Tantillon/Peggy's Cove/Lunenburg/Halifax, Nova Scotia -09/15/2010 thru 09/19/2010

The drive from Digby was non-eventful. We drove through Wolfsville, Grande Pre, and Windsor, which were all like any other little town in either Nova Scotia, or, for that matter, New York, Vermont, or Maine. (Except the accents were different.) Wolfsville is a college town, and is at the end of the Minas Basin. The Minas Basin is at the northeast end of Fundy Bay, and is just a huge, red mud plain/river bed when the tide is out. Outside of Wolfsville is Grande Pre (means "great meadows" in French) , a town/region where the Acadians dyked the lands in the area. The dykes were built in the late 1600s by early Acadian settlers who had moved from Annapolis Royal up the Annapolis Valley to reclaim the fertile marine land which helped to make this one of the largest settlements in Acadia. (Remember, the rule went back and forth between the French and the British.) A French attack at Grand-Pre to retake Acadia at the cost of 100 lives convinced the British that their only option was to deport the Acadians. This expulsion, which sent thousands of Acadians to Louisiana in 1783, was the basis of the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem "Evangeline." All the Acadian's hard work was then given to New England farmers and Loyalist refugees from the American revolutuion. Near Grande Pre, is the Gaspereau River Valley, where there are several wineries growing L'Acadie, Castel, and Lucie Kuhlmann grapes. Three I have never heard of. All of the wineries produce extra dry reds and whites, of which none did either Vicki or myself appreciate. But the valley was very pretty.

 Well here we go again. We are sitting in the driveway and asking each other, "Which Way?". We turn right and go to Lunenburg, and what a beautiful fall day we have in an absolutely amazing little coast town. Lunenburg by way of Mahone Bay, a fantastic, scenic drive with water to the left, and two quaint villages, and the best weather we could have hoped for - sunny and warm! Mahone Bay was filled with artisan's shops (and one big church) and we toured as many as we could. We visited Amos Pewter, and watched as they produced several cast pewter pieces. Really interesting and informative - today's pewter is primarily lead free. Lunenburg was something else. The entire downtown is comprised of a  preplanned town from the 18th century.

Most of the buildings are original and the Fisheries Museum was very informative. Lunenburg is also the home of the Bluenose II, winner of the Internationsl Fisherman's Race for working schooners for 17 years in a row, defeating entries from both Canada and the US. The Bluenose was not in the harbor, however a Dutch ship was at the wharf being refitted - forward mast and booms down and all assiciated rigging being carefully worked on.  The crew was a crusty bunch that I wouldn't have wanted to meet in dark alley. 

 We walked the waterfront, and then up and down the very steep streets while visiting the many and varied boutique shops. (Several times I walked up the very steep streets by myself to feed the parking meter, then back down to continue with Vicki.) Lunch was at a neat little cafe called the Magnolia Grill, reccomended by our Inn keeper. Another wonderful meal and a bottle of wine to celebrate Charles' good news that he had completed his internship. He excitedly called Vicki when I was feeding the parking meter and couldn't understand why Vicki couldn't put me speakerphone. When I got back to Vicki, we called him from a corner, put him on speakerphone, and smiled at all of the passers by who looked at us like we were crazy. Needless to say, we were very relieved and very, very happy at his news. Back to our B&B and to bed after a long day.

On to Tantallon, which is closer to the mainland on the Peggy's Cove peninsula, about 20 minutes rom Halifax. As it was only 3:00pm and check in was 4:00pm, we drove out to Peggy's Cove. What a phenomenally, beautiful landscape. Stark, gigantic boulders (actually the point's bedrock); pounding surf; small, quiet coves with fishing boats; a quaint little village with tiny clapboard houses; and so many tourists that they looked like ants out on the rocks (and it's September). Then turned around and drove back to our B&B (Vicki's job to discuss), checked in, unpacked, and drove into Halifax looking for a good restaurant. Since we had almost been sea-fooded out in Digby, we chose Italian. The il Mercato is part of the Maurizio Bertossi restaurant group in Halifax, and it was excellent. We started with a fresh, grilled vegatable over micro-greens salad with a very light vinaigrette, then Vicki had fresh italian vegatable soup with pesto, and I had a wild, cream of mushroom soup. My meal was roasted chicken ravioli with a wild mushroom sauce, and Vicki had spaghetti with a fresh red sauce and roasted vegatables. For desert we shared a lemon tart with a caramelized, meringue dollop on top. Vicki and I both agree that it will be one of the highlights of our trip. The drive back to Tantallon was quiet because we were both full.

 Awoke to pounding rain (glad we went to Lunenburg yesterday) and were off to Halifax where we toured the Maritime Museum indoors. We actually had to wait about ten minutes after we arrived at the museum's parking lot because it was raining too hard to get out. A very fascinating museum. Facts about the age of sail and the explosion in the Halifax Harbour during the Great War (1st) that killed 2000 peaople and injured another 9000. The explosion is still the world's largest man-made accidental explosion. Another wing dedicated to the Titanic, as Halifax was the nearest location from the sinking; and another to the history of passenger liners - the Cunard Lines originated in Halifax. One special exhibit was an art display in commemoration of the soldiers, sailers, and airmen from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Maritimes. Really special! After the Maritime Museum we walked a couple of blocks and had lunch in a great little pub, and then walked to the Alexander Keith Brewery. Rain had appreciably slowed and sun was trying to peek out. Missed the tour, but had had a draft of their red amber for lunch and wanted one of the beer glasses it was served in (bought two). Back to the B&B.

Next morning beautiful sunshine and off again to Halifax for a walk around town, the waterfront, the Citadel, Public Gardens, The Hydrostone District, and back downtown for dinner at the Five Fisherman.

The Citadel was a next generation fort (from Fort Ann in Annapolis Royal), but still built to deter seige warfare. This time the hills to the ditch were much longer (thus tiring the attackers out more and giving the defenders more of a chance to shoot at them), the ditch had cut stone walls ~12ft tall on both sides and probably 15ft wide. Because the fort was built in a seven-sided star shape so visability to all points within the ditch was afforded to the defenders - strike two. Today a re-enactment of a French/English battle, with all participants using hand loaded muskets, and with only a single casualty on the British side. We had perfect seats for the activities - we were looking out at one of the points onto the ditch, with the British marching and firing up the protective hill, and the French firing from the top of the inside will of the ditch. All very realistic except for the French officer with the walkie-talkie asking when he should fly the white flag of surrender. The Public Gardens were very nice, even this late in September.


Julienne's is 2nd storefront from right!!



A very interesting place was the Hydrostone District - "shattered by the Harbor explosion in the City’s North End on 6 December 1917, rose the Hydrostone District, a splendid example of an English-style garden suburb. Completed in 1920, this well-preserved neighbourhood was designed according to the most-up-to-date yet practical principles of town planning. The buildings, all variations on the same architectural theme and all constructed with "Hydro-Stone" concrete blocks, are aesthetically arranged along each side of wide treed courts." This was an area about one long block by 6-7 short blocks, mostly duplexes with some four family buildings thrown in, and one commercial block with storefronts. Like the quote identified, all the homes were built with block, but some were finished with clapboard trim, some were stuccoed, and some were in the tudor design. The streets were very narrow with a treed parkway in between. The commercial buildings housed two restaurants, a couple of boutiques and antique stores, and a Julienne's Patisserie, which was closed but offered promise for tomorrow's croissants (plain, chocolate, & almond), sourdough bagettes, and palmiers. Then back downtown for dinner at the Five Fisherman. Sat at the bar - oyster bar that is - and had dinner - good, but not nearly as good as il Mercato.
The next day we left for Truro, but not before a stop at Julienne's. He was already sold out of regular and chocolate croissants, so we had to settle for the almond ones - damn they were good. We also got two loaves of sourdough, a couple of palmiers and a date bar (about 3/4 inch of date filling). I got a latte, and we left. We had also picked up a couple of almond croissants for our B&B inn keeper, as he had druled when we mentioned Julienne's (a frequent visitor), so quickly ran back out to Tantallon and made the delivery. Was he surprised to see us again!!

I am almost caught up - today is the 21st and I have finished writing about our experiences through the morning of the 19th. Will have time for sure once we are on Prince Edward Island, but will try before then. Wait 'till you see the pictures of Hurricane Igor's effects on the western shore of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia - remember a hurricane spins counter-clockwise.

Side Note to my brother Al: I found out today that the saying on Flaherty's (Carmel) shirts isn't original. We found the saying again on a placard at the Fisheries Museum in Lunenburg. For all of you wondering what the saying is, here goes!

"Eat fish, live longer.

Eat oysters, love longer.

Eat clams, last longer."