Digby and Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

We finally stayed in one spot for 2 nights - Walmart in Digby, Nova Scotia. This is a picture from the wharf at Digby. Again, we were on a quest to buy seafood - either scallops or lobster from the local fishermen. We could buy lobster, if we could catch a boat coming in. We could not buy scallops from the fishermen because their boats are owned by the local fish market.

Monday we drove to Port Royal in Annapolis Royal about 20 miles from Digby. Port Royal is a reconstruction of a small French compound begun in 1605. It was the home to one of the earliest European settlements on this continent.

The British destroyed the settlement in 1613.

A costumed interpreter told us about the settlement. There were as many as 45 men occupying the town and as little as 22 when the British came in. The remaining 22 were taken care of by the Mi'kmaq indians until they went back to France. No women ever lived in the settlement.

One of the products the Frenchmen made were hats out of animal fur and wool. Ron and Dean are modeling a couple of the hats. They look pretty goofy.

The buildings were reconstructed in 1939-1940 and are in very good condition. Rooms have beds, dishes, tools, furs - just like it would have been over 300 years ago.

After the tour of Port Royal we stopped for a short visit to the Tidal Generating Station. The interpretor explained the use of the turbines in collecting energy from the extreme tidal changes of the Fundy Bay. Most of this was way over my head but Dean and Ron enjoyed it.

I loved Annapolis Royal. There were many historic buildings and lovely old homes. One of the homes is the oldest home in North America and it is still privately owned. How would you like to live in a 300 year old house?

In Annapolis Royal is Fort Anne, the oldest national historic site in Canada, designated in 1917. The 1702 earthworks are the earliest Canadian examples of Vauban-style fort. There is only one building, the officers quarters, which houses the visitor center. On display in the visitors center is the Fort Anne Heritage Tapestry. Over 100 volunteers crafted this colorful 8 ft X 18 ft. work using some 3 million stitches. I only have one half pictured here. Even the Queen of England stitched some of it.

Before we left Digby we bought our scallops - at the fish market instead of local fisherman. Oh well - we got a good deal for a lot of wonderful Digby scallops.

Today in Barrington, lobster capital of Canada, we bought some lobster - that will be in the next blog.