally I document from Toronto on a standard groundwork, given the statement that I live good the following in Canada’s biggest urban. But I learned that one space used to be still missing: Canada’s East Coast! I had by no means been on Canada’s Atlantic Coast and it was once approximately time to see some of the recognized Maritime hospitality for myself.
So with the help of Tourism Nova Scotia I worked out a a whirlwind five-day program that might expose me to among the intriguing spots that South-Western Nova Scotia has to be offering.
I commenced with an introduction to the Grand Pr National Historic Site, inside the coronary heart of a former Acadian cost enviornment and location of the Great Expulsion. I had heard of the Acadian expulsion previously, but this talk over with truly gave me a pretty good review of this sad bankruptcy in Canadian history.
I endured onwards with the aid of 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 historical past lesson persisted with a seek advice from to the Port-Royal National Historic Site, a reconstructed sixteenth century French citadel at the north shore of the Annapolis River. Tenth-technology Acadian descendant Wayne Melanson gave me a colossal introduction to early French records, even as his dual brother Alan Melanson endured with Annapolis records for the period of the regionally trendy Annapolis Royal Candlelight Graveyard Tour. An informative and entertaining introduction to Nova Scotia background…
Whenever I journey I also like to focus on and get to recognize nearby hospitality marketers, and the Garrison House Bed and Breakfast is one of many key hospitality institutions in Annapolis Royal. I interviewed proprietor Patrick Redgrave whose own story illustrates how one Toronto wine merchant turned into drawn to Nova Scotia to start a fully new life for himself. I additionally had a likelihood to sample the food of the Garrison House Restaurant, considered one of Annapolis Royal’s maximum exotic eating places.
On day 2 I started my go back and forth alongside the Evangeline Trail, first stopping on the Annapolis Cabo yacht experiences Royal Tidal Generating Plant, one in every of most effective two such plants in lifestyles in the global. From there I went on a lovely driving excursion alongside the Annapolis River to my subsequent prevent: the Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural Centre in which I discovered about the heritage and traditions of the Mi’kmaq People.
After a brief lunch in Digby I persevered my southwesterly force with various stops to peer some of the alluring church buildings in the St. Mary’s Bay quarter, that is an Acadian stronghold to at the present time. My arrival destination become Yarmouth, a historic shipbuilding and fishing town observed on the western tip of Nova Scotia. I went on a self-guided on foot travel through the downtown zone which facets a monstrous number of fantastically restored Victorian history constructions.
Day three began with scrumptious breakfast at the MacKinnon-Cann Inn, another restored Victorian mansion. I had a threat to interview the homeowners Neil Hisgen and Michael Tavares, equally firstly from the U. S., who have added back 3 Yarmouth Victorian mansions to their former architectural glory and Michael is currently working fingers-on on restoring a fourth belongings. This interview chronicles their entertaining evolution as hospitality marketers and architectural restoration consultants.
To gain knowledge of greater approximately the Yarmouth space I visited the Yarmouth County Museum whose reveals highlight the domain’s value in maritime historical past. I then continued my drive alongside the Lighthouse Trail, but in an unfortunate incident my condominium automotive landed in a ditch, following which I experienced the quick aid of neighborhood residents in Chebogue River – and my first-hand trip confirms the fashionable thoughts of Maritime hospitality and generosity.
My using excursion continued to the the city of Shelburne, some of the maximum very good cities in North America inside the 1700s. My ultimate vacation spot for Day 3 become Lunenburg – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I commenced a higher morning with an unique on foot journey of Lunenburg and a transient discuss with to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.
I also had a hazard to interview Don and Gail Wallace, proprietors of the Lunenburg Inn, additionally former Toronto-part residents, who've chosen Lunenburg as their pre-retirement dwelling. This couple made a few strategic plans for his or her Golden Years and Lunenburg will continue to play a tremendous position of their life.
Then I headed off at the Lighthouse path, preventing off inside the picturesque groups of Mahone Bay and Peggy’s Cove. On the nighttime of Day four I arrived in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, the place I was once in a position to take a moon-lit walk along the waterfront to my remaining program factor for the day: the musical creation DRUM! placed at the Drum Theatre at Pier 20.
This exhilarating musical production featured the songs and rhythms of Nova Scotia’s four vital cultures: Black, Acadian, Aboriginal and Celtic, and two hours of middle-thumping song, dance and poetry literally gave me goose bumps. The spirit of this efficiency is captured perfectly by its slogan: FOUR RHYTHMS…. FOUR CULTURES…. ONE HEART.
My ultimate full day in Nova Scotia all started with a tour of Halifax, expertly narrated with the aid of a passionate information – in a kilt. After a talk over with the Halifax Public Gardens, the Halifax Citadel and the Fairview Garden Cemetery, I used to be prompted to be told more approximately Halifax’ historical past, significantly its connection to the Titanic and the 1917 Halifax Explosion. So I headed into the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to study more about the routine that fashioned this metropolis.
One location that should not be overlooked on any Halifax itinerary is Pier 21, Canada’s immigration museum. More than 1 million immigrants got here through Pier 21, and nearly half 1000000 Canadian troopers had been sent from right here to enroll in the warfare attempt for the period of the Second World War. During my visit of Pier 21 I had a opportunity to fulfill one of the vital museum’s volunteers: Robert Vandekieft, an 89 yr antique Canadian immigrant who himself got here by the doors of Pier 21 in 1954. He shared his enjoyable lifestyles story with me, a true Canadian good fortune story that illustrates the magnitude of Pier 21 as Canada’s “entrance door”.
My time in Nova Scotia was once quickly coming to an finish, so inside the overdue afternoon of Day five I took the ferry to explore Dartmouth, the “City of Lakes” on the opposite facet of the Halifax Harbour. Today Dartmouth is element of the Halifax Regional Municipality, and an interesting destination in itself. A quiet dinner capped off 5 intense and movement packed days in Nova Scotia.
I couldn’t guide yet give some thought to how a great deal I had considered, but I learned that there has been a lot greater to see. I am hoping there might be an possibility soon to discover extra of gorgeous Nova Scotia – Canada’s Seacoast.