Day 18, July 5 -- Another Halifax Layday -- Zero NM

We had planned to sail further east today but winds, though light, were forecast from that direction, so another lay day was elected. We looked up the Halifax public transportation system and figured we could get downtown with a 1/4 mile walk at this end and two buses, for $1.75 each way. You get to see the neighborhood that way.

When we were last in Halifax, aboard a 2000 passenger Carnival cruise ship in late August 2005 (during hurricane Katrina), we visited the large modern maritime museum here. This time, with Lene getting tired of maritime museums and having visited it once, we visited Canada's National Museum of Immigration instead.

It is located in the building on Pier 21 which served as the primary Ellis Island type facility of Canada until air travel replaced boats as the primary means of arrival. It told Canada's immigration history, which mirrored ours in the US: a big spurt in about 1885 to 1914, analogies to our Asian Exclusion laws, suppression of black immigrants and reneging on promises to the native Americans, and the change in the 1960's, which admitted more Asians and Africans. The story was told in a very positive way by our enthusiastic docent 

and in videos by immigrants who were impressed by and grateful for how they were received. One exhibit displayed the total number and national origin breakdown of immigrants each year. What surprised me was the high percentage of immigrants to Canada from the U.S. Immigration is such a significant topic in the US these days, and Canada's welcoming attitude is so positive compared to ours. They displayed the names of all of the passengers on the SS St. Louis, which returned its Jewish refugees to Hitler's Germany after they were refused admission by the US, by Cuba and in Halifax. It was a moving and interesting exhibit.
Lunch was at a soup and sandwich spot in nearby Pier 20 called Norbert's, which is owned by Norbert who also owns the Selwood Green Farm, where the food was grown and was making the sandwiches. Excellent service my the order taker/cashier and innovative food such as a thick spread of cottage cheese and pesto mix on thick slab of home baked bread topped with walnuts toasted with a special spice. Never had that before!
We walked to the Citadel, once the fortress on the hill overlooking the city, now an icon with signal flags.

The last view is from the top floor of the nearby new modern public library.

At the citadel we met Edie, a student who led us on a walking tour of the city. She works for tips and we were her only guidees so she took us to end up at the Public Gardens instead of back at the Immigration museum. Here she is with the clock tower above us.

Dinner at the Club, where we watched the Wednesday night race: same course each week -- up and down the Northwest Arm -- but different winds each week.
Then we took on fuel and took a mooring getting ready to depart in the morning.

I want to alert you that we may not be able to transmit this blog for the next few days.