Saturday, August 11, 2012

Peggy's Cove




About 45 minutes from Halifax is Peggy's Cove, a small fishing village in the south-central portion of Nova Scotia.  This village, with a population of around 60, has at the very end of it one of the most photographed spots in North America, with their lighthouse on a series of boulders.

It's a gorgeous site to see, and we'd recommend anyone who is in the area to make the trip.  However, it does get filled with tourists, so if you'd like to enjoy it without 100 other people there at the same time, plan an early morning trip.

There is ample parking here, along with a large gift shop and restaurant next to the parking lot.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic




Right on the water in downtown Lunenburg, the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is in a bright red building celebrating the life of a fisherman.  On the first floor is an aquarium, showcasing mostly various sea life that fishermen seek out rather than unique and pretty fish that are typically seen in aquariums.  There is even an extremely rare blue lobster named "Popeye" on display.  Another great fish to see is the flatfish, which is a fish that has both eyes on the same side of the body and seems to always be "laying down".

On the next floor, you can view various types of fishing ships and equipment used in this industry.  For anyone who is a fishing fan, this is a great place to learn more about the history of fishing.  There are also two fishing boats in the dock that one can visit.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Swissair Flight 111 Crash Memorial



Located right outside of Peggy's Cove, there is a memorial to those who perished in the Swissair Flight 111 Crash in 1998.  The plane crashed into the sea about 5 miles from shore between the towns of Peggy's Cover & Bayswater.  All 229 of the passengers and crew aboard the flight died and this memorial was created in their honor.  It is a simple memorial, but touching.  It is easy to get to being on Route 333 heading north from Peggy's Cove.  We'd recommend anyone leaving Peggy's Cove heading toward the Lunenburg area make a quick stop here.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Halifax Citadel National Historic Site



In the center of Halifax, Nova Scotia, is the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.  This star shaped fort overlooks the entire city, and offers quite a view of the downtown area and waterfront.  Surrounded by a significant amount of green space for a city, the Citadel is a place where you can learn about the history of the fort in Halifax with customed actors portraying historical characters such as bagpipers and cannoneers.

There are regularly occurring tours to walk you through the history of the Citadel, which any history buff will find interesting.


There is a decent amount of parking here, but if you're already parked elsewhere downtown, it's easy to walk here, as long as you don't mind an uphill climb.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Fairview Cemetery



Fairview Cemetery is best known as the resting place for over 100 victims of the Titanic disaster.   The city of Halifax was key to the rescue effort of this tragedy, as well as the recovery of the unfortunate victims.  The bodies here are all marked with a small gravestone listing the name, date of death, as well as an identification number that was used before the body was identified.  Still, about one-third of the graves were never positively identified.

There is one very touching grave for an unidentified child, where people still lay toys and teddy bears to honor the young who died during this sinking.

For anyone who has an interest in the history of the Titanic, this visit is a must see.  However, this is still an active cemetery, so be courteous of others on the grounds.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Halifax Public Gardens



A beautiful piece of landscaping, the Halifax Public Gardens, located in downtown Halifax is a gorgeous place to take a stroll, have a picnic or just take a seat and relax.  These gardens are well-maintained and off a variety of plant life to please your eyes.

In the center is a large lake, which helps to enhance the scenery.  In one corner, there is also a model of the Titanic sitting in the water, as an homage to the ship that sank 100 years ago and had its survivors rescued by  residents of Halifax.  There are also some large geese in the park to view.

When taking a walk through Halifax, this is a great place to spend 30 minutes to an hour to get out of the city type of mind-set.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

National Aquarium, Washington, DC




Th National Aquarium in DC, is home to the world's most recently discovered blue lobster, who is on display in the aquarium's collection.

This is a very small collection, and sometimes the line for tickets can get very backed up (we were waiting on the stairs). However, after the fact we learned that if you take the elevator down, you are let out right in front of the ticket counter.

Many of the fish and sea life in the aquarium are local and all tanks are marked with what is in them and where the marine life hail from.