Day Three - Halifax - the Gateway Port of the Atlantic

The drive from Fredericton to Halifax is a winding divided highway that stretches as far as the eye can see through thick green forests.  The miles of forest covering a hilly landscape seem to go on for ever.  Then suddenly, the highway ends and you find yourself in a bustling, vibrant coastal city.  Our hotel is located on the harbour with views of the activities on both land and water.  We decide to enjoy a lunch at the waterside restaurant:  seafood pasta chock full of mussels and lobster meat for my partner and traditional lobster rolls for me (thick buttery bread rolls stuffed with lobster salad) complemented with the local favourite beer: Keiths.  I'm sure the food would have been as tasty without the blue skies and quick moving current of the channel, but together it was heaven.
We have a list of things to do in Halifax, but as we review the pages of notes (thanks to Rich and Gail!) we realize that our time is limited and we will have to choose a few highlights and save the rest for our next visit.
Next stop, a long walk on a long pier.  The boardwalk along the Halifax harbour is wide wooden planks dotted with small food vendors, crafters, outdoor cafes and pubs, buskers, hikers, bikers, harbour cruise ticket sellers, a farmers market and (to the immense pleasure of my partner:  the annual junior beach volleyball championships! Four sandy courts packed with tall, lithe young players both male and female. See for yourself).  We continue our stroll and end up at "the Garrison" a micro brewery that is serving up samples of their ales.  The brewery is located in the old immigration building across from the SeaPort; apparently, long ago, the building was were new immigrants would receive their paperwork and start their journey westward into the rest of Canada. We enjoy the refreshments and consult our map:  destination Alexander Keiths Brewery for the "must do" tour.
The Keith's tour is a theatrical step back in time.  Young "maids" escort us into Alexander Keith's dining room where and interactive video details the history of the brewery.  We were very intrigued to know the meaning of "India Pale Ale":  each military man back in the day was guaranteed a gallon of beer per day and many of the men were shipped to India to fight for the monarchy; India Pale Ale was invented to not spoil while the ships sailed for weeks to their destination.  Interesting!  The tour ends in The Stags Head pub (a replica of the olden days) and our guides burst into song and dance as we chug our brew.  Thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining; a step back in time.
Now - off to The Citadel, one of Canada's National Parks.  The Citadel is an old fort that is now a museum and park.  But our tour was slightly different .... we were going at night for a candlelight tour of the ghostly haunts of the fort!  Our guide (dressed in period costume) handed out lanterns to our group (authentic candle ones ... the real thing) and took us into the haunted depths of the fort including the jail rooms, the defense ditch and the barracks.  The stories, combined with moonlight and candlelight, were chilling as we toured this impressive stone structure.  How did they manage to build these things without modern machinery?
I should mention that the walk from the brewery to the Citadel is up a steep hill (an incline of approx 45 degrees).  The walk down was much easier.  Nonetheless, we had earned another beer.
Back along the pier we passed numerous pubs filled with eager and boisterous university students who are back to school.  Many a live band could be heard along the way.  We ended up at the Fife and Drum in our hotel for a Keith's.  While sitting at the bar and chatting with the bartender a young man approached to place his order; we chatted with him to find out that he was a navy man and had just returned via ship from Libya.  The perfect way to end a great day .... what a great country we live in.  Thanks to those who serve and keep us safe.