Halifax immediately stands out from Canada’s other Atlantic cities. On one corner, we see a young punk asking people for spare change. On another, a pierced and tattooed teenager is busking. When I point this out to Joseph, he agrees; it has been a while since we’ve seen anyone begging for money.

 

After an excellent meal at Chives Canadian Bistro on Barrington Street, we set off to explore the town. It has been two hours since we stepped of the train in Halifax, and we want to take advantage of the sun’s last rays. After strolling down a few hills, we begin the upward climb — a few months of this and we would have legs of steel. The sounds of the Jazz festival lure us into the heart of downtown — where we had just seen street kids for the first time in three weeks.

 

***

 

We are pleasantly surprised by the number of restaurants (of every kind) and shops. “Halifax is now the largest urban centre in the Atlantic provinces, with a population of over 370,000 (including the inhabitants of its twin city, Dartmouth),” according to Ulysses’ Atlantic Canada guide. “It has a more diverse, even cosmopolitan, appearance than the rest of Atlantic Canada, and boasts several superb museums and a whole slew of other attractions.” We are immediately taken with the city, even (or especially?) with its imperfections.

 

The next day, the rain puts a damper on our explorations. After taking refuge under a tree in the magnificent Victorian Public Gardens, we scurry to a small shopping centre where I quickly spend a few tenners (I can’t resist the sales!). We then head back to our room at the Cambridge Suites Hotel (great for families) to relax.

 

***

 

“Who is Peggy?” we wonder on our way to the little fishing village known as Peggy’s Cove. Our tour guide tells us the story of a young girl, who was presumed to have survived a shipwreck, and rescued by local fishermen. The only word the child could say was “Margaret,” the diminutive of which is “Peggy;” her rescuers thus decided to call her “Peggy”. Curious inhabitants from neighbouring villages would come to see the child, and eventually the village assumed her name. There is also a less romantic explanation: Peggy’s Cove is located on St. Margaret’s Bay.

 

As we approach the site, the mist thickens, enshrouding the cove in mystery. A lighthouse looms on the horizon. Tourists are bustling around us and clicking away at a mad pace. We are engrossed by the drama of the waves crashing against the rock. Everyone wants a record of their visit to Peggy’s Point, and we are no exception.

 

Just beyond the crowds, it’s dead calm. Lobster season is over, and the fishermen have gone, leaving their gear on the shore (or maybe it’s there to impress the tourists), to the delight of amateur photographers. Near the sheds built on stilts, the lobster traps, anchors, fishing boats and ropes give the impression that Peggy’s Cove is frozen in time. The modest houses blend into the poetic setting. Maybe it’s just the mist, but for a second, it feels like Peggy’s Cove is not quite real.

 

Our heads filled with these images, we dash off to the airport. We will not have time to visit Cape Breton Island, renowned worldwide for its beauty, but we’ll take a rain check. This time, Air Canada is flying us to St. John’s, Newfoundland. In a little over two days, we’ll be on our way home to Quebec!

 

Lots of activities for the whole family

Excellent restaurants

Magnificent vistas

 

The hills could be challenging for young children or the elderly.

 

… ships from Halifax were called to the rescue of the Titanic when it struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912? The ships returned with the remains of the victims, 500 of whom were buried in the city’s cemeteries.

 … a massive explosion, caused by the collision of a Belgian vessel, the Imo, with the Mont Blanc, a French ship laden with explosives, killed 2,000 people in December 1917? Thousands of others were wounded and part of the city was destroyed.

… Halifax served as a stronghold for British troops during the American Revolution and the War of 1812 against the United States? Built between 1828 and 1856, the star-shaped Citadel (www.pc.gc.ca) reflects the city’s military past. The site provides a window into Canada’s history and offers wonderful views of the city.

… in the mid-nineteenth century, some 400 escaped slaves established a community in Halifax that was nicknamed “Africville”? From the 1840s to 1969, this Black community banded together in the face of segregation and poverty. The settlement was one of the worst shantytowns in Canada. The government waited nearly four decades to apologize for its expropriation of the neighbourhood during the 1960s when evicted residents had been offered a mere $500 in compensation. A commemorative plaque now attests to the historical significance of Africville.

… the Bluenose II, a replica of the famous schooner that sailed Canada’s waters from 1921 to 1946 (and still appears on the Canadian dime), is often moored at Halifax harbour in summer? You can even take a cruise onboard.

… Swissair Flight 111 crashed near Peggy’s Cove on September 2, 1998?

… painter-sculptor William E. deGarthe worked for five years sculpting a fishing scene in a granite rock face? The artist died before completing the work, but at the Memorial Provincial Park and gallery dedicated to him, you can still admire his 32 fishermen with their wives and children, enveloped by an angel’s wings.

… the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo (www.nstattoo.ca), held in Halifax, features more than 2,000 pipers, drummers and Scottish dancers?

… the Celtic Colours International Festival (www.celtic-colours.com) in Sydney, Cape Breton, is a celebration of Celtic culture?

… people say there is buried treasure on Oak Island? Fact or fiction? One thing is certain: so far, no one has found it.

 

Tourism Nova Scotia official site: www.novascotia.com

Destination Nova Scotia: www.destination-ns.com

Halifax: www.explore.canada.travel

Chives: www.chives.ca

Atlantic Jazz Festival: www.jazzeast.com

Cambridge Suites Hotel Halifax: www.cambridgesuiteshalifax.com