Oh Canada!

A trip to Nova Scotia by coastal New Englanders may seem unnecessary; simply more of what we're already used to here, only further north and east. That Atlantic province of Canada does have many interesting connections with us Yankees. But, as they say, vive la difference!

Two of us decided to venture from the coast of Maine on this expedition, to drive a loop of the lower third of Nova Scotia this past June. Opting for the fastest route to get there, we chose taking the CAT from Portland (Bar Harbor is the other departure point) to Yarmouth. Even though it's a boat that carries vehicles, it's hard to think of the CAT as a ferry. Rather, it's more like a limo ride in the fast lane of an expressway across the Bay of Fundy. With prices at the gas pump what they are these days, its ticket price may match or even undercut the expense of the drive, and it saves a substantial amount of time. Its friendly and comfortable passenger deck is compartmentalized into a number of spaces: a small casino offering slot machines, several theater areas showing recent movies or sports and news programming, seating along the windows for snacking, reading, and snoozing, and a small aft area open to the outside, half of it the only designated smoking section on board. In June, it's common to see whales swimming by as they migrate north. From Portland, the trip is a little over five hours (and from Bar Harbor, less than three). When you exit the CAT, the pace changes dramatically. You enter a different country, time zone, and ambience. This, we discovered, was the land of slower and gentler.

In short time, we were headed east out of Yarmouth, rounding the bottom of the peninsular province. Approaching Cape Sable, we were curious to see West Pubnico's electric-generating windmills. We easily found them at the far end of town, the 17 metal towers standing tall in a clearing in woods above the shore, whirring in the stiff breeze. Their sight and sound were eerily high tech in an otherwise timeless-looking fishing village where all the residents speak French. Heading out, we stopped to offer a lift to a local who, seeing our interest, showed us the lobster fleet, tied up now in their off-season. (They fish there from November to May). That chance encounter was what we would come to find was typical of Nova Scotians. They're easy to talk to and proud of their heritage, history and home.

For those of us living on the coast who can't get enough of all things marine-related, Nova Scotia is a treasure to explore. Every town seems to offer "living history" with still-traditional architecture and ways of life. There are also many well-done museums and interpretive centers preserving the legacy of a tenacious seafaring people. The places we visited with those kinds of opportunities on the South Shore included Shelburne, Liverpool, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay and Halifax. The art of boatbuilding and the craft of boating are highlighted in several; the lives of fish and fishermen described in detail in others. Those curious about the current state of fisheries (yes, there's no cod) will appreciate the Fisheries Museum in Lunenburg with its aquarium and working fishermen on-site. There's also lively coverage of pirates, privateers and rumrunners. And not surprisingly, given all these dangerous livelihoods, there are sobering memorials in many of the towns and in Halifax, marking the names of those who died at sea. Who knows if there's a relationship between lives lived on the edge and the popularity of grog, but this is great country for microbrews. Beginning with Rudder's in Yarmouth and culminating with Halifax's pantheon of brewers -- including Propeller, Garrison, Alexander Keith's and Granite -- plenty of good beers await a tasting.

On the other side of the peninsula, we visited Grand-Pre, the historic site marking the Acadians' forced deportation from Nova Scotia. Caught in a squeeze between France and England in the first half of the 18th century with each nation vying for dominance, these French-related but politically neutral settlers were deemed by the British in 1755 to be a problem. None of those expelled went directly to Louisiana, but the ones who eventually ended up there became known as Cajuns in Americanized nomenclature. To replace the Acadians, whose ingenuity and hard toil had established arable land from Fundy tidal flats reaching far inland, willing settlers more supportive of the Brits were recruited from New England. They are referred to in Nova Scotia as "the planters," and the still-present homes and names will especially resonate with visitors from Massachusetts and Connecticut.

As we paralleled the Bay of Fundy, our stops included Wolfville, Annapolis Royal and Port Royal, all once-thriving centers with marine-based economies, now turning to the tourism industry by developing their historic and cultural attractions. Digby is still more of a gritty fishing community, where the fleet for their famed scallops is headquartered. The tides are more dramatic in differential than Maine's, but the tang in the air, the waterfront full of pickup trucks and the ambience of the docks made us feel right at home; it could have been Vinalhaven! The last stretch of coast above Yarmouth is still Acadian and French-speaking. There are wonderful sandy beaches, brightly painted houses, and interesting local dishes to try.

What a special place Nova Scotia is, we concluded. We basked in its beauty and the residents' kind and generous spirit. Even the CAT, as it ripped and roared back across the water towards the States, sustained for us that mood of well-being, as we watched the surface of sea shining into sunset. A week of busy travel was ending. But we didn't feel exhausted as much as energized, by all we'd seen, the food and drink we'd enjoyed, and the people we'd met. q

More about Nova Scotia

1. The CAT: reservations and information at 1.800.761.2807 and www.catferry.com.
2. Shelburne: We stayed at the elegantly comfortable Cooper's Inn, 36 Dock Street, 902.875.4656, www.thecoopersinn.com, Reserve ahead to dine at the outstanding Charlotte Lane Café, 13 Charlotte Lane, 902.875.3314. Also in the neighborhood are the Dory Shop Museum, 11 Dock Street, and Muir-Cox Shipyard, at the south end of Dock Street.
3. Lunenburg: You can spend hours at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic,www.fisheries.museum.gov.ns.ca. A great place to eat is Fleur de Sel, 53 Montague Street, 902.640.2121 (reservations suggested).
4. Halifax: We stayed at the Westin Nova Scotian, overlooking the harbor at 1181 Hollis Street, 877.993.7846, www.westin.ns.ca. Breweries and brewpubs to try are Alexander Keith's, 1496 Lower Water Street, www.keiths.ca; Garrison Brewing, Marginal Road, www.garrisonbrewing.com; Propeller Brewery, 2011 Gottingen Street, www.drinkpropeller.ca; Granite Brewpub, 1662 Barrington Street. Lively places for night life and dinner include Economy Shoe Shop, 1663 Argyle Street, 902.423.8845, The Split Crow, 1855 Granville Street, www.splitcrow.com, and Bubbles Mansion (a must-see if you're a fan of the over-the-top TV series, "Trailer Park Boys," filmed near Halifax), 5287 Prince Street, 902.405.4505. Check out the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1723 Hollis Street; Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, 1675 Lower Water Street; Halifax Citadel, off Sackville Street; Pier 21 (Canada's equivalent of Ellis Island), 1055 Marginal Road; and the Public Gardens, very Victorian at Spring Garden Road and South Park Street.
5. Vineyards: Sainte- Famille Wines, off Route 101, Falmouth, and Domaine de Grand Pre, Route 1, Wolfville. For more information about those and others, check www.winesns.com.
6. Wolfville: Learn about the Acadians' deportation at nearby Grand Pre National Historic Site, Grand Pre Road, 902.542.3631. We stayed at the mellow Blomidon Inn, 127 Main Street, 800.565.2291, www.blomidon.ns.ca. Dinner was delicious at Tempest, 117 Front Street, 902.542.0588. And don't miss touring the botanical gardens at Acadia University.
7. Annapolis Royal: France's exploration of Canada began here. Tour a settlement recreating that era at Port-Royal National Historic Site, www.pc.gc.ca. See the only North American tidal power plant, Highway 1, 902.532.5769. We dined and lodged at the quaint Garrison House Inn, 350 St. George Street, 902.532.5501, www.garrisonhouse.ca, across from the historic cemetery where informative, as well as entertaining, lantern-lit walks are conducted (Old Burying Ground Walking Tour, Fort Anne, June-August, 9:30 PM). To parch a thirst and get a taste of the local scene and cuisine, relax at Ye Olde Towne Pub, 9 Church Street, 902.532.2244.
8. Digby: The Royal Fundy Fish Market, on Fisherman's Wharf, stocks many varieties of fresh and smoked fish to eat there or take out, 902.245.5411. To learn about Digby's world renowned product and local livelihood, tour the Lady Vanessa scallop dragger fisheries exhibit, 34 Water Street, 902.245.4950.
9. Yarmouth: We stayed at the fabulously appointed Guest-Lovett House, 12 Parade Street, 866.742.0372, www.guestlovett.ca, and enjoyed dinner at Chez Bruno's, 278 Main Street, 902.742.0031. Rudders Brew Pub is at 96 Water Street, 902.742.7311. You might want to shop at one or all of the three Frenchy's in town, part of a chain located throughout the province offering an amazing melange of used and new clothing, accessories, furnishings, toys, and more. (www.scotiawipers.com) Or go upscale for souvenirs at the Yarmouth Waterfront Gallery on Water Street, showcasing local art in the historic Killam Building. You can tour the house where Alfred Fuller, the original Fuller Brush man, summered with his wife who grew up in Yarmouth; it's adjacent to the Yarmouth County Museum at 22 Collins Street The tourist center here, next to the CAT ferry terminal, is a good place to get more information on the region.
10. Nova Scotia offers a well-designed, helpful website at www.novascotia.com. A guide we enjoyed was Nova Scotia, A Moon Handbook from Avalon Publishing, by Andrew Hempstead (2006 edition). Best of all, asking questions of the locals is a great lead-in to further conversation. Hempstead describes Nova Scotians as the friendliest people anywhere, and we'd have to agree.

-- Tina Cohen