Halifax - Day 2

I neglected to take notes so am relying on memory and photos. So I won't bore you with the time we woke each day and what we ate for meals. 

While on the waterfront the day prior, we had noticed the Harbour Hopper, an amphibious vehicle that does a tour of downtown Halifax, as well as a water tour of the harbour. Eli was quite taken by it, so we looked into the cost. I should note that D was able to get an access pass through Easter Seals, that allows a caregiver free access to various events and attractions. As a result the cost for the three of us wasn't unreasonable. After parking the car, we walked down to the kiosk and purchased our tickets for the 10 a.m. tour.

We started with the city tour, with our tour guide providing information on the buildings we were passing. A quick drive around the Citadel and then it was down to the harbour. What an odd feeling to suddenly be floating in the water! Captain Jack made certain to make a big splash. Various buildings were pointed out as well as other attractions along the water front. About ten to fifteen minutes into the tour, the Captain beckoned Eli to come forward. D went with him, and Eli was given the opportunity to drive (is that the correct term) the vessel with a little help. 

All too soon, the tour was over and Eli wanted to stay on board. He was quite disappointed when we explained it was someone else's turn. From the drop-off point, it was a fairly short walk along the waterfront towards the Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. We did make a quick stop to allow Eli to play and run off some energy.

The museum also took the Access pass, plus I was given a discount for my CAA membership. It's always nice to save a dollar or two.

Eli's favorite exhibits related to the Titanic (no photo - but he was fascinated by the various model ships). Apparently he and his mother have watched a few documentaries so he knows about the fate of the ship. My favorite exhibits related to the immigrants as they left Halifax for other centers across Canada. There is a train car that one can sit in and imagine the long trip west. There are also several "children's trunks" - one that struck me was that of one young girl's belongings containing clothing, blankets and toys, as well as walnuts! Apparently her grandmother had stuffed their luggage without the father's knowledge and it was quite the surprise for him and the customs officer. My daughter is a history buff, so I think the entire museum was a highlight.

Our final destination for the day was the Citadel. We did not make it there in time for the noon gun, but were fortunate enough to find parking right on the site. All national parks have free admission this summer so the only cost was the parking, about $8. As a result we didn't have to climb the hill, but we did climb to the top of the walls of the Citadel for the views.

We checked out the cannons first and the cubbies were extra shells were kept. As we continued our walk around the top of the wall we came across a employee dressed in the garb of a soldier explaining the firing of a muzzle loader to several young men. After a demonstration without the ammunition, one of the young men signed a waiver, put on the coat of the uniform and was allowed to fire the gun. It was loud!

Making our way down the ramp, we went through several exhibits, and another young man explained the purpose of the rooms, the tailor's space and an officer's room. He explained that there was only one tailor responsible for the dressing of all of the men at the fort.

Before we left, we stopped at the main gate for Eli to have his photo taken with the guard. There was a trip to the gift shop as well!

Then it was time to return to the hotel, for more time in the pool. The next day would be cooler, and we'd be heading out of the city to our next destinations, Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg.