Friday, April 1, 2016

Nova Scotia

This province is one of Canada's most scenic...bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Fundy. The “Lighthouse Route” is spectacular extending from Nova Scotia's capital city, Halifax, to Yarmouth on its southern tip...thousands of tourists yearly visit the province's marine beauty, the stalwart lighthouse perched on roughly hewn rocks and the ruggedness of Peggy Cove’s fishing village; further along the coast is Lunenberg ~ a Unesco World Heritage Site and home of “The Bluenose”. Rounding the peninsula-shape past Yarmouth and along the Bay of Fundy is Digby, the 'capital scallop' of the world!

Halifax hosts a population of 403,000 people ~ the largest city population east of Quebec City.
The Cunard Steamship Line was founded in Halifax in 1840.
The Halifax Citadel National Museum Site is the most visited National Historic Site in Canada.

Steeped in history and culture, Halifax revolves around the sea and for over 30 years, cruise passengers have come ashore to enjoy all that our province has to offer. The world’s largest shipping lines call on the Port of Halifax, connecting the port to more than 150 countries. This lively seaport is an arts and cultural waterfront district enjoyed by local residents and visitors.

There are more pubs per capita in Halifax than any other city in Canada.

Sydney Crosby, professional ice hockey player was born on August 7, 1987 in Cole Harbour, N.S.
Nova Scotia is also home to many well-known musicians…Anne Murray, Rita MacNeil, the Rankin Family, Ashley MacIsaac, Holly Cole, Sarah McLachlan.
Actors: Ellen Page, Holly Taylor, John Reardon, Peter Donat…and many more.
Alexander Graham Bell…(scientist and inventor)…etcetera.

Bay of Fundy

Canada's “Natural Wonder” is home to the most extreme tidal environment on Earth. The highest tides in the world are found here within the Bay's “Minas Basin”. Every 12.5 hours, 160 billion tons of water flow in and out of the Bay of Fundy ~ enough to fill the Grand Canyon. At its peak, the Fundy tide can reach as high as a 5-storey building. When the tide is out, it’s a unique and phenomenal opportunity to walk “on the ocean floor”. Signs are posted re the tide times…for visitors' safety.

Cape Breton…Drive of a Lifetime

With its self-tanged fishing villages and mountainous interior cloaked in dense woods, Cape Breton is the prize of Nova Scotia ~ a green get-away splashed with lakes and lapped by the blue waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. Besides the natural beauty to be found here, the Cabot Trail immerses you in the still vibrant Gaelic and Acadian cultures of Cape Breton.

(I comment here that twice I’ve driven this scenic treasure and was totally enthralled with its natural beauty carved by nature. At the top end of the Cabot Trail, we discovered a narrow country road that curled and curved through rural hamlets and coast until we reached what one might consider “heaven” …where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The waters were navy-blue rough…the view was forever…and we were totally alone standing atop the rugged cliff with wild winds blowing through our hair.)

Nova Scotia’s Provincial Flower: Mayflower. Bird: Osprey. Tree: Red Spruce.
Slogan: “One defends and the other conquers.”
Nicknames: The Seaboard Coast, Canada’s Ocean Playground, the Bluenose Province.

“You know you live in Cape Breton when:
Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway;
And when “Vacation” means going to Halifax for the weekend.”
(Author Unknown)

Nova Scotian Humour

Three Canadian men were travelling in the USA and happened to meet at a bar in New York City. One man was from Toronto, one from Montreal and one from Nova Scotia. They got acquainted and started talking about their problems with their wives. The guy from Toronto began by saying, “I told my wife in no uncertain terms that from now on she would have to do her own cooking. Well ~ the first day after I told her, I saw nothing…second day I saw nothing. The third day when I came home from work, the table was set, a wonderful dinner was prepared with wine and even dessert. Then the man from Montreal spoke up: “I sat moi wife down and tellsted her, dat from now she hav’ to do her own shoppin’, also da cleanin’. Da first day I sees nothin’. Da second day I sees nothin’. But on the turd day when I comes home, the whole house was spotless and in the pantry da shelves were filled with da groceries.” The fellow from Nova Scotia, married to a woman from Cape Breton, sat up straight on the bar stool, pushed out his chest and said, “I gave my wife a stern look and told her, that from now on she would have to do the cooking, shopping and housecleaning. “Well ~ the first day I saw nothing… second day I saw nothing…. on the third day, I could see a little bit out of my left eye.”

An American decided to write a book about famous churches around the world. So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to Vancouver (and work his way across the country from west to east). In the first church, taking photographs, he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read, “$10,000 per call”. Intrigued, he asked the priest about it who replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to God. The American thanked the priest, and next stopped in Calgary. There in a large cathedral, he saw the same golden telephone with the same sign under it. A nearby nun told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 he could talk to God. “OK, thank you,” said the American. He then travelled to Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal...and in every church he saw the same golden telephone and message.
Finally, he arrived in Halifax...but this time the message read “10 cents per call.” The priest smiled and answered the puzzled American, “You’re in the Maritimes now son, it’s a local call.”

While shopping at a mall in Yarmouth, a man and his wife go separate ways.
The husband then realizes that his wife has been gone for several hours. So, he decides to sit by a beautiful woman on the mall bench. He smiled and said, “Talk with me…Quick!” She asked, “Why?”
“Because every time I’m talking to a beautiful woman, my wife appears.”

Merle Baird-Kerr…written October 16, 2014
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