Day 18-Lunenburg

Today, with the weather being perfect again, it was off to Lunenburg! This town is deemed a UNESCO world heritage site and that means something so it's got to be great. Okay, okay I know it will be great because the history and the pictures can't be wrong.
I found my way quite well today, after looking at the map a few times more. The highway is great and there was very little traffic so the trip was smooth.

The little side road to take you to Lunenburg takes you past Mahone Bay. If this place is any indication of what Lunenburg is like it's going to be a great day. The town was just kind of waking up and the tide was high so it was very peaceful looking.  The road hugged the shoreline and took a fair amount of concentration to navigate but very pretty. In the middle of the bay was a huge island with a fantastically huge home on it. I really want to know who lives on THAT! Wow!

I arrived in Lunenburg and found a series of one way roads and really steep inclines! Yikes!
I drove a few times around to get oriented and then parked on a street that wasn't a 70% grade and was easy to find again. Camera in place, hip sack on and I was out to tour.
The harbourfront is the most picturesque, so I thought, so I have lots of boat pictures.

With my interest in boats it's no surprise I went in search of the Bluenose II. It is being rebuilt. I've seen the documentaries on TV and actually there was one on two nights ago so I was completely informed.
By the old ship building shed there is a huge white tent like building. That's what I'm looking for.

When I looked at the tent it looked like a cartoon character with two eyes at the top and a big mouth opened up. Okay it just did to me.

Inside, even on a holiday Monday there were 8 workers toiling away. The noise was something else with planers and saws and hammering but it was fantastic to see, even if it was just a part of it.

I wish I cold give you some perspective on how big this schooner is but the fork lift on the right hand side is about 6 feet tall. This is one massive undertaking. I was told there is a store in town that the merchandise proceeds would go to support this project. I would go there for sure!

Lunenburg is a series of grid streets and some of them are a little challenging to navigate. The steepness of the roads must be just out of control to handle in the winter.

The homes seem to be stuck on the side of the hills and how they stick there I'll never know but the architecture is beautiful and the colours out of this world. There is every colour of the rainbow and the detail is fantastic.

Always looking out for that "typical Maritime picture" I found one. This is two Dory building sheds. There are two dories in the middle being built "the old way" with no nails only wood pegs and brass fittings. The town has been around since 1753 and these sheds have been around since then. Wow!

The town is simply beautiful, I don't know if I could take enough pictures of the homes and streets and stuff going on. It really is a working town and there are touristy things right along the harbour but the other streets are homes and offices and businesses. This is really a stunning place. Yeah the weather helped too.

St. John's Anglican church is the first place where religious worship was held in Lunenburg. It started in fact on the front lawn of the church as the building had not been constructed. This building is not to be missed in a tour of Lunenburg.

This exquisite building was ravaged by fire in 2001 and the parishioners rallied to rebuild. What a feat considering what was left after the fire.

I was in awe the whole time I was there that the work that was needed to be done, got done. What an amazing story of a parish that would not let a small thing like a fire take the life of their beloved building away. As I was there, wandering in and out of the building you could see the pride that St. John's has in it's parish life. I sat for a while and drank in the atmosphere. Really a special building. I'm so glad I visited.

A touristy town has no lack of places to eat and usually they are fast food type places but not in Lunenburg, the restaurants are top notch.
I chose the Old Fish House restaurant because of the history of the building. This was the place that salt was stored in the upper level that was used to preserve the incoming fish and process the fish in the lower level.
I was not disappointed in the menu or the view.

 

The above is the view from my table. Pretty nice eh? The green to the right is the Bluenose golf course and it is wicked difficult or so 3 ladies told me after I heard them talking about their game. There were no tee times for me, even for 9 holes but it is a holiday Monday here.

For those of you that know I'm a foodie I had to try the scallops with bacon jam. What? Bacon Jam? Huh?
After asking the very helpful and fun waitress I found that it is extra smoked bacon cooked very well then puree'd into a paste. That's it, that's all. And on top of pan seared scallops it is UNBELIEVEABLE. Not being able to decide between the different appetizers I had the sampler platter. Lobster and crab stuffed mushroom caps, lobster and crab and sun dried tomato dip with home made tortilla chips and the scallops. YUM. Oh dear my mouth is still watering. Soooo gooooood.

Sorry I had to include a picture....
It was just so yummy.

But I digress....
I have found that during my tours I take time. Just time to sit, to watch, to listen or just enjoy where I am.
Today during lunch, during the tour of the church I just sat and enjoyed. I think this is what vacation is all about, I feel that I'm really unwinding. The little things that might have bugged me before aren't (like my pass key not working when I got back to the hotel or the fact that my Nova Scotia touristy map has flown the coop), I think that means I'm officially in vacation mode. Nice!

Another short tour around the town and I was off to Mahone Bay down the road. Again, another picturesque town. I found a parking spot over looking the beginning of the Bay and with the breeze blowing and the sun shining and all the windows open in the Equinox I settled in to watch, listen and enjoy. I did for a while then felt that a nap was in order! It was so comfy there with the salty breeze filling the truck and the sound of gulls and terns fishing in the low tide. Ahhhh this is living. Hmm I hope I didn't snore too much. It was great.

Tomorrow I head to Shelburne and my little cottage. The weather is not supposed to the best and I guess that doesn't really matter I'll be in a quaint little Nova Scotian town with a few days to kick back.