Saturday morning, while enjoying breakfast, we were surprised when a gentleman in full British redcoat arrived. It was the town crier! He had his bell and scroll and apparently goes around to most of the B&Bs and Inns on Saturday morning and later does a…Read More

Saturday morning, while enjoying breakfast, we were surprised when a gentleman in full British redcoat arrived. It was the town crier! He had his bell and scroll and apparently goes around to most of the B&Bs and Inns on Saturday morning and later does a stint at the Farmer's Market. This was our destination as well. First we had a walk around the gardens around the Inn. They have it done up really nicely and there was lots to admire.

The Farmer's Market is known to be the best market around and i'd have to agree. Not a lot of stalls with fruit and veg but it's very early in the season. There were lots of things to look at, gifts, crafts, bakery stalls (nom!), antiques. There were several musicans playing in various locations. I saw a couple of painters whose work i liked and bought a card from each that had a print on it. We both spent some money and enjoyed poking around the tables.

We walked back through the main street, window shopping and looking into a couple of gift stores and then stopped for a cuppa at the Fort Anne Cafe, one of the older establishments in the town, across from the entrance to, yes, Fort Anne National Historic site which we didn't go to see. I've been before, and it's worth looking around.

We decided to drive to the village of Bear River for the afternoon. Bear River is a small, somewhat hidden village that many people only find when they get a bit lost, or so we were told by one person there. It's a pretty, hilly village, centered around the tidal Bear River and there is also a First Nation reserve near there as well. The buildings that are on the riverfront are built on stilts because they are right on the bank and the tide can get quite high, it being connected to the Bay of Fundy which has the highest tides in the world.

There are a lot of craft shops and artisans that live in the area. Many of them sell their art in the Flight of Fancy shop in the center of the village. There used to be a windmill on the riverside as well with a tourist information centre in it but it was recently torn down. Shame, that. We parked in a lot by the river and discovered a shop called Oddacity Designs right there. There were some really lovely and creative things and both of us bought something straight away. This shop also has a section of second hand clothes and knick knacks so you might find a treasure or two there as well.

We looked into some of the other craft shops and a second had book store as well. We had lunch in a nice little cafe by the bridge over the river and took in the small Bear River Heritage museum that has lots of photos and artifacts from the area. One thing that really caught my eye was a tabletop ice hockey game where the "players" are flippers controlled by levers at either end of the game. We had these in the 60s and 70s but they were made of metal then. This was wood and had a little goal net at either end. Very neat!

There isn't a lot in Bear River, but certainly enough for a couple of hours with a stop for a bite to eat or a coffee. We'd had our fill and drove back to Annapolis. Mom was a bit tired after three busy days so she wanted to have a rest. I used the wifi with my iPod for a bit and read my book later.

We dined in the hotel dining room that night. They have a small but exquisite menu. It isn't cheap but the offerings are most definitely in the category of fine dining. The food was wonderful and so beautifully presented. The chef, owner Greg, really has a flair for it! We had a good discount but it's also worth a splurge if you're in the area.

Sunday, and it's time to leave. Mom wanted to get on the road early so we checked out right after breakast with lots of thanks to our hosts. We drove back up through the valley on the main highway, though we did stop in Kentville for a coffee and in Grand Pre to have a look at the Just Us coffee museum. It was a small one, with lots of information about Fair Trade coffee producing. They have the roasting "factory" that you can watch but as it was a Sunday, nobody was working. There's a cafe and shop as well but since i'm not a big coffee drinker, I bought some spicy hot chocolate instead. It will probably wait until winter before i try it! We stopped at one of the large Farmer's Markets to get some strawberries before heading back to the city. We finished our trip with strawberry shortcake when we got home.

We had a really nice break and the weather couldn't have been more perfect! It was warm but always with a nice breeze. We were lucky as it can get very hot in the Valley but up by Annapolis, you get the breeze off the Bay of Fundy. Most parts of the province are beautiful and this is no exception.Close

(note, this is part of a "long weekend journal" but Port Royal could be visited as a day trip from Halifax, as well. It's about a 2 and a half hour drive on the highway, a little bit far but still doable)We were up at…Read More

(note, this is part of a "long weekend journal" but Port Royal could be visited as a day trip from Halifax, as well. It's about a 2 and a half hour drive on the highway, a little bit far but still doable)

We were up at 8 and down to the dining room for breakfast which was wonderful! Julie and Greg are great hosts and are very friendly and Greg is a fabulous cook! The dishes always arrive looking like works of art, too!

Our first destination is Port Royal, on the other side of the river. This is the site of the original settlement in 1605 making it the oldest permanent settlement north of Florida. It was recreated in the 1930s from original plans. It's not really a fort as such, it was a fur trading post that housed up to 44 men. The building surrounds a small courtyard and we had a look through most of it, chatting to the summer students dressed in period costume about the history of the fort and what life was like back then.

We retraced our route back through Annapolis and then took route 1 towards the north shore of the province. This is a predominantly French speaking area (but yes, they do speak English) and the road passes through small rural villages along the sparkling water of the bay that leads out into the ocean. On the opposite side of the bay is a long narrow peninsula and a few islands that separate this slice of water from the Bay of Fundy proper. There are a few whale watching tours available from there.

We passed through many small villages and towns and came to Saint Bernard where there is a large European style stone church that was built by local residents over 30 years in the early 20th century and consecrated in 1942. We parked up and went in for a look. The interesting thing was the inside of the church. It looks like it's all granite stones but it was plastered and the plaster was scored while still wet to look like blocks of stone. It had to be done in the space of about 30 minutes before the plaster dried! Behind the church, the graveyard slopes down to the water and it looks like a very peaceful resting place.

We got back in the car and couldn't turn the key!! What's going on???!!! We looked and tried various things, thinking there must be a button or release for it but no joy! In desperation, as there was absolutely nobody around, we called my nephew from whom we'd rented the car. He said we'd locked the steering wheel and were to jiggle it while turning the key. Wtf??? This sounded pretty daft but sure enough, it worked! Whew! At least we'd know what to do if it happened again!

Some miles down the road further, we stopped at another church in the community of Church Point, this time an early 20th century wooden one with a huge, tall spire. Apparently St. Mary's church is the biggest and tallest wooden building in North America with the top of the spire over 50 metres high! Impressive! Constructed between 1903 and 1905. The spire is over 50 m. tall and is ballasted with rock because of the strong winds off the bay. Inside the church is a model of it near the altar. The church is on the campus of Universite Sainte-Anne which is the only French university in Nova Scotia and only one of two in the Maritimes. The other is in Moncton, New Brunswick.

We looked around inside which was quite pretty. This church had stained glass which the other did not and a little gift shop manned by a student. Since we really hadn't noticed a lot of restaurants that appeared to be open, (though apparently we just weren't that observant!) we went to the small cafeteria in the university library next to the church for a sandwich and drink.

The road continued. We find it rural, with lots of nice little houses and lovely views over the water. Our final destination is the provincial park at Mavillette Beach by the village of Cape St. Mary. We arrive and walk through the dunes to the long sandy beach. No, we aren't planning on swimming, just walking the sands and enjoying the fresh sea air and breezes, watching people splash about in the waves and kids enjoying the sand. Nova Scotia is so lucky to be nearly surrounded by water and you're never very far from a beach.

We rejoin route 101 on the way back towards Annapolis but stop at the exit for the town of Digby, the largest populated centre along here. We need gas and food but decide to eat at the restaurant that's attached to the Irving station. Our meal is pretty good and we share a huge piece of coconut cream pie to top it off. The town of Digby is quite nice, with a pretty boardwalk along the waterfront, great seafood restaurants and a couple of small museums.

We also make a stop at Gilbert's Cove where we'd seen a sign for an old lighthouse and a cafe with craft shop. Unfortunately, the cafe was closed though they'd forgotten to take down their roadside "Open" flags. Ah well. We had a look and a photo stop at the old square lighthouse at the end of a dirt road. It, too was closed by now but does have a little gift shop and tea room in it. It was decommissioned some years ago but had been run by only two different people over nearly 70 years. Both people were members of the same family! Not a father and son, I don't think, but they were related.

Since we'd already eaten, we didn't have to find a restaurant in Annapolis. We sat in one of the antique filled sitting rooms for a bit, looking at the newspaper and choosing another dvd for later which we didn't end up watching as both of us had tired eyes from watching the road in all that sunshine! I did make use of the free wifi with my iPod touch but it was an early night for us! It doesn't seem right, going to bed early on a Friday night when you're on vacation but driving and getting in and out of the car and walking around can wear you out!Close

My mother and I decided to spend a long weekend away in the lovely Annapolis Royal in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. The weather stayed spectacular for all four days which was very lucky! The skies were nearly cloudless, the temperatures were in the mid…Read More

My mother and I decided to spend a long weekend away in the lovely Annapolis Royal in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. The weather stayed spectacular for all four days which was very lucky! The skies were nearly cloudless, the temperatures were in the mid 20s but there was always a cool breeze blowing off the Bay of Fundy so it never got too warm.

Annapolis Royal is about a 2 hour drive from Halifax and you could drive down and back as a day trip, taking in the town and Port Royal, which is about a 15 minute drive past Annapolis Royal. We decided to base in Annapolis Royal and do several day trips from there in the region.

The Annapolis and Port Royal region is the oldest continuous settlement north of St. Augustine, Florida. The trading post settlement of Port Royal was founded by the French in 1605 and lasted 8 years before an attack from Jamestown in the new colony of Virginia wiped it out.The province of Nova Scotia (which at that time also included the current New Brunswick) was created by English Royal charter in 1621. More history is here on the town website

Shortly after, a settlement also called Port Royal was re-established a bit further up the river but the province was given back to France in 1629. Over the rest of the century, the area is captured and then returned to France's posession several times until 1710 when it was captured by the English and renamed in honour of Queen Anne as Annapolis Royal. Fort Anne was then built to defend the town. The French had established very good relations with the native Mi'kmaq over the decades but the English did not fare so well and there were often skirmishes.

The province was definitively granted to Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Annapolis Royal was the capital of Nova Scotia until Halifax was established in 1749 and in 1755, the English forced the remaining French Acadians to leave the area. Many Loyalists arrived after the American Revolution though the French settlers did return over the years. The North shore from here to Yarmouth still has predominantly French speaking communities.

The area has so much history and the town, though small, is elegant and friendly. It's got one of the best Farmer's Markets for miles and plenty of craft and gift shops to keep you going. You won't find any franchised stores here. There's not a Tim Horton's or a McDonald's for miles!

With all of that in mind, Mom and I set out in a rented car on Canada Day morning. We headed down Highway 101 into the Annapolis Valley and came off at Exit 10 where Mom had wanted to go to the Evangeline Motel for pie at their restaurant. We spied a Just Us cafe and *museum* en route and marked it for our return journey on Sunday. A light lunch and pie consumed, we decided to stay on route 1 through the valley as it's much more scenic.

In the town of Kentville, there is a one way loop around the centre of the town. We followed it and there was a detour. A quick look determined that the usual street was closed for a classic car show and naturally I couldn't miss that! We found a place to park and walked through an alley to the street, lined on both sizes with a couple dozen cars. They were mainly cars from the 60s and early 70s with a handful of older models from the 30s to the 50s, most in top condition, shining in the sun with their owners proudly standing or sitting by, willing to answer questions and accept praise on their restoration efforts. Needless to say many photos were taken.

We looked around the central square that also had a market set up as well as a band playing and a bouncy castle for the kids. There were locally made products and crafts as well as some yummy temptations that we managed to resist.

Back in the car, we meandered down the road, with a stop to stretch our legs at a takeout stand where we had an ice cream cone. We arrived in Annapolis Royal about 3, just the right time to check into our inn, the Queen Anne which is one of the largest and most lovely Victorian buildings that line St. George Street, the main street through the town. We are very pleased with the inn and our room which is air conditioned and has a dvd player along with free wifi!

Conveniently, the inn is right across the street from the Historic Gardens so we walked over there next. We paid a reduced entrance fee and could hear music. There was a band set up and playing easy listening tunes for people. We wandered through the 10 acres of meticulously manicured and landscaped gardens of various types. Everything is laid out so nicely and there are park benches through the grounds for a rest and view across the marshes of the tidal basin of the Annapolis River. We stopped for a coffee and pastry at the cafe which is also connected to a German bakery. You can bet the pastries were melt-in-your-mouth!

It's supper time so we drove down around into town and decided to go to the pub, Olde Town Pub which advertises itself as the smallest pub in the province. I'm not so sure about that claim but it's not large in any case. It was also not too busy yet so we had no trouble getting a table and ordering a meal. We left there and walked around looking in the windows of some of the closed craft stores, keeping a couple in mind to return to when they were open.

It's the end of a long day so we borrowed a dvd from the small collection at the inn, picked up a complimentary newspaper and went to our room to relax for the rest of the evening.Close

I want to use this entry to make mention of the Information Center in this power station which is a good example of the other Information Centers we used in Canada. They are great. They can help you find a place to stay,…Read More

I want to use this entry to make mention of the Information Center in this power station which is a good example of the other Information Centers we used in Canada. They are great. They can help you find a place to stay, eat, hike, shop, visit or just plain sit! They always have nice, clean rest rooms (wash rooms). We called them the Question Mark places because that's what's on their signs.
Thank you, information people!Close