Coming back in from the cold and the rain, I didn’t sit down to write this note until after I had drained my shoes, wrung out my socks and had a nice hot shower. Oh, and stopped @ Local (the 24 hour restaurant) for soup and a warm sandwich. Should I mention they have amazing carrot cake? Carmen, Stu and Mary have been after me for days to try it.

Anyway, this is not my first port call in Halifax. I have been here enough times to feel comfortable in navigating the downtown area, hitting libraries and museums along with a familiarity with several of the local craft shops. What I haven’t experienced before was winds, 6*C and driving rain on any of my visits. It made going from the ship to the Atlantic Superstore (umbrellas cheap) to the main craft store (one missing color of DMC floss, note umbrellas were cheaper but I already had one) to the Maritime Craft Store on Grafton Street (the other needed color of floss), back to the Loop (yarn store, behaved myself). And on, along streets, through puddles, across intersections and generally passing places I would spend more time. If the sun was out; if it wasn’t raining. If my leggings weren’t soaked to the knees.

I spent time in both the Maritime Museum and the Map Store before heading along the boardwalk back to the ship. The Farmer’s Market and Pier Stores were doing a brisk business. The rest of the merchants along the board walk hadn’t bothered to set up. But the Farmer’s Market opened a week early and was doing a brisk business in prepared foods (everyone), fresh vegetables, bakery and meats (locals) and handicrafts – lots of business off the two ships in port.

I don’t think I ran into anyone in town from the second ship – HAL’s Veedam which is doing the 7/14 day Boston/Montreal trip. But it wasn’t all that hard to spot their passenger’s at the terminal shops. Older than ours with a heavy leavening of French Canadian. Also, carrying an umbrella with a ship’s name on it could also be construed as a hint.

I have dried out completely and am finally feeling warm. I think it is going to be more than a day before my shoes dry out – a hair dryer was suggested. Since I don’t need them again till Thurs morning I might just see how they do propped up on their own.

Meanwhile, the cloud layer is lowering. Sunset is allegedly ~2020 but suspect it will be fairly dark long before then. I am thinking … hot chocolate? Latte ? Maybe a Mocha…..