Notes from a Large Country*--Chapter 4

Nova Scotia was serious!! Even in US dollars, that is a hefty fine.

Closing Remarks

Time is running out, my self-set deadline looming, the scraps of a larger project lying askew waiting to be brought into order. More about that later. For now, closing thoughts about Canada, specifically the Maritime Provinces. 

Throughout this road trip of unending views of trees and water, I had the sensation of driving through northern Minnesota, the setting for my fondest childhood memories. A major difference is the lack of bugs. It appears to be less humid here, if my recollection of the land of 10,000 lakes is accurate. Perhaps the drought is keeping irritating critters at bay. The constant wind may deter flies and mosquitoes. Overall, it is most positive positive.

Which may be why I see no screened porches. One of my must-haves for returning to the Midwest is a screened porch for comfortable outdoor living. Even better would be space similar to my childhood home’s addition with its four-inch jalousie windows allowing us to enjoy three seasons and store Christmas cookies during the holidays. Nothing like a cold Spritz butter cookie for breakfast. Fond memories include springtime Sunday mornings, the windows warming the sunny air, reading the Des Moines Sunday Register in my jammies.

Those were the days of the fat Sunday editions that kept everyone reading all day.

Another architectural surprise: single-car garages. Many times, no garage. For a place that gets 10’ of snow during the winter, that is mind-boggling.

Then the ubiquitous Tim Horton’s. Assuming TH was a fast-food hamburger chain. I’ve been missing out on fast-food breakfast especially fresh donuts and, according to their sign, Canada’s favourite coffee. I am not sure who decides the country’s favorite, but after several days of hotel coffee, Tim Horton’s became my favorite.

There must also be an international board of ice cream judges. We were told that Cow’s ice cream is Canada’s best. In typical Canadian humility, they concede to being second in the world, second to a gelato in Italy. After several trials of various brands throughout the region, I attest Cow’s is darn good.

I was delighted to see quite a few Little Free Libraries. Gotta love any neighborhood excited about books.

Prince Edward Island (PEI), home of Anne of Green Gables, stands out in my mind as a land of stunning shores. But inland, it is rolling hills and agriculture, particularly potatoes and corn, where vodka and gin are very popular.

Warning: when researching tourist attractions, if a nail salon is listed as one of the top five sites, drive on. Just sayin’. However, an itinerary laid out by Jeremy Lilley was helpful for our day in PEI. He has itineraries and suggestions for many destinations around the world. Check it out.

What we expected to see vs what we saw.

During our time in Quebec, smoke faded the landscape reminding us of the ongoing forest fires. It persisted for a few days into New Brunswick until a morning of fog looked refreshing. A ranger told us that there had been no significant rain since May. Plans to visit a waterfall were thwarted by the closure of the trail to the fall and the lack of falls because of the drought.

Our ten-day plans included frequent hiking, but Nova Scotia was serious: all forest trails closed. The stunning coastlines and beaches made up for those closures, but we often found ourselves at loose ends, which allowed us time to dither in places such as the Les Trois Pignons Cultural Museum and Gallery and the highlight, Hannah’s Bottle Village. Mike confesses he would never stop at such places on his own but concedes to being impressed and/or puzzled.

It was amazing that waterfalls were dry, rivers and lakes low when surrounded by all that water in the bays and ocean. “Climate change” was named the culprit; and no one argued.

During the 2024 Canadian election, promises were made to waive entry fees for all national parks and historic sites in Canada. Saving on entry fees, we tried to tip generously.

Oops. Our arrival at Minister's Island was well-planned although a week late.

Ironically, despite the drought, many of our plans demanded that we monitor the tide chart. Mabs (my aging brain) planned our arrival at Minister’s Island  perfectly, for a week earlier. The lovely drive to the channel ended at the underwater lane to the island. Flooding your driveway is one way to keep unwanted guests at bay.

I recall sleeping through lessons about tides in elementary school. Moline sits on a wide section of the Mississippi River with no evidence of tidal activity. Visits to Puerto Peñasco opened my eyes to the beauty of ocean tides, and I always appreciate when hosts post tide charts. But we were perplexed by the tide affecting the St. Lawrence River.

Then I glimpsed a map labeling the section near Quebec City as an estuary. Thanks to trips to Puerto Peñasco, I knew what an estuary was and was now interested in those lessons ignored in school.

As with science, I slept through geography in elementary school. Both subjects seemed irrelevant to me at the time. I do hope teaching methods have changed, because now I love science and geography. I confess to ignorance regarding the Irish and Scottish roots of the Maritimes. Nova Scotia–New Scotland. Yes, a little slow here.

We missed the Fundy-St. Martins Sea Shanty Festival in New Brunswick and various ceilidhs. In fact, other than my harmonica playing, we heard no live music during our time here, very rare for my travels.

‘Pjila'si’  was often seen on the welcome signs throughout the area, acknowledging the native peoples who inhabited the region originally. Doubtless there is much controversy about it, but being the ignorant foreign visitor, I found it heartening.

I close these notes with words of insight:

Education is wasted on the young. Travel is the best education.

*A nod to one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson.