Halifax - Peggy's Cove

Yesterday was the halfway point. It feels strange. On one hand, it means I still have half of the journey ahead of me - on the other hand, it feels like I've been here forever and I only have a short time left. There have been so many impressions. It's time to slow down a bit, and so my new accommodation is only 50 km away on the coast. That means I can take my time and relax in this wonderful summer weather.

As I drive over the bridge in Halifax at 11 am after a long relaxed morning, a feeling of melancholy comes over me. I could have stayed here longer, but this is also a place that should ideally be experienced together. The small bars and restaurants are tempting, but solo travel has changed in COVID times. Due to the distance rules that also apply here, you sit far away from potential conversation partners at the bars, and that is a noticeably different feeling compared to last time. In places where there is generally not much going on, it is easier to endure.

I'm driving along the Lighthouse Route and want to visit 2 of them. The first one is in Terence Bay, and I can only reach it on foot by walking through some properties and ignoring a few signs. It's strange. The lighthouse stands imposingly in this magnificent landscape, and I'm the only one making an effort to really look at it.

The complete contrast to that is the lighthouse at Peggy's Cove, which is the most photographed one in Nova Scotia. The parking lot is completely overcrowded, and I have to do 3 rounds before I find a free spot. But you are compensated with a surroundings that is truly unique. The tower is surrounded by rocks on which visitors frolic. Funny thing is, it is being repainted today. A woman seriously asks if the workers can briefly leave - she wants to photograph it without them. I really think she meant it.

I like my pictures with painters harnessed, after all it's not an everyday thing and anyone can do it without them. After that, I sit on a rock, and even though there are many people here, it is spread out in such a way that you are very much on your own. The glitter of the sun on the water is fascinating, and so several hours pass until I finally make my way to my nearby accommodation.

Before that, I suddenly come across a sad memorial that is signposted. 23 years ago, on September 2, 1998, a Swissair plane with flight 111 crashed into the sea here, killing all 229 people on board. The memorial park is beautifully designed, and 2 memorial stones commemorate the tragedy. However, I can't remember it.

My motel room is small but lovingly furnished. The shower is in a cabin, and the obligatory microwave is missing, but other than that, this is really a nice place. The best part is the view from my window, directly onto the bay, and I'm looking forward to the sunset. Tomorrow I will continue to the southernmost point of Nova Scotia, this time a private accommodation, like the ones I often had in Newfoundland. With a dog. Wow.