On the eastern side of Nova Scotia, nestled on the edge of the clam waters of the Minas Basin, is Grand Pre, forever memorialized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's haunting poem Evangeline. Published in 1847, Evangeline tells of the main heroine's idyllic childhood in Grand Pre and her arduous search for her betrothed after they were… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 9 – Grand Pre, Nova Scotia
The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic - comprising of three packed floors, one schooner and one trawler - is a true mammoth in Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There was so much interpretation and information packed in the museum that we spent nearly the entire day exploring the exhibits. The museum starts with a… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 8 – Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
The Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck was not at all what I expected. Having visited the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, NJ last year, I was expecting a similar experience here - a close-up encounter with history walking through scared grounds where technological innovation happened. Granted, I didn't know much… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 7 – Bras d’Or Lake, Nova Scotia
We didn't have to travel far to reach the start of the Acadian Trail at the edge of the Cheticamp campsite. It was an absolute gorgeous day for a hike - sunny and bright with wisps of cool winds blowing through the air. Being early in the season, the deciduous trees were only starting to… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 6 – Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
We arrived at Halifax at 10pm the evening prior after a 1.5 hour flight from Deer Lake. The alternative would have been to board a 8 hour ferry from Port aux Basques to Sydney, at a higher ticket price. Bright and early around 9:30am, we walked from the hotel towards Halifax Public Gardens, formally established in… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 5 – Halifax, Nova Scotia
The day started with a drive north on the Viking Trail, which leads to L'Anse aux Meadows, the only known Viking settlement in North America. Our destination - Arches Provincial Park - at 40 minutes, was much closer and, in my view, equally worthwhile. Carved out of limestone via the forces of retreating glaciers, the naturally… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 4 – Gros Morne, Newfoundland
We eagerly hit the trails in the morning at 10am to start our explorations. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gros Morne National Park is home to the eponymous Gros Morne mountain. Thus it was fitting that our hike be up the Gros Morne Mountain trail. Also known as the James Callaghan Trail, named some 30… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 3 – Gros Morne, Newfoundland
We began our journey in Boston with a 6pm flight on Air Canada via a layover in Halifax, arriving at St. John's at nearly 2am; picking up the rental car and heading straight for the hotel. The first thing we learned upon arrival was that the island was on it's own time-zone - Newfoundland time… Continue reading Destination Canada – Day 1 – St. John’s, Newfoundland
