This weekend of international travel was more about family and less about sightseeing, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t make the most of our free time. I tried more foods and did a little less hiking, but we saw my stepson graduate and that was the most important thing.

We flew out of Jacksonville, FL bright and early on a Wednesday morning. It’s a small international airport, and usually, there isn’t a TSA line worth mentioning. My favorite thing about small airports! This morning it took over an hour to finish the queue, but we got to our gate and boarded the plane. A misty, humid morning I was looking forward to leaving well behind. The only hiccup and I’d hardly call it that, was not realizing that when you go through security at the Canadian border, you are provided one small ziplock sized bag to put ALL of your liquids (this is to include toothpaste, lotions, etc.). It took a hot minute of digging through our carry on luggage to find everything and relocate it to the bag. From now on, for international travel, I will have it all in one small pouch, ready to pull out and transfer. Rookie mistake I suppose, but not something that has previously been required within the states or between Europe or Mexico on prior visits. Flying over Nova Scotia, the thing that stood out most to me was the green. As far as the eye could see. No buildings, roads, or housing developments. It was just trees right up until we reached the airport which is located 20 or so min north of Halifax.
We picked up the rental right there at the airport and made our way to our Lower Sackville Air b&b. It was this quaint, modern, clean basement apartment. We had a full kitchen, lovingly stocked with homemade muffins and other treats, a separate bedroom, full bathroom, and living room. I think we paid around $45/nt. I love Air b&b. I couldn’t have imagined getting all that space and privacy in a hotel room at that price. The owner lives upstairs and came out to greet us when we arrived, making sure we had everything we needed. We asked for a couple things, and she responded quickly and pleasantly. I’ll definitely stay here again when we return.

We cleaned up a bit and put our clothing away. There’s just something I like about unpacking a suitcase and not living out of it even for a few days. We met up with my stepson and his girlfriend for dinner. I had been wanting to try a Donair mistakenly believing it to be like the Doner Kebabs I knew from my time in Germany. It is not. Donairs are a big thing up there, with stores selling them everywhere. Poutine and Donairs…. they’re everywhere! If you don’t know; it is warm shaved meat on a very thinly rolled pita covered with toppings such as tomatoes, onions, or a variety depending on what you like and then a cold, sweet white sauce on top. Maybe it was my expectations that lead to disappointment, but the sweet sauce on savory meat just didn’t do it for me.

After dinner, we spent time with family and headed to bed. We woke up early for high school graduation. The experience of seeing this rite of passage in a different country was fascinating. I never thought about Nova Scotia as “new Scotland,” but the bagpipes playing during the ceremony brought that to the forefront. After changing, we went to the town looking for lunch and a treat. We found the Up North diner and had the best fry sauce ever. They wouldn’t give up their recipe (they don’t even share it with staff), but if you go and it’s offered. Take it!!! We split a burger & onions rings. Filling enough, but now it was time to hunt for a sweet treat. I’m a sucker for ice cream. We found a recently opened Syrian ice cream shop Booza Emessa. Their specialty is stretchy ice cream. Six different flavors and run entirely by a friendly Syrian family. We ordered chocolate, banana, strawberry, and a rolled vanilla with pistachios. Every one was delicious, and it was fun to play with our ice cream too.

Good morning! After a beautiful night’s sleep, we woke early to make a trip to Peggy’s Cove and explore the lighthouse. This was roughly an hour’s drive and not a disappointment. My husband had been previously and said it’s just a lighthouse. That may be fundamentally true, but it’s a beautiful lighthouse located on staggeringly large rocks up against a vibrant coast. We spent hours climbing the rocks and exploring Lobster Cove. It was early, and we’d tried the ever-popular Tim Horton’s for breakfast so, alas, no lobster for us today. I felt like a kid climbing these massive boulders, over crevices and peaks, and meditating to the sound of the crashing waves. It was late June, but I was ever so thankful for my hoodie and jeans. The wind was strong, and as it was quite early, the sun hadn’t come out to warm us on this overcast day. Several hours later, we jumped in the car and made the return trip opting to take a lesser traveled path. We pulled off the side where we saw another couple of cars and decided to explore. Turns out, this was Polly’s cove. Definitively less traveled, but no less beautiful. We spent another hour walking to the edge of the water, stopping along the path to enjoy the vistas.

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Our outdoor exploration didn’t end after dropping the kids off for their graduation party with friends. Nope, off we went to see downtown Halifax with the rest of our day. The waterfront feels like a northeastern area. The sun had come up, and the BBQ fest was going on making parking more difficult. No matter, really, there are loads of parking garages not but a few blocks from the waterfront and to see it all we were going to do quite a bit of walking anyway. The first stop was lunch. We arrived at the harbor and picked up a sizeable warm lobster roll dripping in lemon butter from a local stand. Freshly picked meat from the crustacean and butter and lemon blended on the spot in a fresh roll. It was delightful. Of course, you’ll learn. I had to get dessert, and it just so happened the beaver tail place was next door. This confection is a fried pastry dough covered, in this case, in Nutella, brownie bits and white chocolate. A little crispy, doughy and sweet like a perfect donut. Time to walk off those calories.
We stopped in shops along the way watching craftsman blow glass into decanters, checking out the knick-knacks and souvenirs to be had ranging from a massive stuffed lobster to socks to coffee mugs. We didn’t pick up anything this time. Limited bag space. Downtown Halifax has many beautiful murals. I’m a sucker for murals as well. The colorful art and vibrant displays just beg for a photo as do the drunken lamp posts. Drunken what? It’s an art display, but oh, what an interesting choice. Personally, I loved the variety to see and do at the waterfront. Many excellent restaurants, lots of live bands, and the perfect scene to just stroll and enjoy the sunny, but cool day.

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Leaving the waterfront to explore more of the city, we hiked our way to the top. We saw the Citadel with the rolling lawn overlooking the rest of the town below. We chose not to take a tour as we were limited by time, but I think for history buffs this would be a must-do. Strolling, further along, we made a stop in the public gardens. This is free and, in my book, a must-see. The gazebo, the stately oaks, the flowers blooming, and the most substantial azalea bushes I’ve ever laid eyes on. This garden will take you back in time and is a reprieve from the city.

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At this point, it is getting late, and after hours for walking, we’re ready to find dinner and meet back up with family. We wanted something different, and thanks to Yelp, we found a well-rated Indian restaurant near our final destination. We gorged ourselves on vegetable samosas, chicken curry, and chicken vindaloo with naan. Oh my! This one was understandably worth the accolades. If you want to check it out, it’s Dhaba express. It’s just the right size, and the staff is welcoming. They’ll make suggestions depending on how daring you feel. We stopped by the Indian grocer down the strip to pick up some desserts I hadn’t tried since my last visit to NYC. Then time to rest. Another early morning was planned for our last day in town.

Rise and shine!

Our last morning/afternoon is spent visiting the small coastal villages of Lunenberg and Mahone Bay. Lunenberg is a UNESCO world heritage site and fishing village with the most colorful assortment of 19th-century buildings. Everything is painted like a rainbow. As it’s early, we quickly find parking and head to the waterfront. One can take boat tours to see anything ranging from whales to puffins and explorations of the various uninhabited islands that surround the coast. For now, we go to the Museum gift shop and pick up a pin to add to my daughter’s collection. Moving on, we find what used to be the blacksmith shop converted to a distillery complete with tours. The smell and feel of the shop are thick and beautiful and reminds one of the treasures inside. You don’t have to be a drinker to appreciate it.

Lunchtime arrives just as we find ourselves in Mahone Bay. This town is known for its three church steeples that can be seen as you round the bend across the bay. Another quaint, colorful, quiet town designed for strolling and relaxing. There are various places to park, walk, and enjoy the beauty of nature. It’s not easy to choose from the numerous little cafes and bakeries, but we fell for Oh my Cod! hook, line, and sinker. How couldn’t you want to eat there?

The drive back takes about 2 hours, and it’s dinner time. We make one last pit stop for food. Poutine. I’ve had several other poutines, but the last one is the winner. Hot wing poutine with fries, boneless chicken, buffalo sauce, gravy, cheese curds, and ranch dressing. My husband opts for the all you can eat wings of any variety for $20 Canadian. A steal for sure. It’s a local place in Lower Sackville near the local grocer. It’s nothing fancy, more like an Applebee’s with live country music, but it won my heart for best poutine. The rest of the night is playing trivial pursuit with family and generally enjoying what the people we came to see. An early flight home takes us most of the day to return home, awaiting our next adventure.