Searching for a wallpaper scenery in Nova Scotia

Since 2021, I have been obsessed with lighthouses. Due to this obsession, I have had this one picture of a lighthouse as my (computer) wallpaper ever since. There is just something sentimental and romantic about them. They stand on their own and guard the coast. I admire the fact that whatever happens around them, they will still stand strong, guard, and help the others to find their way. They also have an incredible location: they get to feel the ocean every single day. 

I knew that the lighthouse from the picture was located somewhere in Canada. Maybe the East Coast. I started searching for lighthouses on the East Coast and found out that Nova Scotia is the promised land of lighthouses. Then I found it - Peggy's Cove. And that is when I decided that my reading week destination would be Halifax, Nova Scotia.

On the plane to Halifax, I met a person named Louis. (I don't know if his name is spelled this way. I'm sorry!) We told each other our stories. We also shared some great travelling tips and goal destinations. It was such a delight to talk to someone who knew so much about the world. He taught me one Canadian word and that was tuque. It is the Canadian version of woolly hat or beanie. In exchange, I taught him the word tervetuloa, which means welcome in Finnish. 

The next few days I enjoyed my stay in Halifax: ate good food, walked around, and talked to different people. Halifax is such a great place to walk around! During my stay in Halifax, I visited at least Halifax Public Gardens, Citadel National Historic Site, the Waterfront, and Point Pleasant Park. I stayed at the Garden South Park Inn. The location and the price of the hotel were great, and I would totally recommend it to others.

I met a young Canadian couple who were visiting Halifax as tourists. We didn't really talk to each other but we did exchange some words when we arrived to the hotel at the same time and couldn't figure out the way in at first. Although, I did speak to the counter personnel before them and they had the chance to hear my Finnish accent, it still didn't occur to them that I was from Europe. The proof of this is the following conversation that I heard at the breakfast room one morning. 

W: I'd like to go to Ireland. 

M: Yeah, that would be nice. But I don't feel comfortable travelling there with the current political climate. The situation with Russia and Ukraine, the war and all, you know. I don't think it's safe. 

W: Yeah...

M: And besides! I don't think like I would understand their accent. Like, it's so hard! 

W: Well, maybe they don't understand your accent! Have you thought about that?

M: No, I haven't. But did you know that like for Europeans, Canadian accent sounds like the neutral, standard accent? Someone said that. Like for them it's not that hard to understand. Like, the other accents are build on top of that accent. 

 

This conversation was so amusing to listen to. Before hearing this conversation, I didn't really think that American Bubble was a thing. But after this... I don't know what to think. The other Canadians that I had met before this didn't certainly think the same way as this guy. 

BUT! Let's get back to the theme of lighthouses! Peggy's Cove was everything I had imagined! Because I couldn't make the bus ride happen, I ordered a taxi to take me there and back. Peggy's Cove is about 45 minutes away from the city so arrangements had to be made if I wanted to go there. But it was a beautiful place and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was worth every penny. My taxi driver took pictures of me and the view and I had the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery. 

To fulfill my lighthouse obsession, I bought a denim dress with pictures of lighthouses. This happened a day before my departure from Canada. I was thrifting with my travelling companion in Kensington Market, in Toronto, when suddenly she froze and said: "Liisa, this is you!" And she was right. It was me. And it was meant to be. 

I am now back in Finland and writing this story. I miss the vibe of Nova Scotia and Ontario. But although I miss Canada, it is good to be back home. I will write a couple more stories from Canada. So, stay tuned! 

Thank you for coming along for the ride! 

You can also follow me on Instagram: @liisariihi