On our last morning in Halifax we decided to go for a run (we were training for the Disneyland Half Marathon and tried to keep up with running on our trip). We were staying at the Westin Nova Scotian hotel and I was really intrigued by the messaging they used. They seem to want to appeal to those trying to live a healthy lifestyle (they use a lot of words like nourishing food etc.) and they have a gym and according to the table top card in our room, you could ask for a running route from the front desk. So we asked them for one and low and behold, it turns out they have running routes for a 5k run and an 8k run that were put together in partnership with Runner’s World magazine. I was pretty impressed by this. So we spent our last morning at the hotel going for a run in Halifax. The fun thing about running in another city is you get to see it in another way and the route took us to places we wouldn’t ordinarily go.
Me, triumphant after the run. Also a picture of the card they gave us with the 5k and 8k route options.
After checking out of the hotel, our next stop was Lunenburg where we planned to spend the afternoon. Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage site and very beautiful. We had lunch at Salt Shaker Deli before exploring the town.
We had Indian Point Mussels (Thai Coconut Curry flavoured) and of course Lobster Roll (Nova Scotia Lobster with Tarragon mayo, fresh celery and greens on toasted brioche bread). I washed it down with a Propeller Breweries Honey Wheat beer (to take advantage of the pint and a pound of mussels deal). It was all delicious and explained why there was such a line up for this place. om nom nom
After lunch we took a walk around. It was getting a little overcast so we thought it might rain at any minute. Lunenburg is absolutely beautiful. A lot of the buildings are painted bright colours. We heard a rumour that it was because it gets so foggy there, so the brightly coloured houses would help you find your way home.
Once again, Dan looks like he’s stepped into a painting. On a side note, I saw an episode of the show Haven and they were standing in this exact place! I read later that they do some filming there.
I really liked the name of this boat, We B. Jammin.
Since we missed out on the harbour tours in Halifax, we decided to do the Trot in Time tour here. Trot in Time is a 35 minute tour by horse and buggy. Since it looked like it was going to rain, they gave us an umbrella (which came in handy because it did rain). Our guide was Butch and our horse was Cliff. Butch was very informative and had a wry sense of humour that we really enjoyed. Butch pointed out the gingerbreading detailing on many of the houses in Lunenburg, the small doors (coal doors and otherwise), widows watches, stained glass (usually signalling that the house was owned by a Captain or someone of a higher stature who could afford it) etc.
Butch showed us the oldest house in Lunenburg, which still has its original door.
This building used to be a school.
This gravestone is flat because the person who’s buried under it used to hate being rained on. He insisted on a flat gravestone after he died so that his body wouldn’t be rained on either.
His and her steps into the house. The man would walk up the right side of the stairs and hold the door open for the woman, who walked up the left side.
This house is on a corner and was always getting hit by horse and buggies in the winter time so the owner dug up a canon one summer and stuck it in his front lawn. It acted as a barrier between horse and buggies and his house!
Me in the horse and buggy after our tour.
We also passed the old Lunenburg Jail (now a Big Red’s Family Restaurant). Lobster used to be cheap food so the prisoners were fed lobster 7 days a week. They got sick of it so they passed a law that said prisoners could only be fed lobster 3 days a week. Can you imagine that? After the tour, we went into a few shops and decided to look for the Bluenose II (Butch had helpfully told us where it was so it wasn’t too hard to find). The Bluenose II was having some restoration work done on it so we didn’t get to go on it, but we did get to see it from afar.
Taking a walk in Lunenburg, I couldn’t resist going into the tourist shops.
I tried on this Nova Scotia rain hat. Dan said that I wasn’t allowed to buy it. We bought a souvenir magnet instead.
Seeing the Bluenose II from afar. The office also had information on its restoration.
After this we hopped into the car again and headed to Grand Pre. The weather seemed to improve a lot during the car ride.
Road trip to Grand Pre
Our friends Jess and Mike had gone to Nova Scotia and PEI for their honeymoon. So they had recommended staying at the Olde Lantern Inn in Grand Pre and given us a restaurant recommendation. Jess and Mike have amazing taste in food, so any time they make a restaurant recommendation, we take it. We arrived at the Olde Lantern Inn where Sherry greeted us. She was incredibly friendly and helpful (so was the owner Al, who we met later). We stayed in “the Wine Cellar,” which was really nice because it had its own private entrance.
Pics of the Wine Cellar at the Olde Lantern Inn.
The Olde Lantern Inn is a B&B right on a vineyard. They also have lots of beautiful outdoor seating options (Adirondack chairs under a trellis and a viewing deck). I can’t begin to describe how stunning and peaceful it was.
We enjoyed some dessert wine here.
View of the vineyard from the deck. The deck also had Adirondack chairs and it looked like it has an outdoor fireplace to keep you warm in the winter.
This dessert wine was included with our package. The wine was made from 5 types of apples and tasted amazing! Later someone at the winery said that they knew a couple who bought a case and used to drizzle it on vanilla ice cream. om nom nom
After settling into our room we walked over to Le Caveau Restaurant, the fine dining restaurant that Jess and Mike had recommended. The restaurant and the winery are right next to The Olde Lantern Inn so you just walk through a path in the vineyard to get to the restaurant.
Dan walking through the vineyard on the way to dinner.
We stopped to take pictures along the way. It was picturesque.
It was beautiful and the weather was perfect so we opted to sit outside. We found out the next day from another couple staying at the Olde Lantern Inn that pretty much everybody decided to eat outside. They ate inside and had the whole inside of the restaurant to themselves.
Us ready for dinner at Le Caveau.
As promised, the food was absolutely amazing. All of the ingredients were fresh and the flavour combinations fit perfectly. The scallops we ate were some of the best scallops I have ever eaten in my life.
Our meal at Le Caveau. We had the Lobster and Scallop Chowder, Crisp Nova Scotia Sea Scallops (tomato vinaigrette, L’Acadie vine smoked bacon jam and Yukon Gold potato crisps), Salad Tasting (three seasonally inspired salads, local greens and their creamy L’Acadie vinaigrette). Dan had the Pan seared Local Sea Bream (Wilted greens, quinoa, thyme, garlic and chili butter) and I had the Buttered Moroccan Chicken (MacNeil’s Family Farm chicken, sauteed with peppers, garlic, dates and cashews, served on couscous and housemade chutney). For dessert we had the Sugar Tart (with hazelnut praline ice cream). om nom nom.
With our bellies full and happy, we walked back to the Olde Lantern Inn just as the sun was setting. The owner of the Olde Lantern Inn, Al, lights the lanterns along the way on the path to help guide you back to the inn.
Dan leaving Le Caveau. The sun was setting.
Me with a lantern on the path back to Olde Lantern Inn.
The path back to Olde Lantern Inn through the vineyard. Gorgeous.
Me on the viewing deck back at the inn as the sun was setting.
Next up, Bay of Fundy and more lobster!
Plain Can Be Lovely 