Aug 19

This was a day to DRIVE.  Hopefully it is the last of the unusual speed limits and the other road signs that we don’t understand.  James saw one with a spinning wheel and I saw one with an umbrella.  Getting a Canadian map we learned the spinning wheel was “crafts or antiques” and the umbrella was “sea water” swimming. 

 

Just before we left Canada we saw the building that was named “Airline rest stop.”  There was not an airport or airplanes nearby so we never did figure out why a small building with restrooms would be named that. 

 Sure was good to see the sign announcing we were entering MAINE!!  Headed south!  Never thought I would consider MAINE to be SOUTH!

Stacey is taking Brooks to Birmingham for therapy on Tuesdays this school year.  Ally is in school plus has dance classes on Tuesday.  When we are home we can pick her up but, since we were not there, Stacey’s friend (Melissa Glaze) has agreed to get her at school and take her to dance.  Kevin will pick her up there after work.  They are fortunate to have such friends.

Monday Aug 18

We decided to head back to the states today.  There was still a lot we haven’t seen but we are ready to get to telephone coverage.  The main thing left in Nova Scotia is a 5 hour drive around the northern coastline.  We have seen a LOT of coastline on this trip and we are not really interested.  The other thing is Prince Edward Island.  We would need to go back to New Brunswick and take a bridge to that island.  We have been told that it is also a lot of coastline and I am sure there is a lot to see but we decided to pass.  We thought that in a few years we might fly to New Foundland, rent a car and tour it and Prince Edward Island.  Not this trip.  Today is James’ birthday and he got “happy birthday” wishes via text from DeLyn, Sarah and Stacey.  He doesn’t feel another year older (or at least that is what he said.)  As we got on the road we found the sign announcing that spot was “half way between the equator and North Pole.”  Naturally we had to stop and have stupid pictures made. 

 

As we drove out of Nova Scotia, headed to St. John, the GPS found a STARBUCKS.  I couldn’t believe it – it was in the same bookstore (Chapters) that we found heading INTO Nova Scotia.  This was the one with the carnival and we took in our camera.  I just have to include some pictures to show everybody that this was a LARGE carnival – permanent – even with a roller coaster. 

 
 

 
 

 
 

As we “landed for the night in St. John, we ate at a neat “western style” steakhouse.  It even had the front end of a car in the rafters.  Leaving there we saw another rainbow which was assurance that we were headed in the right direction. 

 

Back at the hotel in St. John I got a text from Stacey about Ally’s school experience.  Her first day of school was last Wednesday but they have a “staggered” attendance the first week for the kids in kindergarten.  She only went last Wednesday and then went back today for the first day of a full week.  Stacey said that Ally loved school and was upset that she couldn’t go every day last week!  I hope she keeps that enthusiasm. 

August 17

THE GPS WORKS!  We headed to Peggy’s Cove which has the most photographed lighthouse in North America.  On the way we saw a memorial to Swiss Air flight 111 which crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia killing all 229 aboard.  This has had a lingering effect on the people who live on this coastline.  We carry our "Buddy" with us everywhere we go and this is the first time we have had his picture made with us on this trip.

 
 

 
 

From the memorial, we could see the lighthouse in the distance but the up-close view is UNREAL.  The lighthouse sits on the edge of a shoreline of huge boulders.  Getting there is beautiful.  I can see why it is photographed so much. 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

We met a couple from Virginia in a Mustang convertible– with the top down.  What a way to see the sites!  As we were leaving, the information center recommended we view the sculptures that a local artist carved in the stones in his yard.  They were wonderful, depicting the life of the fishermen of the area. 

 

 

We left there going to the Cemetery of Titanic victims.  It was very humbling.  There was a headstone to a child who was the first victim recovered by the sailors.  They were so touched that they bought and paid for the child’s headstone.  He has since been identified – all of his family died as a result of the shipwreck. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there we went back to the Harbor.  I wanted to ride the Harbor Hopper which we had seen the day before. 

 

We saw some of the town from the Hopper and we saw much of the harbor.  It was neat. 

 

 

 

We had a nice meal on the pier and laid out ideas for the trip toward ALABAMA.  I haven’t heard from the kids since Friday and I don’t know if my phone text is working.  Will be glad to get back to the states where we can talk.  By the way – since we have been in Canada, James has seen numerous telephone booths with phones that work.  He thinks that what we need at home instead of so many cell phones so naturally he had to have his picture made in one! 

Saturday Aug 16

GREAT DAY!!  I don’t know if I can even cover all of it.  We started at the Public gardens in Halifax. They are completely free and, even though they were devastated by a hurricane in 2003, they are beautiful. 

 

 

 

 

From the gardens we went to the Citadel fort, which was built in the 1600’s as a British defense of the harbor from possible attack by the French.  Most of the fort is original and, although built to defend the harbor, has never been attacked.  It was staffed by people dressed in Scottish uniforms.  I asked why they were dressed that way since this was an English fort.  They explained that Scotland was part of the British Empire at that time and the fort was manned by a Scottish brigade.    They fired muskets and cannons and played drums and bagpipes. 

 

 

 

 

From the fort we headed to Pier 21 where we went through the Immigrant museum.  It is dedicated to the positive affect that immigrants have had on Canada.  One of the most amusing stories we heard was about a child who was leaving Europe on a ship with her mother.   She didn’t want to go and leave the moon.  Her mother assured her that she talked with the Captain and he had tied a rope to the moon and would bring it with them.  The child went out on the ship every night to see if the moon was still with them until they arrived in Halifax with the moon intact! 

 

 

 From there we proceeded on the Harbor Walk to the Maritime Museum.  Here we learned more about the sinking of the Titanic, including that the survivors and the dead were brought to Halifax.  There were so many dead who were either unidentified or whose family could not afford to return them to England that the ship liner had a special place dedicated in the local cemetery and provided headstones for each person.  Those who were not identified were listed by a number which was engraved on their stone.  While that seemed to be such a large tragedy we learned about the Halifax disaster which occurred 5 years later.  A ship, loaded with TNT, caught fire in the harbor and exploded.  It destroyed much of Halifax and killed over 2,000 people.  We also learned that Massachusetts was one of the first to immediately send help to Halifax.  They provided such assistance that Halifax has a day during the year dedicated to their honor. 

 

 

As we left and walked down the Board walk we noticed that their trash receptacles have three openings (cans, paper and garbage).  They are serious about the environment. In addition to the "odd" things we saw, there was a vessel that I thought was a tour boat and learned it was a PRIVATE  YACTH!  I never saw a private yacht this big.

 
 

 
As we went further down to the "Sea Port" we saw the cutest "tug boat" being used as a tour boat of the harbor.  We decided that this would be Brooks' favorite picture of the entire trip!  I wanted to ride the Harbor Hopper but we ran out of time.  Maybe tomorrow.

 

 We ate at the Bluemoon II where James had a full lobster.  I tasted it but it is not my favorite food. 

 

On the way to the hotel, our GPS froze up!!  Thank goodness we had decent directions on how to get there and we just went “backwards.”  We decided that if it didn’t “un-freeze” we had no choice but buy another one.  DAH!  We brought it into the hotel hoping the battery would run down and it would “un-freeze”.  Regardless, as I said, it was a GREAT day!