Andrew Tynes entertaining the passers-by in Halifax
R gave a lecture on Saturday at a science meeting and I tagged along to reconnoiter Halifax. I didn't get out of the downtown area before I had made a lot of new friends.
It's a small town, such that after wandering about for an hour, I started recognizing the skyline, coffee shops and street buskers. Saturday's weather was fantastic, even so, this town does not wake up early. I followed a trail of people to the farmer's market, looking for breakfast. Latte shops are everywhere, too bad I never learned to drink the stuff. Eggs, toast, juice proved elusive, although around noon I found a place a block from the hotel (naturally).
I first saw Anthony at the farmer's market, He's a native Nova Scotian, pipe-fitter and self-taught saxman. We had a chance to talk later, when he had moved to the corner near our hotel, across the street from the public gardens. I was curious why everyone was honking horns, and Anthony explained that the public gardens was THE place to make wedding photos.
Two of twelve bridesmaids photographing Crystal and her father-in-law
I love bride-spotting when I am on a trip. I nabbed seven happy couples in an hour. Crystal and Ian's friends were waiting for the photo session with Paul Adams to end.
Five SUVs parked at the curb, tunes blasting out onto the pavement. The cream escalade in the front of the line had white roses tied to the grill, I hardly needed ask if they were with a wedding. Photographer Paul and his assistant were working hard to get the shots of a wedding party with 12 bridesmaids plus juniors and flowergirls, and a similar quantity of well dressed men. Just the wedding party had to add up to more than thirty! That's a lot of satin.
The bridesmaids wanted their photo made with the flotilla of SUVs. Couldn't get in all the cars, not sure I got all the girls either.
If we hadn't had another engagement, I would have wanted to crash this party - they looked like they were going to have a lot of fun that night.
Lots of pretty backdrops at the public gardens, a traditional Victorian-style garden
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Bride-spotting at the park entrance didn't offer much of a challenge. These sequential images were made 35 seconds apart.
After 30 minutes, I lost count.
Two more happy couples, one kilt
Halifax looks like a great eating town. Lots of local produce at the market, and we had a fabulous banquet at Gio thanks to R's hosts. I wish I could report that my lunch was as nutritious. Before we went to Ireland, I read a series of books by Roddy Doyle about life in Dublin. The last book, The Van, featured a chipper van, or a catering truck as we would call it, which the protagonists parked outside the pubs to vend fish and chips. I looked and never saw one in Galway.
A real chipper van
I present to you Bud the Spud Man and his chipper. He serves only potatoes, no fish mucking up that oil. I watched a non-stop stream of customers buying paper bags of chips and cans of soda. Bud has his space tagged with paint in front of the library.
Chris, another Halifaxian, with his ration of chips.
There's plenty about Halifax to describe: the Citadel, the ferry, bagpipe music everywhere. Mostly I'll remember that Halifax is a friendly town and I want to come back with more time to wander about, making more pictures and friends. And I'll be eating more spuds too.
