By: Marcia Abramson
Nova Scotia has escaped the oppressive heat wave that has hit the East Coast. The salty sea breezes have a revitalizing effect
and the tranquility and warmth of the people makes me want to return time and time again. I prefer to fly into Halifax, Nova Scotia. History started here in 1749 when Governor Edward Cornwallis and his company of 2,500 settlers arrived in Halifax to become the bastion of British strength in the New World. It was to become a bulwark against the French who were starting to emerge as a threat to the British. Since Halifax had an ice-free harbor year-round and was very strategically located, Governor Cornwallis knew he had to use every device known to the British to protect this valuable asset.
Thus, the Halifax Citadel was built in 30 years, between 1828 and 1856. It was one of the largest British fortresses on the continent. It is a truly massive edifice and understandingly one of the most visited National Historic Sites and the crown jewel in the Halifax defense system. Visiting in the warmer months is very exciting, what with the panorama of the sights and sounds of 19th century military life. I love a parade and enjoyed watching the period uniformed soldiers drill while the bagpipers played. I also admired the sentry guards in their sharply-pleated MacKenzie tartan kilts guarding the gates. The guided tour which I recommend took me through the living quarters, powder magazines and musketry galleries located in a ditch from which the enemy could be bombarded with deadly crossfire. At noon-day, a gun is fired in keeping with a 19th century tradition. My advice is to avoid the noise of the friendly gun fire if at all possible. But do stroll along the waterfront which is bustling with shops (a good buy is pewter) and the crews from the many sailboats in port. They make for interesting conversation. I also could not find a more friendly or helpful local population in all my travels. Halifax is also known as the City of Trees because of gracious tree-lined streets and its natural surroundings including Peggy's Cove lighthouse which is just a short drive away from the capital.
However, a trip to Nova Scotia must include a following the Evangelize Trail with stops in Digby which has the largest and sweetest scallops that I have ever tasted, and the Bay of Fundy. The Bay of Fundy also has some of the world's highest tides which ebb about sun fall when I was there and thus able to walk at the bottom of the sea without any difficulty at all. It is a short distance to Annapolis Royal which has no military connection but does have magnificent gardens and quaint Victorian houses. No where can you get a more authentic taste of strong French Acadian culture than in Longfellow's poem to Evangelize even though Longfellow never got to the shrine to Evangelize nor did Evangelize ever exist, but there is a lovely statue of a beautiful young woman on the grounds. There is a tablet at the shrine that lists all the Acadians in the area. As you drive along the trail you will pass through small fishing hamlets on the French shore and the Fort Anne National Historic Site which brings four centuries of history to life.
Another must trail to follow is the Cape Breton Cabot Trail which is awesome in all seasons, but particularly in the autumn where nature's colors abound in the rich red, orange and gold foliage. In nearby Baddeck, you will find the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site which serves as a tribute in the famous inventor who will always be remembered for his work on bridging the gap between sound and silence and was the forerunner of the CD player with his invention of the phonograph. One of Cape Breton's claim to fame is that Alexander Graham Bell lived and worked in Cape Breton during the last 37 years of his life.
Nova Scotia is easy to reach by car, motor coach (Greyhound), train and newly increased luxury cruise ports of call and plane. Since I still prefer flying, my research from other tourists has revealed that driving to Nova Scotia has been made easier with the inauguration of The Cat, a high-speed catamaran ferry that transports vehicles as well as passengers from Bar Harbor, Maine to Yarmouth and the Scotia Prince another car ferry which sails between Yarmouth and Portland, Maine.
I have also discovered that Nova Scotia's cuisine is second to none. Hot, steamed lobster with drawn butter, oven-warm wild blueberry pie, creamy seafood chowders, oak planked salmon slow-cooked over a hard-wood fire have no equals. And as they say on Nova Scotia' South Shore, It's some good.
