August 4, 2023
We arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. We are staying at the Halifax KOA about 30 minutes from downtown Halifax. Once we were settled into our site, it was too late in the afternoon to venture into Halifax. We didn’t want to get mixed up in the evening rush hour traffic. So, we stayed at the RV park and walked over to the Ice Cream Shack for an ice cream cone. They didn’t have too many flavors to choose from, but it was a good treat!
Halifax is the capital city of Nova Scotia. It is located on the east coat of Canada on the Atlantic Ocean.
There are two toll bridges across the Halifax Harbour; The Macdonald Bridge and the Mackay Bridge. The toll for cars…$1.25. Compared to our other tolls, I would almost call that a bargain!
On Friday, we drove to Halifax, crossed the bridge, and took a quick look around the city. Halifax is hilly and the streets leading to the waterfront were somewhat steep. I was surprised by the hills!
After driving up and down the waterfront, looking for a place to park, we finally located a public parking lot close to one end of the waterfront.
The Halifax waterfront/boardwalk is 2.5 mile wooden platform with shopping, beer gardens, museums, restaurants, playgrounds and public art. It was the place to be on Friday afternoon!
We enjoyed walking along the waterfront, stopping in shops, and enjoying the gorgeous scenery. The boardwalk was very crowded and at times it was difficult to get through the crowd.
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There were many food vendors on the boardwalk and we found one that had delicous fish and chips! We located the colorful Adirondack chairs along the water and enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the waterfront. We observed boats of all sizes in the port. Nothing better that a bite and a seat on a sunny patio with harbour views!
After lunch, it was time for something sweet. We don’t usually eat much desert but we saw two Cows Ice Cream shops and couldn’t resist. We walked all the way to the other end of the boardwak to the larger Cows store, but, the line was very long. So, back to the other end of the boardwalk to the other Cows location. We arrived at the perfect time and only had to wait a few minutes. Ken selected the Wowie Cowie (same as he had before) and I picked the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. So good! Cows really is the best ice cream!
As we were walking back to the jeep, we had a good view of Georges Island. The island was used to imprison hundreds of Acadians who were forced to leave the region during the Great Deportation (1755-1763).
After returning to the RV, I read that this weekend is the Natal Day Festival in Halifax. Natal Day is a province birthday celebration and in Nova Scotia the celebration is the first Monday in August. So, this weekend is a four day weekend that started today (Friday). That explains why there were so many people on the boardwalk! Maybe it isn’t always so crowded?
First and Maybe Only Donair
August 5, 2023
Friday night and Saturday it rained. It was the second significant rainfall in two weeks for the Halifax area. Our campground lost power overnight but was restored by mid morning.
We didn’t feel much like sightseeing in the rain but we did go out to get lunch. We saw some advertisements for a sandwich called a Donair and Ken wanted to try one for lunch. What is a Donair?
A Donair is a Canadian variation of the gyro sandwich. It’s made with spiced beef or lamb, tomatoes, onions, topped with a uniquely delicious sweet garlic donair sauce, all wrapped up inside of steamed pita bread!
We followed an advertisement and recommendation in the campground newsletter that a place called Haddad’s Pizza had the best Donair in Nova Scotia. Haddad’s was maybe 3 or 4 miles away. It turned out to be a combination convenience store and pizza joint. Strictly take out. Ken ordered a Large Donair (at least a pound of meat) and I opted for Pizza Rolls, instead. I’m not sure if Ken is ready for another Donair!
Peggy’s Cove
August 6, 2023
Fun Fact: Peggy’s Cove is said to be named after Peggy, a shipwreck survivor who married a local fisherman and then became known as Peggy of the Cove.
Today (Sunday), we drove to Peggy’s Cove.
While planning our trip to Nova Scotia, I began to understand that a visit to Peggy’s is a must…It is the rule!
Peggy’s Cove is a tiny fishing village on Margaret’s Bay, about 40 km from Halifax. It’s home to a pretty lighthouse perched on a mass of rock overlooking the water. This scene is what brings hordes of tourists chasing the perfect photograph.
I read that there’s really not that much to a stop at Peggy’s Cove. You take your pretty lighthouse pictures and you’re on your way. But this doesn’t really take into account all the giant fun rocks there are to climb on!
We arrived at Peggy’s Cove around 12 noon, and it was very crowded. The parking lots were full and folks were parking on the road and walking quite a distance. After driving through all the parking lots, Ken dropped me off and continued looking for a spot. He found one nearby and quickly joined me.
The iconic lighthouse stands proudly on the large granite rocks surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. We followed the path over the rocks leading towards the lighthouse. The views were stunning! We continued walking around on/over the rocks to get different views of the lighthouse, ocean, and waves as they crashed against the rocks. There are no specific trails – you are free to wander wherever you like!
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We walked down the hill to the fishing village. there were just a few buildings surrounding a very small harbor that contain a handful of colorful boats. As we walked along the docks, the fishing boats seemd to hover on glassy water. This is another famous scene that I have seen in articles about Peggy’s Cove. There were a few art galleries selling paintings of this fishing village. I checked the prices and they were about $800. My photos will suffice!
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We ate lunch at the Sou’Wester located near the Lighthouse. The restaurant was very busy and soon after we were served, two tour buses arrived. We arrived just at the right time! Our lunch was very good; Ken ordered seafood chowder with mussels and I ordered the fish sandwich.
After 4 days in the Halifax area, it it time to go. We have a very short day tomorrow…67 miles!
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