RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Hoping to hear from you soon Mr Pants.
My Journey - Like It Or Not!
- Thread starter MrPants
- Start date
mellowyellow
Well-known Member
I too enjoyed reading your posts Mr Pants, please keep in touch no matter where you are in the world.
So originally I was going to fly from Tuktoyaktuk to Edmonton Alberta and then from there to Moncton New Brunswick to go visit my mother who’s in a care home in Saint John N.B. (southwest from Moncton).
I had some difficulty getting a flight into Moncton so decided to fly into Montreal Quebec and rent a car there then drive the rest of the way to New Brunswick. This would allow me time to poke around a bit and possibly even tour the east coast a little, weather permitting.
After getting into Montreal and picking up my car I drove to Quebec City, about 3 hours east of Mtl by car. I’ll try and give those who are interested in places they may have never been to an idea of what these places I travel to are like, both through description and some photos.
Quebec City
This city in the province of Quebec, Canada is very unique. Of course it’s very much French speaking as is most of the Province of Quebec but due to tourism being such a huge income component for many in the Quebec City area, visitors who speak only English will do just fine here as most people they will encounter are bilingual so no worries about getting into a difficult language situation and you may even pick up a few short French phrases while visiting.
It’s a very unique place in that the greater land mass of the city is just like any other modern urban area in North America but then there’s ‘Old Quebec City’. The ‘old’ part of the city is a compact area near the St. Lawrence river and is representative of Quebec City’s roots, which began in 1603 when the first French settlers, led by Samuel de Champlain arrived and it’s now awash with tourists from all over the world. It’s a compact area that’s actually on two levels. The upper city and the lower city area which is quite small. You can walk between the two or take various lifts up or down the hill to traverse between the two elevations.
The make up of the old city, and much of the attraction for tourists, is the early 17th century French architecture displayed in many of the buildings as well as the narrow, cobblestone streets which are filled with unique shops, eateries and cafes. The old city is small enough that you can pretty much stroll the entire area in a days outing although if you spend the time to visit some of the historic sites, you could spend a few days here. I spent 2 nights, 1.5 days in Q.C. and decided to treat myself, in honour of my recent retirement, and stay at the most notable (and likely most expensive) hotel in the area; the Chateau Frontenac. It’s again styled architecturally like many other buildings in the area with that 17th century French architectural flair. Beautiful old world hotel but given the cost for a night’s stay, it’s a one-off for me but hey .... you only live once right?
As I said earlier, this is a very unique place and I have seen no other similar place anywhere in North or South America. Seems to be very old world European and best suited to those who want a short break from their day to day life and just relax while enjoying some really great cuisine, coffees and other beverages while strolling through the streets indulging in the offerings of the small shops.
In summer, the many buskers will keep you entertained and in winter (Feb. specifically) there is a winter carnival/festival represented by it’s mascot Bonhomme (the large snowman with a bright red scarf). There’s a lot of outdoor activities going on both day and night and despite the freezing cold, you can warm yourself by an outdoor fire and maybe a little hot brandy?
The inviting eateries and cafes plus the artistry displayed in unexpected places keeps people coming back again and again.
The person who owns this building shown below is either one heck of an artist or he knows someone else who is. Never seen a mural so intricate as this one!
On to New Brunswick now to visit my Mom and I’ll see where I go from there. I rented the car for a week so there’s time to travel around a bit. I’ve never seen much of the Province of Nova Scotia so maybe I’ll take a tour around there while I have the chance? Will see what the weather is going to be like and decide then. Fortunately at this time of year, last minute accommodations are not an issue
I had some difficulty getting a flight into Moncton so decided to fly into Montreal Quebec and rent a car there then drive the rest of the way to New Brunswick. This would allow me time to poke around a bit and possibly even tour the east coast a little, weather permitting.
After getting into Montreal and picking up my car I drove to Quebec City, about 3 hours east of Mtl by car. I’ll try and give those who are interested in places they may have never been to an idea of what these places I travel to are like, both through description and some photos.
Quebec City
This city in the province of Quebec, Canada is very unique. Of course it’s very much French speaking as is most of the Province of Quebec but due to tourism being such a huge income component for many in the Quebec City area, visitors who speak only English will do just fine here as most people they will encounter are bilingual so no worries about getting into a difficult language situation and you may even pick up a few short French phrases while visiting.
It’s a very unique place in that the greater land mass of the city is just like any other modern urban area in North America but then there’s ‘Old Quebec City’. The ‘old’ part of the city is a compact area near the St. Lawrence river and is representative of Quebec City’s roots, which began in 1603 when the first French settlers, led by Samuel de Champlain arrived and it’s now awash with tourists from all over the world. It’s a compact area that’s actually on two levels. The upper city and the lower city area which is quite small. You can walk between the two or take various lifts up or down the hill to traverse between the two elevations.
The make up of the old city, and much of the attraction for tourists, is the early 17th century French architecture displayed in many of the buildings as well as the narrow, cobblestone streets which are filled with unique shops, eateries and cafes. The old city is small enough that you can pretty much stroll the entire area in a days outing although if you spend the time to visit some of the historic sites, you could spend a few days here. I spent 2 nights, 1.5 days in Q.C. and decided to treat myself, in honour of my recent retirement, and stay at the most notable (and likely most expensive) hotel in the area; the Chateau Frontenac. It’s again styled architecturally like many other buildings in the area with that 17th century French architectural flair. Beautiful old world hotel but given the cost for a night’s stay, it’s a one-off for me but hey .... you only live once right?
As I said earlier, this is a very unique place and I have seen no other similar place anywhere in North or South America. Seems to be very old world European and best suited to those who want a short break from their day to day life and just relax while enjoying some really great cuisine, coffees and other beverages while strolling through the streets indulging in the offerings of the small shops.
In summer, the many buskers will keep you entertained and in winter (Feb. specifically) there is a winter carnival/festival represented by it’s mascot Bonhomme (the large snowman with a bright red scarf). There’s a lot of outdoor activities going on both day and night and despite the freezing cold, you can warm yourself by an outdoor fire and maybe a little hot brandy?
The inviting eateries and cafes plus the artistry displayed in unexpected places keeps people coming back again and again.
The person who owns this building shown below is either one heck of an artist or he knows someone else who is. Never seen a mural so intricate as this one!
On to New Brunswick now to visit my Mom and I’ll see where I go from there. I rented the car for a week so there’s time to travel around a bit. I’ve never seen much of the Province of Nova Scotia so maybe I’ll take a tour around there while I have the chance? Will see what the weather is going to be like and decide then. Fortunately at this time of year, last minute accommodations are not an issue
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
After this post, I wanna go to Quebec City now!
Had a nice 3 hour visit with my Mom today and the weather is so nice here we were able to go sit outside and enjoy the sunshine and relative warmth. It was very uplifting for both of us even though I can't remember one thing we talked about really - lol. Just enjoyed our time together is all
Wasn't so bad when I had to leave as I'll be stopping by on my way back after I explore Nova Scotia a bit. The weather looks great considering, it's October. It's usually quite cool by then in this part of the country but it's been in the high teens to low 20's C lately (that's probably like 65-70 F?) really nice in any case. Lots of fog in the early mornings though and shorter daylight hours of course.
I'm gonna take the car Ferry from Saint John New Brunswick to Digby Nova Scotia tomorrow. It's about a 3.5 hour run across the Bay of Fundy. I will be headed for Lunenburg Nova Scotia once I land at Digby. It's only about a 1.5 hour drive. I should be in Lunenburg by around supper time tomorrow. Lunenburg is a small harbor town on the southeast coast of Nova Scotia which is famous as the birthplace and permanent mooring place of the Bluenose II (More about that later).
Wasn't so bad when I had to leave as I'll be stopping by on my way back after I explore Nova Scotia a bit. The weather looks great considering, it's October. It's usually quite cool by then in this part of the country but it's been in the high teens to low 20's C lately (that's probably like 65-70 F?) really nice in any case. Lots of fog in the early mornings though and shorter daylight hours of course.
I'm gonna take the car Ferry from Saint John New Brunswick to Digby Nova Scotia tomorrow. It's about a 3.5 hour run across the Bay of Fundy. I will be headed for Lunenburg Nova Scotia once I land at Digby. It's only about a 1.5 hour drive. I should be in Lunenburg by around supper time tomorrow. Lunenburg is a small harbor town on the southeast coast of Nova Scotia which is famous as the birthplace and permanent mooring place of the Bluenose II (More about that later).
@MrPants
I'm living vicariously through your posts about Quebec and The Maritimes. I've been to Montreal, but not Quebec City. Unfortunately, not been back east either. Got an old friend who lives in New Brunswick .. she wants me to visit. Perhaps someday, I will.
Your mother must have been overjoyed to see you!
I'm living vicariously through your posts about Quebec and The Maritimes. I've been to Montreal, but not Quebec City. Unfortunately, not been back east either. Got an old friend who lives in New Brunswick .. she wants me to visit. Perhaps someday, I will.
Your mother must have been overjoyed to see you!
Shero
Senior Member
- Location
- Transient in the Land of Oz
Enjoy your travels Mr Pants, I am eager to continue mine
Lol! Not where I'll be going but no matter as there's always a good supply of fresh lobster nearby anywhere in the Maritime Provinces.
terry123
Well-known Member
- Location
- Houston, Tx.
Welcome and have been enjoying your posts. Glad you were able to see your mom. I watch the "Life Below Zero" shows and they sound like some of your life before retirement. Looking forward to more of your adventures during retirement.
Took the car ferry from Saint John New Brunswick to Digby Nova Scotia today. It was going to save me about 4-5 hours of driving plus I thought it would be nice to relax while watching the ocean as we cruised across the Bay of Fundy.
I hadn't planned on a super windy day though Took a quick shot of some people at the terminal as they wandered toward the shore when the image of the ferry came into sight:
It was a sunny day but hazy as it was rather humid. Very windy though! Based on the white-caps I could see off in the distance, I knew it would be a rocky ride over to Nova Scotia.
The Ferry transports all different kinds of vehicles from transport trucks, busses, travel trailers and just plain old cars and motorcycles. The whole bottom part of the ship holds the vehicles and there's an upper deck where everyone goes to sit during the trip. The passenger area is very nice actually with comfortable seating and tables. There's a couple of concession areas as well if you want to over pay for some snacks or coffee.
So once we boarded and all got up to the passenger deck the boat left the dock and I knew I had to find a seat fast because once we got out of the harbor, it was gonna be rock 'n roll time with the waves being as big as they would be given the wind.
Sure enough, once we got into open water, the waves were pretty big. Hard to judge the height but they were literally crashing over the bow of the ship and washing across the front windows of the ferry (probably 25-30 feet up from the surface of the ocean?). I was indeed a wild ride over to Nova Scotia but we made it in about 3.5 hours.
After disembarking the ferry presenting my vaccination papers to the officials in Nova Scotia, I was on the road to Lunenburg, a little over an hour away.
Just as an aside, in the Atlantic Provinces in Canada, you need to be pre-approved for entry into the Province to avoid having to quarantine for 14 days upon entry. It's a simple process that can be done on your computer and once you present your 'approval number' upon entering the Province, you are good to go in minutes. Also vaccine passports are common now in most Canadian Provinces. You must present both copies of your 2 vaccination receipts + photo ID in order to get into pretty much any & all indoor public settings such as restaurants & bars, sporting events, museums as well as almost all other public gathering places. The only exemptions are essential places such as food stores, medical facilities or pharmacies.
I arrived at my destination around 6:30 PM and it was getting dark so I just got my room & went out along the main street and had supper. It was some place called 'The Fish Shack' or something like that. Outdoor seating but still mild enough to wolf down dinner. I had the absolute best scallops I have ever had in my life. They were literally melt in your mouth tender - soooooo nice. I didn't have my phone with me or I would have taken a pic of those tender little mollusks
I hadn't planned on a super windy day though
Took a quick shot of some people at the terminal as they wandered toward the shore when the image of the ferry came into sight:It was a sunny day but hazy as it was rather humid. Very windy though! Based on the white-caps I could see off in the distance, I knew it would be a rocky ride over to Nova Scotia.
The Ferry transports all different kinds of vehicles from transport trucks, busses, travel trailers and just plain old cars and motorcycles. The whole bottom part of the ship holds the vehicles and there's an upper deck where everyone goes to sit during the trip. The passenger area is very nice actually with comfortable seating and tables. There's a couple of concession areas as well if you want to over pay for some snacks or coffee.
So once we boarded and all got up to the passenger deck the boat left the dock and I knew I had to find a seat fast because once we got out of the harbor, it was gonna be rock 'n roll time with the waves being as big as they would be given the wind.
Sure enough, once we got into open water, the waves were pretty big. Hard to judge the height but they were literally crashing over the bow of the ship and washing across the front windows of the ferry (probably 25-30 feet up from the surface of the ocean?). I was indeed a wild ride over to Nova Scotia but we made it in about 3.5 hours.
After disembarking the ferry presenting my vaccination papers to the officials in Nova Scotia, I was on the road to Lunenburg, a little over an hour away.
Just as an aside, in the Atlantic Provinces in Canada, you need to be pre-approved for entry into the Province to avoid having to quarantine for 14 days upon entry. It's a simple process that can be done on your computer and once you present your 'approval number' upon entering the Province, you are good to go in minutes. Also vaccine passports are common now in most Canadian Provinces. You must present both copies of your 2 vaccination receipts + photo ID in order to get into pretty much any & all indoor public settings such as restaurants & bars, sporting events, museums as well as almost all other public gathering places. The only exemptions are essential places such as food stores, medical facilities or pharmacies.
I arrived at my destination around 6:30 PM and it was getting dark so I just got my room & went out along the main street and had supper. It was some place called 'The Fish Shack' or something like that. Outdoor seating but still mild enough to wolf down dinner. I had the absolute best scallops I have ever had in my life. They were literally melt in your mouth tender - soooooo nice. I didn't have my phone with me or I would have taken a pic of those tender little mollusks
Mr. Ed
Life does not deserve my gratitude.
- Location
- Central NY
A note of recognitiuon, I like your journey. May it take you where you want to go.
Last time I was on a ferry was about 20 years ago, crossing over from Vancouver to Vancouver Island. The Pacific Ocean, I think, is calmer than the Atlantic (but, I could be wrong). Sounds like you had quite a wild ride.
Nothing like fresh scallops! I had them in Maine, along with lobster - good stuff
Can't wait to hear more of your travels. Drive carefully - watch for moose/deer!
Nothing like fresh scallops! I had them in Maine, along with lobster - good stuff
Can't wait to hear more of your travels. Drive carefully - watch for moose/deer!
As I mentioned yesterday, I arrived in Lunenburg at sunset yesterday so couldn't see much until the morning light today. I drew my curtains this morning to see the Bluenose II moored at the dock directly in front of my hotel's window viewpoint! It's the 2 mast Schooner moored at the city dock. The Bluenose II is a replica of the original famous Bluenose Fishing/Racing schooner built in 1921 in Lunenburg, N.S. which never lost a race and was awarded many fishing awards during it's years in service. The original Bluenose was eventually sold and used as a tramp steamer and was eventually wrecked just off Hatti! A sad end to
a ship that so well revered in Canada that her image was printed on it's currency! (Canadian dime has the bluenose portrayed on one side.).
It was about 9:00 AM and the mist hanging over the surface of the harbour was clearly visible and lends a ghostly atmosphere to the early day!
As I watched, the crew of what I guessed to be about 12-14 people, untied the large blue-hulled sail boat and started maneuvering it out of it's slip using it's motor. The Lunenburg Golf & Country Club grounds are visible in the background.
It was a majestic sight watching this replication of the original Bluenose Sailing schooner preparing to sail the Lunenburg Bay.
After watching the exit of the Bluenose II. I went for some breakfast then wandered the small town for a bit.
Lots of nice shops but I'm not really a collector of stuff so after having a good look around, I hopped in the car and took of for my next stop - Halifax Nova Scotia! On the way, I'm gonna to do little detour to Peggy's Cove, a rather famous Canadian tourist site, not to mention the closest harbour to the Swiss-Air 111 aviation disaster that happened in Sept. 2, 1998! I'll post up some pics of Peggy's Cove tomorrow after I get set up in Halifax with wifi!
a ship that so well revered in Canada that her image was printed on it's currency! (Canadian dime has the bluenose portrayed on one side.).
It was about 9:00 AM and the mist hanging over the surface of the harbour was clearly visible and lends a ghostly atmosphere to the early day!
As I watched, the crew of what I guessed to be about 12-14 people, untied the large blue-hulled sail boat and started maneuvering it out of it's slip using it's motor. The Lunenburg Golf & Country Club grounds are visible in the background.
It was a majestic sight watching this replication of the original Bluenose Sailing schooner preparing to sail the Lunenburg Bay.
After watching the exit of the Bluenose II. I went for some breakfast then wandered the small town for a bit.
Lots of nice shops but I'm not really a collector of stuff so after having a good look around, I hopped in the car and took of for my next stop - Halifax Nova Scotia! On the way, I'm gonna to do little detour to Peggy's Cove, a rather famous Canadian tourist site, not to mention the closest harbour to the Swiss-Air 111 aviation disaster that happened in Sept. 2, 1998! I'll post up some pics of Peggy's Cove tomorrow after I get set up in Halifax with wifi!
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katlupe
SF VIP
- Location
- Norwich, NY
Mr.Pants thank you for sharing your travels! I find it so interesting.
After having a great breakfast I walked around Lunenburg, looking in many of the local craft shops.
I then set off for Halifax. My next stop for a couple of nights but on the way, I took a small detour to go see Peggy’s Cove. For some reason the lighthouse there is pretty well known internationally. The lighthouse itself was not that impressive at all actually. Just a plain old lighthouse sitting there on the rocks that form the coast in this place. A light fog surrounded the site but seemed to be clearing when I showed up around 1:30 pm. Otherwise, it was a lovely day; sunny, warm and not much wind.
Everything is hard rock along the coastline of Peggy's Cove! It's about 5 miles off this coast that Swissair 111 crashed into the ocean back in Sept. 1998. 229 souls lost that night
People flooded the rocks around the lighthouse and there’s even a huge parking lot just down from the lighthouse. I left soon after seeing the lighthouse and went down the road just a little to where the real beauty in this tiny community is – the harbour at Peggy’s Cove!
Calm, beautiful and just plain serene is the only description I have for this place on a warm sunny day such as today!
Old Fish Huts now turned into cottages as well as some larger places built and added to the landscape.
The name of the boat in the foreground will amuse some Canadians and I wonder how many will notice the Toronto Maple Leaf's flag
I liked this place immensely In some ways, it was a warmer version of the Arctic landscape I had just left. Perhaps that’s why this place struck a cord with me? So peaceful!
I then set off for Halifax. My next stop for a couple of nights but on the way, I took a small detour to go see Peggy’s Cove. For some reason the lighthouse there is pretty well known internationally. The lighthouse itself was not that impressive at all actually. Just a plain old lighthouse sitting there on the rocks that form the coast in this place. A light fog surrounded the site but seemed to be clearing when I showed up around 1:30 pm. Otherwise, it was a lovely day; sunny, warm and not much wind.
Everything is hard rock along the coastline of Peggy's Cove! It's about 5 miles off this coast that Swissair 111 crashed into the ocean back in Sept. 1998. 229 souls lost that night
People flooded the rocks around the lighthouse and there’s even a huge parking lot just down from the lighthouse. I left soon after seeing the lighthouse and went down the road just a little to where the real beauty in this tiny community is – the harbour at Peggy’s Cove!
Calm, beautiful and just plain serene is the only description I have for this place on a warm sunny day such as today!
Old Fish Huts now turned into cottages as well as some larger places built and added to the landscape.
The name of the boat in the foreground will amuse some Canadians and I wonder how many will notice the Toronto Maple Leaf's flag
I liked this place immensely
In some ways, it was a warmer version of the Arctic landscape I had just left. Perhaps that’s why this place struck a cord with me? So peaceful!Go Leafs, Go!View attachment 188595
The name of the boat in the foreground will amuse some Canadians and I wonder how many will notice the Toronto Maple Leaf's flag
I liked this place immensely
I'm so pleased you are enjoying your travels .. thank you for sharing this trip with us
Jules
SF VIP
Ok, so it wasn’t just me thinking that way. We sure do flock there. Nothing wrong, just not at all that I expected after the hype.
After leaving Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia, I travelled about an hour or maybe 1.5 hours to Halifax. Took me awhile to get settled in my hotel that I was booked into for the next 2 nights. The hotel is right downtown, just across the street from the harbor so parking space is limited. Turns out all the hotel spaces were already taken when I arrived. I had to par in a lot across the street. No problem but the way the fees for all day or all night parking works, it looked like I was going to have to pay for a couple hours then run back there and pay the overnight amount then get back over there at 8:00 AM and pay my day parking. Way too many trips to the parking lot for my liking!
I mentioned this to the front desk at the hotel and they said; “ Oh, just use the parking lot app!” (Like I just should have know that?) Once I downloaded the app to my phone I was able to pay that way rather than actually show up several times a day – lol. After all that I just wanted to have a meal and perhaps a cold beverage. I did that after looking around the harbor a bit. It was nice out but getting quite cool as I had a bite to eat. I thought I’d just call it an early night and explore the next day. I had all day to have a look around the waterfront area which I expected to be interesting and bustling with people.
After waking up next morning I decided to just have a coffee and set out to explore. I would get something to eat somewhere along the waterfront trail. What I found as I spent some time along the waterfront was that almost noting was open and much of the food places there were just little shacks that I suppose open when masses of tourists are there? I finally found a small coffee shop just up from the waterfront area, got another coffee to take with me on my travels. I finally found a place that was open but they were serving more of a lunch type menu so I sat down & had something to eat. It was cold though as the seating area outside was in the shade and there was a good breeze blowing in off the water.
After eating I set off to find the Marine Museum I had read about on some Halifax Tourist site. Figured I would kill some time since the boardwalk along the waterfront left me unimpressed with anything to do other than jog or walk your dog.
Once inside and walking around, I was happy with my choice. It was an interesting place for sure with many models of ships down through the ages and stories of shipwrecks that had impacted Canada's eastern seaboard. Of course, there was a large area dedicated to the Titanic, which sunk off the coasts of Newfoundland & Nova Scotia back in April 1912.
I didn't know before now that after the initial search for survivors, the living survivors were taken to New York - the original destination, but the dead were taken to Halifax for eventual burial. There were so many bodies found initially that they ran out of body bags and had to bury many at sea. There are several cemeteries around Halifax where people from the Titanic are buried. Even in recent times they are still putting names to the dead through modern technology!
They just discovered the identity of the 'unnamed child' buried in Fairview Lawn Cemetery. The addition shown in the pic above shows the addiction of his name.
In addition to the ships there was a large display area detailing the great Halifax explosion that happened in early December 1917 and devastated the entire Halifax waterfront area and everything for miles around. I was amazed at the force of that explosion (2 ships colliding in the harbor with one of them filled with bombs and other explosives). It was amazing to me how twisted chunks of the ship’s hull were found miles away from the blast site. The the force it would take to twist a 2 inch thick piece of steel is impossible for me to imagine when I see the actual piece of metal
It never dawned on me until I was off to supper that evening that I hadn’t taken any photos of Halifax – that’s how unimpressed I was but, oh well, a new experience all in all so I was good with that! Will try to include more pics next time!
Tomorrow, off to Cape Breton to drive the famous Cabot Trail! Hope the weather is good cuz it’s all about the scenery on that drive from what I understand.
I mentioned this to the front desk at the hotel and they said; “ Oh, just use the parking lot app!” (Like I just should have know that?) Once I downloaded the app to my phone I was able to pay that way rather than actually show up several times a day – lol. After all that I just wanted to have a meal and perhaps a cold beverage. I did that after looking around the harbor a bit. It was nice out but getting quite cool as I had a bite to eat. I thought I’d just call it an early night and explore the next day. I had all day to have a look around the waterfront area which I expected to be interesting and bustling with people.
After waking up next morning I decided to just have a coffee and set out to explore. I would get something to eat somewhere along the waterfront trail. What I found as I spent some time along the waterfront was that almost noting was open and much of the food places there were just little shacks that I suppose open when masses of tourists are there? I finally found a small coffee shop just up from the waterfront area, got another coffee to take with me on my travels. I finally found a place that was open but they were serving more of a lunch type menu so I sat down & had something to eat. It was cold though as the seating area outside was in the shade and there was a good breeze blowing in off the water.
After eating I set off to find the Marine Museum I had read about on some Halifax Tourist site. Figured I would kill some time since the boardwalk along the waterfront left me unimpressed with anything to do other than jog or walk your dog.
Once inside and walking around, I was happy with my choice. It was an interesting place for sure with many models of ships down through the ages and stories of shipwrecks that had impacted Canada's eastern seaboard. Of course, there was a large area dedicated to the Titanic, which sunk off the coasts of Newfoundland & Nova Scotia back in April 1912.
I didn't know before now that after the initial search for survivors, the living survivors were taken to New York - the original destination, but the dead were taken to Halifax for eventual burial. There were so many bodies found initially that they ran out of body bags and had to bury many at sea. There are several cemeteries around Halifax where people from the Titanic are buried. Even in recent times they are still putting names to the dead through modern technology!
They just discovered the identity of the 'unnamed child' buried in Fairview Lawn Cemetery. The addition shown in the pic above shows the addiction of his name.
In addition to the ships there was a large display area detailing the great Halifax explosion that happened in early December 1917 and devastated the entire Halifax waterfront area and everything for miles around. I was amazed at the force of that explosion (2 ships colliding in the harbor with one of them filled with bombs and other explosives). It was amazing to me how twisted chunks of the ship’s hull were found miles away from the blast site. The the force it would take to twist a 2 inch thick piece of steel is impossible for me to imagine when I see the actual piece of metal
It never dawned on me until I was off to supper that evening that I hadn’t taken any photos of Halifax – that’s how unimpressed I was but, oh well, a new experience all in all so I was good with that! Will try to include more pics next time!
Tomorrow, off to Cape Breton to drive the famous Cabot Trail! Hope the weather is good cuz it’s all about the scenery on that drive from what I understand.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Thanks Mr Pants!After leaving Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia, I travelled about an hour or maybe 1.5 hours to Halifax. Took me awhile to get settled in my hotel that I was booked into for the next 2 nights. The hotel is right downtown, just across the street from the harbor so parking space is limited. Turns out all the hotel spaces were already taken when I arrived. I had to par in a lot across the street. No problem but the way the fees for all day or all night parking works, it looked like I was going to have to pay for a couple hours then run back there and pay the overnight amount then get back over there at 8:00 AM and pay my day parking. Way too many trips to the parking lot for my liking!
I mentioned this to the front desk at the hotel and they said; “ Oh, just use the parking lot app!” (Like I just should have know that?) Once I downloaded the app to my phone I was able to pay that way rather than actually show up several times a day – lol. After all that I just wanted to have a meal and perhaps a cold beverage. I did that after looking around the harbor a bit. It was nice out but getting quite cool as I had a bite to eat. I thought I’d just call it an early night and explore the next day. I had all day to have a look around the waterfront area which I expected to be interesting and bustling with people.
After waking up next morning I decided to just have a coffee and set out to explore. I would get something to eat somewhere along the waterfront trail. What I found as I spent some time along the waterfront was that almost noting was open and much of the food places there were just little shacks that I suppose open when masses of tourists are there? I finally found a small coffee shop just up from the waterfront area, got another coffee to take with me on my travels. I finally found a place that was open but they were serving more of a lunch type menu so I sat down & had something to eat. It was cold though as the seating area outside was in the shade and there was a good breeze blowing in off the water.
After eating I set off to find the Marine Museum I had read about on some Halifax Tourist site. Figured I would kill some time since the boardwalk along the waterfront left me unimpressed with anything to do other than jog or walk your dog.
Once inside and walking around, I was happy with my choice. It was an interesting place for sure with many models of ships down through the ages and stories of shipwrecks that had impacted Canada's eastern seaboard. Of course, there was a large area dedicated to the Titanic, which sunk off the coasts of Newfoundland & Nova Scotia back in April 1912.
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I didn't know before now that after the initial search for survivors, the living survivors were taken to New York - the original destination, but the dead were taken to Halifax for eventual burial. There were so many bodies found initially that they ran out of body bags and had to bury many at sea. There are several cemeteries around Halifax where people from the Titanic are buried. Even in recent times they are still putting names to the dead through modern technology!
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They just discovered the identity of the 'unnamed child' buried in Fairview Lawn Cemetery. The addition shown in the pic above shows the addiction of his name.
In addition to the ships there was a large display area detailing the great Halifax explosion that happened in early December 1917 and devastated the entire Halifax waterfront area and everything for miles around. I was amazed at the force of that explosion (2 ships colliding in the harbor with one of them filled with bombs and other explosives). It was amazing to me how twisted chunks of the ship’s hull were found miles away from the blast site. The the force it would take to twist a 2 inch thick piece of steel is impossible for me to imagine when I see the actual piece of metal
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It never dawned on me until I was off to supper that evening that I hadn’t taken any photos of Halifax – that’s how unimpressed I was but, oh well, a new experience all in all so I was good with that! Will try to include more pics next time!
Tomorrow, off to Cape Breton to drive the famous Cabot Trail! Hope the weather is good cuz it’s all about the scenery on that drive from what I understand.
I really enjoyed your descriptions.
Took off from Halifax about 8:30 AM and stopped just up the road from the hotel for a much needed (and appreciated) coffee! I hit the freeway as I had to make time today. Long journey to my overnight stop at the Keltic Lodge in a place called Igonish, Cape Breton Island.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Nova Scotia or Cape Breton Island and the Cabot Trail for that matter ..... here’s the deal: Nova Scotia is a Province in Canada (similar to a State in the US). Cape Breton is a large island which is part of Nova Scotia and separated only by a thin ribbon of water. The Cabot Trail is a roadway that begins roughly half way up Cape Breton and circles the coast of northern Cape Breton where the ‘highlands’ are. The highlands being large hills accented by steep, rock cliffs falling off into the ocean. The Cabot Trail is a road that winds it’s way along the entire length of this coastal area. Much of the view is pretty spectacular when the weather is good. This issue is, because of the exposure to the cool waters, the weather here is extremely changeable.
Here’s an image of what I’m talking about. The Trail is highlighted in yellow although, I did end up taking a detour at the norther most point and went to 'Meat Cove', lol. Not worth the drive to go there IMO.:
Here's an idea of the actual roadway that traverses the coast:
Now to get to Cape Breton Island, you only have to drive across the man made causeway that’s located at Port Hawkesbury.
Once across the causeway, it’s onward to Baddeck – the beginning of the Cabot Trail. From Baddeck, it’s maybe 1.5 or 2 hours to my overnight stop at the Keltic Lodge. I stopped in Baddeck to stretch my legs and ran across this wrought iron Pirate with a crow sitting on his arm Not sure why he didn't have a parrot?
Made it to the lodge around 4:30; got my room settled then went over to the building that housed 2 restaurants. I settled in one and had a cold beer to celebrate my arrival then ordered dinner. What else would I have but a lobster roll of course!
After a good night's sleep, it's onward to drive the rest of the Cabot Trail tomorrow. Hopefully the weather cooperates
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Nova Scotia or Cape Breton Island and the Cabot Trail for that matter ..... here’s the deal: Nova Scotia is a Province in Canada (similar to a State in the US). Cape Breton is a large island which is part of Nova Scotia and separated only by a thin ribbon of water. The Cabot Trail is a roadway that begins roughly half way up Cape Breton and circles the coast of northern Cape Breton where the ‘highlands’ are. The highlands being large hills accented by steep, rock cliffs falling off into the ocean. The Cabot Trail is a road that winds it’s way along the entire length of this coastal area. Much of the view is pretty spectacular when the weather is good. This issue is, because of the exposure to the cool waters, the weather here is extremely changeable.
Here’s an image of what I’m talking about. The Trail is highlighted in yellow although, I did end up taking a detour at the norther most point and went to 'Meat Cove', lol. Not worth the drive to go there IMO.:
Here's an idea of the actual roadway that traverses the coast:
Now to get to Cape Breton Island, you only have to drive across the man made causeway that’s located at Port Hawkesbury.
Once across the causeway, it’s onward to Baddeck – the beginning of the Cabot Trail. From Baddeck, it’s maybe 1.5 or 2 hours to my overnight stop at the Keltic Lodge. I stopped in Baddeck to stretch my legs and ran across this wrought iron Pirate with a crow sitting on his arm
Not sure why he didn't have a parrot?Made it to the lodge around 4:30; got my room settled then went over to the building that housed 2 restaurants. I settled in one and had a cold beer to celebrate my arrival then ordered dinner. What else would I have but a lobster roll of course!
After a good night's sleep, it's onward to drive the rest of the Cabot Trail tomorrow. Hopefully the weather cooperates