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Halifax Day 6 - Exploring Dartmouth

While Halifax gets all the glory its sister city across the water is well worth a visit as well.   I hope by the time you finish reading this you will think so too!!! 

Today was Canadian Thanksgiving, Monday October 12th.  As I wasn't sure if anything would be open I had picked up a muffin the previous day.   My host had a couple of teabags that were part espresso and part black tea so I figured that one of those would make do to give me my morning jolt of caffeine.  Can you believe I still didn't have a plan for that day when I awoke.  I had wanted to do the Dartmouth 5 km walk but it seemed quite complicated to get to the hotel which had the walk instructions and map.  However thanks to google maps I worked out a route where I only had to change buses once. So off I went.  I got dropped off about a block away from the hotel which was just outside a Robins donuts.  No donuts for me but I did sit in and have a small cup of coffee - that teabag just didn't cut it!!!  

As I wandered over to the hotel I saw these traffic control boxes - so pretty and typical of what I was about to see. (minus the sailboats)



The Hearthstone Inn was cute and quirky and the staff helpful.   I soon had the 5km map and instructions in my eager hands and off I went.  

I knew it was going to be a great one from peering out of the bus and I wasn't disappointed.  I crossed the road to a walking path along Lake Banook and followed that for quite a while.  Lovely!!! 



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It also claims to be the birthplace of ice hockey...hmmmm (I hate hockey and let's face it...most other sports as well) 







This is the Shubenacadie lock and canal.  The canal is 114 km long and links Halifax Harbour with the Bay of Fundy.  While construction started in 1826 it was only fully open from 1861 to 1871. I carried on along the path and emerged into the small park by Sullivan's Pond which is a manmade lake that forms part of the Shubenacadie canal.  It was beautiful! 





How would I not sit on this bench and enjoy the view? 

The route set off towards the downtown where I saw this beautiful mural of early Dartmouth on the side of a building. 

Along the way I noticed that the If Two by Sea coffee shop was open (though sadly still for takeout only provided through open windows) and low and behold they had a couple of chocolate croissants available.  Now I hadn't planned on one but how could I resist?  When it comes to chocolate I have the resistance of a four year old child. (I did get only one though - I'm not that greedy!) I stashed it in my backpack and toddled down to the water where I picked up the path that would take me back along the canal to the starting point of my walk.  However I stopped at this darling little park 





Time for a sit down on a bench and to dig into this beauty.  Oh my.  It was huge and I only got it half done - helped by a persistent duck (don't worry she only got the pastry, not the chocolate).  And yes I know ducks shouldn't eat bread but her little face....!!! 


Okay, a typical duck face but you had to be there.  Really! 

Instead of heading back to the start point of the walk I decided to head back to the Dartmouth waterfront and walked along there a bit. (yes, I know I'm a cheat) And yes I just may have finished that croissant sitting by the water watching the Dartmouth ferry go back and forth....


This is looking towards the Dartmouth Ferry -it is part of the public transit network so only regular transit fares are required.  


This was my last ferry ride with the Angus MacDonald bridge in the distance - for this time anyway...

Around ten minutes later after my arrival at the ferry terminal in Halifax I headed up the hill (puff, puff...though gradually my body had almost gotten used to the hills) and saw these cool mailboxes.  Maud Lewis is a Nova Scotia artist known for her folk art.  She rose to fame in the mid 60's and died a few years later in 1970.  There is a movie about her life called "Maudie" starring Sally Hawkins. 





As if I hadn't done enough walking I had to pound the pavement of downtown Halifax.  I knew I needed something else to eat that was light and (fairly)healthy or I would be looking for food around 10 p.m with nothing open. I ended up getting a small vegetable pita sandwich.  



This Government House (in all capital cities) is kind of similar to the one here in Regina. 


I loved this!  

When I got my sandwich I said "okay Laurie time to call it quits" and headed off on my favourite #1 bus back to my digs.  It was time to pack up to move on to my next adventure!  







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