I remember my first trip to Halifax. It was a blast. It was 2000, and I took the train with my girl friend.
We stopped in Montreal, and visited with her great grandmother. Shortly afterwards, she passed away. It was a good thing that we visited her.
After stopping in Montreal, we stayed overnight on the train. That was amazing. My girlfriend, now a lifelong partner, wasn't able to sleep though.
We slept in these small cubical like cabins. She was on one side of the isle and I was on the other.
They cubical s had a toilet on one side with a small sink to wash your hands. On the other side there was a bench to sit down on. When It was time to go to sleep you pulled out your bed. It went over the toilet and sink.
The train rocked gently back and forth, side to side. As I lay there, in my bed I heard the click clack of the tracks as the train, as it traveled towards Moncton, Ontario. It was a soothing sound, and the rocking motion soon put me to sleep.
I awoke with the warm rays of the sun, streaming in through the window, and on to my bed. I got up, pushed the bed back, and proceeded to the showers. It was an interesting experience. The train was still moving, as I tried to shower in a space no larger than a closet. There was a button to turn on the shower. When the shower came on, the water ran for less than a minute, and then shut itself off.
I must of pushed the button a half a dozen times to get the soap off my body. A minor inconvenience, compared to the experience of showering on a train.
After we got ourselves ready, we proceeded to the breakfast car for a free continental breakfast by via rail.
In Moncton, Ontario we transferred to the regular car. On the way to Halifax the train passed a deep canyon like gorge. It was amazing, I never saw anything like it, and then we passed a small ocean inlet on our way to the final destination.
We stepped out of the train, and the smell of the ocean was all around us. At the station we called a cab, and proceeded to the bed and breakfast we choose at Falls River, just outside of Halifax. It was a nice bed and breakfast, but a bad decision, since it was quite a distance from the city itself.
The next day we booked a tour. We were the only ones on the tour. The tour guide took us through Peggy's Cove, Hall's Harbor, and Lunenburg. At Halls Harbor we ate lobster beside the ocean at the Halls Harbor Lobster Pound Restaurant.
Visit http://www.davidlaceygallery.com/hallsharbour/restaurants.php for more information. It is one of the most romantic places to eat dinner that I have been in.
The day after that we took a historic tour of the city. This city has allot of history to it. In 1917 an explosion took out half the city, and claimed many lives, when the city was devastated by the huge detonation of the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship, fully loaded with wartime explosives, which accidentally collided with the Norwegian SS Imo in "The Narrows" section of the Halifax Harbour[1].
Walk along the harbor front, visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There are many attractions in Halifax, and restaurants, like the Alexander Keith Brewery, and the Casino. Stay at the many bed and breakfasts in Halifax. You can find a list of the many B&B’s at http://www.bbcanada.com/nova_scotia/halifax_metro/halifax.
One of our favorite restaurants is Murphy’s Cable Warf. Enjoy a lobster dinner, beside the ocean. It is situated at the foot of George Street on the Halifax waterfront.
It is Halifax’s largest Tour Boat and Restaurant operator. You simply can’t miss this destination. It combines nightlife, nature tours, sightseeing, fine dining and tours of historic properties.
Enjoy a glass of wine and a gourmet dinner at Seven. Located at 1579 Grafton Street, Halifax Nova Scotia, this is one of the best restaurants in the city. The service is exceptional and the food is out of this world.
While you’re in Halifax, don’t forget to take in the boat tours. There are lots of boat tours to choose from.
We went whale watching on the Christina Lynn.
It is a small sail boat, big enough for a tour of 10 to 15 people. We didn’t see any whales, but it was a nice tour anyways. Halfway out to see the whales we were turned back by the Canadian coast guard.
Check out the Halifax ferry service. Halifax ferries operate on two routes between terminals in downtown Halifax, Dartmouth and Woodside. The ferry service is fully accessible, integrated with the bus service and Access-A-Bus systems, and carry up to 395 passengers, with adjacent Park and Ride Lots.
There is a lot to see and do in Halifax. I could write a book on what we have seen in Halifax. We love Halifax, and went back 1 other time, but this time by plane. It only took an hour (due to the curvature of the planet it takes less time to fly, than take the train or drive) and we were there.
The best way to experience Halifax is by walking. During the summer months you can take the free bus service called Fred (Free Rides Everywhere). Find out more at, http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/fred.html.
You will come back to Halifax over and over again. Visit it once and you’ll see what I mean. Consider Halifax for your next vacation.
©2011 Alexander T.
[1] Excerpt taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Explosion
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