We ventured out to the southern shore of Nova Scotia and headed for the old town of Lunenburg. Enroute we caught a glimpse of the longest line of bras we have ever seen (yes – bras – as in women’s undergarments)!  We are not sure if those were decorations or for sale. (Thanks to Bax McClure comment below, the bras show support for Breast Cancer!)

The old town of Lunenburg is one of three Unesco World Heritage sites in Nova Scotia.  It received this honor because it is one of the best examples of a classic British colonial settlement and for its remarkable level of conservation.  First, below is a mural of the old Lunenburg, then check out my current images and you’ll notice the town is pretty much unchanged.

Seventy percent of the original buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries  greeted us with their colorful facades.  The locals have safeguarded the town’s identity throughout the centuries by preserving the wooden architecture of the houses and public buildings, some of which date back to the 18th century.

We took a walk around the narrow streets and enjoyed the charming architecture and brightly painted wooden buildings of today.

Every block featured a collection of colors from the rainbow for their paint jobs, which made the street views  a real treat to look at.

Then add in the bright red buildings along the harbor…

Around town were 44 fish sculptures honoring the top 20 fish and shellfish species landed by the area’s commercial fisheries.

As we strolled along it became clear that the town’s vibrancy is what draws so many people here for a visit.  This little town is teeming with craft shops, art studios, inns and dozens of excellent restaurants.  We highly recommend a relaxing half-day visit here!

Back to to the waterfront, even ships/boats were in an array of bold colors.

While strolling on the wharf a tourist asked us where the Bluenose II was docked.  We couldn’t answer him, since we didn’t even know what it was.  Later on we learned it is Nova Scotia’s world-famous (maybe I’m the only one who hadn’t heard about it) sailing ambassador.  Bluenose II is a schooner designed in the spirit of the original Bluenose.  The original vessel, which has appeared on the Canadian dime since 1937, was launched from Lunenburg as a fishing and racing schooner in 1921.  After 17 years of racing victories she sank on a coral reef in 1946.  The Bluenose II is currently undergoing a major restoration in one of the dry-docks at Lunenburg. It returned to dock for repairs after re-launch Sept. 29, and there is no clear date for it to sail again.

We continued driving further to a tiny fishing village called Blue Rocks to check out cool bluish sedimentary rocks at their shore.

Finally, we bade goodbye after a day of “color overload.”

Next up:  Peggy’s Cove and more!

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