Nanda & Nathan The Travellers: August 2015

August 28, 2015

Lunenburg and Mahone Bay

August 28, 2015 ---- If you ask me what town/city is most worth visiting in Nova Scotia, I would say that it's Lunenburg. Nathan and I first saw the colorful port town in a movie and wondered where it was until I found out later that it isn't far from our home. Lunenburg was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, and now it's a major tourist attraction in Nova Scotia.

If you drive straight from Halifax to Lunenburg, it takes a little over an hour on NS-103, but if you want to take some time enjoying the drive, you should definitely take the local road NS Trunk 3 to visit some beaches, fisherman's villages, and overlook vistas.

Nathan and I took a day trip driving along the coast on Nova Scotia Trunk 3 all the way from Halifax to Lunenburg. The day was crisp and the sky was very blue, and that made the journey more pleasant because the view of the ocean and colorful fisherman villages along the way were even more breathtaking. We made many stops to enjoy the beautiful nature. My favorite spot was at Cleveland Beach Provincial Park where we had a picnic on the beach. There were limited parking spots, and some people had to park along the road. The beach was beautiful with white sand and some rocks, and we saw some locals wading in the cool water or sunbathing on the beach.

After lunch we continued our drive and made many stops along the way. Mahone Bay is one stop where we appreciated the scenery of the small town with many beautiful churches. There was a museum that we could have gone to, but we were afraid to not have enough time to wander in Lunenburg, so we didn't get to see it. The town was very cute and there were some interesting shops, but I still don't think it wouldn't take longer than two hours to see/do everything Mahone Bay has to offer.

Finally we arrived at Lunenburg. We parked along Linclon St. and walked toward the waterfront. There were quite many things to see/do there, such as Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, the historical ship Bluenose II, etc. Nathan and I walked around the city, visited St. John's Anglican Church, looked in some shops and left the town not too long after we got there. We drove around Lunenburg Harbor toward the golf court located just across the harbor from the town. There we got a fascinating view of the historic town just like we saw it in the movie. It was so colorful and unique in style.

Nathan and I made a reservation at Shore Club for our lobster dinner around 6 p.m., so we had to leave Lunenburg early to get there on time. The restaurant is famous for its steamed lobster and I was not disappointed. It is the BEST lobster I have ever had!

Driving along the coast (Nova Scotia Trunk 3)

Cleveland Beach Provincial Park

Mahone Bay

Lunenburg

Bluenose II

St. John's Anglican Church

Lobster Dinner at Shore Club

August 4, 2015

A Day in Zagreb, Croatia

August 4, 2015 ---- Zagreb is really underrated! Some said that it was a boring city with little to do, but I totally disagreed because this charming city is well worth a visit even if just for a day. Nathan and I stayed in Zagreb for 3 nights while taking day-trips to Plitvice Lakes National Park and Rijeka. We kept Zagreb for exploring on the last day in Croatia before taking the bus back to Munich.

Because our bus didn't leave till 11 p.m., we had plenty of time to see the capital of Croatia. We stored our bags in a coin-operated locker at Zagreb Train Station because it was cheaper than leaving them at the Bus Station's left luggage service. The train station was right in the city center, so we could walk to anywhere from there, but because we had to transport the tram to and from the bus station, we bought a day-ticket for public transportation in Zagreb. It was pretty simple and easy to get around the city.

There are quite many museums worth seeing in Zagreb. Nathan and I went to the Croatian Museum of History, the Museum of Broken Relationships and Zagreb City Museum and really enjoyed our time there, especially at the Zagreb City Museum. There are also many churches worth visiting like the Cathedral of Zagreb and St. Mark's Church. If you have plenty of time, I would recommend you to go to the Tourist Information Center and pick up a city-walking-tour map and explore on your own leisure. Old buildings, cobblestone streets, bustling squares, local restaurants and pubs and some green spaces and gardens are all worth it to spend a day there.

Nathan and I happened to be in Zagreb during its long holiday (Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian Defenders), so there was a celebration of the 20th anniversary of liberation of Croatia. There were some road closures, and a ton of people gathering in the city watching the firework and some military airplanes flying in the sky. The Croatian History Museum also had a special exhibit to honor those who fought in the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995).

Overall, our trip to Croatia was memorable and well worth the long bus ride from Munich. I wish we had more time (and money and energy) to explore this beautiful country. Next trip to Croatia might not come around anytime soon, but I was glad we made it there while living in Europe.