Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

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Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

We were definitely in Nova Scotia (New Scotland). Many of the signs are in English and Gaelic along with a céad míle fáilte (pronounced kayd milla fawlcha - a hundred thousand welcomes) or two to emphasize the point. In 1621 King James VI of Scotland (King James I of England) granted Sir William Alexander all the land between current day New England and Newfoundland. Quite the chunk of real estate which most assuredly warranted the territory be named after his homeland.

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Visiting Fort William and Ontario Roadside Attractions

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Located on the shores of the Kaministiguia River, Fort William was not a military installation, but rather the inland headquarters of the North West Company (NWC). In 1815, the NWC was the world’s largest fur trading enterprise with trading posts that stretched across what is now Canada. A meeting of cultures took place as Scottish businessmen, French-Canadian voyageurs and indigenous people came together to trade goods, information and services.

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A Weekend of Bugs

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A Weekend of Bugs

Spurned by the ladybugs, we opted to head to Springs Preserve on Sunday. In the middle of the Mojave Desert, the Springs Preserve area was an oasis for early travelers. Las Vegas translated from Spanish is ‘the meadows’ and Springs Preserve is now 180 acres of trails, museums and botanical gardens about three miles from the Las Vegas Strip owned and operated by the Las Vegas Valley Water District. It’s an awesome place.

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