That old picture I posted of Bridgewater yesterday certainly brought back a few memories. And maybe cleared up a few. Like the fact that I can remember a motorcycle stunt show in that area which would have been around that time. But there just didn’t seem to be enough space. There seems to be plenty of space in that picture.
But someone mentioned the Three Bears restaurant wasn’t there. I certainly remember it. We stopped a couple times over the years.
Before the 103 existed, a trip to Halifax was not something you did on spur of the moment. You tended to plan things out, including where you might stop for a convenient washroom break and a cup of coffee. Maybe a slice of pie. Or a burger. Or… there were a lot of things. Some depended on the place you were stopping and what their specialty might be.
Living in Liverpool, even a trip to Bridgewater at that time didn’t seem as easy. It it usually involved a stop somewhere along the way for at least a quick snack. Maybe the Three Bears. Or possibly the restaurant at Indian Gardens. And, it’s a little fuzzy these days, but I swear there used to be a boat tied up along the river that served as a diner.
And there were places that we just liked and seemed to be in a convenient spot along the route. No trip to Halifax was complete for us unless we stopped at the Windjammer for a bowl of chowder and a slice of pie. It was just at the right place along the road for us.
Some of those places, or a version of them, still exist. Unfortunately, many don’t. The 103 has certainly made things a lot more convenient, but I also miss some of those little places we used to stop. No drive through. You actually had to stop and get out of the car and stretch a bit. Relax for a few minutes before you continued on.
It took a bit longer, but it seemed to make it more of an occasion.
