Home again Home again, Jig-idy Jig
Jul. 31st, 2002 06:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tvordljMy journey home from work today under the hot sun was not steamy, sticky or as aggravating as you might think. I did an errand and as the shop was close to the waterfront at the far end of it, i made my way down there to walk back to the ferry terminal. It has not been a great summer, even the sunny days have had a nip to the breeze but today was a scorcher. Halifax has a brilliant waterfront, lined with new condo developments, shops, boats, a museum, a hotel and a casino at the far end of the developed area. It's a mecca for tourists and locals alike who parade up and down the boardwalk to catch the evening breeze or the summer sun.
So i strolled along. I looked into a new gift shop that had some really nice things. There were children in the courtyard running in and out of a sprinkling fountain. A bit further on i checked out the price for a sail on one of the tall ships, intending to go after work on Friday to celebrate my impending week off. There's a street performance going on, and close to the ferry terminal, a young man in jeans and a tshirt playing the bagpipes for loose change.
Halifax is on a very large natural harbour, spanned by two suspension bridges and crossed by two people ferries. I don't normally take the ferry home because it means i have to take two busses on the other side. Normally i only have to take one bus door to door during the rush hour. But a hot sunny nearly cloudless day begs for a ferry ride up on the top deck. That's what i did. Situated myself so that the sun was at my back so i could read during the 12 minute trip. The people on the ferry at this time of day are mainly office workers on their way home. During the day and weekend there are lots of tourists as well, taking in the views of the harbour and Halifax skyline.
I can still hear the strains of the bagpipes for the first few minutes of the journey, drifting out over the water on the breeze. It's windier on the water, almost cooling. About halfway across i looked up from my book and glanced around me. There's an oil rig looming over on the shore. Down towards the mouth of the harbour is the little green George's Island with it's white lighthouse gleaming in the sun. The cranes bend high over the container piers and i think i can still hear strains of the pipes but maybe it's just in my head now. Halifax's skyline always lifts my heart. I love it! There are about a dozen office buildings, none taller than about 24 storeys, with glimpses of Citadel Hill and the star shaped fort on the top in behind. There's a huge Canadian flag lazily blowing, it's bright red and white visible right across the mile-plus harbour. There's the copper domes on the corner turrets of the casino next to the battle gray navy ships in the dockyard next to it. The first suspension bridge closes off the view as i get closer to the Dartmouth shore, the more northern bridge can only been seen from the middle of the harbour.
The ferry docks and people line up at the staircase to go down. The metallic wheeze and clang of the iron ramps echo and the ferry empties of commuters who walk briskly up the ramps into the terminal building before dispersing in several directions to cars and busses. I make my way to the bus stop and continue my journey. Aside from an annoying 20 minute wait to change busses, the journey home was tranquil, near perfect. And, *bonus* my apartment is cool! It faces north and there's another building next door so there is often a breeze built up between the two four-floor apartment blocks.
So i strolled along. I looked into a new gift shop that had some really nice things. There were children in the courtyard running in and out of a sprinkling fountain. A bit further on i checked out the price for a sail on one of the tall ships, intending to go after work on Friday to celebrate my impending week off. There's a street performance going on, and close to the ferry terminal, a young man in jeans and a tshirt playing the bagpipes for loose change.
Halifax is on a very large natural harbour, spanned by two suspension bridges and crossed by two people ferries. I don't normally take the ferry home because it means i have to take two busses on the other side. Normally i only have to take one bus door to door during the rush hour. But a hot sunny nearly cloudless day begs for a ferry ride up on the top deck. That's what i did. Situated myself so that the sun was at my back so i could read during the 12 minute trip. The people on the ferry at this time of day are mainly office workers on their way home. During the day and weekend there are lots of tourists as well, taking in the views of the harbour and Halifax skyline.
I can still hear the strains of the bagpipes for the first few minutes of the journey, drifting out over the water on the breeze. It's windier on the water, almost cooling. About halfway across i looked up from my book and glanced around me. There's an oil rig looming over on the shore. Down towards the mouth of the harbour is the little green George's Island with it's white lighthouse gleaming in the sun. The cranes bend high over the container piers and i think i can still hear strains of the pipes but maybe it's just in my head now. Halifax's skyline always lifts my heart. I love it! There are about a dozen office buildings, none taller than about 24 storeys, with glimpses of Citadel Hill and the star shaped fort on the top in behind. There's a huge Canadian flag lazily blowing, it's bright red and white visible right across the mile-plus harbour. There's the copper domes on the corner turrets of the casino next to the battle gray navy ships in the dockyard next to it. The first suspension bridge closes off the view as i get closer to the Dartmouth shore, the more northern bridge can only been seen from the middle of the harbour.
The ferry docks and people line up at the staircase to go down. The metallic wheeze and clang of the iron ramps echo and the ferry empties of commuters who walk briskly up the ramps into the terminal building before dispersing in several directions to cars and busses. I make my way to the bus stop and continue my journey. Aside from an annoying 20 minute wait to change busses, the journey home was tranquil, near perfect. And, *bonus* my apartment is cool! It faces north and there's another building next door so there is often a breeze built up between the two four-floor apartment blocks.
