Day 23 Peggy's Cove and the Tattoo

Thursday, the 4^th of July 2013

What lighthouse? 

After setting the alarm clock for the first time, we headed out the door at 7:15 to go to the famous Peggy’s Cove.   This rural community is located about 26 miles southwest of downtown Halifax, and comprises several small fishing villages located around this particular peninsula in St. Margaret’s Bay. This is another “must see” here in Nova Scotia,  which is most known for Peggy’s Point Lighthouse . 

When we left, it was a very beautiful sunny day, but as we approached Peggy’s Cove, the fog became increasingly thick.  By the time we reached the coast, we had a hard time finding the road, let alone a lighthouse!  We think we were the only ones there, but hey, it was so foggy perhaps we weren't.

Fog started to lift
Ahhhh..... THERE'S the lighthouse! 

Alison enjoying the day

One of several little coves in " Peggy's Cove"

After taking a ton of photos of the various densities of fog, we went to breakfast at a restaurant right there on the lighthouse property, hoping the sun would work it's magic by revealing a wondrous sight.  The restaurant  was very overpriced and the food very bland, but at least it was convenient.

The Sun! The Sun! Hallelujah!

The sun broke through as bus load after bus load of people arrived.  Within minutes the place was swarming with people, like an army of ants on an important mission.

What, were the buses waiting down the road for the fog to lift?

We took about 50 more  pictures ( don't you love digital cameras? ) and then hiked for a few hours on a beautiful, rugged trail we were told about that hugged the coast.

A beautiful view from our hike near Peggy's Cove
Out here, there are NO PEOPLE!

  A late picnic  lunch consisted of leftover lobster sandwiches on the rocks of another beautiful cove!  What can be better than this?  Vistas look so different in the sun.

The Royal International Tattoo in Halifax

That evening,Norm and I arranged to meet two other couples from our campground for dinner at the Bluenose II restaurant, and then we all headed to see the "Tattoo", which is defined as " a show of military exercises as a form of entertainment. " Well, tattoos of modern day go way beyond that!

Some of the more than 2000 performers

The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo is unique from any other Tattoo in the world because it is more theatrical in nature with a healthy mixture of military and civilian performers.   It is said that it generates tens of millions in economic impact annually for the Province of Nova Scotia.

These talented young people from British Columbia were playing a
 jaunty song with one hand playing the ukulele in one hand, and
the other hand playing someone else's! Incredible!

The show was 2 ½ hours of really fast paced scenes lasting 3-6 minutes each.  The Citadel Band and Pipes were representing the US, there were Highland dancers, Irish Dancers ( I am not sure the difference, but I intend to find out soon ) the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a German motorcycle precision team that rode around in a pyramid with pyrotechnics that were incredible, acrobatic acts, modern music, and probably 50 more.

The Canadians did a tribute to the Sandy Hook, Newtown, Ct. victims that was sung by the sweetest children's chorus while projecting a picture of each person that lost their life that tragic day . Now, I have to tell you, that really made me cry. Big time. All the performers participated in a huge finale.  It was a tremendous show.