Vikings on the Watefront.

It seems the weather has been overcast and damp for far too long. The weatherman says June has been normal and actually a bit dry. But, with fog and clouds overhead , we made our way to the shore of Halifax harbour and to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

They have a new guest the Freydis Joanna a replica of a 1000 year old Viking ship built at the Viking Ship Museum in Denmark.

As you can see she is not a Viking Longboat the terror ship of long ago. She is built with Danish Oak and Fir, using traditional handcrafting Viking Ship building methods.

Freydis Joanna is a “faering” used in coastal shipping activity, the Vikings being traders as well as raiding marauders who preyed upon weak monks. During our short stay the sun came out and it actually felt “hot” standing out in the sun.

We have other photos showing the normal activity that takes place in and about and along the Harbour Walk in the vicinity of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. You can view them on the Blue Diamond Tours web site.

As we say, there is always something to keep you occupied when you are Harbour Walking.


Come see!!

Surgenor 50th Wedding Anniversary

As a fiftieth wedding anniversary present, Joy said she’d like to go to Prince Edward Island - and so it came to be. On June 7th we headed to the PEI ferry at Caribou, Nova Scotia and enjoyed a smooth 75 minute sail to PEI in total sunshine. When we left Halifax, there was heavy cloud cover and sprinkles of rain.

Our first stop on the island was the town of Montague, or as the locals say, ‘Montague the Beautiful’. As the name suggests it is one of the prettiest towns on the island. Graced with a tranquil river, lovely tree-lined streets and stately homes, it is a wonderful environment for residents and visitors alike. It’s harbour is at the junction of three rivers, the Montague, Bradebel and the Cardigan. Many nature cruises in eastern PEI begin in Montague.

Leaving Montague, we headed for Charlottetown and toured through potato farm country. PEI has more than 150,000 acres planted with potatoes. Once in Charlottetown we briefly stopped at Confederation Center to inquire whether Anne of Green Gables, the Musical would be playing sometime during our three night stay. Sadly, the answer was no as the summer season only begins in late June. Next, we checked into The Bradley Beach North Winds Resort.

After checking in, we headed back out to nearby North Rustico where the fishing industry remains the most important local economic activity. North Rustico is home to approximately 40 vessels docked in and around a small craft harbour. Lobster fishing is the main focus for much of the fleet, and during the months of May and June, fresh north shore PEI lobster can be bought at a fish market on the harbour wharves or directly off the boats. Our stop was the world famous “Fisherman's Wharf Lobster Suppers" where we enjoyed the fresh seafood of Prince Edward Island, as well as the 60 foot salad bar.

Following breakfast the next day, we drove back into Charlottetown and toured this picturesque little town famously known as The Cradle of Confederation. We stopped for a visit at Founders Hall with it’s new heritage attraction, Canada’s Birthplace Pavilion, and retail boutique which tells the story of Canada from its inception in 1864 up to modern day.

Next it was on to Province House, scene of the first conference on colonial union in September, 1864. Delegates from the colonies of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada met in the legislative council chamber (now the Confederation Chamber) to begin discussions which led to Confederation in 1867. We also explored the adjacent Confederation Park where a rock or stone from each Province or Territory of Canada is on display.

Soon it was time to head out to New Glasgow, PEI, home to Prince Edward Island Preserves. It is located in an old butter factory situated on a corner of a major intersection en route to Cavendish Beach, the Anne of Green Gables House, and near the world-famous New Glasgow Lobster Suppers. The production kitchen is in full view so that customers may get a first-hand look at how their products are made. Staff make sure that everything the store offers for sale is available to taste. Customers can also purchase the Maritime music which is played in the store. In addition to preserves and music, the store also stocks a variety of the best teas from around the world. In addition to the variety of teas from around the world, the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company recently began their own tea company and now also offers some of their own blends for sale. The location in New Glasgow has grown into a world class facility that sees more than 150,000 visitors annually from all over the world.

The dining tea-room overlooks the Clyde River and serves fresh island meals. For our visit we had the owner, Bruce, as our waiter. I’ll tell you, the man never sits still; while he was serving us, he was also looking after three other groups and trying to have his own lunch at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking!

Our next stop was Cavendish, that legendary land of Anne of Green Gables. We visited Green Gables, which is part of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site and has become famous around the world as the inspiration for the setting in her classic tale of fiction, Anne of Green Gables. In real life, this farm was the home of David Jr. and Margaret MacNeill, cousins of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s grandfather. Shortly after her death in 1942, Lucy Maud Montgomery was recognized by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada as being a person of national historic significance, and in 1948, a monument and plaque were erected on site at Green Gables. Designated in 2005, Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish National Historic Site includes the site of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Cavendish home and Green Gables. The homestead is surrounded by the famous Green Gables Golf Course.

Following our visit, we toured along the north coast of PEI, driving through such places as French River, and Malpeque Harbour & Bay (Malpeque is a world famous name in oysters and are extensively fished and farm-fished at Malpeque and other bays and inlets around PEI).

Our last stop for the day was Saint Mary’s Church at Indian River. It is the largest ‘shingle-style’ church on PEI. There are 250 churches in PEI, more per capita than any other province in Canada. Dinner was at a fine restaurant in Charlottetown.

On day three of our trip, we headed westwards to meet our PEI guide, Florence Gavin, a daughter of PEI who at one time or another was involved in lobster fishing, Irish Moss farming, potato farming, raising & showing award-winning Percheron horses, as well as working in various positions in the Credit Union financial services industry of PEI. Our tour on day three proved Florence is the only person to show-off Western PEI! During our one day with Florence we visited:

· numerous harbours - both Northumberland Strait side and Gulf of St. Lawrence side
· Skinner’s Pond - best known for Stompin’ Tom Connors
· The O’Leary Potato Museum
· Mill River Resort - known for it’s golf course and ‘The Big One’
· The Town of Tignish and Saint Simon & Saint Jude Church which is the largest church on the island and home of the Louis Mitchell Tracker Organ. It is the oldest organ of it’s kind and one of the few left in the world.
· Cape North for lunch - noted for it’s view of ‘the line’ which is the boundary between the Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and all important in the fishery business as when one is ‘open’ the other is ‘closed’ and the fishing is always fabulous just ‘over the line’! And yes, the oysters were fresh, plump and tasty!
· Alberton - the circa 1903 Train Station was turned into the town’s offices
· the site where Jacques Cartier first landed on PEI. The site is now a Provincial Park
· Tignish Run, home to the largest in-shore fishing fleet in Canada
· We stopped to view the farming property of the Elite Seed Company, where new varieties of potatoes are being developed
· We saw strawberry fields where the crop is the strawberry plant itself, not the berry. The plants are exported to Florida of all places!


Our day with Florence ended in the Summerside parking lot where we had met her in the early morning. Throughout the day, she gave us the background, history and explained the culture of this area of PEI.

Dinner was at the diner next to our motel complex, great food!

The next morning, we were Halifax bound. We crossed into New Brunswick via the 13.8 kilometre long Confederation Bridge. We stopped briefly at Gateway Village.

We were only in New Brunswick for a short time before we crossed into Nova Scotia at Port Elgin / Bay Ver and then continued on to The Sunrise Trail. Our next stop was at the famous Jost Vineyard where we enjoyed a delightful lunch at a snack-bar overlooking Wallace Harbour. Our itinerary took us through the Wentworth Valley to Truro and then on to Halifax.

The following day, we toured Halifax, Peggy’s Cove, Chester, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg. Unfortunately, the weather was not the best, but the rain stopped whenever we did which actually made the day. The chowder at The Trellis Café in Hubbards is the best - and well worth waiting for!

Our 50th Anniversary Tour ended back in Halifax. A few days later we received a very thoughtful thank you letter from Joy and Charlie.

Remember, all our excursions / tours / outings are private and only for the people who booked them. We include as little or as much as YOU, the client, wants. The itinerary is your itinerary, the activities are set by you, the pace is the pace you desire, the hotels are the ones you choose and meals are where and when you want. If you wish to change a day, activity or take an unexpected side trip, we can make it happen! Want to just stay put and relax instead of heading out for a day of activities? That’s okay too! It’s your trip and we do what you want to do!

So, give us a call and let us know where you want to go and when!

All the best,
Bob

Saint Paul's Church & Grand Parade

This and the snapshots are an addition to our original Blue Diamond Exclusive The Almost Free DIY Cruise Ship Excursion: and some new activities outline for our Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax - Nova Scotia!

The original DIY Cruise Ship Excursion had you taking a Harbour Cruise on the Halifax - Dartmouth Ferry, which has been in continuous operation since 1750. This is still a great idea as you will see and learn much during your harbour cruise.

Our snapshots show the ferry leaving the terminal, and then the view as you walk up George Street where you will pass the Celtic Cross, in memory of the Irish Settlers of Halifax (that’s settlers not Irish Setters!).

As you travel west towards Barrington Street and the Grand Parade, on the left you will pass Province House where the Nova Scotia Legislature has met every year since 1819. Our provincial building is Canada’s oldest seat of government. In fact, in 2008 we celebrated 250 years of responsible representative government. The building is considered to be one of finest examples of Palladian architecture in North America.

The next snapshot is of (insert # 954) the same corner (Granville Street at George Street) that is depicted in the oil painting in our friend’s condo, although there is no Binny Streetcar today! (see Bishop’s Landing blog of April, 2009).

Arriving at Barrington Street, if you look to the left you will see an original wall-painting on the side of a George Wright building (check out A Secret Halifax - April 9, 2009), and Saint Paul’s Church circa 1750. To the right, north on Barrington Street (on the same side of the street as the Grand Parade) is a Metro Transit bus stop. FRED (Free Rides Everywhere Downtown - See Halifax with Fred August 20, 2008) stops here, as does the #1 Spring Garden bus which will take you to Mumford Road Bus Terminal which is where the Halifax Shopping Center is located.

Saint Paul’s Church parish, which was founded by Royal Decree in 1749, and the church building which dates from 1750, is the oldest church in Halifax. The design of the church is based on St. Peter’s Church, Vere Street, London. The timbers were cut in Boston and shipped here along with other building materials, although local materials and bricks were used as well. The design, materials and construction have stood the test of time. We encourage you to explore the interior of this historic and great church.

Halifax City Hall standsat the north end of the Grand Parade, which was designed in 1749, and is found on the original ‘blueprints’ for the city of Halifax. Halifax City Hall is a Victorian-style building(circa 1888) and is the original site of Dalhousie University, the largest university in Nova Scotia (est. 1819). We encourage you to visit our City Hall and Saint Paul’s Church as both are National Historic Sites.

To the west is the original location of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), founded by Anna Leonowens, (the Anna of The King and I) and constructed in 1887. The new campus for NSCAD is now located at Pier 20 - the Cruise Ship Pavillon.

To the west you will see a building that was a funeral home and helped with the burial of Titanic victims (April 12, 1912). With our DIY Cruise Ship Excursion, you could use Metro Transit to get to The Fairview Lawn Cemetery where most of the victims of this tragedy are buried.

Also to the west, you will find Halifax’s World Trade & Convention Center. If you look at the roof of the building you will see the Schooner Bluenose as a weather-vane. Up the street from The World Trade and Convention Centre you will see The Citadel Fortress. The original fort was built in 1749, however the fort on the site today is actually the fourth fort and is circa 1826. On the slopes of Citadel Hill you will see the Old Town Clock (circa 1803) with the signal masts of the fort in the background protruding above the fort walls. These signal masts were used before radio as a means of communication between fortified sites around the harbour. One mast was for commercial purposes, and was used by Halifax merchants to learn when ships were coming into port and/or to order stevedoring crews to unload their ship.

From here you may wish to continue up George Street (renamed Carmichael Street) to Brunswick Street where you will see the steps leading up to the Old Town Clock and the Citadel Fortress. Remember, FRED can also take you there as well as ‘he’ runs on a 40 minute schedule and is FREE.

Alternately, you may wish to return to Chebucto Landing (the Ferry Terminal area), or perhaps you may want to visit The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (founded 1908)which is located in the old Dominion Building (circa 1867) and is found on the southeast corner of George and Hollis Streets “The gallery has over 9000 works of art in its varied collection, ranging from Nova Scotian folk art to Inuit stone carvings. One of the most popular attractions in the gallery is the restored former home of rural folk artist Maud Lewis.”. Both Province House (which has daily free guided tours) and The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia are worth the time to visit.

In the center of Chebucto Landing (the Ferry Terminal area) you will find the Old Dockyard Clock (1767) that served Halifax’s Naval Dockyard from 1772 until 1993. And, as you are aware, Chebucto Landing is on the Harbour Walk, so if you turn right you are cruise ship bound, or if you turn left, you will be heading towards the Casino area on the harbour which is next to Canada’s Naval Dockyard facilities.

FRED stops at the Metro Terminal next to Perk’s Restaurant, and from this location you can catch both Metro Transit Routes #2 and #4 (among many other buses) from which to start the original DIY Cruise Ship Excursion - June 21, 2008. As always, this DIY Cruise Ship Excursion is FREE but if you wish to do this and much more, Blue Diamond Tours will create a “Perfect Shore Excursion in Halifax” for you.

Thank you, and cheers!

Bob

View the snap shots

Bishop's Landing

A family friend let us use her condo at Bishop’s Landing for the weekend. Bishop’s Landing consists of 206 mixed-use units on the waterfront of historic Halifax Harbour. It is located on Lower Water Street across from the Keith’s Brewery (circa 1863). The complex is integrated with the Harbour Walk which is featured in our Free Cruise Ship Excursion.

Our friend’s particular condo overlooks George’s Island , a prominent feature of Halifax’s historic harbour. It was originally named Ile a la Raquette or Snowshoe Island by the French. However, when Halifax was officially founded in 1749, it was renamed George Island after King George III, and later, George’s Island. It has remained a part of the harbour defence system for the Port of Halifax ever since that time. The Federal Government of Canada recently announced it was going to cover the extensive cost of restoring the island’s fortresses in order to open the island to public visits, which are currently not allowed, as part of the Citadel visitor program. One interesting note, George’s Island has the highest ratio of snakes (black garter) per land area in the world. Surely, an added incentive to visit the island, although only my two grandsons shared that sentiment with me.

The condos at Bishop’s Landing vary in price from merely expensive to approximately $1.3 million for the largest and most luxurious units. From our friend’s condo, we had great views of the Dartmouth side of the harbour, the orange oil rig from Louisiana (a victim of Hurricane Katrina in port for repairs), the Harbour Walk and as always, George’s Island, the centerpiece of our outstanding harbour.

The Port of Halifax is always busy with large container ships, warships from every nation, sailboats, and fishing vessels of every type going in an out of the harbour on a regular basis. But this time we spotted something we’d never seen in the harbour before, it was a paddle surf-board . Here’s an example of what we saw from the balcony of the condo, along with pictures of paddle surf-boarding! Bishop’s Landing has a private courtyard , pool, hot tub, barbeques, and more.

Our friend has a terrific oil painting of the old, binny streetcars once used in Halifax. This was the public transportation system in Halifax until the 1950's, when, like other North American cities, the streetcar fell victim to the onslaught of GM and public transport was converted to rubber-tired buses (mainly GM). It is a great painting showing a bygone era of historic Halifax. Although interestingly enough, Granville at George Street as shown in the painting looks surprisingly as it is today. You could walk to the corner of Granville and George Street from the Harbour Walk, after your harbour cruise on the Halifax Dartmouth Ferry.

Due to privacy concerns, there is only one interior snap-shot of our friend’s condo . Nighttime shots of the harbour proved to be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. This photo was the best of the all the shots I took.

The Port of Halifax and the Waterfront Corporation are currently making improvements to The Harbour Walk that will add another level of interest . Bishop’s Landing Condo Complex is a multi-use facility that has much to offer cruise ship visitors including numerous shops, eateries, places to sit and relax and watch the world go by, as well as harbour-side entertainment . Also part of Harbour Walk and Bishop’s Landing is a public area with a view up Bishop Street itself and a glimpse of the Old Burying Ground. Read my last blog for more information on the Old Burying Ground and about the White House creator, General Robert Ross, who is buried there. Bishop Street’s streetscape appears very much today as it did in the 1860's.

Bishop’s Landing is just a short distance from the Cruise Ship Pavilion which is located along the Harbour Walk and which, as you’ll note, has it’s own Clock Tower . If you walk the entire length of the Harbour Walk you will find numerous, informative story boards as you go along which tell the history of ships and ship types as well as other interesting information about our city. Here is an example of one of the story boards you will find , it tells the history of Pier 21 which is part of the Cruise Ship Pavilion itself.

No tour of Halifax would be complete without visiting Keith’s Brewery, circa 1863 . Brewmaster Alexander Keith, a Mayor of Halifax (1850), is still there across from Bishop’s Landing.

Keith’s Brewery offers guided tours of their facility. Guides are dressed in period costume (circa 1863) and during the tour they tell much of the history of the brewery and Halifax.

Keith’s India Pale Ale is, even after all these years, the #1 beer sold in Nova Scotia. As they say, “Those who like it like it a lot!”

We hope the snap-shots and text will help you enjoy our Blue Diamond Exclusive, “The Almost Free Family Fun Day in Halifax - DIY Cruise Ship Excursion - Cruise Halifax” .

To the left of the brick building is where the cruise ships dock , and looking north along the Harbour Walk, you’ll see the edge of Bishop’s Landing Complex. Here are pictures of the construction improvements currently underway along the Harbour Walk . These improvements are scheduled to be completed in time for the summer tourist season.

At Blue Diamond Tours, we want you to make the most of your visit to our fair city. We hope the information provided helps you make your day a memorable one and your visit to our historic home town of Halifax, a success!

Read Blue Diamond’s other blogs & newsletters to add to your day in Halifax:

• Brunswick Street February 27, 2009


• Smith Street & Wright Avenue April 10, 2009


• The Public Gardens July 31, 2008


• FRED - Free Rides Everywhere Downtown August 20, 2008


• Also, start with our original offering of DIY Cruise Ship Excursion Halifax

If Do-It-Yourself is not your cup of tea, we at Blue Diamond Tours stand ready, capable and more than willing to build a customized tour just for you! All you need to do is ask!

Until next time,

Bob

A Blue Diamond Tours Exclusive!The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova ScotiaDIY Cruise Ship Excursion

March 30, 2009 - it’s the first day of Spring and we’re headed for the South Shore of Nova Scotia and the Ross Farm Museum, located in New Ross, Nova Scotia.

Ross Farm is a working farm (circa 1817 to 1900) located on 60 acres of the original 800 acre land grant given to Captain William Ross in July, 1816. Captain Ross took 172 disbanded soldiers (from the War of 1812) and their families to settle in what is now the New Ross area of central Nova Scotia.

Five generations of the Ross Family lived and worked the farm between 1816 and 1969. In 1969, the Ross Family homestead was sold to the New Ross Museum Society, and today it is part of the province-wide Nova Scotia Museum system.

March 20th was cold and windy, although the temperature was approximately 32 degrees, the gusty wind made it feel like minus10 degrees.

After paying our very reasonable admission, the first order of business was getting hot dogs for lunch. Some of us even had two! .

While waiting for the ‘dogs’ to cook, we saw the horse and sled , although a “sleigh ride” was included in the admission price, none of the grand-kids ended up on a ride. Bad timing, and maybe a bad temper too! (No, not the horses). In summer and / or warmer weather, when the terrain is easier for the horses, they offer hay and/or wagon rides that travel around the area of the farm.

As the dogs cooked , we visited the gift shop. The restrooms are located here as well. These barrels were made at Ross Farm. In the very early days (1800's), farms were mostly self-sufficient and made for themselves virtually everything they needed .

As our visit was on the last day of March / Spring Break, the museum was offering free hot-chocolate . At other times, fruit and other drinks would be offered. Staff, & ‘friendly interpreters’ are dressed in period attire or dress . The nature trail was deemed to icy for us!

The Museum consists of the following, contained within 60 acres:

• Welcome Stand - Pedlar’s Shop


• Visitor Center School (which was not a hit with the grand-kids as it reminded them it was their last day of no school!


• Ross Barn


• Workshop and Store


• Rose Bank Cottage circa 1817 Stave Mill & Larder Barn


• Blacksmith Shop


• Cooper Shop


• The Nature Trail

Yes, farm life (1816 -1900) was hard, families had to make most of what they needed, such as shoes, candles, & woolen clothes.

At the farm, you will see heritage breeds of sheep. In fact, we got to see four day old twin lambs , during our visit. The sheep are kept separate . Here are pictures of the heritage chickens (the sign says Heritage Poultry Breeds 1870) Our granddaughter Ann, a true city girl at heart, was afraid she might “catch something”, at which point Nana Ann said we are not going to “roll around on the ground with them, only look at them. “ Kids!

The farm has huge pigs, I swear one had to be over 1000 pounds . Definitely not the cuddly “Wilbur” (from Charlotte’s Web) size pigs the kids were expecting! There are oxen too, , but once again, granddaughter Ann would not go in to see them as she deemed the area “too smelly“ for her delicate nose. City girls! Yes, there are horses, and besides the draft horses on sled duty, here is another horse at leisure .

The farm always has activities to keep young hands and minds busy during any visit. The activities range from decorating cookies to making book-marks , to wagon / hay / sled rides, nature trails, crafts and more.

Our visit was on the first day of Spring, but after such a tough winter, there was still a lot of ice and snow on the paths and walkways. Winter had not given up its grip just yet. And if the snow and ice were gone, then it was mud to contend with, but a fun family day in Nova Scotia never-the-less!

You will see this type of ‘winterizing’ used to keep out the cold on older homes, shops as seen here and throughout rural Nova Scotia.

We had a fun day at Ross Farm Museum, and you can too!

We returned to Halifax by continuing along Route 12 which enabled us to show the kids numerous Christmas Tree Farms, and one that is said to be the largest in the world. You could stop for pictures, we didn’t as the kids were being kids and the wife and I just wanted to get them home!

Yes, this could be a stop on your cruise Halifax excursion, and it truly is ‘an almost free family fun day’ in Nova Scotia with fresh country air, history, nature, crafts, and agriculture all together in one 60 acre site in Nova Scotia.

Blue Diamond can help you with a Ross Farm Excursion.
Until next time, Bob

Be sure to visit the website for more photos!

Cleveland Beach

To celebrate the first official day of Spring, we went to Cleveland Beach Park. This beach is said to one of the ten best beaches in Nova Scotia, and I quote, “A popular sand beach with a picnic area, walkway and ramps, Cleveland Beach might be best known as a site where scenes were shot for the 2001 motion picture, The Shipping News, starring Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey. It was on a lagoon behind the beach where a winter scene was shot for the movie of a house being blown across an icy lagoon during a violent winter storm. Thankfully, the summer waters here are much more inviting to the delight of swimmers who frequent this beach on a regular basis. Cleveland Beach is the most easterly beach of the three beaches in Queensland, accessible from Exits 5 and 6.”

Here is the “lagoon” on the first day of Spring . And low-and-behold, there are people on the beach even though the temperature was at the freezing mark (32 degrees). Yes, it was a bit chilly, but the sun was shining and we were tired of being cooped up all winter, so overall, it was a great day to be at Cleveland Beach. Some of Blue Diamond Tours excursions pass by this lovely little beach.

And yes, I agree, it does look like a winter day but it is actually Spring . As a plus, you will note that unlike on a hot summer’s day, there is plenty of room for your beach blanket . Even with the less than ideal temperature, our beach-goers enjoyed a bit of ball tossing .

Here is St. Margaret’s Bay, a storied bay and communities just outside of historic Halifax. You’ll find the famous Peggy’s Cove out on one headland jutting into the Atlantic .

Here are a few pictures of surf and dogs on the beach . Our grandson, Justin, loves dogs and desperately wants one of his own. According to his owner, this dog has only one speed - flat out! . He was lightning fast. . His owner uses a ‘ball throwing stick’ to really put some distance on the ball and to keep his dog out of the water. Justin’s aim, however, was not quite as accurate, and after a few attempts at using the ball throwing stick, the dog was completely soaked! The owner was very understanding and told us not to worry as he had plenty of towels in his car. The dog didn’t seem to mind the chilly water temperature. Even with the sunshine though, there was ice along the edge of the beach on some of the rocks .

With the DIY Excursion, one of our other excursions, or an Almost Free Family Fun Day in Halifax and Nova Scotia, you too can enjoy the waters of the Atlantic and beach time at Cleveland Beach Provincial Park. At Blue Diamond Tours, we want you to have a wonderful time during your stay at our historic, storied and colourful Port of Halifax.

Until next time,
Bob

Be sure to visit the website for photos that go with this post.

Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax DIY Cruise Ship Excursion to the Annapolis Valley

In early February we took a short holiday to the Annapolis Valley (see Shore Excursion G) The weather was cold but with lots of sunshine during the day. One spot we visited was the Look-Off near Canning, N.S. and as you can see from the pictures, it looks very different in the winter.

Situated on the banks of the Cornwallis River at Port Williams is the nearly new Port Pub, where we had breakfast and, later in the evening, returned for dinner. As it is a Brew Pub, Ann tried their India Pale Ale but said that, truth be told, she still prefers Keiths. The food, service and the views of the countryside were great, and in summer there is a large outdoor deck with meal and beverage service.

After dinner we tried some night snapshots but they were less than perfect. The following day we returned to Port Williams and a park on the Cornwallis River. The world famous Bay of Fundy tide was rising in the river, and ever so slowly moving inland carrying large chunks of ice in it’s flow (photos try to show just how slow – about three minutes between each snap-shot)
For a day trip (and much of what we did can be incorporated into your (Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia / Cruise Ship Excursions), we drove along the old Route One from Wolfville to Middleton, returning to Wolfville on the same road. It is an interesting drive, made more so by all the changes we saw, especially the very extensive residential housing developments, replacing farmland.

In Middleton, we drove around the town and discovered a unique looking residence for sale . Ann noticed that the flower boxes would always be in bloom no matter the season or weather as they are actually an artist’s painting under each window of the sun-porch. Very colourful and eye-catching especially in winter.

In Berwick (the Apple Capital of the World) we shopped at Bargain Harleys. Sadly, we found no bargains but Ann did buy a scarf and mitten outfit for granddaughter Ann. No visit to “The Valley” would be complete without a visit to Grand Pré National Historic Park near Wolfville (closed during the winter) where we found lots of snow there and also on the Great Meadow.
As our brief holiday was ending and we were headed for home, we stopped to take our last snap-shop of Cape Blomidon, taken from the grounds - no pun intended - of Just-Us-Coffee-Roasters.
With your own cruise ship excursion (seeShore Excursion G), you will be able to see and experience what we did (and more!) during our mini February holiday.

Besure to visit BlueDiamondTours.com to see all the snap shots from this trip!

Until next time,
Halifax, the perfect cruise-ship-friendly port of call.
Bob
Blue Diamond Tours
Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia / D-I-Y Cruise Ship Excursions