Euro Travel & More

If you are in Halifax with children – you have to go for a cruise in good ole Theodore – for it must be fun for the kids.  We didn’t go – because the weather wasn’t so nice.  But the next time we are in Halifax in the summer – we have to remember to give Theodore the tugboat a try.

It was quite a windy day – even in June – it was quite cold and the water was choppy.

Theodore looking really good here.

There is also a gift store just on all of Theodore the tugboat – but they were expensive – but nevertheless a novelty everyone must bring home from Halifax.

We stayed at the Westin Hotel in Halifax during our last trip up to the city and since Westin was rated as a 4 star hotel we were actually looking forward to checking out the hotel.  Located at the South end of Halifax – near the waterfront – it’s not as convenient as the Barrington Delta or the Sheraton Four Points but it was still a pretty decent place to stay at.

The Westin had a huge lobby and it’s especially great for businessmen since they need to receive their guests here – over here is where you can find the bell hop/concierge desk – but as you can see here – no bell hop or concierge is in sight.  But that doesn’t mean that they are not around.  The bell hops are friendly but since the hotel was running on full house – they were in and out of the hotel.  I would have thought that there would be a permanent concierge for such a big hotel but we didn’t see any during our 2 days stay there.

The front desk area is large and usually there are a few front desk clerk available – either on the phone or checking in their guests.  Our check in was prompt and we were treated with respect but unfortunately, they did not hear that we need a room with a cot in it since we had a 7 yrs old with us.

The lobby is inviting as you can see here. There were several restaurants in the basement and a lounge area with free wifi – unfortunately, the hotel was so packed we didn’t get a chance to check it out.

Our first room was too small for a cot – so we asked for a change of room – the second day – which they did.  Unfortunately, they gave us a handicap room – with no tub – so my poor kid did not bathe the night before we went home.   Everything was just weird for us in the handicap room.  The bathroom was small and had no counter top space and the heater didn’t really work right at all.

They brought the cot up after we spoke to the housekeeping maid on the floor – unfortunately, they didn’t have the right sheets for the cot – and we had to ask again for them.

We didn’t even get to go to the pool because the kid got sick from sleeping on the floor the first night and the second night the heater wouldn’t come on.  But service was good – they did try to help but if given a choice we won’t stay at the Westin because it is a old hotel – grand but dusty to max.

I haven’t been into a train station for a long time – so when we were in Halifax and staying at the Westin Hotel which is just next to the VIA Rail – I thought we should at least stop in and check it out.  You can’t missed the train station as it is at the end of Barrington Street – to be exact it is in Hollis Street.

It would be nice to take a train ride up to Montreal or even to Niagara Falls.

The inside of the train station.

It’s places like the Clay Cafe that make me wished we lived in Halifax instead of a small town – places like Clay Cafe located at Quinpool Road is a place that anyone of any ages can go to.  Be it bonding with mother/father with their kids – or girlfriends and boyfriends wanting to show their artwork in a special way.

With more than 300 pottery shapes to choose from and some friendly staff to help you out – you will like this casual setting – where you can paint away for just $5 – $60 depending on the design.  It’s not entirely cheap – but it’s a great way to spend an afternoon doing something nice for yourself or someone.  I really do like this Clay Cafe and wished I could bring this franchise to our small town.

In all our trip up the city – we’ve never gone closed to the public garden – we’ve heard a lot about it – but we’ve never been there.  This trip up to the city – the kid wanted to go to a playground – so we went for a walk after parking the car.

The Halifax Public Garden’s gate reminds me of the Botanical Garden back home.  A lot of restoration work was put into this garden after it was hit by Hurricane Juan.

Inside the Public Garden – a gazebo – lots of gardeners worked in this garden voluntarily.  We didn’t stay for long as the bugs were in full force that afternoon.  But i do plan to visit another time soon.

Been in Nova Scotia for so long and had wanted to visit Peggy’s Cove everytime we are in Halifax but time seems to never permit it.  So last year – during the summer – I told the spouse that we had to go to Peggy’s cove – so here we were.

Peggy’s Cove is really all about the scenic – the peacefulness of the whole place.

See everyone climbing the rocks and looking over the ocean.

The Harbour F ront in Halifax

We just bought a PT Cruiser and will be taking a trip to the city with it this time – to see how it holds for long rides on the highway.  We found our car insurance from cheapestautoinsurance.net so we are all set to take that road trip.   We didn’t want to buy a second car – to be honest – because we were afraid of paying too much for the car insurance – but luckily we found one that was within our budget – so now that we have the PT Cruiser – taking road trips to the city – won’t be so crampy.  We love the huge space – that we have with our PT Cruiser – this trip – would be for pleasure only.

As promised – i’ve shown you the outside of the CourtYard Marriot on the previous post and now for the inside of the hotel.  The bedroom given to us was a very nice room – spacious with 2 queen bed.  The receptionist at check in was very nice and polite – but the bell hop was helping someone else during check in – so we carried our own luggage – to our room.  But it was a lazy Sunday – so having only one bell hop is understandable and we didn’t have very much – just 2 luggages and lots of shopping bag with acne body wash that we had bought for a friend’s kid.

The view was very pretty – as you can see here.  And our fear that the road may get too noisy from the reviews that we read – were unfounded – we didn’t hear a thing outside of our room.

I thought we had read that our tv was going to be an LCD tv – therefore we had brought along our xbox 360 to be hooked up to it for our stay.  But alas – it was a normal tv and what made it even more frustrating was the tv didn’t allowed us to play our xbox 360 onto it.  But – the saving grace was the receptionist had offered to give us the one in the conference room if it wasn’t in used.  Now that was very nice of her – but it came with a huge rack and totally took up part of the room.  By then we were too tired to try and return it and just left it in the room because it was already late – 9pm.

This was the breakfast room – it’s located right in the lobby – a really small area – no restaurant or a drinking hole but the wait staff and the kitchen staff were great – they made a waffle for my kid even though they didn’t have it in the menu.  Very sweet indeed!

This is the hotel’s pool – it’s tiny!

Boy! i sure missed those pools in Asia! hotel pools in Asia are Olympic sizes.

We were up in Halifax, Nova Scotia a few weeks ago – and this time we stayed at a different hotel and it was right smacked in the middle of town.  It was pretty awesome knowing that you can go just about anywheres even walking to find shops and eateries -and driving made even easier to go anywhere in town.  But parking is hellish as far as we can see but it can be because we are just not used to the city and don’t know where to park.

Parking isn’t cheap in downtown Halifax and we are already paying for valet parking at the hotel – so while the spouse was reading up on nuphedragen review i took some pictures of the scenery right on top of the hotel we were staying at.  But yes, while once we were a Econolodge loyalist – we are not a convert to downtown hotels.

Halifax also known as the Atlantic Playground is beautiful as you can see.  Winters are harsh here – but summer – with seafest and many outdoor activities – it almost seems like i haven’t seen Halifax enough.  The place is too huge to enjoy in just a few days – so if you are up that way – there to stay a little longer will you.

Halifax, Nova Scotia is one of the most vibrant city in the province of Nova Scotia. Besides the many pubs and restaurants available here, you will find one of Nova Scotia’s biggest and grandest casino. Nova Scotia is also known as Canada’s Ocean playground, so you can also expect alot of water activities here. The famous Peggy’s Cove is not to be missed of course. Boasting of the second largest natural harbor in the world after Sydney, Australia, summer is definitely the best time to visit.  Tall ships and the many music festivals and the fireworks in the harbourfront is some sight.

Besides all the awesome places to shop.. once can find some authentic cuisine here.. like Dharma Sushi for Japaneses.. and Pete Frootique.. for all kinds of exotic fruits.. as well as food from London. There are some Greek restaurants there.. and don’t forget the many dim sum places you can try chinese food at.  Halifax is also one of the places.. i get all my chinese groceries.  The people are friendly.. and it’s almost like going home.