Louisbourg Pizzeria, Louisbourg, NS

Gord and I figured we could stop at a restaurant in Louisbourg for breakfast before we headed to the Fortress of Louisbourg.

We drove up and down the main street a few times but all the restaurants were closed (for what appears to be for the season). We stopped a tour bus driver and asked him where we should eat. He recommended Louisbourg Pizzeria which is part of the Louisbourg General Store. He recommended the pizza.

I had fries and a pizza burger.

Gord had a hamburger and onion rings.

Both meals were good.

The staff (the fella at the cash and his wife who is the cook) were very friendly.

After we spent more than three hours at the Fortress, we were hungry so we stopped in again afterwards for a slice of pizza ... it was good pizza!

Governor's Pub & Eatery, Sydney, NS

Gord and I went to the Governor's Pub & Eatery this evening ... it's near our hotel and we like pubs.

We had supper downstairs.

Gord had the Haddock a la Maison (pan-fried haddock lightly breaded, topped with two scallops, two shrimp and a drizzle hollandaise sauce). He's not a big fish lover but wanted to try some since he was in the Maritimes. He was happy with his choice and ate it all.

I was going to order the Chicken Parm but our server dissuaded me. Instead I ordered the Slow Cooked Pork Back Ribs (1/2 Rack back ribs glazed with our signature rib sauce, served with hand cut fries and our signature crispy coleslaw) and our server was happy with my choice.

Though the ribs were good, they were cold. Cold! When I mentioned it to our server, he asked me if I wanted them to be heated. Shouldn't they have been hot in the first place?! I said I figured they would be microwaved and ruined and he didn't dispute it. So I wasn't overly happy with my meal.

After our meal, we went upstairs to the pub. Boy, was it hot there!

Gord was happy that he got to try some Garrison draft (he can't get it in Toronto). He started and ended with the Red Irish Ale.

Just before we were about to leave, the bartender accidentally split a beer on me ... so my camera, sweatshirt and pants got wet. Grrrrr! Though he was sorry about it, you think he would have comped a glass of wine for me.

All in all, Gord was happy with his experience there and I wasn't.

Roadtrip to Sydney

Gord and I left Antigonish this morning and headed to Sydney, Cape Breton.

It's usually a 2.5 hour drive but we stopped here and there and it took about five hours (we weren't in any hurry).

Our first stop was just before the Canso Causeway. It crosses the Strait of Canso, connecting Cape Breton Island by road to the Nova Scotia peninsula.

There's the causeway in the distance.

Here's Gord ...

Here's me ...

As we are going over it ... welcome to Cape Breton!

We're on the road ...

The views by Waycobah First Nation were so nice so we stopped for a bit.

We stopped when we got to Baddeck.

We had to drive up Kelly's Mountain. We stopped at the St. Ann's Lookoff.

We got to the top and headed back down the other side.

We stopped at Bras d'Or Lookoff.

We stopped for lunch at A & K Lick-a-Chick in Bras d'Or.

We got to Sydney about 3pm.

I had spent my high school years just outside Sydney in Sydney River. I haven't really been back since I left in 1983.

I gave Gord the grand tour before we checked into our hotel.

A & K Lick-A-Chick, Bras d'Or, NS

Gord and I had a late lunch today at A & K Lick-A-Chick in Bras d'Or.

I hadn't been there in about 25 years.

According to their sign, they make the best tasting chicken on Cape Breton Island and the best hamburgers in the world. Quite a claim!

It's on the highway between Baddeck and Sydney. Even as late as it was, it was a busy spot.

Gord and I both got a three piece dinner ... pop, three pieces of chicken, fries, cole slaw and a bun. The dinner was $9.99 each ... great price for the amount of food we got. It was delicious and as good as I remember.

By the way, we both bought a cap ($18.99). They sell teeshirts too.

Here we are afterwards before we hit the road for Sydney.

Maritime Inn, Antigonish, NS

Gord has been to Halifax a few times with me. He's never been anywhere else in Nova Scotia.

Since I was in Nova Scotia because of the sales conference, we hooked up at the airport after it was over yesterday.

We drove down to Antigonish (about two hours from Halifax) to spend the night. I'd gone to university here and ended up living here for a few years after I graduated. He wanted to experience where I'm from.

We stayed at the Maritime Inn on Main Street.

Here's our room.


Antigonish is a small town and there are only a couple hotels. I wanted to stay along Main Street.

This hotel isn't fancy but the room was okay. We were on the ground floor so our rental car was parked just ouside the door which was handy.

The only complaint I have is that the phone didn't work. Huh?! I was trying to deal with the confusion with Gord's suitcase. The phone rang but when I answered, I heard nothing. I said that if whoever was calling could hear me, they should call me on my cell phone and I gave the number (Amber from the airline called right away). When I told the guy at the front desk about it after we came back from supper, he said he'll have it checked out today. Um, we're checking out today so that won't do us any good. Good thing I have my cell phone. When we checked out this morning, the receptionist gave us a $10 credit off our bill.

Piper's Pub, Antigonish, NS

I went to St. Francis Xavier University ("X") in Antigonish from 1980 to 1983 and stayed on after graduation. I moved to Toronto in 1987.

Antigonish is a small town (population of less than 5000). At the time, there was only one tavern in town, the Triangle. I spent a fair bit of time at the Triangle and had lots of fun.

Since I've been in Toronto, it has now become Piper's Pub. After Gord and I had supper at the Wheel this evening, we stopped in Piper's Pub.

I was curious to see what changes there would be. I was expecting it to be cleaned up with booths ... like more of a British pub.

Um ... no.

It's the same but different.

There used to be a wall that separated the front from the back. The older locals sat in the front under the moose- and deerheads. The wall is now gone and there's a bar there now (there's Gord at the bar).

The university students and younger locals sat in the back part. It was just tables and chairs. Same concept today but less tables ... and it's darker.

Apparently Wednesday and Saturday nights are busy. Draft are $3 a glass and there is an open jam at 10pm.

We stayed for a drink. Alas, this didn't live up to my memories.