6-5-4-3-2-1...SAILAWAY!!! NY-CANADA June 17, 2012 /The End. Complete. Done!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Day 3: Halifax

I was woken up at 4 am on the first port morning by a groaning rumbling sound. "Thrusters", I thought in my sleep. Now I can promise you that before the DIS, that word would NEVER have been part of my vocabulary! I did fall right back to sleep, though, and next I knew it was 7:30, Atlantic Time (clocks moved forward one hour). We tried the breakfast at Parrot Cove this morning and enjoyed chatting with Helen, a server from England. Overall, though, we liked the Topsiders breakfast buffet more. Maybe we just enjoyed eating outside!

(Insert DS15's Magical Moment Here!)

We were in no rush, but looking forward to feeling Canada beneath our feet! So at around 9:30 we disembarked. We used the aft exit on deck 4 which was very close to our rooms, and there was no line at all! Getting off they swipe your KTTW, and then again when you return. I found that somehow comforting – they'd know if anyone hadn't returned! Adults over age 18 (maybe teens over 16? I don't remember…) needed a photo ID as well. The gangplank leads straight into a terminal building with many market stalls. We didn't stop to browse, though it was tempting! Outside we headed right and strolled toward the Harbor Walk. The shallow waters around the docks and wooden pilings were covered with real live little starfish, jellyfish, shellfish, and prickly sea urchins!



Not a great picture, but gives you an idea, anyway. It was very cool! As it was still early, not all the stalls were open. The bike rental was already doing a brisk business though! There was a fun looking playground near the Maritime Museum. A few years ago we would have spent a good hour there!

Our first stop was the Maritime Museum. We enjoyed the exhibit about the cable boats and the evolution of the transatlantic telegraph system!



Also, upstairs there was a big area with filtered lighting housing many display cabinets of "Accessible Storage", i.e. all the museum's stored items, but on display! That had some cool finds! We only stayed at the museum for about an hour, due to the compromises that make up family life.

Next, a right out of the museum and a left up Prince street. We were headed to the Freak Lunchbox candy store! We got to Great Barrington street, looked left, looked right, and there it was!!! This was the candy store that dreams are made of!



Not too huge, not too fancy, just jam packed with yummy treats! At some point I asked the salesgirl if she could recommend some kind of "especially Canadian" candy that I could buy as a souvenir, but she said there is no such thing there, most of Canadian candy comes from England or the States. Hmmm. Anyway, I found some gummy candy in the shape of the Canadian Maple Leaf. We spent a nice fortune here. Yikes. The kids enjoyed the big super slurpee frostee drink.



Across the street just to the right was a nice garden between Town Hall and a church under renovation. Standing at the 2nd World War monument looking downhill …



and uphill….



towards the Clock Tower and the Citadel!

That's where we headed. Honestly, it wasn't so bad. Let's say that the walk up to the Town Hall was mild – moderate and the walk up to the Clock Tower was moderate. The short path from the Clock Tower to the Citadel was steep, however…. We happened to be there at 12 noon so we got the hear the cannon (with warning, luckily) and see the changing of the guard!



Cool! Back down the hill. And winding our way, down and right, down and right. All the way to the Harbor Walk. We missed Cows Ice Cream and Beaver Tails – but no one seemed in need of more sweets at that moment, so we kept moving. We'd been out for 3 hours and we were pretty much "walked out". The Farmer's Market at the port was very quiet for a lunch time. Many stalls were closed. There were people enjoying fish and chips, though! DH and DD15 stayed there to use some free internet and the rest of us headed back onboard. DS15 really wanted to do a t-shirt activity that was scheduled for 1pm at the Vibe. He was really looking forward to it...

[HermanTriplets+1]

Mini-Sidebar: MAGICAL MOMENT!

Because this was such a great moment, it deserves it's own post!
We were on Deck 4 after breakfast on Halifax morning. It was still hazy out and we were admiring the harbor and the little island and lighthouse. DS15 usually has a need to do acrobatic things when he sees neat places.

First, he did this:



Then this:



Then I saw this!



Then this!!!



Finally, this!


MAGICAL MOMENT. PURE. And FOREVER!

[disneyholic family]

LOVE that picture with the mouse!!!! that's a super magical moment!!!!!!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Originally Posted by disneyholic family

LOVE that picture with the mouse!!!! that's a super magical moment!!!!!!

I think that was the moment I was convinced that it was all worth it! Anyone who wonders if DCL is good for teens need only to look at this picture!

[StephandDick]

That is an AWESOME magical moment!!

[MinnieGg4]

AWESOME magical moment!!

[sfischer08]

Thank you so much for sharing with all of us! We are planning to sail on this cruise in August. Peggy's Cove looks pretty, but we also want time to walk around Halifax without feeling rushed. (We have a six and ten year old) Will we see the coast/lighthouses as we enter port? Is there enough in Halifax to occupy our day? As of now we have booked no port excursions. The only excursion in St. John that seemed to appeal to us was the whale watch, but we didn't want to spend the whole day and $500 on a chance we might see whales. I'm wondering if we will be able to walk to the Irving Nature center and maybe see some seals at least on our own. Any thoughts? Enjoy the rest of your cruise!!! Thanks!

[RGirl]

Wow - one of the coolest magical moments ever! AWESOME!

[jenseib]

Joining in!~!

Originally Posted by HermanTriplets+1

Mini-Sidebar: MAGICAL MOMENT!

Because this was such a great moment, it deserves it's own post!
We were on Deck 4 after breakfast on Halifax morning. It was still hazy out and we were admiring the harbor and the little island and lighthouse. DS15 usually has a need to do acrobatic things when he sees neat places.

First, he did this:



Then this:



Then I saw this!



Then this!!!



Finally, this!


MAGICAL MOMENT. PURE. And FOREVER!

That is one of the coolest things I have ever seen!!!!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Originally Posted by sfischer08

Thank you so much for sharing with all of us! We are planning to sail on this cruise in August. Peggy's Cove looks pretty, but we also want time to walk around Halifax without feeling rushed. (We have a six and ten year old) Will we see the coast/lighthouses as we enter port? Is there enough in Halifax to occupy our day? As of now we have booked no port excursions. The only excursion in St. John that seemed to appeal to us was the whale watch, but we didn't want to spend the whole day and $500 on a chance we might see whales. I'm wondering if we will be able to walk to the Irving Nature center and maybe see some seals at least on our own. Any thoughts? Enjoy the rest of your cruise!!! Thanks!

Thanks for reading!
I think that both ports can be done "on your own", there are shops and stalls and both ports have a museum right down in the port area. There are a few port adventures (I'm thinking of Halifax at the moment) that got really good reactions that I think might fit your family. One is the Tall Ship Silva, and the other is the Learn the Ropes at the Maritime Museum.
We saw a seal on the Reversing Tides in Saint John, that was pretty cool!
Keep reading trip reports from the Canada sailings - there are so many great ideas!

[HermanTriplets+1]

Thank you ALL for sharing my joy over that amazing Magical Moment!

[lorimay]

WOW!!!

Now THAT is a magical moment, so glad you were able to catch it on camera!!

Thanks for sharing.

[AB6876]

Great trip report!!

[2boogersmom]

I want to copy that handstand picture with the caption:

...and THIS is why I will pay extra for Disney!!!

Amazing!!!

[sfischer08]

Thanks again! Looking at all of your posts has been awesome. Enjoy this magical time!!