the cosmopolitan capital city of Nova Scotia. It is
Canada’s 13th largest city and its residents, called Haligonians,
make up 40% of Nova Scotia’s population. It is a friendly city
where visitors might be welcomed by the “Oyez, Oyez” of
a vociferous Town Crier.
Nova Scotia, the second smallest province in Canada,
is approximately half the size of Ohio. In Halifax, a
city that embraces the sea, all roads lead to the shore. It is a city
that Mother Nature carved out of a hill…where you are never more than
35 miles away from the water.
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| THEODORE TUGBOAT DOCKED IN HALIFAX |
With a population just under 400,000, Halifax is the largest city east
of Quebec City and north of Boston. It offers a dynamic
and intriguing mix of heritage and culture. Since its founding
in 1749, Halifax has played a key role in the economic and cultural
development of Canada and the northeastern Atlantic seaboard.
most famous landmarks…the stately Old Town Clock situated at the
base of Citadel Hill. This historic timepiece was a gift of Prince
Edward, Duke of Kent and son of King George III. Prince Edward
arranged for a turret clock to be manufactured for the Halifax
garrison before his return to England in 1800. The Town
Clock officially began keeping time for the residents of Halifax in
1803. In its early years, the clock was used as a
guardroom and residence for the caretaker.
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| THE OLD CLOCK TOWER AT BASE OF CITADEL HILL |
Halifax Citadel, a National Historic Site of Canada,
was constructed between 1828 and
1856. This star-shaped fortification sits atop a hill
in the heart of downtown Halifax. You can take a guided
tour or browse through the Army Museum and see the
collection of British and Canadian military exhibits. The
firing of the noon gun has been a daily ritual since the
mid-19th century.
Culinary adventures await you all across Nova Scotia. My
restaurant of choice for my Crystal Symphony shore day in Halifax was
the Five Fishermen Restaurant and Grill. The multi-award winning
Five Fishermen Restaurant and Grill is located in an historical building
at 1740 Argyle St. Unlike the Titanic, it has an unsinkable
reputation.
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| WINE WALL AT THE FIVE FISHERMEN RESTAURANT & GRILL |
you on a voyage of discovery through Nova Scotia’s rich maritime
heritage. The exhibits and artifacts evoke the magic of the sea
and its power in the lives of Nova Scotians. Perhaps the
most popular exhibit in the Maritime Museum is the one that depicts
the tragic history of the ill-fated Titanic that sank some 700
miles east of Halifax on April 15, 1912. While
the Cunard liner Carpathia was taking survivors to New
York, 209 of the dead were brought to Halifax.
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| ORIGINAL DECK CHAIR FROM THE ILL-FATED TITANIC IN THE MARITIME MUSEUM |
were shipped home to relatives, but 150 were buried in three
Halifax cemeteries. There were 10 graves at the Jewish
Baron de Hirsch Cemetery; 19 at the Catholic Mount Olivet Cemetery;
and 121 at the non-denominational Fairview Lawn. One of
the first victims to be carried to his grave at Fairview Lawn was a
small, unidentified baby boy. A haunting tombstone marks his
grave.
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| FAIRVIEW LAWN GRAVE SITE OF UNKNOWN BABY BOY WHO PERISHED ON THE TITANIC |
Thirty-five minutes southwest of downtown Halifax is the rugged
fishing community of Peggys Cove (2011 population was approximately
640). Located on Halifax’s South Shore “Lighthouse
Route”, Peggys Cove is an artist’s mecca in a moonscape setting.
Until 2009, its famous lighthouse, perched high on huge
wave-washed boulders, was home to Canada’s only post office located in
a lighthouse. When mold was discovered in the lighthouse after a storm,
Canada Post closed that operation and moved it to The Sou’ Wester
Restaurant. The Sou’ Wester Restaurant, ranked #1 of the 3 restaurants in
town, serves up tasty local fare. You might want to try a bowl of
their world-famous seafood chowder and a homemade lobster egg roll, all
“kicked” down with some Peggy’s Rum Punch.
award-winning Travel Writer and a Travel Consultant affiliated with
The Travel Authority, Mariemont/Cincinnati, Ohio office.