The day I spent in Baddeck was a day unlike any other days this year. Or possibly even any other days I’ve had in the past few years. For the first time in such a long time, I finally remembered again how it feels like to be completely at ease, to sense the solid peacefulness of summer vibes, to wholly feel soothed and renewed. To simply forget and not worry about the past nor the future, for all that matters is really the present. To be brought back to a place I’ve never had a chance to wander to in such a long period before that day; a place in my mind where solitude is truly a bliss—and not at all a sign of loneliness nor missing companions.
It might be about all its amazing scenic views, it could be about the people, but it is most likely just about every single thing this small town has. Coming to this town as a layover before I head to Cape Breton National Park the next day, I had no expectations at all. But man, do I fall for this whole place.
Willie and Gina who are the owners of The Worn Doorstep Guest House where I stay for the night are possibly the sweetest old couple I’ve actually met in real life, and the second I was welcomed to their guest house I knew rightaway that I was going to love the place. They’re the kinds of the old couple who just loves complimenting every younger person they encounter, and even one of their staffs who was also a rather old lady said this as her first sentence said to me ever: “Oh my gosh, you have such beautiful eyes!” Not that I feel that what she said was true though, but it’s just very polite and kind of her to have said such thing to put me at ease while trying to settle in, true?
The small town of Baddeck basically lies along the coast that further extends into the mighty Atlantic Ocean. The main road is literally by the coast, all the way to the scenic Cabot Trail surrounding the Cape Breton National Park. Walking along those small, quiet roads under the warm afternoon sun ray blended with the chilling ocean breeze, even peaceful is such an understatement. The houses were old but neat and very well-painted in colors that match the blue-and-green vibes of the sea and vegetation surrounding it, and everything was just very pleasant to look and stare at.
I went to the Alexander Graham Bell national historic site located on top of a small hill just a few minutes walk from the main road, and from there I was able to watch the sea from the most pleasant way possible. There were benches that are put in pairs, making me wonder if only I had my date to sit and stare at the landscape before us while sipping some good cup of jasmine tea. The ocean seemed to had been very calm, deep and blue and all-mighty, yet not overpowering. A small lighthouse was seen as a very delightful touch to the scenery, standing on a small island one sail away from the port next to the main road. White seagulls travelling in group, of course, are the other fascinating additions that cannot be taken for granted.
While the landscape was unquestionably beautiful and the people were extremely nice and friendly, those weren’t the only best part of Baddeck. Thinking about souvenir shops in such small town might end up with you imagining some basic souvenir shops with less actual artsy gems and more dreadful-shaped magnets or basic ugly postcards with irritating typefonts. And that’s where you’re about to be completely wrong. Baddeck is apparently blessed with abundant talented local artists and their shops are going to make you wonder whether you’re really in a deserted part of Nova Scotia or rather in a hipsteresque neighborhood of downtown Vancouver. Here’s a couple shots from my favorite stores where I bought a pink-colored sea urchin fossil and a few gorgeous postcards:
And of course, such soothing day could still get better once you came across your favorite ice creams in a local convenience store that you hadn’t even found in any other store before:
The day I spent in Baddeck was short, but remarkable. Hadn’t the accommodation facilities been very expensive I would definitely extend my stay by one extra day, because it’s such a small town that basically you could see everything just with a full-day tour around. Anyhow, if you’re curious about other pictures I took here (that look even better), please kindly head to my photo blog here! In the meantime, hope to see you again in the upcoming posts.