Sydney in the morning, Antigonish in the afternoon

Before leaving Sydney, we had a few more places to visit. First up, was a trip back to Open Hearth Park for some fun in the playground for Eli. There was bit of light rain, and no other children around, so we didn't stay very long.

Then it was down to the harbour/cruise pavilion to check out the giant fiddle. I've never actually cruised into Sydney, but I've seen photos before. They don't do it justice. At 60 feet in height, it is built of steel, and is a tribute to the local Celtic community. There is clearly a sound system hooked up that plays traditional music. 

Next up was Cossit House Museum, a living museum with individuals dressed in period costumes and offering tours and information about the property. The house was built in 1787, and named for the original owner, Reverend Rana Cossit. He and his family, wife Thankful, and ten of their thirteen children lived there until 1815. 

With a final stop at a local thrift shop, where D found several books from a favorite author, we headed out on the highway toward Antigonish. (By this point, I was thinking we were going to need an additional bag.)

The clouds were low in the sky, and at points nearly obscuring the top of the hills.

Our first stop in Antigonish was the Snow Queen Diner. It was set up much like an old style diner except we were provided a pager to notify us when our lunch was ready. I went with their special of the day, a smash burger - it was delicious! 

D had hoped to visit a number of churches along Church Street, and I had my heart set on visiting St. Ninian Cathedral. Since I was driving, I got my wish. I had visited there in 2015, and remember being amazed by the church then, and that was my impression this time too.

As it turned out the other churches D thought would be interesting were not open to the public. After a brief visit to a gift shop downtown, we headed off to the hotel - a very modern Microtel Inn & Suites. There was a heated pool, and D and Eli took advantage both that evening and the following morning.

This hotel was across the highway and quite far from the center of the community. There wasn't much out there, just a few fast food restaurants, a gas station and convenience store. But it was definitely quiet and provided a continental breakfast in the morning. It also had the only heated pool in our travels.

The following day was July 1, Canada Day, and we would be heading back to Halifax for our final night. But there was at least one more place nearby we wanted to explore. Stay tuned!

Off to Baddeck, via New Glasgow, Arisaig, and Antigonish.

The next few days involved more driving. After four nights we checked out of the hotel in Bedford, saying see you later, with the Cabot Trail Motel in Baddeck our planned destination for the night.

We had lots of time, as our driving time would have been around 4 hours, and we weren't scheduled to check in until 3 p.m. Though the Pomquet Beach outside Antigonish was on the spreadsheet, it was a cool, cloudy day with rain in the forecast, so we decided to forgo the beach day and find other spots to visit along the way.

But first of all, here are a few photos of the scenery along the highway. I can't tell you exactly where we were, but do know the photos were taken before we reached New Glasgow.

D did some research on the "Google machine" and came up with a historical house in New Glasgow, the Carmichael-Stewart House Museum. Built in 1880, the house was a wedding gift to James Matheson Carmichael and his bride, Christian Matheson from his parents. His eldest daughter, Maria Carmichael inherited the property. She married Robert Bruce Stewart. The couple had no children and on their passing, the house was bequeathed to the Town of New Glasgow. Maria passed away in 1959, Robert in 1962.

We happened to arrive on the day the museum officially opened for the 2025 season. The staff were busy setting up for the event which included the renaming of the property as the Pictou County History Museum.

We were welcomed in, admission was by donation. One of the staff shared some information with us about the history, and provided a quick tour of the main floor. In addition, she told us they were having a scavenger hunt, and we happily agreed to take part. We were provided a sheet of paper with clues as to where to find the rocks that had pictures attached and off we went to explore. 

The museum holds artifacts including household furniture, glassware, tools, toys, tools, and guns. Eli found a pair of wooden swords in the children's bedroom and was told to go ahead and play with them. (That surprised me). We found most of the rocks inside the house, and then headed outdoors to the garden and yard to find even more of them. When we returned indoors, the staff member was kind enough to point us in the direction of the last one or two we were missing. Eli was presented with a prize for being the first to complete the scavenger hunt. It was a fun stop and I think we all enjoyed it.

Leaving New Glasgow we started on our way to Antigonish. Again D did a little research and found a unique option, the Arisaig Lobster Interpretive Marine Life Centre. The centre offers touch tanks, a scaled down lobster fishing boat, and lots of information about the lobster fishing industry. There were two young men working the day we arrived. One, was the grandson of a man who built many of the boats that were used in the area for lobster fishing. His father recently sold his fishing license as this young man plans to go to university to become an engineer. The second young man had just graduated two days prior from highschool and was planning to go to university in the fall as well. 

The biggest draw was the lobsters in the touch tank. They were various colours, blue, green, and brown. (I didn't think to ask why. Their claws were banded shut, but the critters were still aggressive towards one another. Sadly, neither D nor I got a decent photo of the tank. The best I can offer is the mounted lobster. According to the note, it weighed about 20 pounds, and was thought to be about 40 years old.

Nearby was the Arisaig replica lighthouse. The original burned down in 1939, but was rebuilt by local volunteers in 2007. It contains an ice cream shop on the lower level. Had it been a warmer day, we might have enjoyed a cone. We did, however, enjoy the views from the shoreline.

Leaving Arisaig, we continued on to Antigonish where we stopped at the Peace by Chocolate store. Originally from Syria, the Hadhad family lost their chocolate factory in Damascus in a bombing in 2012. They originally fled to Lebanon, later found their way to Canada, where they built their business in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. If you ever have the opportunity to taste their chocolate, I can assure you it is delicious. We bought a couple of bars to bring home with us, and each picked out a single chocolate to enjoy in the car as a treat.

Since we were planning to stay one night in Antigonish a couple of days later, we decided to wait to do more exploring then. We headed for the main highway, and I did an oopsie mistake, taking the wrong exit. We were off course for probably 15 minutes or so before our GPS maps gave us a reasonable option to return to the highway. (There were a couple of roads it suggested we turn on that looked a wee bit suspect to me).

We arrived at the motel mid-afternoon and were ready to get out of the car. Our room was up on the hill above the main office and restaurant. The view of Bras D'or Lake was lovely. The lake has a connection to the Atlantic Ocean, but also has fresh water inflows - we learned the water is called brackish. Before we left the following day, D and Eli crossed the highway to put their toes in the water.

The motel did have a restaurant on site, but we had passed by the Red Barn Gift shop and restaurant, a few minutes away. The meal was memorable, not only for the meal, but for D's interactions with several other guests. A couple came in shortly after we did, having ridden in on a motorcycle. They were from Quebec and spoke just a little English. D is functionally bilingual and was able to assist the couple and the waitress with their order. Later another group was trying to order dessert, and she assisted with that request as well. Back to our meal, would it surprise you if I said I ordered fish and chips? Both D and Eli had French fries a well, and we all agreed they were the best we'd had on the trip. After a brief stop in the gift shop, we headed back to the motel for a good night's sleep.

We had big plans for the next day!

Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg

We were all excited to leave the city of Halifax and get on the road. I was tired of battling traffic to get to the downtown area of the city. Bedford was better, though still more traffic than we're used to in our small town. As one of my readers suggested (thanks Kim), we chose the scenic route to Peggy's Cove, a winding two lane highway, rather than the main highway. Every curve seemed to provide another beautiful view, of the trees, water, and small communities.  Sadly, there are no photos - I was driving and my daughter was so fascinated by the scenery she took no photos!

We arrived in Peggy's Cove ahead of the crowd that would soon arrive. There were just a few vehicles in parking lot near the visitor's center. After a stop to pick up a map (though it wasn't really needed we made our way towards the lighthouse.

Eli was very interested in walking on the rocks, however we managed to keep him away from the ocean.

Unfortunately we were too early in the season for many of the shops, though likely by just a few days.

One of the buildings we had hoped to visit was the old schoolhouse but, it too, was locked up.

Leaving Peggy's Cove, we made our way to Lunenburg. We were able to find a parking spot just a short distance off the main shopping street, where D was lured into visiting. After dropping off her parcels at the car, we walked a little further down towards the water.

After a short walk down the boardwalk, we went to visit the Bluenose II. The original Bluenose was launched in March 1921 in Lunenburg as a fishing and racing schooner. It would reign as an undefeated racing champion until 1946 when it ran aground on a reef off Haiti. The ship is featured on the Canadian dime. Bluenose II was launched in 1963, and currently spends it's time in Halifax and Lunenburg. Open for on deck touring, one can also book a two hour cruise available twice daily. The price was a bit much for my pocketbook so we limited ourselves to a wander on the deck of the ship. Eli was quite disappointed to learn he wouldn't be sailing on it...maybe next time.

Another short walk brought us to the Fisheries museum which featured a restaurant on the wharf with an incredible view of the bay. (Pricey but good). While the temperatures had moderated somewhat from the two previous days, it was still quite hot and the shade of the patio umbrella was appreciated.

After lunch, it was time to visit the museum itself. I had not been there in 2015 and found it very interesting. There is a large room towards the rear of the building that was full of exhibits, ship models, ropes and other equipment, and several interactive displays.

A visit to the museum's gift shop capped off our afternoon, and we made our way back to the car to return to Halifax for our last night at the hotel in Bedford for a few days. 

A road trip to Baddeck was our plan for the next day!

Halifax - Day 1

Not surprisingly, D and I were awake by 6 a.m., though Eli slept through until 7. When everyone was up and dressed, we headed down to the breakfast room. The menu was the same every day we were there: scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, ham, cereal, muffins, bagels/bread for toasting, yogurt, and for those willing to wait a little longer, waffles. There was definitely something for everyone. 

When I set up the schedule for our trip (yes, there was a spreadsheet), I had planned a couple of activities/places to see, but of course with lots of free time. Our agenda for Day 1 was the Maritime museum and Pier 21 Museum of Immigration. We only made it to the first and walked part of the boardwalk on the waterfront. There was salt water taffy to buy and a playground for Eli to enjoy. I had warned D there would be a lot of walking, and there was and both she and Eli ended up early in the day with blisters. . D was able to switch out shoes, but Eli's blister was on the bottom of his foot. 

In addition to this area, there was a climbing apparatus with slides, and a large concrete whale tail to climb. It was the latter that caused Eli's blister. He tried to climb it wearing his shoes but wasn't able to make it to the top. Barefoot he basically walked up but when he slid down, he tried slowing himself down, resulting in the blister.

Off we went to find a drugstore, and while D ran in to get what she needed, I searched for a restaurant for lunch. Some distance from downtown, we found Willman's Fish and Chips. The business was originally opened in 1946 at the same location, though has had two other owners since. The latest owners have rebuilt in the same location, a corner lot in what seemed to be a mostly residential area. It was quiet, just one other family was dining while we were there, and I can confirm the food was delicious!

Back at the hotel we spent an hour or so at the pool. I should mention Halifax was under a heat warning for the first couple of days, with temperatures over 30C (86F) and the humidity was high. I didn't get in the pool that day, but D and Eli enjoyed the cool water. When we headed back to the room, I napped for nearly 90 minutes - I guess I was more tired than I realized. After my nap, we headed out to a nearby Dollarama to pick up some inexpensive beach towels - the ones at the hotel were no bigger than hand towels. 

On our way back, we stopped at a local pizzeria, Tomaso's, touted as the oldest pizzeria in Halifax. Originally opened in 1969 in downtown Halifax, the current owner moved to the Bedford Highway location. The restaurant has no air conditioning, so we chose to take our meal back to the hotel. We ordered a combo, including a pizza, garlic fingers, and a 2 litre bottle of pop/soda. There was more than enough food for two nights, plus a snack or two. 

While the day didn't pan out the way I had thought it might, we did have a good day. D would have liked to have spent more time at the Maritime museum, and Eli would have liked more time at the playground area at the waterfront. I was happy with my nap. :)

The weather improved the next day, and with proper footwear and bandages, it was a busy one. 

Memories - past and present (part 2)

Our second full day, started early as had the day prior. There was leftover bannock and bacon from the previous morning so that was what we ate. Eli was feeling much better after a decent night's sleep, so we headed to the playground to run off some energy before we hopped in the car. 

Our first planned stop was mural on Centre Street near the post office.

The artist recreated an old store front that existed well before I was born, and some of the individuals in the mural were locals he had asked permission to take photos of. One of those individuals is my dad; D and I wanted to have a photo of Eli walking with him. The artist captured Dad so well, that little half smile, and yes, he was that slim. I don't think he ever weighed more than 175 pounds and was six feet tall.

Our next stop was the Nipawin and Area Living Museum, a place where my Dad spent a lot of his time volunteering, after he and mom moved to town. We arrived just as the museum opened and were the only ones on the grounds for the hour or so we were there. I took a number of photos, but promise to share just a few favorites here. :)

There were many vehicles arranged around the back lot. I like this one in particular and we had Eli sit in the front seat. I don't know he'll ever ride a school bus, but I have many memories of doing so, though not on one as old as this one. (the sign indicates it would hold 25 passengers). 

This old log cabin was donated by the fellow who bought my parent's home quarter. The building was on the property when Dad purchased it around 1960, and was originally used as a chicken house or granary, but when we were young, it was our playhouse. Later it was used by Dad and the new owner for storage before it was moved to the museum site.

The museum has transformed it into a trapper's cabin. I remember the old cupboard on the back wall was in the cabin when we were kids, and the window to the left was our "take-out" window when we played drive-in restaurant. 

Next up was a visit to the Cherry Ridge School. None of use ever attended the school, as it was closed many years before, but the community held several events throughout the year. My favorites were the summer picnic, with games including the three-legged race, gunny sack races, and the adult's baseball games, and even better was the annual Christmas concert. After the concert, which consisted of whatever children could be coerced/convinced to sing or dance or recite a poem, and a skit written and put on by the Cherry Ridge ladies, Santa would arrive with a bag full of presents (marked girl or boy) and the ladies would hand out bags of candy too. 

Eli was fascinated by the typewriter at the back of the classroom. D and I wandered reading through a number of the exhibits. There were a few items that mentioned Mom and/or Dad as they were active in the community club and curling club.

A highlight of the museum for Eli was the train cars. Only one is currently accessible as the other has deteriorated since its installation.

I'm not certain where the cars came from but the train station was moved from, where else, Railway Avenue a number of years ago. After some convincing, we got Eli away from the train cars and through the station. There is an area where the station master might have lived, the public waiting room and ticket counter, and the telegraph office. In the latter, there is a display of various computers/computerized tills that various local businesses have donated. In the back of the station are other donated artifacts and a couple of buggies.

We made a brief stop at the church, a building my Dad fell from when painting it years ago. He was knocked unconscious from the fall and when he came to, he asked who the ambulance was for! He also told his fellow volunteers "don't tell Betty" as he knew mom would be upset to learn he'd been climbing ladders at his age (late 80's if I remember correctly). Of course she found out, and of course, she wasn't happy with him.

Finally we went through an old house - Eli was about done so we left him on the first floor looking at a display of typewriters, while D and I finished the tour.

Just outside the house was evidence of the storm damage. The volunteers had already been through and taken away the trunks and branches, but you can see how the tree roots were pulled up. There is a pile of cut wood by the one of the luckier trees.

We did a wander through the main building exhibits as well, and the worker took us to the back room where we saw a memorial to Dad on the wall. We learned that only one of the individuals who was part of his crew of volunteers is still alive and active. 

Our next stop was meant to be the local florist to pick up flowers for mom and dad's graves. However, it turned they were closed on Saturday! D was very disappointed, but we went ahead and drove out to visit their graves. We also found my Uncle Wilf's grave in the area for the World War vets. He served in WWII and was gassed in France, resulting in lifelong emphysema.

Back at the campground, we did some organizing for our trip home the next day, while Eli relaxed with his tablet. Later in the afternoon, he and I went to visit the barnyard zoo again, where he was able to feed the chickens and bunnies with some leftover lettuce. Dinner that evening was burgers and hotdogs, along with grilled corn on the cob for Eli, the remaining pasta salad for D, and raw veg and dip for me. Dessert was watermelon, and we tried s'mores over the campfire. Eli didn't like them, D didn't want any, so I ate one. Bedtime was even later than the two previous nights, and we were all ready for sleep.

The following morning we were awake early and enjoyed our last campfire before packing up the car, and turning our minds toward home. But we had to make one more trip to the playground and the barnyard before we left! A rousing game of tag, you're it, woke us all up. 

We stopped on our way out of town for fuel for the car, and breakfast for all of us. The drive went well, and we were at D and Eli's by lunchtime. Initially I had thought I would stay for a bit, before driving home, but I was not feeling well and made the decision to leave as soon as everything was out of the car.  Good thing, as I spent much of the late afternoon napping on the couch, before falling into bed by 7:30 p.m. I guess I needed the sleep.

This begs the question, would I go camping again? Well, I will say that sleeping on the ground, even on a thermarest wasn't the most comfortable. Worse still, was getting up in the night to use the facilities. (I'll leave it at that.) While I do enjoy being outdoors, and found being in among the evergreens and trees from my childhood was wonderful, I hate bugs. The mosquitos were thick, though lazy, and while I didn't get bitten often, poor Eli wasn't as lucky no matter how much bug spray his mother used. 

Despite the discomforts, I wouldn't have missed this trip for the world. It brought back so many happy memories, and some sad ones too, and gave me a chance to make more memories with my grandson and daughter. I do think, if there is a next time, I'll consider renting a nearby cabin instead with indoor plumbing, more comfortable beds, and a kitchen.

Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane.