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Monday 31 March 2014

My to do list: Nova Scotia

With Summer 2014 just around the corner, I'll be doing a series of posts throughout April to give you ideas, background information, and tips and tricks to prepare for travelling to/in the Maritimes this summer. On Mondays, look out for my 2014 to-do lists for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Cape Breton Island, and Prince Edward Island. On Fridays, stay tuned for a variety of articles about local culture, regional food specialties, and some travel tips. Suggestions for articles are always welcome! Travelling frequently for work means that I get to see a lot of the region, and taste of lot of its food. The trade-off, however, is that I often have to drive right by places that I'd love to spend the day exploring. It also means that I often find great spots I'll never see again. These lists include the places I hope to get to stop this year, and the places I hope to get back to. Today, we'll be starting with Mainland Nova Scotia (Cape Breton Island will be covered in a separate article). Attractions To see: Grand-Pré National Historic Site Last summer, I had the opportunity to head to the Annapolis Valley and the South Shore of Nova Scotia for the first time in a long, long while. As someone who is passionate about history and politics, I made a point of stopping ever so briefly at Grand-Pré. Briefly not because I wasn't interested,but because we passed through late and it was closed. For those who don't know, Grand-Pré National Historic Site commemorates the Acadian settlement of Nova Scotia, as well as Expulsion- a dark moment in Nova Scotia's history when, in 1755, the British removed the Acadian farmers who had been in Nova Scotia, forcefully deporting thousands of people from their homes. A UNESCO world heritage site, Grand-Pré teaches about an important chapter of the region's history. Drives To See: The Eastern Shore It's been a very long time since I've been to Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore- the region in the lower half of the province between Dartmouth and Canso. The Eastern Shore is a little further off the tourist path-you won't find any major highways out here- but nonetheless is bound to include some memorable adventures. To Return to: The Evangeline Trail I drove the Evangline Trail, a beautiful route along Nova Scotia's Fundy Shore, in bits and pieces last year. Following through the communities of the Annapolis Valley and down to Digby and Yarmouth, the Evangeline Trail provides a scenic alternative to Highway 101, and takes you by some of the more interesting and picturesque communities in the province. Food Must Return Those who've read through my blog know that I've had some great meals in NS. Picking just one would be impossible: the good news is, since this is my blog, I don't have to! So instead, here are my top picks by region (each of these has an article of its own: Halifax: Chaa Baa Thai South Shore: Dan's Ice Cream Annapolis Valley: Paddy's Pub Amherst: Duncan's Pub