Halifax

At the beginning of October I visited Hannah in Halifax for a long weekend. I always wanted to visit her, since she started going to NSCAD University there.


(see the pillars, one's in the sun and one's in the shade, that's the entry to University; it's several historical buildings together, I think a couple of blocks, really huge, and that's just the old part.)

Even though she didn't have much time (after she left me in the evenings, she had to go to school do some printing), she tried to make this short visit a nice one for me. She would drag (in the most loving way) me around the city from Friday to Sunday, rain and shine, no matter.


We visited the Art Gallery of Noca Scotia, and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. We went for strolls along the Halifax Harbour twice (rain or shine remember!). It was wet, cold, windy, sunny, and I loved it.



Hannah with the forbidden Island in the background (it's what I call it, since it's military and no one is allowed there. It also has the oldest lighthouse ever on it.)



One evening we spoiled ourselves and went to Waterfront Warehouse Seafood Restaurant - delicious! The photos are blurry because I didn't use flash light and the camera couldn't focus right. After dinner our sight was blurry too! :o)


mussels for Hannah and


seafood chowder for me.

Halifax is a nice city. I like it. It's just the right size. I've been there from Friday noon until Monday noonish. Hannah and I ran around from Friday afternoon til Sunday noonish, and I swear I knew my way around after that, no problem. It's also small enough that you start recognizing people again. I saw a few people who stood out to me (like the guy who served us tea and sandwiches in a bakery or the woman with the stroller), and I later saw them around town at different places, days, and times. I thought it especially nice that as we walked, Hannah got greeted many times by fellow students.
We walked (and walked) through cemeteries, and the Halifax Public Gardens, all very beautiful even on overcast days.


This ones in the middle of the city, and so peaceful, while outside the fence the traffic pustles along.

On Saturday we went to the Farmers Market and boy was I overwhelmed with it all. So many people, such amazing abundance of food, and handmade items. I could not resist to take home a couple of those beautiful cutting boards. (for unknown reasons I can't get the photo to show up here)
They came in all sizes, but I had to carry them around for a while, so I opted for the smallest ones. We ate fine pastry, and had some Elderberry juice as well.
It was all so wonderful, except I had blisters on my feet! For a while I sucked it up, but at one point I could not make another step because of the pain. Well I could, but it looked funny. The next shoe store I saw would make a sale, I was sure of that. In I went, looked around to find the Birkenstock section, didn't find it, and almost crying left again. Hannah knew of another shoe store (yeah well, big surprise, that Halifax has more than ONE shoe store!), so we went to find this one, very slow going it was.
I went in, found the section I was looking for, found a pair of Birkenstock clogs (didn't care what color, just that they were closed in front and open in the back. Looked around for some help, pointed and said with tears in my eyes, " I want those in size 42!"
The Lady who helped me said," Are you aware that this this size costs more?" I was sitting by then. I bit my tongue, because I wanted to shout, if that's so, then I'll take size 38, even though I need a 42! Long story short, I got my clogs, and could walk again!



On the board walk at the Harbour there was this guy with these gorgeous two fellows. The big one was called Rocky. I didn't catch the name of the little guy, but he's 4 1/2 month old in this picture. The guy said, his wife calls the dogs "chick magnets" and it was true. They got photographed a lot, and petted as well.



Here we had to walk UP after a short, but cold rain shower (still with my feet hurting at this point).



Here is Hannah sitting outside a nice cafe (can't remember the name of it, but something with a Monk in it). We later went inside, sat down for tea and knit until closing time. In the background there's an old boarding house. I loved this building which was about a block long, down the road, and to the left side. It's going to be torn down though. Very sad.



After all this running around, the nicest time we had was in my hotel room. Sunday at around noon we were wet to our undies, and exhausted. Hannah left me at the hotel to get dry and to put my feet up. Meanwhile she ran home (oh yeah, I visited her house too, but didn't take any pictures there) to get some clothes to change and her knitting stuff (which was the black sock I mentioned in the post before this one). She picked up a pizza and some chai tea for us. Well, she's in better shape then I am, so I was just sitting there in the big ole chair, with my feet up, and she was comfortable in my bed. We watched a couple of movies, and it was cozy and nice. We never get so much together time when she's at home.


The best place in my room was this chair!


I started knitting the Textured shawl, got halfway done, but I'm not loving it. I might rip it out again.



Oh, and how could I almost forget. Before I flew to Halifax, I looked up three yarn stores in the city. Hannah knew all of them. I was very disappointed with one of them, the other one was closed, but the third one LK Yarns was what I think is the ultimate yarn store! My heart started pounding faster, and I almost hyperventilated. There was so much yarn everywhere, all gorgeous stuff. I smiled from ear to ear, and inched my way through the narrow aisles, squeezing yarn, and of course I found something to my liking as well. Gorgeous Malabrigo sock yarn, and some Sisu sock yarn not pictured here, and Fame Trend sock yarn, probably not for socks. The On Your Toes sock yarn's already made into socks. Well, there you have it. My trip to Halifax. :o) Thanks Hannah for your lovely company, and patience with your (old, hurt, slow moving, deer in headlights, country bumkin also called yokel) mom.