Canadian Maritimes with Mahoney/Brewers 08

[Hfx_Cdn]

Betty, I forgot to mention that if you do go to Eastern Passage, on the Dartmouth side, there are 2 nice restaurants at the boardwalk, one is mainly fish and chips, and the other Boondocks offers a little fancier menu.

[Betty Brewer]

August 10, 2008 Lunenburg , Nova Scotia

We got off today after we said good byes to friends we made from Florida. We stopped at the lobster pond next door to get the scoop on buying freshly cooked lobster which we will do tomorrow. We headed out to take photos as the weather was cooperative. We drove through Mahone Bay which is very picturesque and filled with artsy tourist shops. We did not stop, a fact that probably saved me some money.

We headed for Lunenburg and found a festival in session. We dined at the restaurant atop the Fisheries Museum. Then we attended the Fisheries Museum which was very well done and if we had opted to stay the entire day could have seen live demonstrations of a variety of sea life tasks from years ago including scallop shucking but no samples are provided. The city of Lunenburg has been designated a UNESCO Heritage site as the many buildings of the early 1700’s are preserved and we enjoyed the colorful variety of Victorian homes. We did not get a chance to ride on the Bluenose II as it was being used as a stage for the festival singers. We listened to music coming from the wharf and we did not even have to buy a ticket. As we circled the city looking for the perfect photo vantage point we stopped along the Harbor and Terry mentioned to a man sitting on his front porch that he had a great view. He came out to speak to us. It turns out his wife is the vice principal of the local high school. She has a retirement from BC already. We enjoyed their stories of how they made a move from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia some 7,000 miles. This city is so colorful with unique architecture . Nova Scotia is very upscale and much more populated compared to Newfoundland. It reminds me of a Newport Beach of the Atlantic. Sailboats abound in the harbor and the waters are beautiful. It was a very pleasant day. Terry wants to take the day off from touring tomorrow as he is the driver daily and needs a rest. I am just loving this part of our trip. But then I have loved it all.

[Ken & Sheila]

Betty,

I have been reading every day and enjoying your writing. We have never been to NF and our only trip to Nova Scotia and PEI was back in the early 90's when we still have the HR TT.

Sheila had been reading but kept getting in a bad mood every time she read, because she wasn't there! I finally let her catch up today. BG.

As I told Russ via email, tomorrow starts the next chapter in our lives preparing to travel more (much more) and work less (much less). Hopefully all will be set for next summer (maybe even next winter).

ken

[BernieD]

Betty

There is a park on top of a hill in Lunenberg with a city campground next to it. It overlooks the town and harbor and we had some great views up there.

[Betty Brewer]

Hi Bernie,
Yes Russ showed us that campground on our tour of Lunenburg yesterday.  He stayed there 8 years ago.  I was glad we  were not there as it was full of the folks visiing the Festival and the streets are so narrow and hilly,
Betty

[Betty Brewer]

August 11, 2008 King Neptune Campground, Nova Scotia

Today was Terry’s day off.  We slept in (until 10:30 am)  as he had watched the Olympics until 3 am.  ( yeah American Olympic Swimming relay team!) I got  in the mood to do a cleaning of the inside of the motor home.  Pam would be so proud of me.  I oiled all of the wood, washed all of the inside windows, cleaned all portions of the toilet, even  with a toothbrush.  I vacuumed, dusted, cleaned steps shook rugs, are you tired yet?  It was a pleasure to do as I could look outside and see a wonderful view all day long.  And the feeling of satisfaction in doing a  hard days work  speaks for itself. Even touring in wonderful destinations requires cleaning once in a while.

 At noon, we  went to the lobster pond next door, to order our dinner for tonight.  We selected our very own 1.5 pound lobsters.  We were to return at 5 pm to have them already cooked.  At 4:30 I cooked the corn on the cob and set the  picnic table outside Russ’ motor home as he  has the best view.  Armed with loads of paper towels, we devoured our lobster.  Terry purchased  a roller to use to  get the lobster meat out of the legs.  This is something we would not have to do at our favorite  restaurant The Fish Company in Los Alamitos, California.  But for $ 8.75 a pound, cooked, this was a deal.   I would be  intimidated to order a lobster like this in a restaurant  but out here on the picnic table  no one cared how messy we were.  The view was to die for and we think we are so fortunate to have  such a life.  We will order lobster again tomorrow. 

[Wendy]

I like the "before" and "after" pictures.....you sure did damage to those lobsters ! Looks like there's nothing left.

Wendy

[Hfx_Cdn]

Betty, I showed Donna the pictures, and her only comment was that she was surprised how formal the lobster supper was, plates, table cloth, etc.  It should be on the beach, with a tire iron to crack the lobster, and an open bottle of apple jack (alcoholic apple cider) to swill down the lobster.  Of course, to be followed with blueberry grunt, and hot rum toddies.  You are in the land of the rumrunners.

[Betty Brewer]

Terry took these of our yesterday trip and I think they are worth a look.
 
Betty

[ArdraF]

OHHHH!  YUM, YUM, YUM.  I am so envious!  They look scrumptious.  I even enjoyed McDonald's lobster rolls.

Time to put my tongue back in my mouth. 

ArdraF

[Jeff]

I had a lobster for lunch at Gatheralls today and I'm still drooling!

[Wendy]

Are you guys eating anything but lobster up there? As a non-lobster-eater, what's the next best thing to eat when (if?) we get that way?

Wendy

[Tom]

Squid?

[Wendy]

Squid?

Thanks, I'll take the lobster 

[Ron]

Squid (calamari), Octopus, and Clams.

[Jeff]

Are you guys eating anything but lobster up there? As a non-lobster-eater, what's the next best thing to eat when (if?) we get that way?

Wendy

Absolutely! If they don't have lobster we have to settle for fresh scallops, mussels, or cod. When we get back to Maine add clams.

[Jeff]

Sue reminded me I forgot salmon and halibut.

[Betty Brewer]

Are you guys eating anything but lobster up there? As a non-lobster-eater, what's the next best thing to eat when (if?) we get that way?

Wendy,
Until I discovered the relative inexpensive  "cook your own lobster", I would order onion soup and shrimp or cod or chicken which are all options on a menu.  One could also have salads and grilled cheese sandwiches if you want to go vegetarian the whole way. We did not find the  restaurant food in Newfoundland to be worth the money. It was expensive and not to our liking.  So I opted  to cook many meals in the motorhome.  That being said I still managed to gain weight!

Betty

[Tom]

I had a lobster for lunch at Gatheralls today and I'm still drooling!

Hey Jeff, quit complaining! I'm drooling, but didn't get to taste the lobster 

[Jeff]

Terry:

Maybe we should like it twice a day, lunch and dinner.

[Wendy]

You guys are all making the lobster sound better and better. But I'd probably have to eat crackers in the motorhome to afford the lobster Mike would eat....I can't see him stopping at one ! I'm getting hungry. Guess I'll go dig out a TV dinner to throw in the microwave.

Wendy

[Wendy]

Jeff and Terry - I bet you guys could find a way to fit lobster into breakfast too

[Jeff]

Jeff and Terry - I bet you guys could find a way to fit lobster into breakfast too

Had a  lobster omelet on PEI.

[Hfx_Cdn]

While in Nova Scotia, you will have to try a recent Nova Scotia culinary first.  About 20 years ago a Lebanese immigrant start making "Donairs".  It is like a greek giro, but with a sweeter sauce.  Our favourite is from Roberts in Dartmouth, but many swear by either Toni's or Toulaney's in Halifax.  Make sure you're hungry, take your cholesterol medicine but it is worth it.  They are available at most pizza shops in NB & NS, but they are usualy not the same.

Ed

[Daisy]

Betty, there is just no other way to eat lobster, but to make a big mess.  If the butter isn't dripping off your elbows, your doing something wrong.......


Daisy

[Daisy]

Not to be a kill-joy, but just to add a little food for thought for you lobster lovers.  Be careful how MUCH you eat.  Our daughter and family came home on 30 days leave one year (Army) and had missed the lobsters so much, that they feasted on them almost every morning, noon and night.  She became VERY allergic to them and can't get anywhere near one now.  Boy is she sorry now.   

Daisy

[Jeff]

Daisy:

I took your advice to heart and had blackened halibut with a vegetable melody. Oh what a diet!

[Betty Brewer]

August 12, 2008 King Neptune Campground, Peggy’s Cove

We repeated last nights meal.  See yesterday for photos.  Not to  worry Daisy,  after a lobster meal  two days in a row I am tired of lobster. It is rich and the butter,,, oh the butter too much for 2  nights in a row.  But Terry would tell you a different story.

We toured Peggy’s Cove, this morning  along with   many, many tour busses off the cruise ships today.  We saw the  “Peggy Show” and had a few laughs.   We  will return when  the weather is better and the crowds less.  We then drove off to see the SS Atlantic Memorial,  a tribute to 390 lost  passengers on the  lesser known ship in 1912  just  prior to the Titanic loss.  These waters are full of rocks and it is easy to see  that a ship could be lost if it happened to have the misfortune to navigate them by mistake.

We spent  time in Halifax today having the oil changed in the car.  Some things  are not very glamorous even if we are traveling.

[Betty Brewer]

August 13, 2008 Indian Head,  Still at King Neptune Campground ,  Peggy’s Cove

We returned today to the world famous Peggy’s Cove for photos  because yesterday was filled with tourists  from   over 7,000 passengers visiting from  3  huge cruise ships in Halifax today.  We had patches of blue sky and were thrilled with the sights.  While we have seen many,  many picturesque fishing villages  and lighthouses all over  Newfoundland, the harbor here at Peggy’s Cove looks like it was laid out by an artist for the right composition no matter which angle you chose to look.  I visited gift shops and art galleries.  I fell in love with a  ship model made from driftwood.  It was called Ghost ship but I did not make a purchase.  It is just  fun to see how creative artists can be with found objects.

We then toured the  Memorial to  the Swiss Air Flight that crashed  off shore in 1998, killing all 229 passengers aboard.  The Memorial is done  along two shores that form a triangle pointing to the crash sight  on the horizon.  Little is said of the crash itself  so I did a Google search and learned the details.  It just confirms that the way we will continue to travel is by motor home.  It was a very solemn memorial and makes me grateful again for every day .

Terry and I then drove the route around Aspotogan Peninsula. We found white sandy beaches and people out enjoying the warmth (?) of the day.  We  rested in the afternoon and caught up on the Olympic events collecting on our TIVO. 

[Ron from Big D]

Betty and Terry:

      Your 4th image is really excellent.  It captures the heart of that village.  I've seen many, but Peggy's Cove is one of a kind.