Travel to Nova Scotia

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The Shearwater International Air Show was something – literally- “out of this world.” You knew summer was almost finished the the fall was coming when the roar of jets and propeller-drive aircraft was heard over Dartmouth. Then in their constant search for trimming down the budget – also called “Hit the Military First” – the Feds closed down the long runaway that allowed the world’s most prestigious aircraft to land in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for a brief, shining weekend in September.

On “Air Show Friday” my brother-in-law used to take us out to the end of the runway by MacDonald Lake and we’d watch the carrier fighters and other military jets flow low over our heads. There was always people with loud scanners and we’d listen to the pilots talking to the control tower. It was yearly event to get the families together.

When the runway closed the air show moved to Halifax (Stanfield) International Airport but that never worked out well. The venue was plagued by problems from the onset like bus transportation to the airport to weather. Last year it was a tropical storm that grounded the event for all but 30 minutes.

I always liked Yarmouth. They have been the entry point into Nova Scotia for ferries from the U.S for years and now they are going to put on the air show on September 12-13. Executive Director Colin Stephenson was won over by the high level of enthusiasm of the Yarmouth community. In fact last year the small city went ahead with an air show of their own and drew 5,000 people on a bad weather day.

This year the show will celebrate 100 years of powered flight in Canada with flights by the Snow Birds, the Canadian Air Force demonstration team and a Cf-18 Hornet demonstration. Perennial skydiving favorites, the Skyhawks, will also be there as well as warbirds and biplanes.

Tickets are $15 for adults and are available at: Nova Scotia International Air Show.

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Growing up I used to imagine what it would be like to the keeper of the Light of Alexandria. The lighthouse was built on the island of Pharos in the 3rd century B.C. , started by Ptolemy, Egypt’s first Macedonian ruler and favorite of Alexander the Great. He never lived to see it completed. For almost 1,000 years the great lighthouse was a beacon to seagoing travelers.

Locally, the Bay of Fundy was chosen as Nova Scotia’s entry into the New 7 Wonders of the World contest. The Bay of Fundy was put forward in a contest to declare it one of Canada’s picks for the New7Wonders of Nature since June of 2008.  However, yesterday Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta s was chosen as the top Canadian site and the Bay of Fundy placed 2nd.

So why, may you ask, was a “puddle of water” chosen to compete against such icons as the Great Barrier Reef and other huge wonders? Well, it’s not so much the place itself as the people who got behind the project. They believe that the area of the highest tides in the world has unique natural monuments including huge areas of fossils.

Terri McCulloch, a Parrsboro resident, led a Bay of Fundy Tourism Partnership effort to have this designation bestowed on the Bay of Fundy ever since the Swiss­-based New7Wonders Foundation launched the New7Wonders of Nature competition last year.  Swiss­-born filmmaker, author and adventurer, Bernard Weber, came up with the idea to shine a light on the earth’s ecosystem and how we need to protect it

In all Fundy was competing against Dino­saur Provincial Park in Alberta, Long Point Sand Spit in Ontario, Rocher-Perce in Quebec and Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador. However, the skinny was that it was the “Battle of the Dinosaurs” because Fundy’s Joggins Cliffs feature a rich belt of fossils and it was named a UNESCO World heritage site.

Here are some excepts from a Facebook site dedicated to this project:

Oct 1 – BIG NEWS – the folks at 7 Wonders have pumped up the stakes on the contest: they’ve decided to short list the contestants to ONE FROM EACH COUNTRY by Dec 31,2008. Since there are only 8 nominees in Canada – including Fundy – we stand an excellent chance of moving on to the next phase but we’ve GOT to GET THE VOTE out. Please keep emailing friends & family to get them to vote!

Dec 9 – Fundy surpassed Dinosaur Park as Canada’s #1 site BUT we hear through the grapevine that Dinosaur is planning a bit media blitz prior to Christmas!! keep the votes coming in for Fundy

Dec 31 – Fundy featured repeatedly on Canada AM – thanks to Erin at CTV!!

Well, Terri, you and the rest of the Fundy residents pulled hard to get the recognition its deserves but here’s the silver lining: Nominations from other sites have brought them increased tourism so look for your area to have a boost in a time when things have been grim.

dinosaur provincial park, great barrier reef, gros morne national park, highest tides in the world, new7wonders foundation, newfoundland and labrador, unesco world heritage, unesco world heritage site

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While the town of Oxford, Nova Scotia bills itself as the “Wild Blueberry Capital of Canada” I wanted to search around to find out how true this was. Because of its central location Oxford is a hub for the distribution and processing of fresh wild blueberries that are grown all over Cumberland County.  In fact you can purchase fresh blueberries in season at various locations around Oxford from August to early September. But then you can all over Nova Scotia. So what’s the real story here?

As the website claims, the name of the town of Oxford can be taken quite literally. In 1791oxen did ford the river. It’s just that the teamster never looked up and saw the blueberry fields or else the town might have another name. But another siet states that the people wanted a “good old English name” and so the fact that it was shallow enough for wagons to cross so Oxford stuck. But I wanted to find out about the blueberries not names.

Oxford began its existence as a farming community but then the Black River was dammed for use to power a woolen mill and later a sawmill. In fact in the late 1800′s it became a major sawmill town. But as far back as 1900 there was still no mention of blueberries.

However, when you enter Oxford’s quaint town you are welcomed by the Wild Blueberry & Maple Centre (Now we’re getting somewhere!). In the exhibits area you see the harvesting and exporting history of wild blueberries and there are exhibits and displays that explain the lifecycle of wild blueberries. This includes how modern producers prune, pollinate and take care of the berries as well as how they are harvested. In addition, a live bee colony under glass demonstrates how the bees are used to pollinate the fields.And in season the bees pay you no mind while they go about their business.

So went to the WBPANS (Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia) website and got these facts:

Nova Scotia’s provincial production is over 40 million pounds.

The wild blueberry is the number 1 fruit crop in acreage export sales, and value.

Oxford is the wild blueberry capital of Canada.

Wild blueberries are high in antioxidants which have many health benefits including anti-aging effects, cancer inhibiting properties, heart health, urinary tract health, vision health.

Nova Scotia wild blueberries are exported to the United States, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom and other countries.

Harvesting of wild blueberries begins in August and continues until late September.

Oxford Frozen Foods is the largest employer in the town and is owned by John Bragg who also owns Bragg Communications, a telecommunications company in Halifax.

And I got a picture of the giant Blueberry Man.

blueberry capital, blueberry fields, nova scotia, town of oxford, wild blueberries

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“The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo is one of the world’s premiere cultural and entertainment spectaculars with over 2000 first-class Canadian and international, military and civilian performers. Featuring pipes and drums, massed bands, historic re-enactments, dancers, acrobats, comedians, choirs, military displays and competitions, plus a host of innovative acts in a fast-paced 2 1/2 hour family show. “

Now is a good time to buy tickets for the Royal International Tattoo that takes place from July 1 through 8, 2009. In Nova Scotia, the Tattoo is now as common a yearly occurrence as the old time circuses that once arrived by train and set up the Big Top and tents on the fair grounds. Only this big show features more bands instead of animals.

A friend of mine was remarked, “Nah, I’m not going. Yah heard one pipe band, yah heard ‘em all.” Au contraire ! This is a great show and, although I really like pipe bands, there is so much more to enjoy.

For one thing, it is a great venue to appreciate our Armed Forces. The Canadian Forces have been a centerpiece for this show since its inception and continue to support the 2009 Tattoo in order to promote their history and esprit de corps.

The foreign bands are great and many bring in a comedy section with them. It is quite spectacular.

You can get your early-bird tickets at: Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo.

Seating Plan For Metro Centre

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Glen Breton Rare Canadian Single Malt Whisky has the distinction of being the only single malt whiskey produced in Canada – and that is using only three ingredients: barley, yeast and water. It is the perfect recipe for Scotch whisky but cannot be called ‘Scotch’ unless it is bottled in Scotland.

However, the Scotch whiskey producers in the native land are not content with Glenora Distillery leaving out the word, ‘Scotch,’ they have put in a ‘cease and desist’ order to Glenora to remove the word ‘Glen.’ In fact Glenora has been in a long legal battle with the Scotch Whisky Association who wants the name removed from the Cape Breton liquor. They say it confuses scotch drinkers into thinking that the whisky is from Scotland and not from the Nova Scotia island.

So what is the big deal? It’s that the whisky is in high demand.The Gaels, or old Gaelic people found that the water improved the flavor of the whisky. With that in mind early two dozen area streams were given rigorous tests before MacLellans Brook was chosen as the site for the distillery. This is a stream which is fed by 22 natural springs flowing straight from the Mabou highlands.

The whisky is produced in traditional copper pot with malted barley imported from Scotland and aged in oak barrels from, believe it or not, the Jack Daniel’s bourbon distillery in Tennessee. Master distiller Daniel MacLean, a Cape Breton native, is the distillery’s master and oversees ans annual production of 50,000 liters or 2000 cases of 12 bottles each.

Glenora Distillery vice-president, Bob Scott says, “The caliber of the whisky has always been striking, now guests are raving about Glenora’s other attributes. It’s a real experience.

Scott enthusiastically declares. “I just talked to guests who said it is the best food they have ever eaten in Canada.” Glenora draws more than 10,000 visitors a year to this hauntingly serene corner of the province. The staff have a genuine commitment to boosting tourism on the Ceilidh Trail and to treating visitors “as friends of Nova Scotia.” You see, the distillery has an inn and fine dining restaurant that attracts thousands of non-whisky drinkers a year as well.

Now back to the “glen.” The Trade-marks Opposition Board had already decided that Glenora’s use of the word did not cause confusion. Everyone one the board knew what it it was. However, the Scotch Whisky Association has appealed to the Federal courts and a ruling will come out in January. A negative ruling would mean that the legal fees were all in vain and a pile of money would have to be spent on re-branding, re-packaging and re-marketing.

President Lauchie MacLean can only say that he is “Cautiously optimistic.”

I do believe that the Scotch Whiskey Association, although the keeper of a sacred legacy, cannot have very much self-esteem as a group if it feels threatened by a Cape Breton distillery that has literally a drop in the bucket for production compared to the Scottish whisky empires.

So why not come and see Genora Inn and Distillery for yourself?

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