"Get off the road" [driver says while passing by]
Hi I'm Mike of Mike's Road Trip and on this episode I feature Nova Scotia which
is Canada's ocean playground. With over a hundred and fifty lighthouses, five
UNESCO World Heritage sites and some of the most scenic roads in the country,
so come along with me, and let me show you around.
But first a plug for my new book
Line, Signs in Forks - Diary of a Nomadic Road Tripper, which can be found on
Amazon or by visiting: Line SignsForks.com.
My trip to Nova Scotia began in the capital city of Halifax where my home base for a few days was the historic
Westin Nova Scotian, perfectly positioned within walking distance of the
waterfront and downtown. The Halifax Waterfront is chock full of activities.
It was such a nice day that I really enjoyed just strolling the boardwalk,
taking in the public art, street performers, and relaxing in these
hammocks, while getting a bit goofy posing for photos.
I also visited the oldest farmers market in North America which dates all the way back to 1750.
Driving a bit beyond downtown...so I'm not quite sure why, but I've always been fascinated by cemeteries.
Here in Halifax this one has a pretty interesting, it's
the resting spot for a number of the Titanic passengers and the grave site
is in the shape of the ship.
If you ever saw the movie Titanic, the character Jack Dawson was played by
Leonardo DiCaprio, and when the movie came out, and every time there's a hit on
the movie, so many people gravitate to this gravestone because they think that
J. Dawson was actually Jack Dawson, but in fact this is John Dawson, not related
because the character in the movie was actually fictionalized.
One of the most popular areas in all of Nova Scotia is Peggy's Cove and its lighthouse.
Located about 30 miles southwest of Halifax, this idyllic village is utterly charming and
the photographic opportunities are boundless.
An additional 60 miles southwest took me to the colorful community of Lunenburg which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This historic town is where the past meets the present, 70%
of the original buildings are from the 18th and 19th centuries.
One evening I had dinner at the fabulous Five Fisherman restaurant which has an
interesting tie to the Titanic. At the beginning of the 20th century the
building was a funeral home where some of the victims were taken.
After a few days in Halifax I hit the road to explore some other areas of the province.
Almost due north is Grand Prix another UNESCO site that commemorates Acadian history who settled this area in the late 17th century and who were persecuted and eventually deported from 1755 to 1762.
Many of whom ended up in New Orleans.
Nova Scotia has a thriving wine industry and one of the leading boutique wineries
is just down the street from the UNESCO Grand Prix this hilltop vineyard is
beautifully manicured producing a number of award-winning wines both red and
white varieties. The Grand Prix Winery is a wonderful place to soak up the setting
and enjoy a taste.
Mearby in Halls Harbor where I learned all about lobster. For starters, I had no idea they got this big!
About a hundred and twenty miles to the
east is Pictou. Downtown Pictou is a charming little community with a
fantastic museum that showcases this story of 18th century Scottish migration.
So right now I'm in Pictou which is the birthplace of New Scotland also known as Nova Scotia.
The ship behind me is a replica of the one that sailed here in 1773. it was pretty interesting exploring the Hectare Pictou and seeing how the
men survived at sea for such long periods of time.
Farther east still I headed toward Cape George, but before reaching there I had
heard about a boutique distillery where I had to try the maple flavor vodka.
After a generously quick tour by Thomas the master distiller, and of course a
sample taste, I was off to see what would become my favorite lighthouse in all of
Nova Scotia. The steep curvy drive toward the lighthouse added to the anticipation.
To see what was around the next bend when the reveal finally occurred it did not disappoint.
Unlike other lighthouses I encountered around the province ,most were close to the shore, Cape George on the other hand
was perched high up on a cliff which I can imagine could be seen for miles in
the night sky.
My road trip continued southeast to Guysburough where I would
call it a night at Des Barres Manor.
On a road trip I really enjoy going off the beaten path and Guysbourgh sure
fit the bill. While I had to go down a long windy dirt road to get there, what I
found was some majestic coastal scenery, a shoreline trail where I found some
wild apples, and also some really cool boutique Inns to stay at.
The Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia really came alive as I made my way southwest to Sherbrooke.
Well, sometimes my road trips take me back in time right now I'm at Sherbrooke
Village, which is a living history museum and it's quite remarkable let's go have
a look.
Sherbrooke is remarkable not just for the wonderfully preserved buildings, but visitors get a chance to see and learn
how things were made back in the 19th century.
Adding to the allure of Sherbrooke everyone in the village wears clothing
from the period. Of course seeing the contrast between then and now is an
incredible reminder of how far we've come. Strolling the streets really makes
you feel like you've stepped back in time.
Something else I found quite interesting was having my picture taken by an old
ambrosia type camera which is a process whereby the photo is taken on glass by
the way I had to sit for this photo for over a minute until the exposure was
finished.
So yesterday I stepped back in time, and today I stroll down Memory Lane.
Memory Lane is a heritage village located in Lake Charlotte, this authentic
Living History Museum depicts coastal rural living in Nova Scotia during the
1940s, from farming, shipbuilding to mowing the lawn. Oh boy how I would love
to own one of these old trucks. My road trip to Nova Scotia ended with an
adrenaline rush as I rafted the tidal bore and experience like none other and
can only be done at this one spot in Nova Scotia. Tidal bore rafting takes
advantage of a shift in tides within a narrow channel filled in the middle by
an extremely large sandbar as the tide changes a vast amount of water rushes
into the channel and creates massive waves over the sandbar in which the
captains of Zodiac rafts then maneuver through creating a thrilling ride for
passengers.
What a wonderful road trip I've had the past week here in Nova Scotia from the
scenic lighthouses, the majestic coastal roads and of course an amazing amount of
fresh seafood. If you'd like to do a similar road trip, click the link below in
the description box, and please, don't forget to subscribe for more Road Trip
travel videos. Until next time we'll see on the road.
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