#stewiacke

We found a mastodon in Stewiacke!

Better look:

Hantsport: All I know about Charlottetown is that it’s the capital of PEI… and Canada was born there.

Aspotogan: Why do we… er… single out Pictou? So we can make puns about him being breathless, and his performances taking our breaths away!

Hello again!

Since I am from the Maritimes (as shown again in the map below), I am going to do my first three posts about each province. I was born in Nova Scotia so we'll start there!

I was born in Truro, which is not an overly touristy area. However, I would like to introduce you all to some popular tourist destinations in Nova Scotia!

To begin, let's talk about Peggy's Cove. Peggy's Cove is an incredibly picturesque lighthouse located southwest of Halifax. Named after Samuel de Champlain's mother, Marguerite (the bay surrounding Peggy's Cove is called Saint Margaret's Bay), the lighthouse itself and the surrounding village are rustic landmarks for this area of Nova Scotia. The lighthouse attracts thousands of people every year. It indeed is a breathtaking sight. But please stay off the rocks near the edge! They are very slippery, and you could quickly fall into the tides below.

Next up is Shubenacadie, a quaint little town about 40 minutes outside of Truro, heading towards Halifax. There are two notable points of interest here. One is the tidal bore white water rafting. What a rush! Perfect for all those adventure seekers out there! And for the nature lovers, I would 10/10 recommend the Shubie Wildlife Park. There are beautiful walking trails there, as well as so many animals. Animals like moose, black bears, wolves, cougars, mountain goats, reindeer, plenty of foul, peacocks, deer, skunks, otters, rabbits, and so much more!

If you wanted to venture a little farther north, check out Cape Breton, which in itself has several beautiful spots to check out. If you want a fall driving tour sort of adventure, I would recommend going to see the Cabot Trail. It is a remarkable stretch of highway in Northern Cape Breton. Measuring 298 km (185 mi), it weaves through several prominent towns in the Cape, including Chéticamp which is the northern gateway to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. "The park is well known for its 'steep cliffs and deep river canyons that carve into a forested plateau bordering the Atlantic Ocean'" (Parks Canada). The Highlands National Park spanned 948 square kilometers and was the first national park in the Atlantic provinces.

Onto the province's capital, Halifax is on the southern shore. While there, I would make a point to visit the Citadel. Jamaican Maroons built the Citadel in 1856. If you're there at noon, you will hear the Royal Artillery fire the Noon Gun daily. The Citadel, officially called Fort George, is shaped into an eight-pointed star, and because of the shape and it's ingenious defense, the stronghold has never been under attack. On a bit of a lighter note, if you're looking for a cold beer (and let's be real. You're in Canada. You need to have a beer at least once a day), go for a tour of the Alexander Keith's Brewery in downtown Halifax. The brewery has been open and operational for almost 200 years and is considered a "jewel in the crown" of Halifax. Go for a tour and see the brewing process in action. The tours end at the "Stag's Head" pub, which is a historic pub in what used to be the aging cavern of the brewery back in the day. And it is open all year round! And after you've had your brewskis, cheer on the Mooseheads at Scotiabank Center. Halifax's beloved hockey team is ranked number 2 in the Maritime division currently.

So that is a few of my favorite parts of Nova Scotia! Keep an eye open for my next post about PEI!

They have arrived! They’re also now available for your questions!