Nova Scotia...South Shore - Lighthouse Route

Hi - no we did not stop in Peggy's Cove to see the most photographed lighthouse in the world. Although I would highly recommend this tourist favourite, the boys have already seen it and I have been there many times, so we skipped it this time.

Thursday - Out of Yarmouth we headed toward Barrington and took the scenic route through Pubnico (Acadian area, French)and Wood's Harbour, where Colin is from. It is a series of villages along the water and commercial fishing plants. Seems quite prosperous. We continued to Barrington Passage where we stopped for lunch. I reminded Todd that years ago he went to the McDonald's across the street where he had a lobster roll, as local McDonald's made them and most locals do not eat them.

From there we stopped in Clyde River, where the house my parents lived in and before that my great grandparents lived in it, is. It is empty now after it was renovated into a bed & breakfast after my parents sold it and built a new house on the river. It was a hotel in the 1920's & 30's and when we were back at my parents we took a look through the guest registry. I still remember names and dates inside the closet door of my room. My window also looked out over the church next door and the old graveyard, perfect for Hallowe'en, but a little spooky when the fog rolled out! Little has changed in Clyde River, from there we took the Port Clyde road as I wanted to see Roseway beach, which is gorgeous (&cold).

We headed into Shelburne where you know you are old when the high school you graduated from has been torn down and a new one built in a different location. I love the quaint waterfront. I worked at the tourist bureau for two summers after high school - and the highlight was when Princess Diana and Prince Charles came to town for the 200th anniversary if Shelburne. I was about 3ft from her and I remember how beautiful she was. We learned they just finished shooting Moby Dick in town.

We moved onto Lunenburg in search of the Bluenose II which the highway sign said was in port. We ate dinner right on the water and I think I has the best fresh haddock I have ever had. I but haddock in BC, but it is frozen and not the same. My favourite cold water ocean fish, done in an ale batter, mmm!

Drove through Mahone Bay, it was dark by then and we got back to my parents about 9:30pm.

There are lots of waterfront homes for sale and of course we stopped and checked out a few of them, mostly cottage material or tear downs. Great for retirement, someday, right now we have enough projects on the go! Friday we went to Pier 21, in Halifax, where over 1 million immigrants came to this great country, and many soldiers left to fight in the wars. You get a passport and see first hand what it was like to arrive in a new country - interestingly most were told not to stay in Nova Scotia as there was nothing but rocks, most moved on to the Prairies.