After some much needed sleep (possibly in someones yard) we were back on the road to our last destination. It feels so weird to say that. The past month has been wonderful...a once in a lifetime experience. I feel like I truly know Canada now and understand how vast this country really is. Every province offered such different experiences but one thing remained constant the entire trip...the wonderful Canadian people we interacted with. I have always heard people say Canadians are friendly and likable and now I see what people mean. Even as a Canadian, I seen how wonderful and hospitable my fellow Canadians are, and it really makes me proud to be part of this country.
We had three days in Halifax, mainly to organize ourselves to get ready to leave the country for a year. However, we still managed to go out sightseeing and see lots of the city. Halifax was a lovely city to visit. It is a city rich with history and truly feels like the capitol of the east coast. Although a large city, it still had the charm of the east coast and wasn't overwhelming like other large cities. The brick buildings downtown are beautiful to wander through and when we were visiting there was thick fog covering the city. We asked some locals if the fog was common and we were told Halifax is quite frequently blanketed in thick fog.
We got to see a Navy ship once again at the docks, this time a fully operational Canadian destroyer. The docks are great to walk around on and we happened to be there on Natal Day (The first Monday of August) so there was lots happening like live bands and food stands. My personal favourite sight we seen in Halifax was the Maritime Museum. Admission was only $8.75/adult and allowed you to view three floors of exhibits. There was an extensive exhibit on the Atlantic cable ships giving you insight into how important these ships were. They were responsible for laying the cable on the ocean floor for communication and were out for months at a time in the worst of weather...these were the ships that were first on the call when the Titanic sunk as well. A fantastic exhibit showcasing an extremely important group of ships that are quite unknown to most people.
The next large exhibit was on the devastating explosion of 1917. Seeing the photographs of the explosion was heart-wrenching and I couldn't imagine how terrible that day would of been. There was lots of interesting facts on how and why the explosion occurred as well as an informative short video. One item left over from the explosion that really stuck with me was a watch that had stopped right at the exact second of the explosion but remained intact.
The final exhibit was on the Titanic. It was fascinating to admire the pieces of the ship that had been recovered such as hand carved wood pieces from the dining room and grand staircase.
There was also a replica of a lounging deck chair you could try out, letting you sit back for a moment and imagine what it would of been like to lounge in the sun on that impressive ship.
Wandering through the exhibit and seeing the treasures recovered from the ship really made you realize how grand the Titanic really was. One appalling item in the exhibit was a board game created shortly after the sinking. The object of the game was to try to escape the sinking Titanic alive and you got bonus points for bringing a fellow survivor. Thankfully, it was pulled from shelves shortly after being released. I couldn't believe that a company had actually took advantage of such a horrific accident to make a few bucks!
Aside from the exhibits I have mentioned, there was plenty of other ship related displays to see including dozens of scale model ships finished to exact precision. These model ships were very impressive! The detail painted onto each window, life preserver and raft was amazing...there really was not one detail missed. Definitely plan to spend 2-3 hours in the Maritime Museum as there is so much fascinating things to see. It was probably my favourite museum I have visited, and especially my favourite activity in Halifax.
The final day in Halifax was spent rushing around getting last minute tasks done before our evening flight. We sent a Rubbermaid of camping gear and Canada Memorabilia back to family in British Columbia on a local bus line affiliated with Greyhound Canada for a surprisingly good price! (A large container probably weighing 20KG for $90). Then we did our last task of the day, selling our beloved "Dank Mobile" van. We had found a local private buyer (through Craigslist) a day prior to leaving and thankfully he took it off of our hands, paying only $200! We sold the van at such a bargain because we did not have the luxury of time to find a higher price elsewhere because we had to get rid of it before our flight (it is illegal in Canada to abandon a vehicle). So, relieved that the van was gone we headed to Halifax International airport and awaited our 8pm flight.
Waiting in the airport for the final hours in Canada felt once again surreal. Reflecting back on all we had seen in the past month was amazing. I loved every part of Canada! I never truly realized how beautiful Canada was from the jagged Rockies to the yellow prairies. Visiting all the towns, big and small was so rewarding and in an odd way I feel 'More Canadian' if that's possible. I can honestly say now that Canada is a remarkable country filled with even more remarkable people, because I have experienced both first hand. It was truly a road trip of a lifetime that I will never forget and hope to perhaps do again one day with my own children.
Sitting in the uncomfortable waiting chairs I decided to indulge in one more Canadian pleasure before leaving abroad. I ordered myself up a cooked lobster from the Seafood stand, collected butter packs from the food court, ordered a hot water from Tim Hortons then sat down for one last Canadian dinner. I sat in the airport covered in buttery lobster, warming my butter and lobster claws in the hot water thinking to myself...'Man, Canada really is the best place on earth'.
