Blue Diamond Tours

Lee Family Trip

2009-08-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Jackie and her sons (Sebastian and Jeremy) are from Oakville, Ontario, and this summer the boys wanted to see Nova Scotia.
Blue Diamond Tours designed their itinerary which included the ‘must see’ sights & ‘must do’ activities. Being young teenagers, the boys had a couple of ‘must-do’s’ of their own that we also included in the trip. Additionally, BDT booked the hotels, arranged for the meals and all the other elements needed for a successful tour.

Blue Diamond Tours can make your Nova Scotian holiday a success too! The family flew into Halifax on July 24th, and their odyssey began on the 25th with an orientation tour of historic Halifax, an hour long visit to the Citadel, and stops at the Titanic Cemetery and Peggy’s Cove (see travelogue for notes on artist Neil Depew). Lunch was at the Trellis Café whose haddock chowder is the very best! Afterwards it was on to Mahone Bay and Lunenburg where we saw some of the tall ships from the 2009 Tall Ship Halifax Festival docked in Lunenburg Harbour. The beautiful sailing vessels of yesterday definitely added colour to the old fishing port.

July 26 is Saint Ann’s Feast Day which turned out to be very apropos as when we toured the historic grounds of Grand Pré, the Acadians were in full swing celebrating this important Feast Day. Grand Pré was where the English deported the French Acadians in 1755. Lunch today was in Wolfville (which used to be called Mud Creek), home to Acadia University. Next, we toured Charles Prescott’s home at Starr’s Point and Jackie and the boys learned of his importance to agriculture in the Annapolis Valley and Nova Scotia. The Look-Off and Hall’s Harbour were also toured. Hall’s Harbour was once a Pirate’s Lair and is now home to a Fundy lobster & fishing fleet and lobster pound and restaurant. Lots of great agricultural land and scenery were passed during our day in the Annapolis Valley.

On July 27th, we toured along the Gold Coast. Sights today included the Auto-Port, a world-class winter surfing beach, Acadian Villages, tidal clamming flats, salt-water marshes and more. We visited Fisherman’s Life Museum where our guests learned about the harsh life endured by fishing families along these Gold Coast shores and how the Myers family raised 13 daughters in their very tiny home (see the photos on the travelogue). We ended our day at the Inverary Inn in Baddeck, our home for the next three nights.

July 28th consisted of a full day of touring the world-famous Cabot Trail. As we left Baddeck, we opted to use the ferry at Englishtown to help shorten the overall mileage and to give Sebastian & Jeremy a close up look at a ‘cable-ferry’. We went up and over Cape Smokey as I find this route best. Our rest stop was at Keltic Lodge where Sebastian and Jeremy, both avid golfers, admired the Highland Golf Course, rated number one in Canada for the past several years. Next, it was on to Neil’s Harbour, a good place to stop as it is a fishing village of renown and first settled by fishermen from nearby Newfoundland.

It was around then when the first chorus of “When do we eat?” was heard, so we stopped at Cabot Landing. This is the said to be the very place that John Cabot landed in New Scotland (Nova Scotia is Latin for New Scotland). It was sunny and warm with a bit of a breeze during lunch. One of the boys’ ‘must-do’ adventures was just ahead at Pleasant Bay. We went up and over North Mountain to the bay and a two hour whale watching adventure with Fiddling Captain Stan. Yes, according to the boys, “hundreds of whales” were observed....and they have the pictures to prove it! Guess I’ll have to take their word on that as I stayed on shore!
The local museum, The Whale Interpretation Center, was very interesting and frankly well worth the time and money to visit. The rest of the Cabot Trail was up and over and down MacKenzie and French Mountains (where we spotted an American Bald Eagle), and then a tour through Cheticamp and along the world-famous Margaree River before heading back to the Inverary Inn at Baddeck.

Following breakfast on July 29th, we drove to Fortress Louisbourg and were able have a lengthy visit to this famous fortress which included a private guided tour for Jackie and her sons. Road construction interfered slightly with our timing, but the boys were able to spend a solid 90 minutes plus at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum at Baddeck.

On July 30th, again following breakfast, we were back on the road to the Sydney area where we picked up Route 4. Our first stop was Gordon’s Bakery for some meat pies which disappeared very quickly considering the big breakfast we just had not too long before. Teenage boys seem to have hollow legs. Rita MacNeil was not ‘in residence’ at her tearoom, but we stopped anyway. Route 4 is very scenic (more so than Route 5 if you ask me) with lots of views of the Bras d’Or Lakes. There is the Look-Off, Saint Peter’s Canal, and Chapel Island among other historic sites to be seen. You should be warned, however, that there is currently a lot of road construction going on in this area, and as welcomed as it will be once it has been completed, it will hinder your progress along this route and add time to your day. We stopped briefly in Pictou (known as The Highland Heart of New Scotland) before taking the ferry at Caribou to Prince Edward Island, known as “The Gentle Island“. We did experience a bit of rain on our drive into Charlottetown and to our new home for two nights, The Brackley Beach North Winds Resort. Later on, we drove (rain free) to North Rustico and the Lobster Dinner at the restaurant with the 120 foot salad bar (60 feet long on each side).

After breakfast on July 31st, we toured Charlottetown, visited Founders Hall and Province House, and headed out to New Glasgow and the home base of Prince Edward Island Preserves. Next, it was on to Anne of Green Gables National Historic Site for a visit. The highlight of the day for the boys was their two hour visit to the Sandspit Amusement Park. Dinner this evening was at a waterfront restaurant in Charlottetown, after which the family went to see DiscoCirque - A Musical Review at Confederation Center.

On August 1st, we headed out to Gateway Village which is the stopping spot at Confederation Bridge. We also made a stop at another spot to take pictures of the bridge and have a brief rest before crossing the bridge into New Brunswick. Minutes later, we were on Nova Scotia’s Sunrise Trail.

Approximately seven Tall Ships were visiting the Port of Pugwash, which is world-famous for salt and The Cyrus Eaton Peace Center. We spent some time visiting this great community on the Northumberland Strait which was celebrating their summer festivale at the time. All three of the Lees seemed to enjoy their time at the Salt Museum at Malagash. This great museum is very well worth the time and effort to visit and tells of an important mineral and time period in Nova Scotian history and culture.

Next, we drove around the Jost Winery parking lot, saw the fields of vines and headed back into Wallace and the road turn-off to Masstown. We had a rest and food stop at Masstown (near Truro) before heading back on the road to Halifax and the hotel where this great adventure ended.

We had mostly sunny and warm to very warm temperatures. There were numerous stops for road construction, as our PEI guide Florence said, “We have two seasons in PEI; winter and road construction.”

This outing was custom-designed specifically for the Lees. They had numerous requests which were incorporated into the trip to ensure their vacation experience was exactly what they wanted. You too can have a tailor-made vacation; just tell us what you want to do / see / where you’d like to go / how many days, etc., and we’ll be happy to customize a tour to meet all your specific requirements. And remember, no group is too small or too large, we can do it all!

Until next time, Bob

The Uniacke Estate Museum Park

2009-08-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

Is a rainbow a sign of God’s favor or merely a scientific phenomenon? I’d like to think it is a sign of His divine kindness, showing us the beauty that follows the storm.

In the early evening of August 7th at Cleveland Beach, we had a picnic on the sand in mind, but the ominous looking dark clouds looming overhead told us that might not be a very good (or dry) idea. Not to be deterred, we opted to use the car instead of the sand in an effort to make the most of the situation. As we feared, moments after reaching the car the rain started falling. Our reward for waiting out the rain showers from the comfort of our car was a beautiful rainbow to view while we dined. (view the photos here)

If you choose Excursion D or a modification of this outing, we’ll pass Cleveland Beach & Park, one of approximately 10 great Atlantic Ocean beaches situated around the Atlantic’s great inlet, St. Margaret’s Bay, and the handy the community of Hubbards.

Saturday, August 8th was sunny with temperatures reaching the warmer side of mild. Today we headed out to The Uniacke Estate Museum Park, a place we seldom seem to have time to visit and could be part of our Excursion G package - The Land of Evangeline tour. While a bit off the beaten track, it is part of what was once the expansive country estate of Attorney General Richard John Uniacke (1753-1830). Built between 1813 and 1815, the grand country house is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Canada. The estate offers visitors a vivid glimpse of life in the early 1800s amongst Nova Scotia's gentry.

In choosing Excursion G, you might keep a visit to Uniacke House in mind for a trip back 194 years in time.

The long driveway to the house from Route 1 is part of the original military road route between Fort Edward at Windsor (which protected the back door) to Halifax circa 1755. Every time we visit this area, it reminds me to mention Uniacke House as a worthwhile destination.

Until next time.
Cheers,Bob

A Freeman Family Odyssey

2009-07-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

The Freeman extended family group of Lunenburg Massachusetts, cruising on the Maasdam, wants to visit Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Is it like our home Lunenburg ? Or, very much different ?

The Cruise Ship Maasdam, docked 20 minutes late on July 13, as it was encased in heavy fog. The Halifax sky was heavy over-cast coupled with fog.

The Freeman’s trickled off the ship to meet Bob and Mike ( the driver ) of Blue Diamond Tours. Their tour started at about 9:00 am , with a brief introduction to historic Halifax, Holly Cross Cemetery, Victoria Park and the Public Gardens, a drive around the Citadel, “ the tour of Bob” and then it was off to Peggy’s Cove.

The sun was shining, at Peggy’s - the swimming hole - the Lighthouse – and for grandson Mike running like mad over the rocks of Peggy’s Cove. Coffee was found - the deGarth rock monument - the cove - and we were on the road again.

The sun was with us for the rest of the tour. Using old route 3, we arrived at Mahone Bay ( the story of Oak Island and it’s unfound treasure was told in detail) - and the Freeman Quest - Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

We gave a brief driving tour of the town - Lunenburg Academy, Saint John’s Church , the fine homes of the old sea captains, the Lunenburg Bump, and some places where the CBS Movie of the Week - Jesse Stone is filmed.

The Freeman’s made a plan and then scattered and explored this “new” Lunenburg for the next 90 minutes – some had lunch - some did banking - some shopped – all had fun - in ‘new’ Lunenburg.

It was a sunny day as we drove Route 103 back to historic Halifax, some of the Family slept, as Bernard said - the young ones were up pretty late last night!!

The Maasdam’s return time was 4:30 PM - we were at the dock by 3:55 PM. Another successful Shore Excursion J actually a variation of J , we wanted to give more time in Lunenburg.

As you are aware all our excursions are modifiable – we can add or drop elements/sites to any excursion – customize it for you. And, all our excursions are private once you have booked a date - only you and yours will be on that excursion!!

Arround the city:

On Thursday the Tall Ships arrive,
the Jazz Festival continues,
there is always something new along the Harbour Walk

Blue Diamond Tours is ready to serve . . . . . . .

Vikings on the Watefront.

2009-07-05T11:16:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

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 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

2009-04-16T07:14:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-13T05:55:00.000-07:00

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-19T17:48:00.001-08:00

January 13, 2009

2009 should prove to be an interesting year. We have organized a number of interesting day trips in and around Halifax that are either Shore Excursions or Day Trips. Please check our website www.BlueDiamondTours.com for complete details.

The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion:

One of the places to visit on your DIY Excursion is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic which is located along the Harbour Walk and on Lower Water Street next to Sackville Landing.

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is the oldest and largest maritime museum in Canada with a collection of over 30,000 artifacts including 70 small craft and one ship, the CSS Acadia. It is a 180 foot steam-powered hydrographic survey ship launched in 1913. The HMCS Sackville, a World War II Flower-class corvette is also docked adjacent to the museum and is open for public viewing during the summer months, but is not owned or administered by the museum.

Exhibits at the museum include a commemoration of the Halifax Explosion, the sinking of RMS Titanic and other shipwrecks, as well as a large gallery on “The Age of Sail”. The museum has the world's foremost collection of wooden artifacts from the Titanic , including one of the only surviving deck chairs. An Age of Steam gallery includes a special display on Samuel Cunard, the Nova Scotian who created the Cunard Line.

In late December 2008, we set out to explore the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and, more specifically, it’s temporary LEGO exhibit, City by the Sea and Big Harbour which is the set of the television series Theodore TugBoat and on permanent display at the museum. Check out the photos.

I was able to get my grandsons to sit for a moment in the replica of a Titanic deck chair, and I do mean a moment as they were flying around the museum only briefly landing anywhere.....hmmm....maybe it was the chocolate. However, truth be told, the older boy did indeed spend over an hour searching out items in the City by the Sea ‘scavenger hunt list’ and did find most of them, although you really do need a sharp eye for the task.

During your visit to Halifax the Lego exhibit will be gone, but there will be another exhibit in its place. That is the wonder of visiting here, there is always something new to view. This is also true of The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion as we will be adding new elements to make it a truly great experience and, as always, almost free.

Until next time.....three men walked into a bar....................................... the fourth ducked!

Bob

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2008-12-15T09:11:00.000-08:00

Lately, our weather has been ‘strange’ to say the least, it’s like summer one day and a winter blizzard the next. Today we seem to be having a hurricane passing through Nova Scotia. But, as they say here, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes!”.

In case you missed it, we are announcing our newest Freestyle Tour: "300,000 Tulips in Springtime & Ottawa", and here are the details:

For this trip, we’ll journey to our nation’s capital, Ottawa, to experience
one of the most amazing events in Canada. The Canadian Tulip Festival is
an annual 18 day festival that begins in early May. This festival is noted
for it’s almost non-stop activity and it’s International Pavilion at Major’s
Hill Park where 25 countries share their food, crafts, culture and entertainment
throughout the 18 days of the festival. And let’s not forget about the
flowers, there are more than 300,000 tulips planted by the National Capital
Commission at their Commissioners Park at Dow’s Lake and at Parliament Hill
where the Gifts of Tulips were first planted in 1945. We’ll spend three
nights in Ottawa at a downtown hotel that is close to everything, and from which
we will take in as many of the sights and scenes as possible during this Ottawa
extravaganza!

On day one we’ll travel to Grand Falls, New Brunswick. Known for it’s waterfalls on the Saint John River, the river rapidly descends approximately 75 feet as it rushes over a series of rock ledges. Grand Falls is a world-renowned potato farming community. Potatoes are processed into french fries mainly for McCain Foods, the largest french fry company in Canada and the world.

Day two finds us in Granby, Quebec, but not before touring through some of the most scenic landscape in Canada. Granby is one of the Eastern Township communities that had strong ties to the United Empire Loyalists, Yankees and New England, a fact which is reflected in the architecture of the older buildings. This strong English influence is being lost as the region is now predominantly French speaking.

On day three, we’ll by-pass the city of Montreal as best as we can as we make our way to Ottawa for a three night stay. We’ll be visiting Commissioners Park at Dow’s Lake and Garden of the Provinces. This patriotic park is a four acre site along Confederation Boulevard in Ottawa and is the epitome of all that is Canadian. A graceful green space accessible to all, the Garden of the Provinces and Territories is decorated with the flower emblem and Coat of Arms of each of the ten provinces and three territories of Canada. The focal points of this park are two beautiful fountains, their unique design a representation of the five Great Lakes and Canada’s vast forests. Located directly across from Library and Archives Canada, this park is shielded by lush trees which makes it a beautiful and relaxing stop to inspire visitors with an appreciation for our country’s unity. Dramatic lighting highlights the proud emblems after dusk.

During the Canadian Tulip Festival, visitors can also enjoy a beautiful backdrop of bright flowers. No visit to the Tulip Festival would be complete without visits to both Major’s Hill Park, which is home to the International Pavilion, and Parliament Hill where it all began more than 64 years ago.

On day six, we take our leave of Ottawa and tour through the Quebec countryside. Our destination today is the city of Trois-Rivières, west of Quebec City.

On day seven, we’ll cross the Saint Lawrence River to the south bank and continue east via Route 20. Once again, we’ll be staying in New Brunswick.
For day eight, we’ll be travelling through New Brunswick and, if time permits, we’ll stop at Magnetic Hill near Moncton.

After that, it’s a quick two hours via the Trans-Canada Highway to Halifax and home.

I believe this will be an exciting trip.

Halifax Shore Excursions

We thought this might also be a good time to review the Halifax Shore Excursions and give you some helpful insights based on some recent difficulties experienced:

· When booking a private excursion, be aware of who, what and where:
· Who will you be meeting at the dock?
· What time will you be meeting? Is it based on Halifax time or ship’s time?
· Where are you going to meet Blue Diamond Tours?

Blue Diamond Tours stands immediately outside the security area by the ship’s departure ramp holding a diamond shaped blue sign with white lettering labelled “Blue Diamond Tours”. It is hard to miss. Other providers usually have hand-lettered signs with clients names or identifying symbols.

· If you have made arrangements to meet at 10:00 am, please do not worry if your guide is not there at 8:45 am. Most guides try and be ‘on-station’ approximately an hour before they are due to start a tour, but this is not always possible.

· If your excursion is scheduled for a specific period of time, for example 3.0 hours +/-, please do not try and extend it for another two hours. If you wish to extend your tour, please let your guide know as soon as possible, and if possible, your guide will try to accommodate your request. However, please note that extending your tour will increase the cost.

· Review the details of your tour before it is finalized. Make sure you are certain as to what is and is not included in your tour, as well as the itinerary and destination(s). In order to avoid disappointment, if you are travelling as part of a group it is important to ensure all members are fully appraised of the tour details. For example, if a member of your group has always wanted to see the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove, they may be disappointed to find out mid-tour that it is not part of the itinerary and cannot be added at the last moment.

· If meals are not included in your excursion, but you would like to stop for a meal break, make certain the necessary time for this is built into your overall total tour time. Providers only allot the amount of time for a tour that is scheduled in advance.

Vehicles and guides are also scheduled in advance and may have other engagements which preclude them from being able to extend a tour to include an unscheduled meal break. It is also good to note that 12:00 pm is usually the busiest time for lunch, and therefore this tends to be when service at restaurants is slowest.

· While working as a ‘freelance guide’ for cruise ships, I have noticed many people do not take the time to find out the specifics of what is included in the tour they have arranged to take. For example, a few years ago one gentleman on a tour was very upset to learn half-way through the tour that we were not going to Peggy’s Cove. However, he had purchased a tour of Historic Halifax only. Another time, a person was dismayed to discover during a tour to Peggy’s Cove that it did not include a lobster dinner nor the time necessary to enjoy one on their own, even though this was clearly noted in the tour description. It is very important you know exactly what your tour includes and exactly where you will be going.

· "The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” A truism to remember. A fair guide to shore excursion pricing is to compare w hat your ship is charging for excursions similar to what you are seeking. Ships have a long list of requirements and standards to which their excursion providers must adhere in order to provide tours for their passengers. However, it is important to note that ships have the advantage of numbers in the sense that with larger groups, costs can be allocated over many participants. A private excursion does not have this advantage, and so you should expect to pay slightly more for a private tour with smaller group sizes.

· Check out Blue Diamond Tour’s 2009 Halifax Shore Excursions. We have detailed ten Halifax Shore Excursions packages which are available for booking as is or, if you prefer, you could ask Blue Diamond Tours to develop a customized itinerary for your group using sites from various tours.

To summarize in closing, there are two items:

1. Details for the Freestyle Tour Series of trips can be viewed here.

2. Be sure to read the previous article. It is an AOL article on the value of a BLUE DIAMOND, which are very rare and valuable.

Enjoy the remaining days of 2008. We know 2009 is going to be an interesting and special year.

Cheers and all the best,

Bob

Famous Blue Diamond Sells for Record Price of $24.3 million

2008-12-15T09:06:00.000-08:00

Source: The Canadian Press
Posted: 12/10/08 4:06PM

LONDON - A rare blue diamond handed down through generations of German royalty sold for a record-breaking $24.3 million US at auction Wednesday in London, Christie's said.
The Wittelsbach Diamond, a 35.56-carat cushion-shaped gem, has often had its colour and clarity compared to the famed Hope Diamond, now on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

The Wittelsbach Diamond, a 35.56 carat cushion-shaped gem, has often had its colour and clarity compared to the famed Hope Diamond, now on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. The rare gem was snapped up by billionaire diamond-dealer Laurence Graff for about 16.4 million pounds ($24.3 million), including buyer's premium, Christie's spokeswoman Alexandra Kindermann said.

The rare gem was snapped up by billionaire diamond-dealer Laurence Graff, Christie's spokeswoman Alexandra Kindermann said.
Kindermann said the price - nearly double its pre-sale estimate - was the most ever paid for a diamond at auction, beating the $16.5 million commanded by a 100-carat diamond at a Swiss auction in 1995.
Christie's said the diamond was purchased by King Philip IV of Spain in 1664 and included in the dowry for his teenage daughter, the Infanta Margarita Teresa. Although she died relatively young, the diamond remained with her husband, Leopold I of Austria, and passed through a succession of heirs.

The gem got the Wittelsbach name after 1722, when Leopold's granddaughter married Charles of Bavaria, a member of the Wittelsbach family.

"Der Blaue Wittelsbacher," as it was then known, made its way through a succession of Bavarian rulers - Maximilian IV Joseph von Wittelsbach, Bavaria's first king, included the diamond in his royal crown.

The diamond made its last state appearance in 1918 in the aftermath of the First World War. It was offered for auction in 1931, but failed to sell and vanished from the public eye. "What happened to it after 1931 is a little mysterious - there's been lots of speculation," Christie's spokeswoman Hannah Schmidt said. "But what exactly happened is unknown."

The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia Do It Yourself Cruise Ship Excursion, well not really.

2008-12-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

PLEASE BE AWARE all MEMBERS OF SERVING SENIORS BELIEVE that The Serving Seniors Social ( second annual ) Saturday, November 15, 2008, at the Holiday Inn, Dartmouth, WAS an overwhelming success with more than 300 local seniors in attendance during the day.
Blue Diamond had numerous inquiries and distributed over 300 flyers on our up-coming 2009 season, the out-bound trips primarily from Halifax. One thing that we were telling folks about " if there is place you want to visit Blue Diamond will make a tour to your desired place -- all you need do is get 5 others to go with you!!"

***** NEW ****** Shore Excursion HALIFAX ***************** send a e-mail get all the info --- it is our all new shore excursion --- EXTENDED
This is new too for our Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia Cruise Ship Excursion

Shore Excursion A:

A is a brief orientation tour of historic Halifax. Once we depart from the cruise dock, we’ll drive along the roadways along Halifax Harbour where we will pass numerous historic sites including the naval dockyard, cable ship & ferry wharfs, both Harbour bridges, and the site of the 1917 Halifax Explosion. We’ll also pass the Titanic cemeteries and learn of the Halifax connection to the 1912 tragedy. We’ll see the Northwest Arm which is the non-commercial part of Halifax Harbour and then make our way into central Halifax for our drive around the Halifax Citadel. Then it’s on to the Public Gardens and adjacent Victoria Park. As we head south, we will pass the famous “church built in a single day“ and drive by the ritzy residential mansions of south-end Halifax before our return to dockside.

This trip is fully narrated by your guide and will take an estimated 75 to 90 minutes to complete.
It is not a shore excursion as such, but if travel to Ottawa, Canada's Capital, is of interest, e-mail us and ask for details about TULIP TIME in OTTAWA early May 2009
The snows came early this year, for our Halifax Cruise Excursion area, we saw snow on November 22 but happy to say, it has mostly disappeared, via rain, fog and mild day time temperatures.
Be sure to check our web-site www.BlueDiamondTours.com for up-dates and what is new for 2009 in the Halifax Shore Excursion and/or the The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion, where DIY stands for DO IT YOURSELF.

The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia Do It Yourself Cruise Ship Excursion, well not really.

2008-11-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

The Serving Seniors Social ( second annual ) Saturday, November 15, 2008, at the Holiday Inn, Dartmouth, was an overwhelming success with more than 300 local seniors in attendance during the day.
It was a fun-filled, action packed, informative outing enjoyed by all. We learned about the roots of Nova Scotia Democracy 250 years old, a session on the proper way to go about recycling, Judy Savoy had 'em "rolling in the floor".
Bill and Ian, used skits to present the concept of being alert to the numerous forms of fraud we have to always aware and wary of their various guises, they are with the ABC's of Fraud. Now, if only they could get Blue Diamond's money back.
Later on Nesrine ( a certified seniors fitness leader from the YMCA ) helped keep everyone awake after lunch with a series of exercises " while sitting " not sure how the snap-shots turned out but the audience appreciated this session; I did too since the luncheon was very tasty. I like many others needed this physical activity to keep " the sleepy's at bay". It worked.
Yes, they were up and dancing shortly after The Swell Guys & Donna took the stage. Fun to watch, to listen to and on Saturday fun to dance to as well. Their songs ranged from pop, to classic rock and swing, Tin Pan Alley to today's familiar hits. They were a big hit with this Serving Seniors Social crowd.
Can't hear, people are mumbling more ? It might not be them, it might be you. Serving Senior's Dr. Dave made a presentation on " Hearing Loss ", "lots of "food for thought" and questioners at the end too.
The afternoon drew to a close with storyteller Clare Dugas. Humm! True or not true ? Have to say ? !
The prizes were awarded and we had happy winners. A great day.
There were 30 booths ( tables ) to the Trade Show, members and non-members, displaying their products and services. Blue Diamond had numerous inquiries and distributed over 300 flyers on our up-coming 2009 season, the out-bound trips primarily from Halifax. One thing that we were telling folks about " if there is place you want to visit Blue Diamond will make a tour to your desired place -- all you need do is get 5 others to go with you!!"
I am happy to say we have an additional 100 people added to our mailing list.
The Serving Seniors Social ( # 3) will be in November 2009 -------------- Look for IT !!!
Last note -- the snaps-shots are on my website here
Till next time Bob

November 3, 2008

2008-11-11T15:28:00.001-08:00

Hello:

November 3, 2008, saw Mike O'Prey ( my regular driver for shore excursions ) and I on our last cruise ship excursion, for the Airporter 2008,Inc., for the 2008 cruise excursion season. The sun was shining brightly for the most part, but it was very cool, especially in the wind. Our guests greeted us warmly ( all 22 of them ) and their happy attitude truly made our day and kept Mike & I warm in spite of the chilly November temperature. Oh yes, it was windy too!
The tour was for the Princess Cruise Line ( Sea Princess, 777 passengers ) and included historical Halifax, a one hour visit to the Halifax Citadel and a walk through the Public Gardens.

As this was our last tour for the season, I did my regular " tour & talk " in the Citadel's "ditch" ( no it is not a moat ), my show and tell outlines just how this fortress was a weapon of mass destruction a-la-1825. I always preceed this "down in the ditch" segment by pointing out the powder magazine, cafe, gift shop, washrooms, and museums etc., for those who do not want to walk down the sallyport to the ditch.

Our gardens walk, we had high winds, low temperature, few flowers ( the gardens will be closing in a few days and the gardeners are getting everything ready for the spring ) and lots of ducks looking for a hand-out. As always, the true beauty of this shines through in spite of anything.

Following this last excursion, Ann & I headed out for Maine, Ann's Vacation really and our anniversary month (44 years Nov 21). Briefly, we visited Belfast for two days and the Portland area for another two before we were home-ward bound. Weather-wise we had warm ( in the 60's ) weather with sun for two days and rain for the last two.

A heads-up for 2009, with input from both my daughter Karen and driver Mike Blue Diamond will be offering some innovative and exciting excursions for 2009. Look for announcements in the coming months.

Soon I expect new snap-shots to be posted with subjects randing fron Oreo cows, to beaches in fog and sun and much more - be sure to look for them soon.
Till next
Cheers
Bob

The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova ScotiaDIY Cruise Ship Excursion

2008-10-15T10:19:00.001-07:00

Halifax Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world - Sydney Australia is the largest. Halifax is the closest large harbour to Europe and is ice-free year round. This is home to Blue Diamond Tours and to our The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova ScotiaDIY Cruise Ship Excursion

Lately, we've had all kinds of fun " showing off --- Halifax " to many differing groups -- the Kovacic entended " family" from California -- the Ziemer's of Philadelphia - Slattery's of Arizona - the Securtek folks from western Canada -- and numerous Princess Cruise Lines passengers from as they say " all over ". And a fun time is what we try to do --- mix a little fibbin' with some history and facts and keep a light humorous touch on it all . . . and no exams at the end.
With our small groups, we can avoid most of the cruise ships tour groups - get there when they ain't - we strive to have you see " the site " - as pure and natural as is possible -- the other day with the Kovacics we were able to arrive at Peggy's Cove when most of the big ship's tours had left ( between the morning and afternoon ship's Peggy's Cove tours ) - and the same thing applied to the Ziemer family/group when we visited the Titanic Cemetery -- no other " large " group was there, just four people.
We have made lunch reservations for groups wishing to experience dining at Peggy's Cove but have "re-discovered " - great lunches at both Tea and Treasures at Indian Harbour, outside Peggy's Cove and the Trellis Cafe at Hubbards - on Saint Margaret's Bay. These two mentioned are not very large - so the ship's tours can not experience the " real food -- that is real and good food to be had " at smaller establishments - another advantage of The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion . .
With our smaller groups we tend to " show off --- areas of Halifax that are very very seldom shown - more residential areas - especially in south end Halifax and generally two exceptional residential places of unique design - we at www.BlueDiamondTours.com call this the plus factor with our Shore Excursions - Halifax we just plain add more into your tour of our home town -- we like to boast -- we know Halifax best.
When seeking information on Halifax Shore Excursions -- try as best you can
· know what you'd like to do
· know your physical limits
· tell how much time -- sometimes I find folks looking at their watches -- they've had enough
· know what your fellows in your group want too
· want lunch - or just a snack or just coffee - tell us - we will work it in to the itinerary
· have a budget ( be aware smaller groups have to spread fixed costs over a fewer number )
· the cheapest is generally not the best ( they have to cut corners ( costs ) somewhere )
As I told the Kovacic group -- no tour is the same even if it covers the same general areas -- you and your group is unique -- we tailor our tours - to you and yours.
And, yes we do indeed love showing off --- Halifax --- I truly do !
Till next time
Bob
PS Look for our latest Travelogues on our web-site www.BlueDiamondTours.com

The Great Scarecrow Festival & Antique Fair

2008-10-10T02:58:00.000-07:00

{Another "Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia" and "DIY Cruise Ship Excursion"}

Saturday October 4. Our grandson Justin (age 6) wanted some Free Family Fun in Halifax with his Nana and "Bobbob" (that's me!). Ann said Scarecrows was the answer.
More specifically “The Great Scarecrow Festival & Antique Fair” held from October 3 – 5 in Mahone Bay. It’s their most famous Fall festival, now in its 12th year.

After getting Justin at his home, we drove directly to Mahone Bay via Route 103. The quickest and most direct route to Mahone Bay. The day was great! Sunshine a few clouds and quite mild (warm is not the exact term). Mahone Bay was crowded with cars, motorcycles, motorhomes and lots of people enjoying this festival.

We found a parking spot off the main drag. We enjoyed hot-dogs from the Lion's Club and then we walked and walked and walked some more up and down the streets of Mahone Bay. Justin told me he could walk 195 miles.

The type, quality and subject of the scarecrows varied greatly. You could tell many people and organizations spend a great deal of time, effort and money to turn-out first-class works of art we spent about 2.5 hours exploring the festival. We didn’t walk 195 miles. Justin was more than content to rest with Nana while I took time to get some shots of a site showing the Great Canadian Political Debate - called the Spin Debate!!

Halifax Shore Excursions

2008-10-06T11:56:00.000-07:00

Inquiries continue to come in daily, the cruise ship " season " is at it's mid-point, one day Thursday October 2, saw four ships in Halifax, and our tourism shore providers were overwhelmed. But, in truth, it is all part of what we like to call The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia - DIY Cruise Ship Excursion.

At Blue Diamond Tours we were busy showing off Halifax to a variety of different groups of people - the Arline-Slattery Group from Arizona - a group of Catholics from the USA the Baluyut Family Group (thank you Suxanne Borte of Europeexpress.com) - a family group from the New York City region and Joyce Austin's JA Friendship Group from Troy, Alabama plus four separate groups from the Princess Cruise Lines (for Atlantic Cruise Ship Services and TayMac Tours both of Halifax), many of these visitors were from either Australia or Europe.

On Thursday and Friday (October 2 and 3) we had the distinct pleasure of again showing off -- Halifax, including Peggy's Cove to the dealer convention of Securtek.com (a SaskTel company) many attendees were from western Canada and were first time visitors to Halifax.

Again on Friday, October 2, Blue Diamond Tours was at it again showing off Halifax to Mary & Bob Ziemer and friends from Philidelphia - I called it the best of Halifax & Peggy's in 5.5 hours. It was a very good time to show off Halifax. Kyle, the so-called hurricane plus an un-named storm, kicked up the surf at Peggy's Cove for Joyce Austin's tour, Zeimer folks and Securtek group as well. They took some great photos and all also saw Peggy's Cove Swimmin' Hole. No surf or waves there - just a pure, natural, off the ocean, pool of wave-free swimmin' water.

To help with those thinking about a private Halifax Shore Excursion and those seeking quotes from Shore Excursion providers contact Blue Diamond Tours. To help you make the most from your time in Halifax always keep in mind our famous DO IT YOURSELF Cruise Ship Excursion but IF NOT then it is very helpful if you have a good idea of what you and yours:

would like to see while in port - places - sites - things you would like to do

the amount of time you wish to " tour "

the number in your group (any disabilities people have - the need to eat at certain specific times)

and if possible your budget

Our mini- van seats six persons comfortably and seven " in a pinch " - really good friends

For groups of eight to thirteen - we use a full sized 15 passenger van supplying both driver and guide

For groups 14 to 22 persons we use a mini-bus seating a maximum of 24 - driver and guide

for more than 22 persons we charter a motorcoach - seating 45 to 54 depending on the number in your group

As group size increases, the cost of a vehicle increases as well. You should note that Blue Diamond Tours uses a combination of a driver PLUS a guide on all its Halifax Shore Excursions except for its mini-van series. Be aware - not all companies do this!

Historic Core Halifax and Peggy's Cove - generally will take about 4 to 5 hours to complete

Full Halifax and Peggy's Cove - generally will take more than six hours - depending on just what is included

to Lunenburg/ Mahone Bay - Halifax drive-thro - approximately 5.5 to 6.5 hours - depends on route taken, traffic and amount of time spent in Mahone Bay and Lunenburg.

include Peggy's Cove in the above and time could be 7 hours

Halifax, Peggy's & St Margaret's Bay to Hubbards (and having lunch) - generally will take up to six hours

Halifax to Fundy Tidal area - will take up to six hours

The Gold Coast

2008-10-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hello!

On Saturday, September 20, 2008 and that last Saturday of summer, Ann & I decided to explore part of the Gold Coast of Nova Scotia - at least, we call it the Gold Coast but really is either the Eastern Shore or The Marine Drive by Tourism Nova Scotia --- all part of our The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova ScotiaDIY Cruise Ship Excursion.

We left our home in Clayton Park in west-end Halifax and crossed the MacKay Bridge and made out way to Martinique Beach -- following along the road for East Petpeswick ( the tidal flats are extremely well known for clamming - great clams come from here. We did a number of snapshots of this great beach - at 3 miles long it is Nova Scotia's longest sand beach --- our snap-shots show what we call Little Martinique and others showing "Big Martinique.

Back-tracking we made our way to the Jeddore/Oyster Pond area ( Route 7 ) crossing the Salmon River Bridge -- more about this spot in a minute, arriving at the Fisherman's Life Museum and more snap-shots for The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion.

Following our time at the Fisherman's Life Museum we started our return journey to home. We had to stop for snaps-shots of all the fun taking place at the Pirates of Jeddore Festival at Salmon River Bridge ( http://www.novascotiapirates.ca/ ).

Our last snap-shot shoot was of the Musquodoboit River --- from Highway # 7's bridge across the river --- yes it is a good fishing river.

Our time was short, the weather was sunny for the most part and as Ann remarked it was " warm enough " and there was a mild breeze. The scenery was great - few cars on the roads -- and people were enjoying - "the last days of summer ".

Look for the snap-shots on the web.

Til next time
Bob

On the Halifax-Dartmouth Ferry

2008-09-22T05:19:00.000-07:00

WOW a double WOW -- it was sunny today Wednesday, September 17, 2008 --- Ann & I took advantage to do part of the Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion the Harbour Cruise portion -- The Halifax-Dartmouth Ferry which is the oldest continously operated salt-water feery in North America - from 1752!! And I discovered something new ---- I did not know this --- and it means our Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion is cheaper than even I thought --- if you tell the " fare taker" you are coming back on the same ferry -- she/he will give you a transfer to use for the Dartmouth return -- saving you two dollars per person!! That is good news, isn't it!!
I was able to snap a number of snap-shots on the way over and back -- these will be up on the web-site fairly soon.

We ended our little excursion by stopping in at Perk's for coffee and a muffin. The cruise portion took a littlle over 40 minutes in all --- but truly great scenery.

LOOK for the snap-shots . Mostly it was "the SUN" was shining ---- WOW!

Till next time!
Bob.

Private Cruiseship Excursions

2008-09-12T05:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Again from Nova Scotia and YOUR The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion

Today is the 9th of September and from the "crack of dawn" the Sun was shinning -- WOW -- it seems we hardly ever see it any more; this day it was big, bright and beautiful and so was our day. Joanne Spears and her extended family from Homestead Florida visiting from the NCL Spirit - a colourful ship to say the least ( see the snapshots . . . ! ) had us take them on a private ship excursion - with a request to try and keep away from other tours --- three ships in port on the 9th.

Today the 9th and for our The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova ScotiaDIY Cruise Ship Excursion we had chartered a vehicle from Cabana Charters - one of our preferred suppliers. Our driver was Jason Heath ( at the end of the day he received kudos from Joanne for his skillful driving -- yes he is a careful, prudent driver -- just what Blue Diamond Tours asks for and gets for our various outings.

Our first stop of the day was Mahone Bay ( we were way ahead of the crowd - most of the day ) and later Lunenburg -- and we all got to see the Bluenose II come in to it's home port dock - near the Fisherman's Museum ( see the snapshots ).

Next it was off to Chester - a drive through - tour along Route 3 -- Saint Margaret's Bay for the most part - to Peggy's Cove ( yes we did arrive at the correct time - very few and I do mean very few passengers from the 3 ships in port were around during our stop - we achieved our goal - to see Peggy's Cove without crowds around !)

While I was waiting ( it was a 40 minute stop-over ) Boastcard ( http://www.boastcard.com/ ) gave me a sample of their unique card. For those seeking a business opportunity contact them directly !!!

Following our various encounters at Peggy's Cove - we drove to the White's Lake area ( Route 333 ) on our way to historic Halifax and our return to Joanne's ship the NCL Spirit .
And . . . . for a change the sun was shinning all day . . .

On a different note for YOUR The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova ScotiaDIY Cruise Ship Excursion check out http://www.southmaitlandns.com/ " Terrific Tidal Bore Viewing " - we can take you to this very interesting and historic area of Nova Scotia on your Free Family Fun in Halifax -DIY Cruise Ship Excursion !!!!!

Check out the snaps & the Boastcard

More . . . . The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia

2008-09-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

WOW !! Thursday September 4th was a sunny day - warm and at times was even somewhat " hot " .

I, ( Blue Diamond Tours ) hosted the Webber family ( New Jersey residents ) from the Enchantment of the Seas cruise ship. This was the ship's first visit to Nova Scotia.

The Webbers and I met ( Pier 20 ) in the Cruise Pavillion lobby ( what a "zoo" ) and walked a short distance to our vehicle and immediately headed out to the Lunenburg area of Nova Scotia.
Our first stop was Mahone Bay ( famous for its THREE CHURCHES ) many photos were taken of both the churches and the harbour still filled with sail and motor boats at their moorings. I might add Mahone Bay is also noted fot its free and clean public washrooms.

On to Lunenburg itself - that is a world heritage site via United Nations , the fishing capital of the world, ( self proclaimed and rightly so ! ) home port of both sailing schooners BLUENOSE ( 1 & II ) and the home of the unique residential architectual feature the Lunenburg "Bump"!! We toured the town, the Lunenburg Academy - St John's Church ( world famous for it being almost completely destroyed by fire on Halloween 2001 - and has been fully restored - in way by the world community ). Finally, a "walk-around " of the downtown harbour-front completed our stop. Again, Lunenburg too does have an ultra-clean free public washroom.

With any tour, and too with our The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova ScotiaDIY Cruise Ship Excursion ----- free, clean and handy public washrooms are important to our guests!!
It was to Chester for a drive thro-tour ( the old fishing port ((1700's)) current - summer resort area for Halifax and one time summer home resort playground for/to weathly families from Boston, New York, Philidelphia and Baltimore . . .

We toured Route 3 along Saint Margaret's Bay ( and Route 333 ) to Peggy's Cove ( and yes they did view the old swimming hole (( for the snap-shots see Blue Diamond's web-site Travelogues -- Peggy's Cove --- June 26 ---- http://www.bluediamondtours.com/ )). Time was spent around the Peggy's Lighthouse too ( not to certain whether they took advantage of the Million Dollar investment opportunity -- your investment is less than $ 3.00 -- that is correct - less than $ 3.00 in total -- need to know more ? -- e-mail at Bobbluediamond@AOL.com . .

It was time to return to olde Halifax - the Citadel, Public Gardens, Grand Parade, Sackville Landing, Province House, the ferry dock and . . . . . more !!

The Webber's chose to walk back to their ship Enchantment of the Seas using the Harbour Walk which is prominately featured in our The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion.

This outing lasted 6.5 hours -- and is another successful Halifax Nova Scotia Shore Excursion conducted by Blue Diamond Tours!!!

Addition to Blue Diamond's "The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia - DIY Cruise Ship Excursion"

2008-08-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

One aspect that wasn't in our original offering was F.R.E.D. now Fred can make getting around in the "core of the olde city of Halifax " very easy. And , for some, Fred will offer the ultimate in touring in Halifax, especially if the weather is not ideal. Fred's route will fit in very well with our " the Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax Nova Scotia - DIY Cruise Ship Excursion " . Shortly, we will have snapshots of the area where Fred operates. For now, the following is the information directly from the Fred web-site, for your convenience. Thank you to the Downtown Halifax Business Commission!!

Brought to you by the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Fred (free rides everywhere downtown) is Halifax's FREE shuttle service operating in the downtown area during the summer months.

When does Fred Operate?

For the 2008 season, Fred will begin service Saturday, July 5th, until Friday, October 24th 2008.

The service will run 7 days a week from 10:30 a.m. until 5:03 p.m.

What is the route?

Only services specially marked stops, on a 40 minute frequency.

Pier 21 Museum Entrance .
Marginal Rd .
Lower Water St .
Water Street Terminal .
Water St . Marriott Harbourfront Hotel .
Casino driveway to stop .
Upper Water Street .
Barrington St .
Spring Garden Rd .
Brunswick St .
Sackville St .
Citadel Hill .
Sackville St .
South Park St .
Spring Garden Rd .
Barrington St .
Hollis St .
Terminal Rd .
Marginal Rd .
Pier 21 Museum entrance.

If you have any questions about this service, please contact the Downtown Halifax Business Commission at #423-6658, or visit their website at http://www.downtownhalifax.ns.ca/

Happy Birthday Ann!

2008-07-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Ann's birthday, July 26, I took her to dinner at the Rope Loft in Chester, N.S. Her nephew, Tom Connors is their new chef, and new is the menu too.

We drove, to and from, along Route 3, ( the old road ) that winds along Saint Margaret's Bay. It is a great scenic drive.

On a different note: ( from Andrew Fleming's - Atlantic Canada Trivia - " Songstress Rita MacNeil once had three separate albums on Australian top 40 charts at the same time. "

Nova Scotia's official berry is the blueberry ( low bush ) - Oxford, Nova Scotia says it is the Blueberry Capital of Canada.

The Halifax Public Gardens represent a long-standing horticultural tradition in the city. Even before the end of the eighteenth century, gardens formed part of the environment of the newly settled Haligonians.

Although these early gardens have not survived, the traditional British interest in horticulture was not lost during the rapid development of nineteenth century Halifax. In 1836 the newly formed Nova Scotia Horticultural Society set out to create a public garden. The Society's garden would provide a pleasant recreational area and add to the amenities of the town; the display of specimen plants would spark the intellectual interest of the citizens, and the erection of statues and monuments would engender civic and national pride.

The city of Halifax, in the 1860's acquired the Gardens, and have developed and maintained a magnificent Victorian public garden which has been preserved almost intact. The citizens of Halifax have cause to be grateful to those people whose vision and skill contributed to the creation and preservation of the Public Gardens.

This is leading up to my newest photo-essay about our magnificent Public Gardens. Today July 29, it is hot and especially it is sunny -- just right for taking snap-shots of both the Public Gardens and Victoria Park just across Spring Garden Road from "the Gardens "

And good news, for the followers of The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia: DIY Cruise Ship Excursion the Gardens and Victoria Park are with-in walking distance of the Cruise-Ship Pavillion. Even better, both are on MetroTransit Bus # 1 route.

Just a gentle reminder, Autumn ( September & October ) will see almost 100 cruise ships visit Halifax -- tour days will become unavailable very quickly from now on . . . . . . but then The Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax, Nova Scotia DIY Cruise Ship Excursion can never be booked out!!!!

Family Fun in Halifax Continued - DIY Cruise Ship Excursion

2008-07-10T05:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday July 5, saw Ann and I entertaining our grandson Justin, he is five years old ( six in September ). We decided on a day on the South Shore, in a way following the Old Route 3.

After getting Justin from his home we drove to Tantallon to stop at Tim Horton's to get sandwiches and drinks. Opps, not good, Tom D's Tim's outlet was very very very bizy --- too bizy for me. We did our shopping at the SuperStore nearby.
So the price of gasoline is high ? You'd never know it -- while at the SuperStore more than a dozen 45 foot motorhomes hawling cars passed by on their way to Peggy's Cove: quite a parade of wealth!

Our first stop was Cleveland's Beach where we spent about two hours, playing in the sand and surf, and where we saw the Saint Margaret's Bay Bathing Beauties (see the photo! ). I told Ann about this outing being on the web as Family Fun in Halifax ---- no way said she! This isn't Halifax (technically it is)and your friends from a cruise ship can't walk to here (Cleveland Beach) well no I guess - how about Family Fun in Nova Scotia ??

After the sandwiches, drinks, and lots of sand on Justin (oh yes! I broke his sand pail to top off this stop!!!) we headed to Graves Island Provincial Park near Chester, NS for some more R&R (see the photos). A church group plus a number of families were taking advantage of this wonderful park of the south shore.
Family Fun continued with our stop at the Chester Lido Pool. Justin and I ventured out onto the public Pier - two young gals told us the water was warm. The two sneakers floating just out from the wharf, belonged to their young male friend, and was not making any attempt to recover them -- no concern on his part about his loss!

Lunenburg was our next stop on our Family Fun in Nova Scotia - Justin's Adventure.
Ice cream was the command. The weather all day was just great, sunny, very warm. Except at the beach where the shore breezes kept a touch of or hint of cool.
After ice cream it was out on the docks to see the boats - Justin's artistic poses on the wharfs - (see photos) and then homeward bound but . . . not before a stop at McDonald's to refuel!

It was a great day and one easily duplicated or improved because you can make it your own "Family Fun Day in Halifax (Nova Scotia) ---- DIY Cruise Ship Excursion !!

Cheers
Bob

Peggys Cove Swimming Hole

2008-06-26T18:39:00.001-07:00

Peggys Cove is 43 kilometres southwest of downtown Halifax and comprises one of the numerous small fishing communities located around the perimeter of the Chebucto Peninsula.

The community is named after the cove of the same name. Peggy is a nickname for Margaret, and the village may have taken its name from St. Margarets Bay upon which it is situated. Local folklore has several alternative origins for the name. Some people claim Peggy was an early settler. Others say she was a young survivor from a shipwreck who remembered nothing of her life before her rescue; not even her name but was given the name Peggy by the family who adopted her.

FAMILY FUN in Nova Scotia

2008-06-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Ann and I again experience again the joys of travellin' the backroads, staying off "the big freeways" on Saturday June 21, 2008 - the first day of Summer. We had lunch in Truro, really I think it is Lower Truro: The Pallister, great food and a great view of the Salmon River and the ( this is my name for it ) Tidal Boring Park; there was a large crowd in the park sitting along "the old Acadian dykes" waiting for the tidal bore to arrive. I felt like yelling "Run for your lives, the wall of water will get you!". In reality, the wall of water might be, and I stress might be, as high as 6 inches -- if you are lucky! Which is why, I call it Tidal Boring.

Ann gift shopped browsed, at the Pallister Gift Shop and still later at the Masstown Market near Debert. Where we acquired fresh veggies, milk, bread, bacon, eggs and pork chops BUT most importantly I bought (no Ann bought nothing, she shop-browsed) Bathroom Book of Atlantic Canada Trivia by Andrew Fleming. And he tells us:

Fly Girl
The first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic began her journey in Saint John. Famed Aviator Amelia Earhart set off from Saint John, in her single-engine Lockheed Vega on the morning of May 20, 1932, bound for Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. She intended to duplicate Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic and land in Paris. Instead, strong head winds and mechanical problems forced her to land in a pasture near Derry in Northern Ireland.

Currently, here in Halifax - Hilary Swank and Richard Gere are here filming a biopic about this history making flight . . . .
kinda of a strange twist to our ( Ann & I )'s backroad adventure of today.

If you've been following the bizarre news -- a group of High School teenage girls in Gloucester MA - making a "baby making pact" -- reminds me of a couple of things:
my maternal Grandmother was from Bay Bulls, Nfld (just outside of St John's) had a saying "You can't put an old head on young shoulders" while young and youth do stand for excitement, enthusiasm, energy, embracing new ideas and more --- it also stands for stupid too -- the young do dumb and stupid things -- ie old head ; young shoulders don't mix.

Speaking of babies this brings me to Ervin & Ethelda Myers and their 13 daughters whose former residence is now the Fisherman's Life Museum in Jeddore N.S. It's a very small house, just how did they raise such a large family?

BUT Andrew Fleming in his book Bathroom Book of Atlantic Canada Trivia tells us:

World Record Family
The world record for having the biggest family is held by Captain Wilson Kettle (1860- 1963) of Port Aux Basques, Nfld. When he died at age 102, the fertile fisherman left behind a family of 13 children by two wives, 65 grandchildren, 201 great-grandchildren and 305 great-great-grandchildren sprung from his loins, leaving a grand total of 582 living descendants.

Stay tuned ....... Peggy's Cove and swimming. Most will say the two don't mix. Don't believe it! Story and snapshots to come.

DIY Daytrips Halifax - Almost Free
Actually got "free-er" a friend, Michelle Sears, pointed out on the return ferry ride from Dartmouth, ask for a transfer (each person) and this will get you on the first leg of your bus tour, the # 2 - # 4 or # 1 without an additional charge. Thus your DIY Free Shore Excursion in Halifax just got even cheaper!

All the best
Bob
www.BlueDiamondTours.com

Spring Fling ‘08: Classic New England

2008-06-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Spring Fling ‘08: Classic New England trip was a huge success. Beautiful weather. Great scenery. And amazing memories.

Take a look on at the photos here: Spring Fling ‘08: Classic New England

Just released: Almost Free Family Fun in Halifax DIY Cruise Ship Excursion!

2008-05-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

The "Do it Yourself-Shore Excurison"

Yes, 2008 is expected to be a very busy cruise ship season in Halifax with more than 125 ship visits booked into this historic harbour. For you, a cruise ship passenger, it means that shore tour providers will be in short supply on many days due to early bookings and therefore unavailable to help you.

Now, you could contact Blue Diamond Tours - but we too may be unavailable.

So here is a “free” (read: low cost) DIY Shore Excursion or “Be Your Own Guide” day-trip in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Read the Itinerary Here