Saturday, June 24, 2023

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Mahone Bay and Lunenberg Nova Scotia)

June 23rd: Sparky and I were on the road by 8:00 a.m., headed for the south shore of Nova Scotia. Miss Google said the driving time was less than three hours, but I know from experience that the actual time it will take Sparky and me is nearly always double due to photo stops, pee breaks, and just poking around.

The first stop was beautiful Mahone Bay, between Halifax and Lunenburg. I have been to Mahone Bay twice before; once in 1979 with my first husband, and again in 1986 with Lawrie. 

In 1979, when I traveled across Canada with my first husband, we were near the end of our nine-year marriage and were tolerating each other in the silent way that some couples do when the marriage has lost its spark. We separated a few months later. I didn't keep any photographs and have very few clear memories of that two-month trip.

In 1986, when I traveled to the Maritime provinces with Lawrie, we had been together six years and were crazy in love. Much of our thirty-eight years together was spent laughing, hugging, dancing, and smooching. Sightseeing was a secondary activity. On that trip, we took a lot of photographs of each other, but not many of the places we visited. 

Lawrie was teasing me about something. Nova Scotia '86

Mahone Bay is where the pretty pewter sea shells that I purchased in Wolfville were created. I very carefully drove right past their cute waterfront shop. It's best to keep temptation away! This is the link to their store in Mahone Bay: https://amospewter.com/

Mahone Bay Nova Scotia - 5 church spires







Mahone Bay Nova Scotia

Mahone Bay Nova Scotia














Mahone Bay Nova Scotia

Around lunchtime, Sparky and I arrived in Lunenberg. A former rum-running and shipbuilding port Lunenberg has a collection of brightly painted buildings, many of which were built in the 1750s. 

The funniest memory I have of this area is from our trip in 1986. Lawrie and I stayed overnight at a historic inn and at some point during the day, we ran into a group of local firefighters. They were delighted to hear that both Lawrie and I were volunteer firefighters on Bowen Island. (Lawrie was the Fire Chief, and I was one of 22 firefighters.) They invited us back to the fire hall for drinks. As the night wore on the local accents became harder to understand, but the laughter was contagious. We frequently reminisced about that evening. How welcoming and kind everyone was, even though most of the time we had no idea about what was being said.

Lunenberg is also the home of the original Bluenose, a Grand Banks fishing and racing schooner launched on 26 March 1921. The Bluenose is pictured on the reverse side of a Canadian dime. OBluenose's 100th anniversary in 2021, the Royal Canadian Mint redesigned the dime and added colour (blue ocean) to Canada's smallest circulating coin.

The Fuzz-butt and I had lunch on the dog-friendly patio at the Fish Shack, then walked around for 30 minutes resuming our journey to the Whispering Waves Cottages at Ingomar, near Shelburne.

Cheers Lynda and Sir Fuzz-Butt

Stately old homes Lunenberg Nova Scotia


In the harbour Lunenberg Nova Scotia
 




 








Lunenberg Nova Scotia


Lunenberg Nova Scotia













Lunenberg Nova Scotia




1 comment:

Edie said...

You and Lawrie were true love bugs. Thanks for the stories and beautiful town.

Peddling my butt around town!

              Yesterday I bought my 5 th bicycle, a fancy e-bike that will transport me to new adventures. Its less expensive predecessors ...