Saturday in Halifax

On Saturday, after updating my blog with the previous two entries, I walked over all over the Citadel, which was very cool (unlike the weather, which was very hot for Halifax). There were lots of people basking in the sun on the side of the hill. The Citadel is the top of the hill, but you can't see most of it, only the old signal flag poles. The bulk of the fort is buried in the top of the hill with only the top of the ramparts visible. There are sentries in kilts (marking the Citadel's history as an important defense point for England and Canada and the fact that Highland Regiments manned the fort). The other reinactors (soldiers & soldiers' wives) don't show up until July 1. There is a lot of interesting information at the park, and the displays are fascinating. There are an inner and an outer wall. There's also an army museum, with displays on Canada's army from the early days to the present.

After the Citadel, I went to the Natural History Museum. On the way there, I passed several kids with their horses. There's a riding rink near the museum. The museum was a bit of a disappointment, but I did get to take a picture of a moose (stuffed). The most interesting exhibits were a seven minute video of an archeological excavation of an early Acadian village and a special exhibit on Sable Island. Sable Island is a lot like Chincoteague Island in North Carolina, as it has a herd of wild horses, which are now protected.

Finally, I spent a while wandering around the Public Gardens - very beautiful. Most of the plants blooming were lilac and tulips, so I inferred that Halifax has a little later spring than Corvallis, as my bulbs and lilac are done for the year. Someone told me that the gardens lost a lot of trees in a hurricane a few years ago, but there was still plenty of shade. Lots of ducks, with notices in the garden not to feed them, as they are trying to keep them as wild as possible.

Another 10,000+ step day, but this was all for interesting stuff. My feet are a little tired though.