We made it to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the most anticipated stop yet. Grandma. The kids are looking forward to being spoiled for several days as we reach our Vacation within an Adventure. I don’t often consider relaxing as part of the goals of the summer trip but I’ve learned by this time of summer, it will be appreciated. In past years, we always arrive at several grandparents’ homes which serve as a change of pace from the constant shuffle from one forest to the next. This year we have no such family in Atlantic Canada and so we brought Grandma to Atlantic Canada. The kids love the adventure but their face lights up whenever we talk about this stop coming up.

When I say relax, that’s really been the story. I’m not great at it, but I’m trying. I haven’t posted in a few days because there is only so many pictures of me laying by the pool, or laying by the beach, or laying on the couch that one can handle. But we did manage a few adventures that I’ll highlight below.

We stayed a few hours down the coast at the remarkable Quarterdeck Resort right on the coast. The waves came right up to the rooms and they delivered warm chocolate chip cookies at night. On her morning runs along the beach, Amy would often be joined by dolphins.

Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is an enormously famous tourist stop along the coast and I wasn’t going to miss it just because of the popularity. The lighthouse itself didn’t seem any cuter or more interesting than the many dozens of lighthouses we have seen thus far but the rocks it sat amongst were really fun to hop around on and explore. I really enjoyed it but the crowds did get a tad overwhelming. Does everyone not realize this beauty is literally everywhere around here. Spread out. 

During the revolutionary war, many slaves chose to join the British in their fight against George Washington and the other traitors. They stayed loyal to the crown and were thus called Loyalists. Britain had already abolished slavery and this meant that if they joined the winning side that they would soon be free. When the British eventually lost, they filled ships with Loyalists of every class and rank and fled the country quickly. For fear of being forced back in to slavery the black loyalists fled for their freedom. Their boats were destined for Nova Scotia and other surrounding areas. I first saw this at the very end of the tv show Turn, when this very scenario played out. I wanted to try to learn more. Perhaps the largest and most famous of these settlements is in Birchtown where the Black Loyalist Heritage Center stands. I’ll start there. The new museum was thought provoking and felt both sad and inspiring at times. We were each assigned a real life person who settled here and we learned about how they personally got to Nova Scotia and what happened after. Pre-Revolution, Amy’s match was a slave to a doctor in Boston and went on to be the local doctor in Birchtown after fleeing slavery and assisting the British. I followed a women who was only ten at the time of her reaching freedom and she went on to start a successful business and loosely become the first female police officer in Canada after being proclaimed by some locals to watch after the docks she ran her business out of. Her direct descendant would go on to become mayor of a local town, the first female African Canadian to do so. Truly a family of strong and determined women. After the museum, we toured the old school house, the burial grounds, and visited a recreation of the makeshift homes they lived in while adapting to their new life. We also visited the local seaside town where they first landed. Today Shelburne is a historic town adorned with cute colorful homes each with a plaque depicting the year it was built and often which Fishing Captain or prominent person once lived there. I said “New” museum specifically because the previous one was burnt down in a racist fueled arson attack. The outpouring support and community rebuild showed again how the best in people will overcome the worst in people.

It was so pleasant spending the week with Grandma. I’ve been traveling with her since I was born and she knows a good time. I’m glad my kids are getting to experience traveling with her. None of this would be possible without her help and guidance. She’s been supporting me in my crazy schemes since childhood and the summer trip is the final evolution of my scheming. Thank you Mom for everything, we love you. 

Finally, just to see one of our less than ideal set ups on the way to Halifax. It was the only spot around and had much needed laundry, which does not come standard in a 18th century prison. I still love camping anywhere.

Also our time in Halifax, we stayed in downtown and walked to the waterfront where Grandma treated for ice cream and the kids played on a variety of kid things. I may have snuck out late.

Tomorrow we return to the wild. I mean really wild, we are about to get far away.