Halifax Harbor and Prince Edward Island

We enjoyed the beautiful countryside and puffy clouds driving from Halifax to PEI.  Our day in Halifax included Pier 21, the Canadian version of Ellis Island, where a million immigrants were processed from Europe and all other countries of the world.  Canada has welcomed people throughout its history, but especially large numbers after wars and revolutions.  So they are similar to the USA since we are all immigrants except for our native peoples; Canada seems to have done a better job of finding peace with more of their native peoples.  The stories of each family are generally sad because the reasons for leaving your first country are usually bad; but often the opportunities for hard work and success lead to a good ending.  I was thinking about how Christians are immigrants from our first life of selfish struggle to our new life of forgiveness and renewal following after Jesus in God's kingdom.  I was glad to read about many groups who volunteered at Pier 21 to provide guidance and run a nursery and help with translation as the people came off the ships and were processed as "landed immigrants" (accepted into Canada) and often boarded onto trains to their final destination.

Most of the Pier 21 complex has been converted to the cruise terminal and a farmers market- we had a little lunch there- different dishes from China and India, with a delicious strawberry shortcake for dessert.  Yum.

We then visited the Halifax Citadel- a huge stone fort on the major hill overlooking the harbor.  This was constructed as the last of a series of forts to defend the harbor and shipbuilding and trading warehouses from British enemies- keeping other people (enemies) out.  And Halifax itself was settled by the British in about 1750 to balance a big fort the French had built at Louisburg (north) and to dominate the French settlers (Acadians) on the Bay of Fundy coast of Nova Scotia.  So Halifax, like most of the world, is a story of conflict and domination and struggle.  We are thankful for our immigration into God's kingdom while still on earth, and His peace and joy and strength to live for Him as foreigners in the world- until the Prince of Peace rules from sea to sea.  

Next to the citadel and open after 5 pm (life is hard for a tourist when most things close so early) was the City Garden- a very beautiful Victorian park with gates and paths and fountains- we thought we had been transported to Paris or Vienna for an hour. And apparently it is traditional in Halifax to have pictures taken in the garden before the prom.  So there were young men dressed up in evening wear and young women dressed in fancy dresses- with family taking pictures. See beautiful Judy amongst the pretty flowers? This was a nice ending for the day- although we drove over the suspension bridge to Dartmouth and through town to a fishing village for a good seafood dinner- another 40th anniversary celebration.

Today we drove to Prince Edward Island (PEI).  I had run out of clean clothes so we found a nice laundromat in Charlottetown.  Then we visited a house with some of the most beautiful crown molding and woodwork and wallpaper that we have seen anywhere- built by a shipbuilder and merchant in 1896.  Of course there were many hard working people (immigrants) and only a few rich merchants with big houses, but this was quite a sight- and more of an adventure because we just barely made it after drying and folding our clothes before it closed. 

Another rich family from Cincinnati built a summer house at the north beach of PEI- and we are staying in one of the wood-paneled bedrooms where friends would have stayed each summer.  Our windows look down on the vegetable garden (2nd floor on left in picture below), where we saw the chef inspecting the young plants.  We had a wonderful dinner in the covered porch dining room (1st floor on right in picture), looking out on the lake and trees ( the beach is just hidden from our view).  We may have already celebrated our 40th anniversary once or twice on our trip, but we are enjoying every day together, and every special dinner together.  Today we are off to see Avonlea- a recreated town with activities from the Anne of Green Gables books (L M Montgomery).  Wish we could all go together- to have a day of fun and adventure just like those who immigrated to PEI to farm (on special days) or came in the summer to enjoy this beautiful place.