Our Saturday started by meeting up with Vicki and Kevin who own Blue Nose Sidecar tours out of Halifax.  They have found a way to turn their hobby into a livelihood. They had us gear up in do-rags and helmets in preparation for our ride to Peggy’s Cove. As we left Halifax, Kevin warned us that there could be a dramatic drop in temperature once we reached the coast. In Halifax the temperature was in the mid 80s but halfway there it dropped abruptly by about 15 degrees. It was rather bizarre. On route Vicki shared with us about the history, art and landscape of the region. She and Kevin are both native Haligonians. Their families have been here since the 1700s, so her knowledge of the area was extensive.

There is a road that creates a loop, highway 333, from Halifax all the way around St. Margaret’s Bay area.  This road is dotted with various artisans, including a man who sculpts trees into art with a chainsaw .  There are also numerous villages where fishing is still the main source of income for the residents. Every turn provided postcard-like views of blue water, white rocks and green forests.

Our first stop was the Swissair Flight 111 Memorial. On September 2, 1998 this plane went down just off the shore of Peggy’s Cove.  There are two monuments in honor of those who lost their lives and those who helped in the recovery. The views from here are both dramatic and peaceful. Words cannot express the majesty of the ocean force, as waves crash into the shoreline, creating spouts of seaspray.  From the memorial there is also a fabulou vista of the Peggy’s Point Lighthouse and the town of Peggy’s Cove. The fog had not yet lifted, so the view was still shrouded by the mist.

We hopped back into our sidecars and continued on to Peggy’s Cove. It looks exactly like what you would imagine a coastal fishing village to be….colorfully painted houses, lobster traps, fishing buoys, and fishing boats.  The lighthouse itself is perched dramatically on the rocks at the point of the cove. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world. Whenever you see a calender of lighthouses chances are the Peggy’s Point Lighthouse is among them.  Tomorrow we are going to return and go to some of the shops as well as do a little time lapse photography.

Lunch with the locals was a treat. Our usual practice is to rely on the local people to tell us where they would go to eat.  Vicki and Kevin picked Shaw’s Landing right along the water’s edge in West Dover. They serve fresh locally caught seafood in a quiet atmosphere.  Heather felt brave and ordered a lobster roll, which is basically a lobster salad sandwhich.  Everybody else had the Haddock fish burger with fresh cut fries.

Our last stop was the S.S. Atlantic Heritage Center,

in Terence Bay.  Everybody has heard of the Titanic, but few people even know of this equally tragic shipwreck. In fact, the coastline here has seen scores of shipwrecks.  In 1873, the S.S. Atlantic had been blown way off course and struck one of the islands at full speed.  Because of the layout of the ship, every women and child perished except for one boy. Standing there was solemn but also awe inspiring. The untamed power of the sea, wind and the rocky coast cannot be mastered by the human will.  It was truly an awesome sight to behold.  Afterwards, we were treated to some freshly baked blueberry cake and Vicki showed us some of the artifacts that had been recovered from the Atlantic wreckage.

We LOVED our tour in the sidecars. Feeling the wind on our faces and having the opportunity to pull off for a photo, enjoying Vicki and Kevin’s commentary, and not having to drive ourselves all made for a very unique and pleasant day.  Their passion and patriotism for their home province was inspiring.

After repairing the damage to our hairdos caused by wind and helmets, we drove over to Cheese Curds in Burnside, about 10 minutes outside of downtown Halifax.  Chef Bill Pratt is the owner and creator of this unique dining hotspot. His vision was to bring something new to the palates of this area, in the form of gourmet burgers and poutines.  We were surprised to learnthat prior to Cheese Curds, there were no specialty hamburger restaurants here. His idea was also to expand the poutines beyind the traditional Quebecois version – fries, cheese curds and brown gravy. He brings an international flair to standard dishes, creating a fusion of tastes. Some of the special poutines include the Thai Chicken, and the Ukranian Pierogi poutines! We actually tried three…the Original, the Taco-Beef, and the Donair. Donair (for all you non-Nova Scotians) is like a thinly cut meatloaf, with a sweet sauce. That was our very favorite!!!  This restaurant would do great at home – gourmet burgers, and fresh-cut fries with a bunch if toppings.  What’s not to love?

So we are seeing that Nova Scotia is such a blend of cultures…from it’s history and culture, to its poutines at Cheese Curds!  we are excited to se what we find tomorrow….

Enjoying the journey from a sidecar….

Heather and Courtney