My Reflections: Canada & Beyond - Day 6

There was so much going on August 18th, that it was difficult to divide all the photos up very well. Little warning this is a longer post than usual, my advice? Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy looking through all the neat photos and details in this post ;)

We left Five Islands campground, and started making our way towards the great city of Halifax, where we planned to spend the rest of our day.

We drove through some gorgeous countryside, and lots of cute little towns.

I would love to be apart of a farmers market like that, it looks super cool! Sadly it wasn't open that day :(

Truro was one of the bigger towns we went through before finally arriving in Halifax!

Coming down over the hill and seeing the massive coastal city spread out before us was breathtaking!

We crossed over this beautiful bridge and made our way towards downtown.

We weren't sure where all we wanted to go in town, so we just drove up to the highest point we could find and found a great vantage point to check out the view.

We stumbled upon this sign while looking for a place to park, and realized we had hit a jackpot we didn't even know existed.

We asked a local parking attendant what was "up on the hill" and he said something like, just keep going and you'll reach the fortress and there's parking around the bend. We all looked at each other like, uhm did he just say fortress?! So we kept on going and were blown away by what we found.

We followed the signs and people's directions, and finally reached the Citadel and found a spot to park, and went to check this cool place out!

From this sign we learned a little bit more about the fort, here is a bit more info about it cited from the Parks Canada website. "It’s obvious why this strategic hilltop location with a commanding view of the Halifax harbor was chosen in 1749 for the fort destined to protect the city. The Halifax Citadel’s star shaped architecture is equally as impressive from the inside and out. Majestically set upon an expansive hill overlooking the city, it is part of a series of forts – each one showcasing changes over time to its defenses, each significantly different than its predecessor – that protected Halifax Harbour from 1749 to 1906. It was so strategically important that it was rebuilt three times yet it was never once attacked. Step back in time with the 78th Highlanders and the 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery to learn what it was like for the soldiers and their families to live and work in this historic fort." Click here to Learn more.

This is an areal view of the citadel.

Our first glimpse of the fort was walking through this tunnel in the thick wall, to enter the fortress.

Once we got out of the tunnel it was like we were totally hidden from the outside world, it was so neat!

We went into the main building to get some info and check out some of the displays.

Julia and her man ;p

We discovered that there was a tour starting right then, so we went outside and joined the group.

This finely dressed man was explaining about how the fort was established, and some of the military involvement it had over the years and the weapons that were used back in the day.

Also took in some of the surroundings while we listened to the neat information.

This guy went on to demonstrate the way to shoot a black powder rifle.

It was pretty cool, not my first time seeing one fired, but definitely one of the most interesting situations it was done in!

Tia and the reenactor, (I can't remember his name ;p)

They do a great job with all the period clothing and actors, it was so neat!

We followed along with the tour, and walked through a tunnel towards the front entrance to the fort.

You can walk over a little bridge and overlook the harbor and parts of downtown.

This cool piece of architecture is the Old Town clock. Here is a bit of info about it also cited from the Parks Canada website.

"The year was 1800, and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, was preparing to return to England. Obsessed with punctuality, the Commander-in-Chief of the British military made a parting gift to Halifax: a town clock on the hill overlooking Brunswick Street. This way, he could ensure the city's forces were always on time. The Old Town Clock, as it is now known, was installed in October 1803. It has since become one of the city’s most beloved and familiar landmarks. Nestled in the protective shadow of the Halifax Citadel, it has seen some alterations over the years and was largely reconstructed by Parks Canada in the early 1960s. Yet the original clockworks are still intact and in use." Click here to learn more.

Make sure you read this cool information about the fort and Halifax!

Once that portion of the tour was completed we went back into the fort.

We ventured in to the bunk house and were able to see what the sleeping arrangements were like for the soldiers and even their family's, back during the wars.

The guide explained that married men were able to have their family's stay with them in the bunk house, but him and his wife would sleep on a bed this size, and their children would sleep on the floor underneath. Can you imagine!

After that we made our way to the powder storage area.

It's thick concrete designed was created in such a way that the walls are thicker than the ceiling so that if there was an explosion it would hopefully go straight up instead of outward, causing more damage.