Saturday 23rd July 

So I’ve spent the weekend in Halifax waiting for my bike!

I arrived around 3pm local time here in Halifax, NS, Canada on Saturday 23rd, in from a connecting flight from St Johns, Newfoundland which originated at Gatwick Airport, U.K.

A collection of stickers at the smoking booth in St Johns Airport

St Johns Shoreline

I found a taxi cab to take me to the hotel, checked in, left my luggage in my room and went to check out the action in the local park.

Turns out It’s Pride week in Halifax, yep. Pride week!

Local newspaper adverts for Pride week

They give it more than just a day here in Halifax!

Provincial local news advert

The whole province gets involved , from rainbow flags being flow from pretty much every store, shop, hotel and public building I’ve walked passed. They even have a rainbow flag painted zebra crossings on the road!

Best zebra crossing ever!

How cool is that?? Very cool! I hung around the local parade site and watched the various acts and bands on the stage, then made my way back to the hotel for a shower as it’s HOT over here, and eventually out to Gus’ Pub for a juicy burger and pint of Belgium IPA.

Gus’ Burger, fries & Belgium IPA beer

It was a pretty tasty burger and beer.

I walked a few miles to a Walmart the size  of a football pitch to buy some swimming shorts & went back to the hotel and used the swimming pool and spa to finish off my day. Before long I was tucked up in bed, ready to sleep after being up for 26 hours!

Gus’ Pub

Sunday 24th July.

Sunrise over Halifax

I woke up early, just as the sun was rising and went for a walk down to the waterfront and docks to take a look around and find out where the shipping companies office is located ready for tomorrow morning!

Panoramic shot of the waterfront

It was really quiet, not a soul about as I wandered the waterfront alleyways and promenade.

A memorial to the sea explorers of Portugal

I saw this funny tug boat! It made me chuckle!

Funny tug boat

The waterside was cute. Lots of people gearing up for morning swims, kayaking & windsurfing, but not for me! I wandered up the hill to the old Victorian fort built by the English.

I learnt about the Halifax explosion in WW2 where a munitions ship collided with another ship, which caused a fire, which then caused the 2925 Tons of explosives the ship was carrying to go off in the largest explosion since the first atom bomb test. It killed more Nova Scotians than all of those who died on the battlefields of the western front.

The Halifax Explosion

This gets my vote as the best painted house in Halifax!

After my morning walk I came back to the hotel grabbed my bag and retraced my steps from yesterday as rather stupidly I lost my sunglasses! Doh’!

London Street

In all my walking and checking shops and places I visited the previous day, I failed to find them! Ah well, onwards and upwards, I had another cheeky burger at Gus’ Pub, walked through some beautiful parks and flower lined streets back to the hotel in the heat of the day.

A path between the backyards. No fences!

It was too much for me, tired and feeling weary form the heat I went to sleep, only to wake up 6 hours later at 10pm!

What’s a boy to do at 10pm on a Sunday night in Halifax?? Go grab two beers and pizza from the local bar! that’s what to do!

Again, that made me sleepy! I went back to the hotel and nodded off again.

Now I’m wide awake. it’s 5.23 & the Sun has almost made it’s way across the Atlantic Ocean to me here and is about to rise again over Halifax.

The view from the 14th floor of the Atlantica Hotel

I’m like a kid at Christmas now, in a few hours time, I get to pick up my motorcycle from the docks and start what I came here to do….ride across Canada and the USA!