The Cabot Trail Moose

Considering it has been close to six months since my visit to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, I won't try remembering any specific details about Cape Breton Highlands National Park or the Cabot Trail.  Instead, I will present to you some of the amazing scenery you can find along this magnificent stretch of road.  It is no wonder that it is consistently ranks as one of the nicest drives in North America.

The photos don't do it justice but here's my attempt...

And so it begins...

Just a little warning of the dangers lying just off the hiking trail.
The sign points me in the right direction.

 

That's a nice spot for a house.

Yet another ignored warning sign...
though I must admit some waves were a bit rogue
despite the relatively calm conditions.

Where freshwater meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Yes, that's snow in May! 
Some snowdrifts were higher than me (and I'm taller than the car).

Based on the moose droppings seen everywhere along the hiking trails, there had to be a tonne of moose nearby. After not seeing even one of these Canadian icons all day long, they came out of the forest in droves as dusk approached.

These two just stood on the road until the trucker behind me had enough.

And again, the next morning...

Moose don't look that big until you're right next to them!

Unfortunately, I couldn't stay on Cape Breton Island any longer as I had to head back to Halifax to catch my flight but nevertheless my brief journey out East provided a great sampling of the splendours of Nova Scotia.  I'll definitely be going back for more!

Windy Cape Breton Island

After checking in at the hostel, I spent the rest of the day driving about Cape Breton Island.

Since it was a cool, dreary day, there was little point of checking out the sights along the Cabot Trail so I headed towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence where the breeze really picked up and watched the waves crash into the eroding shoreline.

I could have watched the waves all day but it was freezing!  My thin Goretex windbreaker wasn't cutting it today... I should have brought a toque and gloves along for the trip because the windchill numbed my fingers in just a few minutes. So there I was, driving along the coast, stopping once in while to take a few photos, and then quickly scurrying back to my warm car before I turned into ice.  I was a typical tourist and from the looks of things, the only tourist on the Island!  In fact, I saw so few people that at times I felt like I had missed a hurricane evacuation notice and was the only person left on the Island.

The weather made the scenery even more surreal and presented a healthy dose of the type of wild conditions Cape Bretoners have to face throughout the year.  The afternoon was soon coming to a close and my stomach was begging for some delicious Acadian seafood so the hunt for dinner got underway.  Now one of the things you soon realize about the Island is that they rely a lot on tourists so when the tourists aren't around (like in early May), most restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and attractions are simply closed for the winter season, and to my surprise, some don't even bothering opening until late June.  So here I was, a hungry tourist looking to shell out some decent cash for a meal, but without many open places to spend it.  After quite a bit of driving, I finally found an empty restaurant in a small Acadian town to appease my hunger.

After that, I found my way back to the hostel, where I had the whole place to myself.

The sky was starting the clear.  Tomorrow morning was shaping up to be a very nice day.  It was time to start prepping for my excursions along the Cabot Trail.

Bear on the Lake HI Hostel Review

After spending a few nights in a king-sized bed at a nice Halifax hotel and then bunking one night at a so-so Halifax hostel, it was time to head to check out the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island.  It was early May and almost all accommodations on the Island were still closed for the winter season.  Nevertheless, I came across the Bear on the Lake Guesthouse online and booked a night at the hostel.  My hostel experiences in Canada were nothing too spectacular to date, but this all changed at Bear on the Lake, where I was warmly welcomed by super friendly Kat, who made the place a home away from home.

From the outside, the hostel looks pretty ordinary.

But after taking off your shoes off at the door, you'll quickly notice the spectacular view of the Bras d'Or Lakes from the dining room.

And here are the rest of the common areas...

A big kitchen

The patio..

The nice, roomy washroom...

 And finally, the bunkbed bedrooms...

Pros:

• the great view of Bras D'or Lake from the large patio, lounge area, and dining room
• large kitchen
• homey, private washroom
• free wireless Internet access
• easy access to Cabot Trail
• you can hang your laundry outside if you want.
  

Cons:

• Bed could be a bit firmer
• The bedroom ceiling fan on max was loud and seemingly out of control

So if you're looking for a great and inexpensive place to sleep and relax near the Cabot Trail, I would have no problems recommending a stay at the Bear because I for one, will definitely be going back the next time I visit the Cabot Trail.

If you found this unbiased review helpful, please click on one of the interesting Google advertising links on this blog to help me out. Thanks.

Halifax

One of the perks of my job is the occasional opportunity to travel for business.  On this occasion, I was off to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. 

Not only was it my first visit to the East Coast but it was also my first time flying on Porter Airlines and WestJet, and I must say that both airlines know how to treat their customers right.  Flying out of Ottawa, Porter has its own airport lounge where you can chill before your flight while enjoying their free Scottish snacks, soft drinks, coffee, and spring water.  The seating area isn't much better than those found in the terminal boarding area but nevertheless, the gesture is much appreciated.  The on-board snack consisted of a fruit salad (with blueberries, pineapple, and mango, if I recall correctly), along with a Nutri-Grain bar and a Scottish cookie.  Pretty good for a 1h45min flight!  While WestJet did not offer as extravagant of a snack, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of available legroom and the friendly staff.

Anyways, back to talking about Halifax. If you're looking to hang out at local pubs with friends then I can see as being the place for you as the city has more than its share of restaurants and bars that have a reputation of hosting some great times especially during the university session and main tourism season. Unfortunately, I did not witness these wild parties as weekdays in early May are not exactly party-friendly times but I heard many stories about them.  Despite it being a bit of a dud, the Halifax Police paddy-wagon was spotted numerous times during the evenings circling the downtown streets, deterring would-be drunks from having a little too much fun.

I was a bit disappointed by the Boardwalk along the Harbour.  I can't say exactly why this was the case, perhaps it was once again the time of year, but nevertheless, I expected more.

Another disappointment was the Halifax Citadel but once again, I'm sure there are more activities and re-enactments during the summer tourist season that would bring this fortress to life.

Spring Garden Road appears to be the place to go after-hours as it has a nice mixture of restaurants and stores that makes it a bustling street day and night.  You will also find the pleasant Public Gardens up to the Road.

So to summarize, Halifax is a pleasant city where East Coast heritage meets the 'big' city.  With its fair share of pubs and restaurants, Halifax serves as a nice place to hang out with friends over a meal and drinks but as a city to solely take in the sights, more than a day would be overkill in my books.  That being said, Nova Scotia is definitely not a total write-off.  If you time to spare, you might want consider driving east to Cape Breton Island, like I did after the business-side of my trip ended, to experience another side of the Nova Scotia scene.