We wander around southern Nova Scotia…

We escaped Halifax early (escape being the right word, since the entire downtown is being dug up for some big project, and it’s really hard to drive around…),because our guide book suggested that if we wanted to see the famous Peggy’s  cove lighthouse, it was important to get there before the tour buses. And indeed, it was nicely not crowded when we got there. 

 

   
A view point has-been built in recent years, so that you can get a good view even on the days when the sea is too rough to get anywhere near. But today was not such a day, and we could climb all around it, and even on the rocks behind it. It is indeed quite a beautiful sight. 

By the time we left, the tour buses were indeed arriving… 

 The little town of Peggy’s Cove is mostly galeries and art installations, including this cool carved monument to those lost at sea. The tiny harbor looked pretty in the sunshine.  

  We then continued along the coast to the hamlet of Mahone Bay, famous for its three churches overlooking the bay.  

 And then to Lunenberg, a UNESCO designated sight for its beautifully preserved 19th century fishing village houses. We had lunch overlooking the harbor and its maritime museum - half of which consist of cool old fishing boats. The other half is inside, and was probably interesting, but it was sunny, so we did not go.

  Instead, we headed NorthWest, inland though forested roads) not unpleasant but not terribly exciting either), toward Annapolis Royal and the bay of Fundy.  On the way, we stopped at the Kejimkujik National park, which is also a UNESCO cultural area, because of the long history of the Mik’Mak nation living there (over11,000 year). 

 

 There are interesting petroglyphs there, but you can only see them with a ranger and they only give tours in the summer..  So instead I went on a lovely walk to the Mills falls, along the exquisitely maintained trails that are, with the “Red Chairs”, the trademark of all Canadian national parks. Note that the color of the water is due to it carrying tanins because the river flows through bogs, not to dirt or pollution.  It is in fact called “Mersey’s tea”.

  There were little red squirrels, just born snapping turtles, and poisonous mushroom everywhere.  It was lovely. 

  

We ended the day in AnnapolisRoyal, first settled by the French in the name of Louis the XIV (thus the royal), and then taken over by the Brit’s.   This back and forth is basically the entire history of the area from the first day Europeans landed.   Anne’s fort is now a national park (note the red chairs) and the harbor is beautiful. BUT: OMG!!!!!!  This place is SOOOOOO dead. Which is weird because there are in fact some tourists like us around… and we are all wandering about town searching for food….. (there is one mediocre restaurant opened… we had lobster and scallops there.  As well as some cocktails- 

I had a gin and tonic, which is unlike me, but i followed Claire’s advice that - in sketchy places, always have the gin and tonic, because you cannot mess it up….).

A lot of the grand Victorian houses in town have been converted into B&B’s. This is ours.   

I had a very pretty after diner walk around Fort Anne.  It was very pretty in the sunset.  There were tourists around…looking for food