Tuesday, 18 December

Halifax

When I opened my blinds this morning the world had turned white and it was softly and silently snowing. I rushed around the house looking out of every window, making glad little cries of delight.

As we left the house we made the first footprints in the snow down our steps and across to the footpath. We walked into town, past the hospital, beside a very cold looking graveyard and through a park which reminded us of Narnia. All that was missing was the lamppost and Mr Tumnus.

We had a bite of lunch at Coffee Cabin and were pleased that we were given real cups and plates. It was all disposable in the US.

It was still snowing as we made our way to the waterfront and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There were some lovely yachts and models but the main display was of the Halifax Explosion which happened in 1917. There was a collision of two ships, one of which was loaded with ammunition for the war, in the Halifax harbour area. The burning ammunition ship drifted over to the dock, where people had come out to see what was happening. When it blew up, the magnitude of the explosion was second only to Hiroshima, a whole section of the town was obliterated and there was even a tidal wave. Thousands were killed and injured and the shock was felt as much as 500 km away.

This happened just a few years after the Titanic disaster, which is also featured in the museum. Ships from Halifax were dispatched to pick up bodies that were floating in the sea and many of those who lost their lives are buried in cemeteries around the town.

After all learning so much about disasters it was nice to pop into a pub around the corner for a little liquid refreshment. Then it was back to our local supermarket (by taxi as we’d had enough of walking in the snow and the dark) to buy supplies for dinner.

My turn to cook and I made spaghetti with clams and scallops in honour of this lovely fishing port.