East Coast by Susan L.

  While waiting for the driver from the car rental company I decided to get a GPS for the next five days of travel. Renting one cost about the same as a vehicle upgrade so that's what I did. Smart move. There aren't many straight roads in Nova Scotia so it's easy to get turned around. It made travelling some of the back roads and visiting non-touristy areas much more relaxing because I knew she could get me home no matter where home was for the night. Only once did she tell me to turn onto a road that was two muddy ruts with a lump of grass in the middle. A U-turn got me out of that easily and she quickly figured out another route.
  After getting some food for the road trip and ice for the cooler at a nearby grocery store, off I went on the coast road to Peggy's Cove. Upside, it was beautiful. Downside, it was terribly busy with busloads of people coming to visit this iconic tourist destination. I didn't stay long but did try and paint a picture while being serenaded by a bag piper.
  At the turn off to Peggy's Cove, there was a boggy marshland. The Cape Breton guide told me it's where Pitcher Plants are. These bulbous plants hold water that drowns any unfortunate insect that might fall in. It's how they survive the brackish, poor quality growing environment. Seeing these are a first for me.
  I keyed in the motel where I planned to stay two nights. Setting the GPS to avoid highways was the easiest way to find the slow road. The east coast is very developed but the homes and small fishing villages are quaint. It's made me tempted to paint my house purple with green trim but somehow it wouldn't fit in south-central Ontario. Apparently, the houses are painted brightly so fishermen can find them in the fog.

  With frequent stops at small sandy beaches along the way, I eventually reached the motel where I planned to spend the night. The village of Chester had a lovely pub/eatery right on the water. Pan fried haddock and chips were my first sea food meal of the trip. It was delicious. Sitting out on the outdoor deck gave me a lovely view and an opportunity to sketch a traditional dory after updating my journal.
  The moment you pull out pen and notebook, service gets really good!
  It was early but I was tired so I decided to go back to the motel and relax. Perhaps cheap accommodation wasn't the way to go. Around 9:30 and even though I'd checked the room, there was the horrible discovery that the bed had company. Minutes later, the car was reloaded, the money for the room refunded and I scrambled to find somewhere else to stay. Bed bugs are becoming a huge issue around the world. The smart way to travel is never put your baggage on the floor or bed to avoid picking up unwanted hitch hikers which is what I had done. Whew!
  First I selected the directions to a B&B. I didn't even go in. The parking lot was full and it looked to be far outside my price range. I pulled into a gas station to see if anyone knew of a local hotel. The man standing at the cash knew there was a franchise hotel beside Lawton's Drug store. Keying that into the GPS resulted in four of them coming up. It's a franchise, too. But, I did find a Comfort Inn under "Hotel". It was beside a Lawton's so it turned out I ended up exactly where the man meant to send me.
  It was after ten thirty PM when I arrived in Bridgewater, thankful to find a room. There was the distinct aroma of insect spray beneath the fresh scent of cleaning products. Very reassuring.
  Lunenburg was beautiful. The architecture stunning.
  If I had known the Bluenose II offered a sail around the bay, I would have booked it. Unfortunately, those tickets needed to be bought well in advance. I had to be content to watch her sail out of the harbour. A beautiful boat!
  When she came back a couple of hours later, I did some sketches of her.
  Four hours was enough of town. The concierge at the hotel had suggested visiting "The Ovens". They are caves at sea level which boom when the waves try and find a way out. The seas were quiet but still, one of them rumbled loud enough to feel it in the chest.
  The colours in the shale cliffs were stunning but even more stunning was seeing the Bluenose II sail past. I was truly blessed to see her in all her glory on the element she was meant for: the sea.
  "The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore." Ps 121"8