September 29, 2016. River rafting on tidal bore rapids

LOCATION:  Staying with friends near Digby, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Mostly sunny. Highs about 60

What a fun day!  We drove about 1.5 hours to the mouth of the Shubenacadie River, Nova Scotia's largest river to ride the raging rapids caused by the tidal changes.

We donned rain pants and jackets...

We weren't too glamorous...

Here, we got out of the Zodiac and walked on the sandbar.  Not long after this picture, the sandbar was totally under water.  

It was quite an exciting ride.  8-foot waves.  Classified as Class 4 rapids.  After the first big wave, I slid down to the bottom of the Zodiac rubber raft,  and decided to just stay there the rest of the ride. View from the bottom, with waves crashing into the boat.

We were all totally drenched.  

After the 2-hour ride, we trudged back up the steep hill, bogged down by our wet clothes and water-filled boots, to the office where we changed into dry clothes, warmed up in front of the fire, and had some hamburgers for lunch.  

Today is our last full day with our friends Tony and Jenny.  We celebrated with Tony's yummy nachos and a bottle of Nova Scotia champagne.

September 28, 2016. Nova Scotia fun

KLOCATION:  Staying with friends near Digby, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Cool.  Mostly sunny. Highs about 60

We spent the morning in front of the fire, doing some computer work.  We firmed up our travel plans a bit, and accepted a housesitting assignment next spring in France.  Now we will look for a few more in Europe before and after.

After lunch, we hit the road again and visited some wineries.  This one has beautifully landscaping and has gorgeous views of the vineyards, valley and coast below.  We sat outside and enjoyed the company, wine and view.

In the evening, we invited family friends over for a campfire and wiener roast.  It was the first fire we've had in a long time.  

September 27, 2016. Imbibing on a cool, rainy day

LOCATION:  With friends near Digby, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Cool and rainy. Highs in 50s

We started the day by watching the taped Trump/Clinton debate.  Canadians are very interested in the election.  We haven't met any Trump supporters yet here.  The debate resulted in a lot of moaning and groaning in front of the TV.

Checking out today's Facebook updates, this memory from 2 years ago popped up.  What a coincidence......we were with our friends Tony and Jenny in Michigan in September, 2014, and now we're together again.

After a delicious seafood chowder lunch, we went into town.  While Tony and Jenny did some errands, we checked out a local, friendly pub.  Trump was the topic of discussion with the customers and on TV.  

Today's weather made for great indoor activities.  We visited the Annapolis Cider Company and tasted some ciders, all made with local apples.

From the cidery, we drove a bit farther and visited Nova Scotia's oldest winery, Grand Pre.

They just started picking this year's grapes.

Back home, Tony cooked up yet another great dinner.....grilled lamb chops with roasted vegetables.

Another great day with friends!

September 26, 2016 continued

Resting at the Cape...

The two guys had a snooze.....

We had a nice picnic lunch 

Then, the 4-mile hike back....

Tony's GPS watch tracked our route, elevation, pace and distance.

After this wonderful 5-hour hike, we relaxed at home, then Tony cooked up a beautiful dinner of sautéed Nova Scotia scallops and Caesar salad.

September 26, 2016. A day at Cape Split

LOCATION:  With friends near Digby, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Crisp autumn day. Sunny. Highs in 60s

We spent the day hiking the Cape Split Trail.  A beautiful hike through mountain woods to the split.

After 4 miles, we reached our beautiful destination....

These rocks have split from the mainland. 

The cliffs are very steep....

Our friends and hosts, Tony and Jenny. 

See next post for more pictures.

September 25, 2016. A day at the Bay of Fundy.

LOCATION:  With friends near Digby, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Very autumn-like.  Cool in AM and PM; Sunny. Highs in 50s

It is really feeling and looking like autumn.  We had a fire in the living room fireplace in the morning.  Smudge, the cat, enjoys the warmth.

We drove along the coast of the Bay of Fundy, stopping to stroll on some of the rocky beaches.  These unusual beach houses are made from concrete and are brightly painted.

Hall's Harbour, named after a pirate, is a cute, working village.  The tidal change is one of the most dramatic in the world.  Later, at high tide, the spot where we are standing will be under 37 feet of water!

We had lunch here at the Lobster Pound restaurant.

The drive home was sprinkled with visits to a winery, cheese shop and distillery.

Then, back home, we made steamed mussels for dinner.  It was a real feast!

Another great day in Nova Scotia!

September 24, 2016. Great birthday in the Annapolis Valley

LOCATION: Near Digby, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Very nice. Highs in 60s

We spent the day in the beautiful Annapolis Valley with our friends Tony and Jenny.  Our drive took us along the Annapolis River to the pretty village of Annapolis Royale.  We visited the farmers' market, then walked around the historic fort.

Back home, we picked tomatoes and then ate super fresh BLTs.  

Later in the afternoon, we drove to Wolfville, a cute college town.  We shared a pizza, then went to a concert that was part of the town's 3-day music festival.  The music was great.

It was a late night.  Back home, we celebrated my birthday at midnight with champagne and smoked oysters.  

It was a great day, and has been a great year for me!  

September 23, 2016. From friends to friends.

LOCATION:  Near Digby, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Cooler.  Slight rain. Highs in 60s

We awoke to a beautiful sunrise over Lunenburg Bay at Marjorie and Art's house.

After a breakfast of lobster quiche, we said goodbye to this beautiful area.

Art and Marjorie drove us about 1 1/2 hour driving north across the province (from near Halifax to near Digby).  

We are now visiting Tony and Jenny whom we met 3 years ago camping in Newfoundland.  We have kept in touch since then, reuniting in campgrounds in The Badlands, British Columbia, and  Michigan.  They live near Digby.  The 6 of us had a delicious seafood chowder lunch, then Art and Marjorie returned home.

We visited Jenny's sister who is a professional weaver.  

Back home, we chatted a lot, reminiscing about camping experiences.

DINNER:  Lots of good appetizers including smoked salmon, and Dukkah I brought back from Australia.    

September 22, 2016. Enjoying Lunenburg's

LOCATION:  Near Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Absolutely perfect!  Sunny. Highs 70.  Autumn-like in evening.

We took a 2-hour hike along one of the peninsulas, on a rocky trail that follows the coast.

Beautiful views all along the way.

On our way back to the house, we stopped in "The Ovens".  They are sea caves along the coast with loud blow-holes.

Years ago, pirates hid in these caves waiting for ships to pillage.  

 

We saw this tourist sailboat, The Eastern Star, which we sailed on later in the day.

Our friend Art is Portuguese, and he made delicious authentic Portuguese soup for lunch. After a little siesta, we went back to explore the town of Lunenburg.  It is a picturesque fishing/tourist village.

We took the sunset cruise on the Eastern Star sailboat.  This is the best view of the Lunenburg waterfront.

From the sailboat, we saw The Ovens where we had hiked earlier in the day.  We learned that they got their name from their similar shape to pizza ovens.

We ate dinner in a seafood restaurant in town.  Art had their specialty, lobster Thermidor.  We had a scallop appetizer, grilled to perfection, then an Indian masala, with a nod to the Indian chef.

September 21, 2016. All-day travel. Destination: Heaven

LOCATION:  Near Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

WEATHER:  Beautiful.  Highs in 70s

We said good-bye to 3 months in England and Ireland...

We spent almost all day traveling.  We left Dublin at 9:00 AM for a 4-hour flight to St. John's, Newfoundland.  After a 3-hour layover, we landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia at 3:00 pm their time.   Our friends Art and Marjorie picked us up and took us to their lovely home, via scenic seaside villages.

Lunenburg is on Nova Scotia's south shore.

They bought this home last year.  It sits right on Lunenburg Bay, with beautiful waterside views.

It is a real piece of heaven.  We enjoyed the sunset on their deck with drinks and appetizers.

DINNER: Marjorie prepared a delicious dinner of lasagne and salad.  

With a bit of jet lag, we called it an early night.