We left Chester early in the morning (for us) and headed into Halifax on what turned out to be a very hot day with heat index warnings. We started with an electric boat tour of the harbor with Joyce and Glenn as our tour guides with Halifax Harbour Tours. The delightfully quiet ride made it easy to hear our guides and talk with our fellow passengers. We learned some history (the Halifax explosion) and saw the sights. And as a special treat they performed a song on our way back into port “Farewell Nova Scotia.” Kara at the ticketing booth gave us some great advice after our tour of what else to see and where in Halifax. We took in some of the board walk then headed to the Citadel for some more history of the area. Along the way we also discovered St. Paul’s church and stopped in for a chat with the warden. We’d finally had enough of the heat, but made one last stop on our way out of town to Fairview Cemetery where some of the Titanic victims were buried as well as a memorial to the unknown dead from the Halifax explosion.
We backtracked a bit to our campground for the night near Peggy’s Cove so we could get to the well known lighthouse for the sunset and after the tour buses were gone (a tip we’d gotten the day before). Many different languages could be heard as we enjoyed the site with other visitors. Though not overcrowded, it was impossible to get a picture without someone else in it.
We hadn’t gotten our fill of Halifax, so we headed back the next morning after a stop for coffee and sweets at the Labour Day Cafe where we met Michael who gave us more good tourist advice. Fortunately this day was not as hot and made for perfect wandering weather. We started at the Public Gardens where we enjoyed our picnic lunch and a wander through the garden. Then we wandered the board walk and made our way to the Canadian Museum of Immigration on Pier 21. This is the Ellis Island of Canada. The museum is filled with the stories of immigrants and the joy and challenges of moving to a new country. We could have spent twice the time we were here, but they were closing 1.5 hours after we arrived, so that kept us moving along. Back to wandering the boardwalk along the harbour. Enjoying the sights and the gelato and also finding the Peace by Chocolate store. And making new friends along the way.
The day ended at Shooter’s pub in Enfield (by one of the two Tesla Superchargers in Nova Scotia). There we watched the 6th game of the Stanley Cup finals and cheered for the Edmonton Oilers against the Florida Panthers. They won the game securing a game 7 for the chance to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time in 32 years. We’ve gotta cheer for Canada while we are here!
We fell asleep in the back of the car (boy am I glad we invested in that new mattress) in the parking lot dreaming of our next destination – Cape Breton Island.
– Mindy
This is great. Feel like I’m tagging along with you two. Keep ’em coming.
Ron and Roberta.
Loving seeing Nova Scotia through your eyes… we enjoyed a visit there many years ago…as we camped and house stayed. Thanks for sharing.
Loving seeing Nova Scotia through your eyes… we enjoyed a visit there many years ago…as we camped and house stayed. Thanks for sharing.