Halifax

08.27.2009 - 08.27.2009 80 °F
View Laura's Semester at Sea on ltdewald's travel map.

We landed in Halifax very punctually at 8am, our scheduled arrival time (at 7:55 we were not yet in port). It's a sweet little town that reminds me very much of Newport- a downtown of wharfs with little shops, cafes, and restaurants, brisk sea air, and a small island off the coast with a traditional lighthouse. I thought again about whether I want to live in Canada, and....maybe?... but I think Halifax would have the same touristy pitfalls that Newport had.

I spent the day with the family, and it was very reminiscent of childhood tours with my own family in that it was very historically focused. We visited a historic graveyard, first settled church in the area, and Halifax's Citadel (all very Dewald family-ish sites). Caroline and Jahan put each tidbit into their larger historical context, which I regrettably don't have much of. Interestingly, the boys seem to tune out all of the tidbits they're handed, giving at best a nod and at worst talking right through it until directly addressed. I assume that I must have done the same to have so little historic understanding when it's my father's passion. History aside, it was a lovely day with beautiful weather and scenery.

I also think it was a great first port for the boys who may be quietly apprehensive about the very foreign places we're going. They'll get their feet wet with port parameters here in Canada (hardly foreign at all!) where everyone still speaks English and no one looks twice at their uniforms of baseball caps, mesh shorts, and sports t-shirts before heading to Spain where they'll stand out some, but it won't be too horribly different, and then head to Morocco where they may have some culture shock.

Students board today and we're off to cross the Atlantic tomorrow! I can already tell the setting is very different with the college kids on board.... we'll see what the long stretch across the Atlantic with 600 undergrads brings!

Posted by ltdewald 08.27.2009 16:06 Archived in Canada Tagged cruises