Football and Exploring Halifax

It's been a stop start day. I had slept well, got up reasonably early and made myself breakfast as the hostel doesn't provide it. I did however take advantage of their free coffee to wake me up properly. I walked a couple of blocks to check the bar was open for me to watch the football at and as I had a little time to kill before kick off walked around the block before heading back there. The bar, Niche Lounge was more like a restaurant and there were a few people in there having breakfast. They had the game on at the back and it was just me and one other guy watching. We had a sofa and big screen TV each so it was comfortable although the service very poor. It was a frustrating game which we lost 2-0 to Chelsea.

After that I came back to the hostel for a quick snack as by then it was lunchtime. I went back out and had a look around the Old Burying Ground and Saint Mary's Cathedral Basilica which was quite plain inside except for its fantastic stained glass windows. I walked from there to the Public Gardens and enjoyed a lengthy stroll around them. I was surprised just how colourful they still were with lots of flowers in bloom. I walked from there up Citadel Hill. I didn't go inside the Citadel itself but did walk all the way around the perimeter which gave some good views of the city. I heard a bagpiper inside and it was very strange hearing this tune being played without being able to identify exactly where it was coming from. I walked on and through Camp Hill Cemetery. I noticed many of the headstones were very simple just bearing the deceased's surname on one side, further details on the reserve. Maybe a style from a certain period in time.

Whilst I was walking to the cemetery it started to rain. It was light at first but soon got heavier so I had to get indoors to avoid a soaking. Luckily I was close to Dalhousie University and quickly managed to locate the Dalhousie Art Gallery. The exhibition there was small but worth looking around. When I came out it was raining even more heavily so I marched straight on down to the hostel to get in the dry and to have a cup of tea.

I sat around the hostel for a short time watching all the Arsenal Fan TV videos on Youtube then went back to the Basilica for their evening mass. The two times I've been to church on this trip have both been on very rainy days (the other time was in Baltimore). I wanted to go and eat out at the Lower Deck, a bar recommend to me where they have bands playing. I walked to the bar and by that time the heavy rain had changed to drizzle which made for a fine mist. However the bar wasn't doing food due to a private function and the band weren't starting until late. I was feeling tired and whilst I did look for other places to eat didn't spot anywhere which looked particularly appealing on a foul night so found myself back at the supermarket grabbing something I could quickly cook back at the hostel.

It has now stopped raining and the forecast for the next couple of days looks better so hopefully I'll be keeping dry as I venture around Halifax during the remainder of my time here.

Saint Mary's Cathedral Basilica

Standing guard, Halifax Citadel

The Old Town Clock