Vivace in Canada

August 28th 2009, Tim, his younger sister Lindsey and I went to Dartmouth in Nova Scotia to visit some family he has there. We arrived at the Halifax airport late in the afternoon and stayed at Mom and Robert's place for the next few days.

August 29th. The weahter was bad because of the tropical storm Danny, but we couldn't wait to visit downtown Halifax. We spent sometime walked around the downtown area and waterfront, and then visited the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

Waterfront of Halifax Harbour.





A figurehead in the museum.

 



Outside of Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.



The rain was getting heavier, we returned to Dartmouth and went to John's Lunch for a snack.



Lindsey has been to John's Lunch before, she strongly recommended us to go there. Tim and I shared an order of their Seafood Platter, it was very tasty!



August 30th, luckily the weather was very nice right after the storm passed, Mom and Robert took us to Fisherman's Cove at Eastern Passage.



Shops at Fisherman's Cove, all the houses are painted in different colours, very beautiful.





Lots of lobster traps, but the lobster season had passed.





Before leaving Fisherman's Cove, we bought and shared a lobster sandwich. Later that day, we went to Cow Bay and Lawrencetown Beach, and then returned to Dartmouth.



August 31st, Mom and Robert stayed at home. Tim, Lindsey and I took a ferry from Dartmouth to Halifax in the afternoon.



There was Theodore the tug-boat right outside of the Ferry Terminal.



 

The first attraction we stopped by was Halifax City Hall, unfortunately it was closed to the public for maintenance, we were not able to go in and have a look.





St. Paul's Anglican Church, it's right across from the City Hall. St. Paul's Anglican Church is considered the oldest church in Halifax.





Town Clock, on the foothill of Halifax Citadel.



 

Halifax Citadel.

"The Halifax Citadel endures as a gateway to Canada's military heritage and passage to nationhood. Once the command post and landward bastion of Halifax's defences, the Citadel stands watch as it has done since the city was the principal British naval station in North America. Since Halifax's founding in 1749, Citadel Hill has served as the site of four different forts. Each was built during a time of perceived threat.

The Citadel you see today was the last to be built, and took over 28 years to complete. This Citadel, finished in 1856, was intended to deter an overland assault on the city and dockyard. Such was the strength of the Citadel and harbour defences that no enemy ever dared attack.

The British garrison of Halifax was ultimately withdrawn in 1906 iresponse to growing tensions in Europe, leading up to the First World War. The Citadel continued to serve an important role with the Canadian military. During two world wars the Citadel served as a sentinel on the home front and a symbol for those departing for overseas.

In 1952 the Citadel was declared a natinal historic site, signalling the end of its proud military career. Today it's restored walls welcome all who wish to learn about defining moments in Canadian history." Parks Canada.





Bagpipes playing in the afternoon. We spent several hours in the Halifax Citadel, and then headed to Public Gardens.





Oversee Halifax Harbour from Citadel Hill. Halifax is truly a beautiful city.





Gazebo in the Public Gardens.





St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica, a very beautiful chruch, the weather was nice, I got to take a better picture of it.





The Old Burying Ground, 1749-1844, it is a national histroic & Provincial heritage site.



 

The front shot of St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica.





Our lovely seafood dinner and beer.



September 1st, we headed to western Nova Scotia to visit Lunenburg and Peggy's Cove.



Lunenburg Harbour. The first Bluenose scooner was built here.



 

Lunenburg town full of colour houses.





St. John Church in Lunenburg, my favorite church on this trip, amazingly beautiful.





Lunenburg Academy, it is a historical building as well.



It was about a one and a half hour drive from Lunenburg to Peggy's Cove.



It's around sunset time when we arrived at Peggy's Cove.

"A romantic folk tale is told about now the cove got its name. Young Peggy was travelling to Halifax to meet her fiance when the ship she was in foundered on the rocks. She was rescued by local folk, and when visitors went to see her they would say they were going  to see Peggy of the Cove" The Halifax Foundation.





The lighthouse at Peggy's Cove is a very popular sopt for photographers.



September 2nd, Mom took us to their other home in Aspen, which located at eastern Nova Scotia.



We took a scenic route slowly driving to eastern Nova Scotia, we stopped at Sheet Hourbour for coffee. We saw a nice church.



Then we arrived their home in Aspen. We planned to stay here for three days and returned to Halifax on September 4th. Aspen is a very small town, there are only very few houses around their property.

 

A tiny trailer on a very huge lot, they have their own gardens, growing their own vegetables and herbs, I wish I could retire at a place like this!



 

We had a very relaxing vacation while we stayed in Aspen, although we didn't do much, we enjoyed the life in the countryside a lot. Tim's uncle llves not too far from Mom's home, I got to meet more of Tim's family members.

September 4th, we were supposed to return to Dartmouth, Mom's van broke down on the highway, we had to go back to Aspen and stayed for another night. Uncle Tink let us use his car to go back to Dartmouth on September 5th.



 

While we stayed with Mom and Robert, Robert cooked us breakfast and dinner every day, Tim and I decided to take them out for dinner at the last night of our trip, we took a Ferry to Halifax, and had a buffet dinner at a casino.





After dinner, we walked around Halifax Historic Properties area, I was glad that I got to visit downtown Halifax again.
The last day in Dartmouth, we went to John's Lunch again, and then got ready to return to our sweet home in Edmonton.