My repacking was yesterday afternoon and I used my mom’s lint roller to remove dog hair from the interior of the rental car. This morning I was ready for the road. After mom woke up, we conversed, but soon it was time to go. I’d be on my own for two days and nights.
Leaving at 845am, I took lefts and rights through the back roads. It was smooth driving and hardly anyone was around on this Saturday morning. Passing by small businesses, like maple syrup harvesters and art studios, I wondered if any were on the interwebs. Perhaps they survived by word of mouth and/or lost tourists?
The first stop was Books Galore, with a side stop at Rewards Department Store to use their washroom. Unfortunately the book store had none of the books on my list, but I did raid them heavily last year. Still one of the best used book stores in Nova Scotia.
Getting hungry, I went right East to a place I was recommended to try; The Noodle Guy in Port Williams, near Wolfville. The handmade tagliatelle with basil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms was awesome. It was accompanied by a nice zero alcohol rose from Nova vineyards. I was sitting at the old diner “bar” and got a great view of the open kitchen. They sure know their pasta here.
Heading West I stopped at Gametronix, which still has no price tags on their stock. You have to ask the owner how much each item costs and there was nothing there I particularly needed. A little further West I popped into Black Cat Books, in Kentville, and found a revised edition of Inferno by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It’s a retelling of Dante’s Inferno from the viewpoint of a science fiction writer, which I have read before and really enjoyed it. It led to me reading the original which I also enjoyed. Ended up chatting with the fellow working there for about 20 minutes about book and life in general.
Lastly, continuing to head West, I stopped in Berwick at Bargin Harley’s. They are a HUGE ‘everything’ store and have a lot of things you would find in clearance and liquidation stores. I picked up two cool patterned shirts ($8 each) and two charging/data cables of an interesting design ($7 each).
That done, it was getting late in the afternoon so I drove to Annapolis Royal. I checked into Blackwood’s Bread and Roses Inn, which I’d stayed at before. The house is interesting old, beds are comfy, and its incredibly close to food, shops, and scenery. Once checked in, and after chatting with one of the owners, it was time to eat.
I chose to go to Maison St.George, which used to be where the Garrison House restaurant was. The folks that owned it also owned at least two other restaurants except one burned down and the company folded. The staff and chefs of the company banded together and bought this place. The Garrison House is still run as a B&B and they changed the restaurant to be a blend of Euro Bistro with Maritime cuisine. I like the decor, except the fantastic felt artist’s works (Bette Young) are no longer being displayed and sold here.
After having good conversations with both the server and mixologist, I was given a complementary sample drink to try: Sangria sugar foam, port wine, and cranberry orange fruit juice. Refreshing and the foam complemented the slight acidity.
My appetizer was a superb pate of pork and chicken with nuts and berries. A nice dance of flavours on the tongue.
The main, with duck fat potatoes and maple glazed carrots (wonderfully roasted and herbed), was an expertly cooked steak with salt flakes conservatively sprinkled on top. I haven’t had red meat for a week and it's what my body needed. It came with a peppercorn sauce, on the side, that was buttery and savory and perfect. I had absolutely no room for dessert.
After the excellent meal, I recharged my history batteries by walking across the street and roaming through the original graveyard of Annapolis Royal, the oldest town settled by Europeans in North America.
I noticed Rose Fortune’s new gravesite (1774-1864). An artist made a wheelbarrow shaped structure for the broken gravestone. It’s a nice salute to a woman who, at 50, started a business to transport luggage for new arrivals in Annapolis Royal. After being a trusted advisor for tourists for a year, she had enough funds to purchase horse drawn wagons. That’s not a mistake. It is plural on purpose.
Working into her 70’s, she maintained law and order along the waterfront. It was not an official position, but the town’s leaders appreciated her efforts and trusted her in this role. She is regarded as the first female police officer in North America. Quite the achievement for a descendant of black loyalists who emigrated here when she was ten. They were among the three thousand black loyalists who fled to Canada after the American Revolutionary War.
I continued into Fort Anne's earthen battlements, as it is open 24/7/365. It always relaxes me and soothes my inner being to walk around this place. It could be the memory of being a young boy and sledding down its short slopes one winter. Perhaps it is my knowledge of the past that existed here and how important this place was for so many early settlers.
Wandering down St. George street, by the waterfront, I looped back to my B&B. Quite the day. 3.2km and 3 flights of stairs.
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