Zombies Would Love Lunenburg

If I had one wish, itd be that every building in the world was painted these colours. JK, itd be world peace.

If I had one wish, it'd be for every building in the world to be painted these colours. JK, it'd be world peace.

Lunenburg is a damned cute town. It was established in 1753 as the first British Colonial settlement in Nova Scotia outside of Halifax, and the whole town is actually listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plus they have horses pulling carts near the waterfront, how freaking awesome is that?

Jo and I visited post-tourism season, late September, so the town was pretty…dead. We wandered around downtown, argued over where to eat, offended a bunch of old ladies with our cursing, and then settled on a fish shop.

We chose a window seat. Some elderly ladies sat a table next to us, hair all pulled back in buns and speaking in British accents. I think they were nuns. I asked the waitress to explain what “clam strips” were. She blinked at me and said, “Strips of clam.”

The town apparently has strong ties with Newfoundland as well; when I flipped over the menu, I saw the dates were listed for a festival titled “Newfie Days” in October. I wanted to hug someone.

Of course, the BIG tourist attraction – the Bluenose – was dry-docked for repairs. You know, the sailboat that appears on the Canadian dime? Yeah, that would’ve been cool.

It was close to 6 p.m. by the time we left the diner, and everything was shutting down. We wandered over to the St. John’s Anglican Church, a pretty piece of gothic architecture. After studying the shit out of cathedrals in England for six weeks, I was glad to realize I haven’t become jaded on the whole thing.

And then I burst into flames.

And then I burst into flames.

Then we found Lunenburg Academy, a schoolhouse which happens to be the only intact 19th century building still standing in Nova Scotia. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

It’s also conveniently located next to a graveyard, which I’m sure makes a lovely playground for the children.

Perfect for zombies, amiright?

Perfect for zombies, amiright?

Jo and I, being from extreme outport Newfoundland…well, we’re accustomed to small towns. But we might have been the only people under 60 in that entire place, and I’m not sure anyone really appreciated us running through a graveyard. It was damned eerie quiet, and we decided to flee before the sun went down. Maybe they only come out at night.

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  • http://trustmaggie.wordpress.com/ maggie

    all of those pictures make me want to go there! especially the church. i love me a good church building. pretty buildings make my life, really. Peaks of old architecture in downtown Guelph seriously endeared the city to me.
    Also, nice use of zombies. thumbs up on that. ;D

    (and the clam strip story made me laugh.)

    will put this on the list if I ever decide NS is worth my limited vacation time… ;)

  • http://www.solofemaletraveler.com Sabina

    Hilarious! And I could handle every building in the world being colorful like those in the top photo too.

  • http://thejungleprincess.com Abby

    Wow those buildings are stunning!

  • http://solofriendly.com Gray

    You’re not kidding, that IS a cute place. Love that schoolhouse building. I could maybe picture witches here more than zombies. Not sure why….

  • http://www.adventurerob.com AdventureRob

    Colourful buildings make me happy :-)

    It does look very colonial, similar in places to Australia.

  • http://www.sophiesworld.net Sophie

    We were in Lunenburg in October 2 years ago, such a lovely town. Have pictures of those bright, colourful houses, almost exactly like your picture :) They’re just asking to be photographed, aren’t they…

    Missed the graveyard though.

  • http://budgettravelerssandbox.com Nancie

    Thank you for making me homesick! I’m from Halifax, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked through Lunenburg.

    I can imagine that the poor waitress howled once she got in the kitchen……………………..”What are clam strips?” (Actually whole clams are better.)

    Lunenburg has a large German population. I wasn’t aware that they had much in common with Newfoundland. (of course the North Atlantic!)

    To find anyone under 60 you really need to visit on a hot day in the middle of summer.

    I’m glad you enjoyed my home province :)

  • http://www.goseewrite.com/ Michael Hodson

    I really want and need to get over to that side of Canada. I would say soon, but think I will wait till next summer :)

  • http://www.wanderingeducators.com/marketplace/apparel/do-mbt-shoes-really-work.html wandering educators

    this is SO funny. how did i not find your site before? BRAVA!! i would have left early, too…because zombies eat brains, and i like mine very much.

  • http://www.unusual-travel-destinations.com Fida

    I did a cross country trip a few years back and fell in Love with all of Nova Scotia and particularly Lunenburg. Maybe I AM a zombie?

  • http://aviewtoathrill.net Renee King

    Great article….I love your sense of humor! I can definitely relate to the last pic….I can just see zombies strolling down that pathway….I would be out of there lickety split before anyone could say “They’re coming to get you, Bar……….”

  • http://www.baconismagic.ca Ayngelina

    Wow you got a photo with a blue sky, every time I visit it’s grey!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I’d never be sad again!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    They’re pretty damned cool!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hah, maybe both!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I love it!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hehe yeah, despite how quiet the town was, there quite a few people around taking pictures.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Yeah, I wish I had been there for the busy tourist season! I’ve never heard of clam strips before I came to NS, I didn’t realize they could be served any way other than whole…?! Hahaha. Loved my time there though, I still want to move to Halifax.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Doooo it!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hahaha, glad you dropped by, thanks for the kind words! :P Yes, yes I do enjoy my brain as well…

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    There are worse things to be than a zombie!

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Hahaha, thanks, Renee! I was surprised by how quiet the town is.

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    I think that’s my ONLY blue photo!

  • http://www.driftingfocus.com/blogs Kelsey

    I stopped in Lunenberg once during my tall ship sailing days. The town threw a clam bake for us and I ate so many that I laid on the dock and rolled around, complaining about being too full to walk back to the ship. That’s pretty much my memory of Lunenberg!

  • http://mikesowden.org/feveredmutterings Mikeachim

    None of those buildings look real. Gorgeous, agreed, but a bit too gorgeous somehow. I’d have to check myself to see if I was CGI or not.

    Oh, and you’re right on the zombies thing. Defenceless, pretty town next to graveyard. Zombies or vampires. Matter of time. We all know it.

    They need a shop that sells stakes and shotgun cartridges. And some kind of kindly old grandfatherly type who turns out to be a gun-obsessed vigilante with a garage shitloaded with enough firepower to bring down the Moon.
    Send a letter to the town council. Civic duty, Candice.

  • http://www.adventurebimbling.com Andrew Murray

    Wow it looks amazing! Wonderful architecture and so well looked after! If only I could go everywhere lol

  • http://www.candicedoestheworld.com Candice

    Someday Andrew, someday!