Upon arriving in Halifax we rented a car. We were expecting a compact Budget car. What we got was this:

A flaming red, 2009 Avenger.
After riding around in that tank for three weeks we decided that we will never, ever buy an Avenger. It was very difficult to exit gracefully and seemed to be built for men (driver and passengers), at least six feet tall with extremely long legs. But it sure looked good and thankfully had great sock absorbers.

The highways in Nova Scotia are crap. They are full of pot holes and washboardy. There were occasions I had to put my needles away as knitting was impossible. What little shoulder there was had crumbled away with some of the driving lane and I swear they were so narrow they must have been built for the horse and buggy, not these newfangled automobiles. As if that wasn't bad enough the highways were littered with the mangled, dead bodies of porcupines. For that many of them to have waddled out into the paths of oncoming cars they must be the most brainless of creatures.

Fortunately the scenery was spectacular. Everywhere you look is lush and green.

View of the Annapolis Valley

Many of the older houses are like big, two story boxes, freshly painted white, beautiful gardens and manicured lawns. I have never seen a more house proud province. Properties and streets were picture perfect. Nova Scotia is a jewel in Canada's crown.