The original plan had been to drive from Toronto to Quebec City and then to Halifax and then back to Toronto. On the map this is not very far however in reality this a significant distance.

The final plan ended up flying from Toronto to Quebec City, overnight train from Quebec City to Halifax and finally flying back to Toronto.

Overnight Train

The journey from Quebec city to Halifax was 18 hours in our lovely 2 person cabin on our train.

Our home for the night, well this was taken in the morning because we didn’t board the train until 1am some 4 hours late.

Halifax

What a welcome to Halifax, we felt like royalty having our own double decker bus.

Atlantica hotel, this is our home in Halifax which is the final leg of our journey.

Titanic Graves

Fairview Cemetery is the final resting place for over one hundred victims of the sinking of the Titanic. The cemetery non-denominational cemetery which is run by the Parks Department of the Halifax Regional Municipality.

This is the one must visit place if you are ever in Halifax. It is so moving words can’t really described it.

The cost of the graves was paid for by the owner of Titanic “White Star Line” and the basis that the company name never appeared on the gravestones. The graves are set out so that they form the shape of a boat.

This is the grave, as the picture depicts, of the unknow child. Each week all the toys and trinkets are removed and given away. As soon as this is done more arrive.

The bodies and belongings that were salvaged were stored so well that DNA analysis could be used in the later years.

The grave below was next to the one above. One remarkable thing is that DNA identified that the mother was buried next to her child. The unknown child will be at peace next to her mum.

Pier XX

Halifax Citadel

This area houses includes the Army Museum plus other attractions which honour the history of Canada’s soldiers on and off the battle ground.

This is the Army Museum.

Waiting for the firing of the one o’clock gun?

View of the city from the top of the citadel hill.

The contrast of the old and new buildings.

Overlooking the barracks from the top of the defences, not much protection from invading armies?

Downtown

The downtown area consists mainly of the waterfront which has been redeveloped in recent years.

The Alexander Keith’s brewery, established in 1820, is one of the oldest breweries in Canada.

If you walk around the town it’s easy to be reminded of what the local brew is.

Restaurants are a plenty along the waterfront, when we visited the weather wasn’t conducive to alfresco beer drinking.

It’s a great walk down to the downtown region from our hotel, which you can’t see because it’s on the top of the hill with a park in-between.

Recycling at it’s best, a new use for an old London bus.

Peggy’s Cove

Outside of Halifax is the famous area of Peggy’s cove. This Cove is a small rural community located on the eastern shore of St. Margaret’s Bay and is the site of Peggy’s Point Lighthouse which is one of the most photographed lighthouses in North America.

The road to nowhere, well it looks like it from here.

The next few picture’s are taken around the cove and give an insight in to the remoteness. In the winter the weather can be extremely harsh with the wind blowing in directly from the Atlantic ocean.

The local tourist shop and Café which stands out because of it’s bright colours.

Boats tied up in the sheltered bay.

It’s hard to imagine that these boats go out in to the Atlantic Ocean, the majority are fishing for lobster.

This not some sort of artistic statement but is the lobster pots drying out ready for their next excursion in to the wild Atlantic Ocean.

Village just perched on the top of the rocks.

Fishermen’s Monument

Peggy’s Point Lighthouse

There is a famous picture which shows the lighthouse being battered by a storm coming in from the Atlantic. Although it’s was windy, which it always is, we didn’t get the massive waves.

The rocks look wonderful and you can easily walkdown. Tempting as it is these are best seen from a distance as many people have lost their lives falling in to the sea and see then getting battered against the rocks.