May 21st, 2018
Halifax is an Atlantic Ocean port in eastern Canada. This city is a major business center and it’s also known for its maritime history.
*8:30am* We all ran off the ship to explore the waterfront port city! First stop? Tim Hortons Cafe. I would say it’s like the Dunkin Donuts of Canada! There’s a selection of coffee, smoothies, and baked goods. As we were walking on the boardwalk, we saw vendors setting up for the day showcasing their homemade jewelry. It was a very peaceful walk along the water watching the locals jogging and walking their dogs. Some time had passed and the stores and restaurants were still opening up, so we decided to explore the Citadel and the Public Gardens.
The Citadel:
Today, the Citadel watches over the city’s downtown. Now, its role is as a reminder of Halifax’s past and not as a military fortification. From 9-5pm, tourists are able to buy tickets to enter the fort. The Citadel has some activities for tourists to do, like “ghost tours” and “being a soldier for a day.” It was fun to see a soldier all dressed up, standing outside of the Citadel welcoming the tourists into the fort.
Public Gardens:
The Public Gardens are a 16-acre oasis in the heart of downtown Halifax. It officially opened in 1867 and has retained much of the original Victorian character today. The garden has Victorian fountains, statues, urns, and a stage for the band to play. Vibrant and fresh flowers stand tall throughout the park. This is the perfect location to have a photoshoot (which we took advantage of!!). The garden is one of the free activities there was to do on our entire Europe trip, so it was nice just to sit with friends and take it all in. I would say this moment was the first time we all had the chance to sit and think about how lucky we all are to be traveling the world!!
Popular Foods:
Poutine
Beaver's Tail
Chowder
The city was very clean and organized. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. Flowers stood tall and horses occupied the streets. The buildings were well maintained and the streets were not congested (like Miami). Beautiful city! Beautiful day! Beautiful memories! I would recommend Halifax, Nova Scotia to any traveler!
-Sacelia Rose~Marie