Nova Scotia
From vast areas of unexplored wilderness to dramatic wave-battered Atlantic coastlines and abundant wildlife, Nova Scotia is a popular destination with nature-lover`s. The food-rich waters surrounding the Canadian province are recognised as one of the world`s prime whale watching locations and depending on the season, tens of thousands of seabirds may also be encountered. The whales are so common here that visitors are just as likely to see one from one of the elevated parking areas on Cape Breton`s Cabot Trial. The animals often swim very close to shore to explore or scratch their bellies on the stony seabed.
The province is steeped in history and, from the bustling capital of Halifax and its important seaport, to quieter picturesque locations like Peggy`s Cove, Dingwall and Hall`s Harbour, the descendants of the early settlers who named the land `New Scotland` are immensely proud of their culture and heritage. I`m sure that most visitors will see a few kilts worn and hear bagpipe and Celtic fiddle tunes at some point during their stay!
The province is steeped in history and, from the bustling capital of Halifax and its important seaport, to quieter picturesque locations like Peggy`s Cove, Dingwall and Hall`s Harbour, the descendants of the early settlers who named the land `New Scotland` are immensely proud of their culture and heritage. I`m sure that most visitors will see a few kilts worn and hear bagpipe and Celtic fiddle tunes at some point during their stay!
One of the many Scots who relocated to Nova Scotia was the world famous Edinburgh-born scientist and inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) who, in 1885, acquired the mansion house at Baddeck, Cape Breton, and made it his summer home. Bell`s Nova Scotia estate, which he named Beinn Breagh (Gaelic for Beautiful Mountain), lies atop one of the Bras d`Or lake`s wooded islands and can be viewed from the Baddeck Alexander Bell Museum`s rooftop garden. More information on Bell`s life and work can be found here.
Changing of The Guard, Fort George, Halifax Citadel
A total of 267 Flower-class Corvettes were built either in Canada or the UK, most serving in the Battle of the Atlantic throughout World War II. HMCS Sackville (K181) is the last of the 123 Canadian-built vessels and is Canada’s oldest fighting warship. Sackville, now preserved as a floating museum in Halifax, was dedicated as the nation`s official Naval Memorial in 1985. The location has added significance as the Nova Scotia capital was an important assembly point and destination for convoys making the perilous journey between Great Britain and North America. Service on these small workhorses in the North Atlantic was typically cold, wet, monotonous and uncomfortable. They were prone to rolling and pitching and every dip of the forecastle into an oncoming wave was followed by a cascade of water over the decks. Men at action stations were drenched with spray, and water entered living spaces through hatches opened to access ammunition magazines.