iBakeMemories

We were there for a week. I’ve broken down each day with what we did, and some pictures of course 😀

 

 

We spent the next day in Halifax. Our Airbnb was just outside the city and we enjoyed the calm and quite neighbourhood in the morning. Nahyan and Zakariya went out for a walk around the neighbourhood while I got everything settled in at the new place. While they were out, they talked to a few locals and one of them suggested this place for lunch called Sydelles Fish and Chips. We decided to go there for lunch and boy oh boy, that first bite of seafood was something else. You guys, the seafood there is so fresh! Honestly I’ve never had anything like it before. We were so full and happy after lunch!

Next we decided to just drive around and check out random places as they come up. We didn’t plan very busy days because our number one priority was making sure baby’s needs are being met. We ended up by this water front, where we sat and chilled for a few hours. We then grabbed some coffee, and ice-cream, before heading back home. It was a nice chill first day.

One of the main reasons I wanted to check out Nova Scotia is because of the Atlantic ocean. I absoltely love oceans! I was born in Swansea, Wales and my parents talk about the fond memories of the time they spent near the Atlantic ocean; how we always went to the beach, and about the cruise we took when I was only a few months old. So I really wanted to see the ocean again, this time from the opposite end of it.

On day 3, we drove to Peggy’s Cove and then Lunenburg. The drive was beautiful, but the view from Peggy’s Cove took my breath away – literally. You know how kids react to ToysRUs? Well that was me, looking out at the ocean. I kept saying, “look at the ocean Nahyan! Zakariya, look, a lighthouse!”

We spent the afternoon in Peggy’s Cove. Watching tourists take pictures, stare into the ocean and enjoy the sun. I really didn’t want to leave, but Lunenburg was also on the list.

 

 

 

 

 

Lunenburg has a lot of history! I’m not going to get into too much details, but it is a National Historic Site of Canada. It’s a very pretty town with a lot of colorful buildings.

We ended the day with some more coffee!

We started the next day again around midday, and decided to go to Downtown Halifax for lunch. We went to Willman’s Fish and Chips and ordered their biggest seafood platter. Worth every penny!

We left Antigonish early the next day. I wanted to spend as much time as possible in Cape Breton. I was so excited for the drive, and let me tell you, it was even more surreal than I expected it to be. Lush green mountains on one side, the ocean on the other; clouds playing peekaboo with the sun and the sunlight hitting the water in different angles, making it have every shade of blue you can imagine. SubhanAllah. As a painter, I could only imagine just how hard it would be to replicate such a scenery, if not impossible.

We decided to stay in Cheticamp. A beautiful Acadian village as you enter Cabot Trail. A lot of families here still speak French, as they are the descendants of the early French settlers. Our bed and breakfast was called Auberge Doucet Inn, and was run by the loveliest ladies. Nova Scotia is known to have the friendlist people in Canada, and we can attest to that! I was a little nervous to be honest, because we were probably the only people of color there, and I wear a hijab on top of that too. But alhamdulillah, everyone was very welcoming.

In the two days we were there, we got to observe and somewhat experience life of such a small town, and it’s the complete opposite of life here in Toronto. Everyone knows one another, they stop by to say hi to you and hold a conversation. Not everyone is on their phones, giving their time and energy away to social media. It was really refreshing to see that.

On day 7, we drove back close to Halifax since our flight was the next day. We stayed in the most beautiful resort in Musquodoboit Harbour called Worthington Place. Once we saw just how breathtaking this place was, we decided to stay in and just enjoy the resort. They had a spa, a hot tub, a sauna and the most perfect view to watch the sunset.

This was our last day in Nova Scotia. I was feeling so emotional leaving the place, we had such an amazing week alhamdulillah. But we still had a few hours before our flight, so we decided to go to the famous John’s Lunch for some fish and chips. Let me tell you, their calamari was so fresh and so soft, we enjoyed every last piece! A must try if you’re in Halifax.

We ended the trip by taking a private boat tour with our baby. We got to learn so much history of Halifax and Nova Scotia from the sailor. He showed us islands where some of the first settlers came to live in the 1700s. One of the islands is apparantly haunted, as the last standing lighthouse is slowly falling to the ground! We also got to see McNabs Island, which is named after Peter McNab, who had bought the island in 1780s. The island is now a provincial park, used as a camping site. The natural beauty is preserved, and as we sailed past the island, we saw deer come out of the forest to get a sip of water! I got so excited 😛 It really was the perfect ending to our trip.