My first exploratory drive

I love driving around. Today was a gorgeous day. Not a cloud in the sky, the roads were dry and clear, so I thought I'd get in the car and go for a drive. I'd planned to just go straight up Portland Street, which is the main artery closest to where I live, as far as it would take me, just to see what was there. But I found myself in a turning lane suddenly, and had to take a right-hand turn. What the hell, I thought, I'll follow this and see where it goes.

I followed it all the way down to a place called Cow Bay, which is right on the open ocean. I knew I was heading toward the ocean coast (in Dartmouth and Halifax, you're in a harbour, so you don't see the ocean really), but when I suddenly caught my first glimpse of it off to my left, I let out a big gasp and almost felt like I would start crying. It's really an awesome sight...all that water going off into nowhere. Easy to understand why ancient people thought the ocean led to the end of the world. The bright sun was blazing on the water so hard I could barely look at it.

I kept going till I got right into the town of Cow Bay. They have a little touristy area that I want to go back and visit when the weather is warmer. There were places with lobster traps all stacked up, and fishermen standing around yacking outside a store and all these tiny little pastel-coloured buildings in a row with snack shops, souvenires etc. I stopped at a little fish shop and bought myself a lobster sandwich to take home. I wouldn't buy another - it wasn't unpleasant, had nice big chunks of lobster meat in it, but not really something I'd want to bother with again. I prefer my lobster hot with butter and lemon Mmmmmm.

They also had a lovely boardwalk going around this big tidal flat that leads to their beach. I bet the place just hops in the summertime.

Wasn't sure how to get home, so I pulled over and looked at my map. I figured if I just stayed on the road that leads along the water to my left, I'd come into Dartmouth eventually, and sure enough, I did. In an amazingly brief amount of time too. Surprisingly, I started to recognize things very soon outside Cow Bay, and realized the road I was on was the same road I'd been going down on Friday when I was trying to find the Woodside Ferry Terminal. That morning, I was half-way to Cow Bay before I realized I was going the wrong way and turned around - and I didn't even realize it at the time. And there I was again this afternoon! The same kind of thing happened to me in December when I was driving around Halifax...I kept finding myself in the same place after a few minutes of driving. This part of Nova Scotia is very small, I guess.

I had a lovely time this afternoon, and look forward to doing it again next weekend, to a different destination. Maybe up to the next harbour along the way. And next time, I'll remember to bring my camera!!