YHZ

 

ANYONE know what those letters represent?

 . 

 

Took our first drive off the Island since arriving last September.  Over the Confederation Bridge we went, the three of us, cats stayed home this time round.  Quite the change driving vs waiting in line for the ferry, sometimes for hours.  I remember one year coming back from NB, our icebreaking boat got jammed up by ice literally a stones throw from the docks.  We had to wait for a CG ship to come clear it out.  Circled in the straight for EIGHTEEN HOURS! to keep from getting frozen in.  Memorable that, wot!

 

Anyway, as you can see from the pics, it was a sunny w/e, but you wouldn't have know it during our final 20 km to arrival.  Dense fog, barely see the painted lines, at least divided highway all the way in.  Rain beat us up for pretty much the entire drive over, but at least it was decent Sunday for a walking tour around the heart of the city.  I swear, Holly and Kevin took us near 15 kilometers in total.  Very good show...

 

Saw their tiny apartment, that I understand wasn't much of a hindrance, as they have been overseas lots during their four year term, and besides, the architecture campus is barely three blocks walk.  From then on, we did several loops, to the main campus, the down town Public Gardens park, Citadel hill of course... and
the waterfront.


Halifax is a very nice city, scenic and historic.  One of the best deep water harbors in the world.  In 1917 the French SS Mont Blanc collided with SS IMO, a Norwegian steamer and Mont Blanc's massive cargo of munitions exploded, leaving much of the city in ruins and several thousand dead or injured.  This was the largest man created explosion in history prior to the Hiroshima atomic bombing. 



 

Tens of thousands of ships carrying vital war cargo of men and materiel, transitioned from these sheltered bays.

 

Cemeteries carry grave markers dating the the 18th century.

      

The city has seen a re-juvination that is still progressing.  Where once rowdy soldiers and sailors were rounded up by shore patrol and MP's, city dwellers, tourists and motorcyclists hang out.





 

We five drove back in the very spacious PT Cruiser (turbo) Sunday evening, stopping in Amherst for a nice family dinner.



The cats were certainly glad to see us return.

I look forward to re-visiting some of my old travels in the Maritimes in the coming years.