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Halifax day 5 - A walk in Pleasant Park

Today I was going to for a walk in the park!!  But first I had to fuel up and that meant a good breakfast.  

I had read that Mary's Diner was good and offered fish cakes so I hopped on the bus and got off on Spring Garden Road.  Just a bit north along that street I found the cafe and happily settled in for what I hoped was a good breakfast.  I wasn't disappointed!!!  


You can barely see the fish cakes hiding under the toast on the left.  The green relish is called "chow".   

I made my way back through the Public Gardens; I just can't get enough of this place!!  




The flowers were beautiful but no time to "dilly-dally" - I had a walk to do! 

My next stop was the Lord Nelson hotel where I signed in for the 10km walk and got the instructions and map.  And off I went!! 

The route took me down Young Street which has some beautiful Victorian homes 





I must say it got to the point I was thinking "where is this park?".  

Finally, I arrived!!!  



And here we are!!!  

Pleasant Park is a 75-acre wooded park with 39 km of walking trails and even features a Martello tower.  I love this: Halifax rents the site from the British Government for one shilling (about ten cents) a year on a 999-year lease! 


Oh yeah...I didn't mention that it's situated on the Halifax peninsula...forest and ocean views.  That's a win, win for me.  I have walked in this park previously and loved it however I only did a 5 km walk so this time I saw a lot more. 









There were quite a few people (and dogs!) out on this beautiful Sunday but the park was so big there was plenty of room for everybody. 



As the park was originally used by the British military as a defense there are remnants of batteries and forts all over the area. 




This is the Martello tower - what a beautiful structure.  Martello towers are British defense ports that were built all over the British empire during the 19th century. 
  
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Point Pleasant park.  It is a little "off the beaten tourist track" but totally worth it.  

The walk called for me to walk back downtown but I opted to take the bus as I had more plans and I took pity on my hard working legs.  First I sat and enjoyed a salted caramel ice cream cone from the convenience store on Tower road that was across from the bus loop.  I then hopped bus # 29 back downtown.  

My first stop was the Grand Parade Square which was established as a military parade ground in 1749.  At one end is St Paul's Anglican church which faces Halifax City Hall.  



Halifax City Hall completed construction in 1890 and is one of the oldest public buildings in Nova Scotia. 


This building reminded me so much of Europe! 


On my way to the bus I passed by the Old Burying Grounds and saw that someone was in it.  It has always been locked on previous visits.  I can't resist an old cemetery so in I went.  


This is the Welsford Parker Monument honours two Nova Scotians killed during the Crimean War in 1855.  



I love reading the inscriptions on headstones. 



The woman in the picture and I sat across from one another on benches at one point and had a chat about cemeteries, travel and Halifax.  I find that when traveling solo you tend to talk to so many more people. 


The back of this headstone gave me the creeps - looked like some sort of extraterrestrial creature!  



I headed over to the library which was just about to close and used their facilities.  By now my stomach was rumbling and a hotdog stand across the way really tempted me but I had a plan!  Being as Halifax introduced donars to Canada I decided to have one there.  It's just one of those crazy eccentric things I do when I travel solo.   


It was just okay but it was a one day change from seafood and I'm glad I had one - no different than at home although truth is I rarely have one.  


I took the bus there and then back to my Airbnb.  Needless to say my fitbit recorded quite a few steps that day!!!  To say I collapsed into my bed was an accurate statement!!!  

I needed my sleep for another busy day coming up!! 













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