This cache has been archived.

Keats94: Sorting out some of my low traffic caches by archiving them. Freeing up more space for those who wish to contribute to the game.

Cheers,

Keats

GC854H5 ▼

A cache by Keats94 Message this owner

Hidden : 3/21/2019

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Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

One of my favourite things about geocaching is being able to travel, and see new places. I have had a deep thirst to see the other side of this beautiful country. Perhaps it had to do with my interest in maritime fiddle tunes, or simply taking in the aroma of fresh Atlantic air.

Every cache you will find in this series is authentically Nova Scotian, with the exception of some logbook receptacles. Whether it be pieces of my Christmas tree from Lunenburg County, a pill container I found on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, and a little surprise camouflage at the final, this series is truly east coast.

There was something about Nova Scotia that sparked my curiosity from a young age. I didn't exactly know why, but I needed to answer Nova Scotia's call.

I booked my plane tickets, and organized my trip to Cape Breton Island in 2017. My goodness was I excited. Not only because I was going to Cape Breton, but this was in October, the season of the Celtic Colours International Festival. A music fest of fiddles, pipes, and an island with vibrant fall colours.

The furthest east I had traveled at that point was Montreal, so seeing the maritimes, and the Atlantic ocean almost felt like travelling to Mars.

When I landed in Nova Scotia for the first time, it felt awesome. It was a remarkable feeling, because I finally made it to the place I have been so curious about.

This series pays tribute to the call I've felt, and tells some of the memorable experiences of the two trips I made to Nova Scotia. The first to Cape Breton in 2017, and a road trip which circled the province in July of 2018.

To figure out the final, read my stories, and answer some of the questions on the final cache page.

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The Story:

After exploring Sydney one last time, and bidding farewell to my rental car, it was high time I steeped myself in the local brew. It was off to a local, and popular pub in downtown Sydney. Some of Cape Breton's finest beer was served there, and there's great live music!

Pubs in the maritime provinces tend to be old, this particular establishment was built circa 1867! Within that time, I'm sure lots of great stories were told, and beer consumed.

Well, 150 years later, I stepped into that pub, and thought I'd take in the atmosphere of a Cape Breton bar. Travelling alone, and going to pubs made me feel a little weird, but I struck up a conversation with a guy living in Vancouver, but grew up in Boisdale, which is along the shores of Bras d'Or Lake.

Capers, as Cape Bretoners affectionately call themselves, are extremely friendly, and it wasn't long before this west coaster felt right at home in this cozy pub. The light was waning into a moody orange glow, while the leafy green trees outside cast shadows on the old window sills. The floor boards were old too, but still strong, and have been stomped on by joyous crowds, no doubt drunkenly dancing to tunes from sea shanties gone by. This was the place where the locals came, and it sure felt great to be there, away from the cruise ship crowds, or the camera clad conquerors.

It was my little secret it seemed, that I was one of those tourists from the cedar crested shores of British Columbia. That somehow, I managed to slip into the culture, and be apart of the Atlantic vibe. I liked it, whatever this feeling was. After the adventures I had, and the experiences I was apart of, Cape Breton staked a claim, next to British Columbia on my heart.

And my goodness was that maple lager good! Too good. Oh and look, the musicians have set up their instruments. I think I'll stay a while. The fiddle player's name was Colin Grant, who I recognized as the lead fiddle player from Sprag Session, a band from Nova Scotia. He, and a guitarist started playing. It was great. Your typical, awesome, maritime pub experience.

There was a point when I forgot I was still consuming beer. It felt like I was simply breathing it in, but it turns out, I was inhaling it! The musicians took an intermission, and I thought damn it, I got to say hi to Colin Grant. I think I said "hey man, that was some awesome fiddle playing, I'm from Vancouver, and we don't much of that over there." All I remember was that it was like trying to speak with ice cream in your mouth. I had quite a few too many.

I think I inhaled one more beer after the band started playing, and then it eventually dawned on me, that it was in fact beyond dusk, and I needed to get back to the place I was staying at. Transit was not an option, and an hour long drunken walk with the odd ditch in between, was not on my list of desired Cape Breton "experiences".

So a taxi it was, and I was grateful that island time did not affect Cape Breton's taxi fleet. I managed to stumble into the taxi, as sober, and as professional as I could. With my phone, and squinting with one eye closed to focus on my phone screen, I managed to tell the driver the address I was staying.

The taxi ride itself seemed like we were flying, and I looked outside imagining how, or where I'd be if I had walked back to my place of accommodation. Sure enough, we arrived at the address I could now barely remember I asked the driver to take me to. "Here we are," the driver said. Squinty eyed, and trying to focus on paying with the card machine, I managed to successfully enter a valid pin. Such a relief.

"Anything else I can do fer ya?" the driver asked. I replied with "nope, thank you so much for getting me home safe though!" My brain had planned these words out, but my slurred speech made me sound like the Swedish chef from the muppets.

I don't remember much getting back to my room, but I do remember realizing I would need to get to the airport the following day to catch three planes to the west coast. When I woke up, the hangover wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but the heartache of leaving Cape Breton made up for it.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Yrsg fvqr bs genvy oruvaq gerr tbvat abegu. Vg terj va Yharaohet pbhagl.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)