Earlier this year I read The Lobster Coast by Colin Woodard. Besides learning a ton of maritime history about my lovely home state as well as discovering just how interesting lobsters really are, I read quite a bit about Maine’s relationship with its neighbors Massachusetts and Nova Scotia. One particular quote Woodard included about Nova Scotia that I couldn’t get out of my head was said by Richard Barringer, a professor at the Edmund Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine: “If you want to see what Maine looked like in 1965, you have to go to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. If you want to see what it looked like in 1940 you’d have to go to Newfoundland.” Loving Maine the way I do (and Canada, as the true half-Canadian that I am), the idea of visiting Nova Scotia took root in my mind and would not loosen its hold. I wanted to see what Maine looked like before I became a part of it. Nostalgia is odd - it leaves you wanting what you can't have in a way that is somehow still satisfying. It's a drug, and I wanted to soak myself in it and dream of simpler times.
“Eh?”s and kilometers and Canadian coins aside, Novia Scotia upon first impression really does feel like New England. The coastline is rugged, the cooking is hearty. The homes are built for harsh weather and the people are friendly.
Halifax, the capital, has so much rich history to be explored. The Citadel, the Nova Scotia Art Gallery, the Public Gardens, and the Halifax Library were some of my favorite stops in the city.
Lunenberg and Mahone Bay are a supremely quaint pair of tiny waterfront towns about an hour south of Halifax. Each was entirely walkable, with only a short drive between the two. Artists shops, restaurants, and cafes line the streets. A walking tour of Lunenberg helped us contextualize the unique architecture and the town's distinction as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Last but not least during our Nova Scotian adventure was a visit to Cape Breton National Park. The towns on Cape Breton Island are truly bare bones - ancient gas pumps, family-owned general stores, and "licensed restaurants" (I never thought to feel uncertain until I noticed a lot of restaurants felt it was necessary to advertised that they were licensed...huh.) Most of our time on the island was spend on hiking trails and in campground, and the views everywhere were just incredible. Think Acadia National Park in Maine, but with more cliffs and in a more remote area. The best night we had was spent backpacking out to Fishing Cove, where we practically had an entire beachy cove to ourselves. It was the perfect way to end our trip.
It's funny how a place can change how you see the world. I could have taken a very similar trip in Downeast Maine with identical activities, but it wouldn't have felt the same. The newness of it all, the specialness of seeing a new place, a new way of life, gives memories that shiny wistful glow that makes me want to do it all over again. Nova Scotia, I thank you.