Trippin’ Around North America

Annapolis Valley and Annapolis Royal

October 9

I am sorry if I use too many flowery adjectives to describe Nova Scotia, but we seem to have lucked out in the weather. Plus it is basically a very pretty countryside they have here, and a good road system also helps.

I have been a bit consumed the last few days with the involvement in finding my Grandfather's roots in Nova Scotia. [See boring blog if you have the interest.] Even without a personal involvement it is a fascinating 400 years that has been going on in the Maritimes, and Nova Scotia in Particular.

Today we rode our bikes into Annapolis Royal. Population 500, that's right, 500! A city that has its roots steeped in history by the first settlers in Canada, ever, and the struggles with the French and British. As you know, the Plains of Abraham changed a lot of things for Canada.

Fort Anne was originally French but the Fort is now preserved in the British Era. The guides are Acadians and completely bilingual. Brilliant sunshine helped the atmosphere.

We rode through the town, reading the numerous plaques that seem to be every 50 feet or so. We then biked back to the camp over the tidal hydro generating plant that harnesses the rushing tides coming up the bay of Fundy and slowly releases the water out through the turbines.

We then drove up to the original site of Port Royal about 10 K's down the river. It was not a fort but a "habitation" for contract workers out from France to claim the land and trap furs, built in 1605. The English from the US came up and burned it because they also claimed the land up here.

Next we needed milk so we drove the 20 K's to see the land that apparently my ancestors farmed in the late 1600s.

Back to the trailer, exhausted. Great few days here, too few but we must push on. I am a bit tired and this is probably disjointed, sorry about that folks. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving dinner.

Pictures show Modern Day Annapolis Royal from across the river, and a smattering of today's shots. Black and white building has Fellette in her Olympic Bike Racing outfit.

posted by Doug and Fellette @ 10:38 AM