From sea to shining...well, you get the message

Once again a stop ended on a rainy, gloomy note. Halifax had been pleasant, but cold, until this morning when I woke to a mixture of rain and snow outside my hotel room window. Fortunately, I could sleep in because my departure on The Ocean to Montreal was not until 12:35 p.m. And when I did get up I was able to remain indoors and use the skywalk system that connects the Delta Barrington with its sister hotel, the Delta Halifax, and the Marriott, to find a quick breakfast before catching my taxi to the VIA Rail station. Most of the stores are closed on Sunday, but all the local coffee houses are open for business.

Before arriving in Halifax on Thursday, I had spent two nights in Toronto. The visit lasted less than forty hours, but my intent all along had been to hang out at The Drake Hotel when I was not doing the one thing that was a must, a visit to the newly-reopened, Frank Gehry-designed Art Gallery of Ontario. After a quick cab ride with some fellow who informed me it was his first day driving a taxi, then handed me a map to show him where AGO was located, I spent most of the day wandering the dozens of individual galleries in awe of their collection. Everything from European Masters to Canada's Group of Seven to the world's largest public display of Henry Moore sculptures. Some things were still be finished architecturally, so I was unable to enjoy one of AGO's most famous collections, the 130 ship models donated as part of The Thomson Collection, but one display was visible so I got a taste. What incredibly intricate detail! Go to
www.ago.net to see what I mean.

After the cab ride from hell, I chose to walk back through Toronto's Chinatown. Although the temps were dropping late in the afternoon, it was fun to check out all the little Chinese/Vietnamese/Thai groceries and shops. Dinner at The Drake was first class. The rhubarb sours with Jack Daniels also warmed the soul. In fact, four or five will knock you senseless. Probably why Monday night is a blur! Where I passed out is shown below. Pardon the clothes, but the Drake's "Crash Pad" is rather compact.

The trip to Halifax on the overnight train was routine. The menu in the dining car is the Canadian version of Amtrak's, with little variety and most things pre-made, then heated in the attached service car, which also serves as a lounge. I have the same crew on my return to Montreal, so we are all familiar to each other. My double bedroom has a shower and an upper berth I actually fit in and a little fold-out table perfect for writing entries like this.
I could spend time talking about Halifax, but beyond the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, this visit to be perfectly honest was somewhat uneventful. I dropped clothes at the dry cleaner, spent an hour or so at a laundromat washing a load or two, and the rest of the time just walked the streets browsing and taking in the historic downtown/waterfront area.

The restaurant scene is terrific -- I must try molasses on my biscuits next time I have the chance -- but beyond that I don't want this to become a gastronomic recitation. I did keep the tradition of snacking on a hot cinnamon roll at the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and bought a few other local things to bring back to the states. Oh, and I did find a spot to wet my fingers with seawater from the Atlantic, but unlike Vancouver it was not part of any stroll on the beach. Frankly, one of the highlights was the wonderful hotel swimming pool and sauna. Adult hours...9 to 11 p.m.

It is very snowy outside my window. Let's all cross our fingers Quebec City, QC is not like this or we may regret that the Courtyard by Marriott in the Old Quarter is not similarly equipped! Brrrr!!