Lots of locally-grown produce there, of course. Nova Scotia is much further north than California, with a shorter but more intense growing season, so some varieties of fruits and vegetables look and taste different from what we're used to. In particular, their strawberries are wonderful. We've seen California strawberries (Driscoll and other brands) in grocery stores in every state we've visited, and mostly those are not impressive strawberries - beautiful bright red exteriors but less than exciting taste. Obviously the variety they use has been bred to look good and last long enough to withstand long-distance shipping rather than making taste their priority. California is capable of growing great fruit but the commercial product ain't that.
The Canadian strawberry - both in grocery stores and farmers' markets - looks less appetizing - smaller fruit and dark red in color - but it is red all the way through and has intense strawberry taste. That's the one you want to eat. Their local tomatoes are excellent, too.
As with farmers' markets everywhere, this one also had food stalls and vendors of all sorts of other products.
As we walked along downtown looking for a lunch spot, Nancy noticed the colors of the rainbow displayed in many of the stores. She very perceptively asked the waitress at the restaurant we selected if that meant that there was to be a gay pride parade, and it turned out that one was scheduled that very day.
We joined the enthusiastic crowds lining the parade route.
There were floats, including a couple by local churches, and marchers and music. Not every participant was a hardbody.
This was no San Francisco pride parade. It was surprisingly wholesome and G-rated, with no nudity and no raunchiness. And of course much smaller. I saw only two drag queens.
There were marchers of all ages and persuasions.
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It was quite remarkable to witness what appeared to be an entire town turning out for an only slightly weird celebration of these alternative lifestyles. You sure wouldn't expect to see that in small-town America.
Nova Scotia, in our brief time there, turned out to be pretty interesting.
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