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.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Nova Scotia
Halifax’s Legislative Home — Province House
During my travels I often find myself visiting sites of government. Not sure why this is so because, as a rule, most governments really annoy me. Perhaps it’s because the buildings in which they’re housed are often grand and opulent and their landscaping beautiful, covering many acres of prime real estate.
So a visit to Province House in Halifax was a pleasant change from the norm. When we first spotted the building during our exploratory walk through the city, I thought it must be of some significance because it was old and looked important, but it is not at all large, occupying only a small city block. Perhaps, I thought, it was a courthouse or library? Turned out this was Province …
Tagged Halifax, Joseph Hose, Legislature, Province House
.All Trips / Eastern Canada / Nova Scotia
A Visit to the Citadel, Halifax
Halifax’s roots lie in its proximity to the sea, and its large natural harbor. When the town was founded in 1749, among the first buildings constructed was a guardhouse atop what would become known as Citadel Hill. The Citadel, because of its hilltop location, offered a strategic defensive position. As the harborside town grew and changed, so did the fort which overlooked and protected it.
The Citadel was completed in 1856, the fourth and last in a series of forts built at this site. Its official name is Fort George (after King George II). It has a distinctive star shape, strategic for allowing optimum defense of the structure. Fortunately these defenses were never put to the test as the city was …
Tagged Citadel, Fort, Fort George, Halifax, harbor
.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Nova Scotia
Lunenberg, Nova Scotia: A UNESCO World Heritage Site
While I am not a fan of the provincial capitol of Halifax, I really enjoyed the rural landscapes of Nova Scotia, especially the many colorful and picturesque fishing villages along the coast. The most interesting coastal community we visited was Lunenberg, situated about 90 km from Halifax. It has rows of tidy well-kept homes, nice churches and shops, and a lovely waterfront. Canadians best know Lunenberg as the birthplace of the Bluenose, a racing ship which graces the Canadian dime.
Lunenburg’s history has long been entertwined with the sea. The first mention of an European settlement around here was in the early 1600s, which was a simple Acadian village. The British saw the value of the …
Tagged Bluenose, Coast, Lunenberg, UNESCO World Heritage Site
.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Nova Scotia
Burntcoat Head Park, Nova Scotia. World-Record Tide
The highest tides in the world occur in Canada’s Bay of Fundy, which separates New Brunswick from Nova Scotia. Twice each day the Bay of Fundy fills and empties about 160 billion tons of water. In 1975 The Guinness Book of World Records listed Burntcoat Head Park in Nova Scotia as the site of the greatest average tide of 47.5 feet. with an extreme range of 53.6 feet. That’s about as tall as a four story building!
When I visited Nova Scotia last fall, one of the top things on my “to do” list was to see the sight of this great tidal surge. Ideally you want to be there at both low and high tide to see …
Tagged Bay of Fundy, Burntcoat Head, Park, tide
.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Nova Scotia
Signs of Halifax, Nova Scotia
I’d never visited Halifax before this past summer and was not quite sure what I’d find when I visited. As it is a provincial capital, I expected a lot of government and corporate offices and was not to be disappointed in that regard. I didn’t expect the city’s natural harbor to be as lovely as it was, nor did I expect the downtown construction boom we encountered as the area is one of the poorest in Canada. It is also one of the dirtiest cities I’ve seen in a country known for its cleanliness, so this revitalization offers promises of a better tomorrow.
Halifax has a number of interesting attractions, none overwhelming, but with an engaging Maritime Museum and a unique …
