Here are few highlights of our day.

• We were planning to crash, I mean attend, a pancake breakfast today but we couldn’t find the firehall. We did find a community hall that could have been a likely venue but we were too chicken to go in. What if it was a church service or something? So we stopped looking and went to a Timmy’s, where many motorcycle riders had also decided to go. A lot of people ride motorcycles in Nova Scotia, either that or they have more than their fair share of motorcycle gangs.
• We were intrigued with a place called Cow Bay. We drove there but did not see any cows in the bay, disappointing. If we move to NS, I will buy a house in Cow Bay and make it my life’s work to restore Cow Bay’s heritage by putting cows back into the bay.
• We went to two provincial parks today. The first one, Rainbow Haven Beach, had a beautiful sandy beach. It was very windy and a young father got his child’s ladybug kite up into the air very easily. Then they sat down in chairs, tied the kite string to one arm and did whatever they were planning to do. A little ways away a young mom was trying to set up a tent but it was far too windy. A little guy and his dad walked past us onto the beach. The little boy was barefoot and his pant legs were wet and sandy. He smiled at us as they went down the stairs onto the beach. He was having a good day. The second park was Lawrencetown Beach. It did not have any sand. The beach was covered in rounded rocks. The sound the tide made as it pulled out through the rocks was magical.  All of the beaches have boardwalks to them. They go up and over the berms and across the vegetation, just like the ones in South Carolina do.

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• We didn’t have a destination in mind today so we wandered a bit. We found an interesting little collection of shops called Fisherman’s Cove in Eastern Passage. There were quaint little buildings all along the boardwalk. Many were closed as it is still quite early in the season.
• We went to Dartmouth later and had our first lobster rolls at Evan’s Fresh Seafood at Alderney Landing in the harbour. Well, let me just say, lobster rolls are delicious and now every one we have after today will be measured against these. With loads of lobster, wonderfully seasoned on a fresh homemade roll, they will be hard to beat!
• We finished our adventures back in Halifax at Pier 21. it was fascinating to see and hear the immigration stories there. We are certainly a nation of immigrants and I hope we never lose sight of that. The lighthouse above is across the water from the pier, so evocative of the Maritimes I just had to include it.
• The variety of house styles here is amazing. I love seeing all the old Victorians. Halifax has done it right as the newer in-fill houses match the neighbourhoods they’re in. And many people here enjoy a whimsical painted door. We’ve seen red, yellow, green, blue, orange and pink ones. Most of the houses don’t have much landscaping. However maybe it’s too early in the season for much. The lilacs are just starting to bloom here.
• Finally, every single server and clerk has said “You”re welcome” when we have said “Thank you”. In Vancouver the response we usually get is “No worries” or “No problem”. I much prefer the correct response. Consequently the servers here have been tipped accordingly. Which reminds me, Nova Scotia has a harmonized tax of 15%. That was a bit of a shock, but the toll bridge we took to Halifax was only $1 so that was better.

It was another great vacation day. Tomorrow we head west to Peggy’s Cove, Oak Island and Lunenburg.

Oh yeah, Dale also wanted everyone to know we went through Cole Harbour. Sidney Crosby’s hometown. We didn’t see Sidney as he is getting ready for game one of the Stanley Cup final. 🙂