DAY 3 FRI. SEPT. 6 HALIFAX

Not a good night's sleep despite the driver fatigue. Nevertheless, a beautiful, bright, mild day greeted us. Storm ? What storm ?

We walked down steep streets to the old part of Halifax. The beautiful St. Paul's church ( ca. 1750 ) reminded us of Halifax's rich past. The colonial vibe is still present, and I thought of the prosperous merchants and genteel clergy rubbing shoulders with rough farmers, fishers, tradespeople and sailors in this important garrison port. Halifax was on par with Boston, New York and Philadelphia in those days and only a stubborn loyalty kept them from joining the rebellious 13 colonies to the south.

A visit to Pier 21 is a must for all Canadians, since we are ALL immigrants to this country. As we roamed the restored complex and saw the artifacts, we thought of Lou's Aunt Mary and my Dad and his brothers … and me and my Mom. We may not all have come through Pier 21, but we all had a first time on Canadian shores and it must've been a terrifying and awesome experience. I thought of my childhood friends and schoolmates … Ukrainian, German, Poles, Italians. And I thought of many of my former students … Vietnamese, Jamaican, Persian and Afghans. We all have our stories and reason for coming here. And our stories make the Canadian story, one and all.

Garrison beer, delicious scallops and clam chowder were the culinary highlights, enjoyed at water's edge at the busy harbor. The rumours of the hurricane seem crazy on a day like today. Except that cruise ships, the coast guard and the navy seem to be getting out quickly. Hmmm. Our return walk up endless steep streets made us weary and want to turn in early. What will tomorrow bring ?

Halifax's famous clock tower

Lou enjoying the sunshine and warmth on Halifax's vibrant waterfront

The old and the new. The red umbrellas are the Bicycle Thief restaurant: great chowder and scallops!

Cruise ship terminal, with Pier 21 the brown brick building in the middle

Pier 21 museum: an absolute MUST VISIT !