Friday 15th September
Weather a bit dull first thing but looks good for later.
Our excursion today is on the Old Pink Bus
Hop-on-hop-off. Bit of a queue for the
bus, but not too bad considering four cruise ships in today.
Our bus was actually white, but all the HoHo buses are 1960's
London Routemasters painted bright Pink, Blue, Green and White.
Rode the bus for a while and made our first stop at the
Citadel. This being an Historic Fortress
built on a high point overlooking the town and harbour. At his post at the entrance was the tallest
guard you could imagine. All sorts of
military artefacts and different events going on including the Noon firing of a
cannon and a lone piper playing from the walls.
Back on a different bus, a Pink one this time, continued
round the town to the Fairview Lawns Cemetery.
This stop is to view the gravestones of (most of) the victims of the
Titanic disaster who were buried in Halifax.
Guides provided by the bus company for 'doing the graves' with
background stories and extra information.
The cost of burial and gravemarkers being paid for by the White Star
Line. The layout of the graves
representing the prow of a ship.
One grave of note is that of Ernest Edward Samuel Freeman,
secretary to Mr Bruce Ismail. The extra
cost of the non-standard marker paid for by Bruce Ismail, some say only because
of a guilty conscience, he having escaped death by getting into one of the last
lifeboats and leaving his secretary to perish.
We hadn't realised that when 'ships' were sent out to search for any
remaining survivors they found no one alive.
Having only taken 150 body bags with then they buried all the rest at
sea.
Back on the bus for the return to the ship.
Just time for coffee and a snack and some sun before the
folkloric show, consisting of bagpipes, violins and Scottish dancing. This area is not called Nova Scotia for
nothing.
Tonight splashed out with
our on board spend money to eat in the Crown Grill. Excellent dinner mainly consisting of Filet
Mignon, delicious.
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