[aahome] My 2006 East Coast Explorations Of South Western Nova Scotia And Halifax
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Title: My 2006 East Coast Explorations Of South Western Nova
Scotia And Halifax
Author: Susanne Pacher
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Over the last year or so I have had a chance to explore a lot
of Canada, starting with Victoria and Vancouver in the summer of
2005, continuing with a trip to the Canadian Rockies and Calgary
earlier this year. I also took two trips to Ottawa: during
Winterlude in February and during the world famous Tulip
Festival in May of 2006. Then I continued on with a trip to
Montreal where I had a chance to see the exuberant Canada Day
Celebrations in a city that definitely knows how to party!
Naturally I report from Toronto on a regular basis, given the
fact that I reside right here in Canada's largest city. But I
realized that one area was still missing: Canada's East Coast! I
had never been on Canada's Atlantic Coast and it was about time
to see some of the famous Maritime hospitality for myself.
So with the help of Tourism Nova Scotia I worked out a a
whirlwind 5-day program that would expose me to many of the
interesting spots that South-Western Nova Scotia has to offer.
I started with an introduction to the Grand Pré National
Historic Site, in the heart of a former Acadian settlement area
and location of the Great Expulsion. I had heard of the Acadian
expulsion before, but this visit really gave me a good overview
of this sad chapter in Canadian history.
I continued onwards through the lush fertile fields of the
Annapolis Valley and arrived in Annapolis Royal, one of the most
historic towns on North America's East Coast. My Acadian history
lesson continued with a visit to the Port-Royal National
Historic Site, a reconstructed 16th century French fort on the
north shore of the Annapolis River. Tenth-generation Acadian
descendant Wayne Melanson gave me a great introduction to early
French history, while his twin brother Alan Melanson continued
with Annapolis history during the locally renowned Annapolis
Royal Candlelight Graveyard Tour. An informative and
entertaining introduction to Nova Scotia history...
Whenever I travel I also like to highlight and get to know
local hospitality entrepreneurs, and the Garrison House Bed and
Breakfast is one of the key hospitality establishments in
Annapolis Royal. I interviewed owner Patrick Redgrave whose
personal story illustrates how one Toronto wine merchant was
drawn to Nova Scotia to start a completely new life for himself.
I also had a chance to sample the cuisine of the Garrison House
Restaurant, one of Annapolis Royal's most distinguished
restaurants.
On day 2 I started my trip along the Evangeline Trail, first
stopping at the Annapolis Royal Tidal Generating Plant, one of
only two such plants in existence in the world. From there I
went on a beautiful driving tour along the Annapolis River to my
next stop: the Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural
Centre where I learned about the history and traditions of the
Mi'kmaq People.
After a brief lunch in Digby I continued my southwesterly drive
with several stops to see some of the beautiful churches in the
St. Mary's Bay region, which is an Acadian stronghold to this
day. My arrival destination was Yarmouth, a historic
shipbuilding and fishing town located on the western tip of Nova
Scotia. I went on a self-guided walking tour through the
downtown area which features a large number of beautifully
restored Victorian heritage buildings.
Day 3 started with delicious breakfast at the MacKinnon-Cann
Inn, another restored Victorian mansion. I had a chance to
interview the owners Neil Hisgen and Michael Tavares, both
originally from the United States, who have brought back three
Yarmouth Victorian mansions to their former architectural glory
and Michael is currently working hands-on on restoring a fourth
property. This interview chronicles their interesting evolution
as hospitality entrepreneurs and architectural restoration
experts.
To learn more about the Yarmouth area I visited the Yarmouth
County Museum whose exhibits highlight the area's significance
in maritime history. I then continued my drive along the
Lighthouse Trail, but in an unfortunate incident my rental car
landed in a ditch, following which I experienced the instant
help of local residents in Chebogue River - and my first-hand
experience confirms the well-known stories of Maritime
hospitality and generosity.
My driving tour continued to the town of Shelburne, one of the
most significant towns in North America in the 1700s. My final
destination for Day 3 was Lunenburg - a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. I started the next morning with an interesting walking
tour of Lunenburg and a brief visit to the Fisheries Museum of
the Atlantic.
I also had a chance to interview Don and Gail Wallace, owners
of the Lunenburg Inn, also former Toronto-area residents, who
have chosen Lunenburg as their pre-retirement residence. This
couple made some strategic plans for their Golden Years and
Lunenburg will continue to play a big role in their life.
Then I headed off on the Lighthouse trail, stopping off in the
picturesque communities of Mahone Bay and Peggy's Cove. On the
evening of Day 4 I arrived in Halifax, the capital of Nova
Scotia, where I was able to take a moon-lit stroll along the
waterfront to my final program point for the day: the musical
production DRUM! located at the Drum Theatre at Pier 20.
This exhilarating musical production featured the songs and
rhythms of Nova Scotia's four principal cultures: Black,
Acadian, Aboriginal and Celtic, and two hours of heart-thumping
music, dance and poetry literally gave me goose bumps. The
spirit of this performance is captured perfectly by its slogan:
FOUR RHYTHMS.... FOUR CULTURES.... ONE HEART.
My last full day in Nova Scotia began with a tour of Halifax,
expertly narrated by a passionate guide - in a kilt. After a
visit the Halifax Public Gardens, the Halifax Citadel and the
Fairview Garden Cemetery, I was inspired to learn more about
Halifax' history, particularly its connection to the Titanic and
the 1917 Halifax Explosion. So I headed into the Maritime Museum
of the Atlantic to learn more about the events that shaped this
city.
One place that should not be missed on any Halifax itinerary is
Pier 21, Canada's immigration museum. More than 1 million
immigrants came through Pier 21, and almost half a million
Canadian soldiers were sent from here to join the war effort
during the Second World War. During my visit of Pier 21 I had a
chance to meet one of the museum's volunteers: Robert
Vandekieft, an 89 year old Canadian immigrant who himself came
through the doors of Pier 21 in 1954. He shared his interesting
life story with me, a true Canadian success story that
illustrates the significance of Pier 21 as Canada's "front
door".
My time in Nova Scotia was rapidly coming to an end, so in the
late afternoon of Day 5 I took the ferry to explore Dartmouth,
the "City of Lakes" on the other side of the Halifax Harbour.
Today Dartmouth is part of the Halifax Regional Municipality,
and an interesting destination in itself. A quiet dinner capped
off five intense and action packed days in Nova Scotia.
I couldn't help but think of how much I had seen, but I
realized that there was so much more to see. I am hoping there
will be an opportunity soon to explore more of beautiful Nova
Scotia - Canada's Seacoast.
About The Author: Susanne Pacher is the publisher of
http://www.travelandtransitions.com, a web portal for
unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out
our brand new FREE ebooks about travel.
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