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Maritime Canada by Sally Dowling
A Tale of Two Cities – Halifax & Montreal linked by VIA Rail ‘Ocean’ Service Having enjoyed many USA road trips, Canada seemed to be calling my husband and I. Our plan was a few nights in Halifax, Nova Scotia, followed by the overnight VIA Rail service to Montreal where we would stay for a further 2 nights. We were keen to discover two very different cities and enjoy the changing scenery through the region known as Maritime Canada Halifax Just 6 hours flying time from London is the compact city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Not much bigger than a large UK town, Halifax is capital of Nova Scotia and Canada’s important Eastern gateway with an impressive harbour. As your plane prepares to land you may find yourself asking – ‘where is this city?’ Mile upon mile of tree covered wilderness, with no buildings in sight is a bit concerning. Never fear, at the last minute Stanfield International Airport appears - welcome to Nova Scotia where you will never be far from a pine forest. On arrival you will be relieved to find that it doesn’t take long to clear immigration, the bonus of a small airport. Pick up a rental car or take the airport shuttle bus and in about 30 minutes you will be downtown.
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Halifax has a laid back and relaxed atmosphere which appealed to us. It has a strong maritime history and all the main city hotels are within easy reach of the historic waterfront. This was by far my favourite part of town whatever time of day. The 4km boardwalk has fabulous views over the ocean with thoughtfully placed traditional Adirondack chairs and inviting hammocks available along the way. At the southern end is the Cruise Terminal where the visiting liners dock for a day or two of sightseeing. Here you will find the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. A fascinating place where you can follow the timeline of immigrants, arriving from all over the world, who helped make Canada the successful multi-cultural country that it is today. Halifax Seaport Farmers Market is just next door and a great place to pick up a coffee and locally baked cinnamon roll whilst browsing local crafts and produce.
