Day 5 - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Since I'd been to Halifax (September 2015) I had already planned not to do an excursion.  I'd seen those buses pull in and out of Peggy's Cove while we were there and knew I'd be disappointed in the short time.  Besides which there were several other ships in port that day and I knew things would be hectic. My goal was to visit the Citadel and walk the wharf, and maybe find Alexander Keith's brewery for a beer.

We arrived about 7 a.m., and since I had no excursion planned, I met Pam in the dining room for breakfast at 8:45.  It was so nice to be waited on!  I left her with her coffee and went back to my cabin to shower and get ready for the day.  I finally left the ship about 10:30 - no long line-ups to disembark. 

My goal was to walk to the Citadel and I had in my head where it was generally so off I went.  I walked along to boardwalk until I thought I was would run into as I climbed uphill.  AND it is mostly uphill (as Kim can attest).  I was running out of steam about a half hour into the walk, stopped at a hot dog vendor and he assured I was only about 2 1/2 blocks from the base of the hill to the Citadel.  One foot in front of the other, and when I get there to the top, it's all down hill from there I kept telling myself.

When I finally reached the top of the Citadel I was so happy I'd made the effort.  The view was incredible!  It took me nearly 45 minutes to make the trek and I arrived in plenty of time for the noon gun.

I climbed to the top of the wall (using the stairs) on the opposite side of the gun.  From there I was able to get some awesome photos.

Once the gun was loaded, the two volunteers took a minute for a brief chat.  It was obviously and enjoyable one.

While the one on the right disappeared it was the responsibility of the other to light the gun and set it off.
Good thing for ear-plugs!

I was fine from my vantage point but I'm certain it's pretty loud.

 Then it was time to head downhill to find some lunch.

The clock tower building is beautiful!  

Along the way I spotted the art work on the side of a building.  Beautiful too, in a different way.

   

When I got down to the waterfront I walked along the boardwalk and was thrilled to see the Bluenose II was docked there.  We saw the ship in Lunenburg when we were there in 2015.  

That time, I took a photo laying on my back on the deck of the boat looking up towards the masts.



This time I stayed upright.  I would have appreciated if some of the other people would have given me a clear shot but as I noted, there were several cruise ships in port that day.  


I made my way along the waterfront until I came to a series of food vendors.  I spotted the poutine place and decided what could be more Canadian than that?  With my poutine and a Sprite soft drink I sat on a bench near the water, watching the traffic - both on the water and on foot.  I'm a people watcher at given time.  It was fun because there was a discernible difference between the locals (either jogging, returning from yoga class or walking with purpose dressed in workday clothes) and those from away (from the extreme t-shirt/short crowd to the raincoat or even winter jackets).  It was cloudy and a bit damp but it never really rained.

On my return to the terminal, I stopped to browse the craft shops and picked up a onsie for Eli (the only gift I brought back) then headed back to the ship.  I decided some time in the hot tub was in order.  

That evening I met Pam, Matt, and David at the Crown Grill for dinner.  There is an additional cost to eat there but so worth it.  We all had the filet mignon for our entree, I started with black and blue onion soup and a goat cheese and green salad.  With our entrees we also had asparagus, spinach, mushrooms and mashed potatoes served family style.  For dessert I chose the lemon tart, while the others had the trio of chocolate desserts.  After such a big meal, I was happy I'd done as much as I had that day.  

In total, it was another wonderful day.  I love cruising, I unpack once and wake up somewhere different every day.  Of course, the last day is always a little sad.

Day 4 - Saint Martins (Saint John) Part 2

Although I was looking forward to every port we were scheduled to visit, I was really looking forward to the excursion to Saint Martins from Saint John.  Earlier this year, I had seen an article on the CBC news site that mentioned the twin covered bridges in Saint Martins.  At the time one of the bridges had been shut down to traffic and my hope was that I would be able to walk across it.  Did I manage to do so?  You'll have to wait and see.

The bus trip took about an hour and 15 minutes, but Barbara kept us well entertained with interesting facts about New Brunswick and especially about Saint Martins where she resides.  The village was founded by Loyalists who left the U.S., and was the home of several shipbuilders who found the lumber they needed to build their ships right in their backyards.

I've since forgotten the details, but one of the stories Barbara shared was that of a shipbuilder who had gone out to sea, and was presumed as he was away from home for longer than expected. He was surprised when he returned that his wife and children had managed, without him, to finish the building of another ship.  What a story of resiliency and tenacity.

On the way through the village, Barbara pointed out some of the older homes but unfortunately I wasn't able to capture decent photos through the bus window.

Once we travelled across the covered bridge, we stopped down the road at the Caves restaurant.

We had a choice of seafood chowder or minestrone soup with a homemade biscuit or chicken strips and fries with dessert and a soda or coffee for lunch. I chose the minestrone which was wonderful...but the biscuit was even better!

On the way, Barbara had shown us a few rocks that had a line of color through them - she called them wishing rocks. 

At the beach we were told we could pick up as many as our pockets could hold (or six).  I found three that I thought I'd packed but I haven't found them just yet.

The restaurant is named for the sea caves nearby.  The lighting was not great but I did get a few photos.

Because the tide was rising we were unable to walk out to the caves.  Another reason to return!

I wonder if this little boat was anchored there as I suspect it would likely float by the time the tides were highest.

To the right is little waterfall...not certain at all it's source.






Finally (at least in my mind) it was time to board the bus and return to the covered bridges.  

 It was almost impossible to get the photo of the two bridges as there were so many of us attempting to get the same shot.  I wanted to yell at everyone to move but I didn't.

Barbara told us the second bridge and the little red house to the right of it had been featured in a Disney film.  She couldn't remember which one, and I've yet to find any reference to it.

 Both of the bridges seemed to be in use by vehicles, so I checked with Barbara as to which was out of commission.  It was the one we had crossed earlier that morning (the closest one in the upper photo).  At the time, they had to have passengers on the bus use the pedestrian walkway and the bus would cross empty, load the passengers on the other side and carry on.

So I didn't get a chance to walk across the vehicular portion of either bridge...though I did take the chance to stand on the roadway for this shot.  

What a scenic spot!  I can imagine it might look a less appealing in the winter when the snow flies.  Barbara assured us though that the Bay of Fundy never freezes.  As a result the snow that falls in Saint Martins disappears almost as quickly as it arrives.  

We were a little early for the fall colors, but I did spot this little bit walking along the path to the second covered bridge.

It was such a lovely day, the sun was warm with a light breeze.  So while my dream of walking the covered bridge was thwarted, I have such wonderful memories of the time we spent in Saint Martins.  

Next up - Halifax

Day 4 - Saint John, NB Part 1

Feeling better today, thanks to Buckley's liquid gels, Vick's VapoRub, Fisherman's Friends lozenges and about 48 hours of sleep over the past 4 nights and afternoon naps.  I made it through the entire workday without feeling the need to crash under my desk for respite. (Not that I've ever done that....oh wait there was that one time...).

This is going to photo heavy post, so I'll break it into two parts.  First, Saint John itself and the second part, the excursion to Saint Martins.

We arrived late evening on September 20 in Saint John New Brunswick, about 11 p.m.  Once the ship was cleared, guests were able to disembark.  I don't if anyone did...I was fast asleep.

The following morning, I did a wander on the ship with my camera. I bought a new zoom lens from my camera this summer and I appreciate it's ability to zoom in on objects in the distance. 

The sign is to the left of the tall building in this second photo, and I was on deck 15 of the ship.

I found it interesting that the heliport has lighthouses.  I wonder if they aren't simply decorative.  

These houses/townhouses were so pretty. I love the architecture and their location near the water.  

Later I had breakfast with Conna before she left for her excursion at 8 a.m.  My excursion was scheduled for 9:30 so I puttered around for bit for a bit before I headed down to the lounge to wait for the call to disembark. 

We made our way through the terminal to waiting buses.  Our bus had 44 passengers plus our guide, Barbara and driver, Joey.  Both were wonderful ambassadors of Saint John.  Barbara was especially knowledgeable and brought a basket full of items for "show and tell".

Our first stop on the excursion was Reversing Falls.  Barbara suggesting it should be the reversing river, since there is an underwater cliff not visible from the river's edge.  The Saint John river empties into the Bay of Fundy, however when the tides in the Bay are at high tide, it actually stops the flow of the water from the river and reverses the flow.  It's truly amazing to see in person.  Here are several photos from the morning stop.

We had about 15 minutes at this stop before we left the city for the drive to Saint Martins. (see part 2)

When we returned to Saint John that afternoon, we had a stop at the market.

Barbara explained that all the hanging artwork was created by the elementary school children in celebration of Canada 150. Later this year the artwork will be auctioned off with the funds benefiting charity.  What an awesome idea!

Pretty pumpkins!  

And less pretty (at least to me) is the live crustaceans available for sale.














I made a quick dash through the market before heading over to King's Park and the Loyalist graveyard. 

This structure is a two-tiered gazebo.  I can imagine it must be fun when there are activities going on in the park.

This is a lousy photo of the cemetery due to the lighting but it was pretty clear the stones were old.

None that I saw were legible.












The gates that bordered the graveyard were gorgeous, but I bet at night, it would be very spooky!  Great place on Halloween, perhaps.  

We only had about 20-30 minutes so it was hurry up and get a few photos and get back to the bus for our return to the Saint John River.  
Before the bus stopped at the site, there was an audible gasp from the passengers.  The river truly was flowing in the opposite direction.  Obviously photos don't do it justice, but I think the distinct change in color is the result of silt flowing back into the river.

We only had a very brief stop, as it was nearing 3 p.m. and all-aboard was 3:30 p.m. with sail-away shortly after.  

As we left the port we received a salute from the pilot boat. 

It was a fantastic day, sunny and warm, and so very interesting.  I definitely plan to return some day to explore this beautiful province.  A day was simply not enough time.

Day 2 - Boston, Mass

We had a late arrival into Boston at about 11 a.m. Several of us had met for breakfast at the Horizon Court earlier in that morning, but it was a lazy start to the day.

Boston was cool, cloudy and threatening rain the entire time we there.  A half-dozen of us took the ship's shuttle from the port to the downtown area.

We were dropped off near Quincy Market and I split off from the group as I wanted to wander at my own pace.  Across from the market is Faneuil Hall.  The hall was opened in 1742 as a market place.  The space was soon not sufficient to meet the needs of residents and longshoremen, and Quincy Hall was opened in 1826.

I was most impressed with Faneuil Hall.  The first floor holds numerous vendors, the second floor is the Grand Hall, and the 4th floor holds a museum to military history.  I wasn't able to visit the Grand Hall as a Boston council meeting was underway, no idea what was on third floor - I assume offices, and the 4th floor was very interesting.  I took no photos but my favorite by far was the picture of George Washington crossing the Delaware.

From Faneuil Hall, I walked part of the Freedom Trail.

Old State House was built in 1713 and is the oldest surviving building in Boston (courtesy Wikipedia).  I didn't realize it was a museum or I might have entered in. 

What did strike me was the age of the building in comparison to the others surrounding it.  It is truly a testament to the original builders.

I had to backtrack once as I got off the trail, and came to this memorial to the Irish Famine Survivors.  My great-grandparents came to Canada in the 1860's shortly after the famine ended. However there are many families with the same last name in the U.S.  

The bravery of our ancestors is beyond words, to leave all they know behind to go to a place they no nothing about.  Today we can search on-line, get information from travel agencies and so forth.  In those days it was on blind faith alone.

Old City Hall is simply a gorgeous building (or maybe it is just me)  

I found, however, the critter below a little too much like a certain POTUS who will remain unnamed. 

(I sure hope the donkey doesn't mind being compared to the Orange Guy)ioooooooooooooooooooooggfv  That's what Sheldon thinks of my comment. :)

My final stop on the trail was King's Chapel (at least that's when I lost sight of the red bricks).

  It was starting to rain a bit more (hence the moisture on the lens), so I ducked inside for a look around.

Originally an Anglican church, the building was under construction from 1749 to 1754, and is currently an Unitarian church (Wikipedia).

The interior was lovely with box seating and a huge organ.

 The pews were originally rented by member families who could decorate them as they chose.  Since the 1920's the decorations have been uniform.

I'm thinking, having attended church as a child, that these box pews would have been warmer and act as a containment for small children.  Not a bad idea! 


The pipe organ was massive, though I later read it is smaller than most in European churches.The church is not large, so I can only imagine how it would sound echoing off the stone walls.

Next door to the church was a burial ground.  I had assumed it was part of the church but apparently not.  It was founded in 1630 as the first burial ground in Boston (Wikipedia).

I wandered around the stones, the oldest I was able to read was from 1704, the newest was from 2003.  Most of the stones were in poor repair and leaning, or broken the writing most often illegible.

At this point, I decided to make back to Quincy Market to grab a bite to eat and browse some of the shops.  I must have been hungry as I didn't get a photo of the exterior of the building.  This is the ceiling in the center rotunda where I ate my slice of pizza.

I made my way back to the shuttle to the ship and was on-board by 3 p.m. I spent a little time in the hot tub before heading down to the International Cafe for a cup of Chai Tea.  I ran into the five women from the morning - they had decided to do the amphibian tour.  It sounded like fun but I'm glad I did my own walk-about.  

Later I went up to deck 16/17 for a few more photos before we left Boston.

You can see how foggy and cloudy it was...  Those downtown buildings are almost obscured.

Despite the cooler temperatures and a bit of rain, it was a nice day in Boston.

The following day we were meant to be in Bar Harbor, Maine but alas that was not to be.  There was an announcement at 7 a.m. that due to 9-10 foot swells and 40 knot winds the Captain was abandoning any attempt to anchor outside Bar Harbor.  As the port is either two small, or isn't deep enough, we would have been placed on lifeboats (they hold about 100-150 people so they aren't small) to tender in.  

As a result we had a sea day, which I didn't mind but some of my fellow travellers found boring.  I always say if you're bored on a cruise ship, you're trying to hard!  I slept in a bit, had a relaxing breakfast, sat and read my book, checked the Internet, grabbed a Chai tea and read some more.  I planned on taking in a movie at about 2 in the theatre but decided to lay down for a few minutes at 1:30 and woke up just before 4 p.m.  I did another wander before showering and changing for dinner at 6 p.m.  After dinner, Conna, Valerie, and I went to the Club Fusion for music trivia.  We made a reasonable attempt but without Conna we would have been lost.  Most of the music was from the 50's and 60's.  I was only 10 years in 1969...and never a music buff.

We finally sailed out of the clouds on our way to Saint John, New Brunswick.  More on that tomorrow (or the next day as I'm suffering from a wicked cold and having trouble focusing my attention on anything for very long.  Started this post about 8:30 this morning, it's now 12:50!)