The Train Station Bike & Bean

(Delayed posting. Visited during summer 2024)

In historic French Village in Upper Tantallon is the Train Station Bike & Bean. I stopped here many times for a specialty coffee to go and sometimes a pastry during my stay in the area becasue the quality is great and the art and vibe of the establishment is too.

Behind the station is the 32.5 km St. Margret's Bay Rail-to-Trail system when folks can walk or bike (or ski and snowshoe). This trail connects to two other trails as well.

Monasaba Yemeni Cuisine

(Delayed posting. Visited during summer 2024)

Before meeting my sister and nephew for a movie we ate at Monasaba at Chain Link Drive in Halifax. We were very impressed by the flavour and would eat here again. 

We had the lamb Mandi and Shaweq (not pictured). Highly recommended.

Peace by Chocolate in Antigonish

(Delayed posting. Visited during summer 2024)

On our drive to Halifax, from Cape Breton, we stopped in Antigonish for lunch and a visit to the original store Peace by Chocolate started.

In 2012 the Hashed family lost their chocolate factory in Syria due to bombing. Three years later they were still refugees so they moved to Canada and Antigonish. The community embraced the Hadad family and they started their chocolate business again  in 2016. It grew as a successful business employing many locals.

I enjoy buying their chocolates when in the Maritimes and loved visiting their original location. Occasionally you can get them at London Drugs or Thrifty's out on the West coast.

Little Narrows Ferry and Highland Village Museum

(Delayed posting. Visited during summer 2024)

Little Narrows has a ferry that took us from the Western part of Cape Breton to the East side.

The Highland Village Museum, on the shores of Bras d'Or Lake and near Iona, showcases the four era of Scottish settlement in Cape Breton starting in the late 1700's. Here is a view of Bras d'Or Lake from its parking lot. It is open seasonally.

Here is the main entrance. The pamphlet you get with your admission has various common Gaelic words that you can use with the reenactors on site.

Here is a general map of the site.

The more recent buildings were moved here and fixed up.

From the late 1700's to early 1800's is the traditional black house used by those living in Scotland.

Inside are the furniture as it would have been used by rural Scottish peoples living in this time. The fire extinguisher is for safety, of course. The reenactor explained what life was like and why they were emigrating to Nova Scotia and North America.

This map shows the regions Scottish peoples emigrated from and where they settled.

Another view of Bras d'Or Lake.

A log house which would have been the main type of building used in the late 1700's to mid-1800's.

Now to the 1850's to 1880's.

A barn from that era and into the 1920's.

This wagon was used by Alexander Graham Bell when he visited with his family to his home and laboratory.

More scenery and a view of the buildings from the 1880's to early 1900's.

The Mi'kmaq community of Malagawatch built this church in 1874 to replace the previous one built in 1826, which was the third Presbyterian church in Cape Breton. In 2002 it was given to the Highland Village Museum.

A view of the bridge from Iona to the East, which we took for the rest of our drive that day.

The reenactors continued to weave a tale of life in their time period. I wish I read the pamphlet more as they spoke Gaelic quite well. There is a group that gives classes at the main building down the hill and at the Gaelic College near where we were staying, at Chanterelle Inn.

Some words of warning for those who speak languages that are dwindling in usage.

This was an excellent site and a good visit.

Doryman Pub & Grill in Cheticamp

(Delayed posting. Visited during summer 2024)

In Cheticamp, the Doryman Pub & Grill was highly rated and recommended so we gave it a try for supper. They have live music here often as well. Cheticamp is a mostly Acadian community so there are lots of Acadian culture here in the middle of Scottish and Mi'kmaq culture. We can all get along.

We shared a salad to get some greens into us.

There have been some masterpieces of lobster rolls during our trip. This was the first one. Super big portion of chunky lobster and just a little mayo. No small bits hidden in mayo at this establishment! The Big Spruce Stout was a great drink accompaniment too. I finished most of the fries too. All that walking made me desire a copious amount of calories.

Skyline Trail in Cape Breton National Park

(Delayed posting. Visited during summer 2024)

The last trail of the day was the Skyline Trail, one of the most popular in the Cape Breton Highlands park. We started the trail counter-clockwise so we would get to the highlight of this trail on the way back.

Yes, they do have bears on Cape Breton.

The flora and fauna vary as you walk on the trail. They have a rehabilitation area for moose in the park too. A walk along the trails in this park are always a treat and good for the mind too.

This is the highlight of this trail. If you do not like heights then only go down as far as you are comfortable.

Looking on the other side you see the remnants of previous landslides.

Now we continue counter-clockwise.

This was a pullout looking South, a little North from Cheticamp our next stop.