Silver Lining

Once again, I’ve demonstrated my knack for scheduling a vacation that coincides with unpredictable drama  This time it’s Hurricane Lee, which hopefully will have calmed down to tropical storm status by the time it whams into Halifax sometime during the next 24 hours. Yes, here I am in Nova Scotia.  I arrived here late last night in preparation for – wait for it – a bicycle tour. Hahahahahaha.

 

 Bike route                                                                      Approaching storm

 

 

 

Let me just say in my defense that I DID research autumn weather patterns for this area; September typically has less rain than the surrounding months. But I guess you never can tell when it comes to hurricanes. And, what with increasingly crazy weather everywhere, all bets are off.  The tour company – Backroads – has been in touch and plans for the bike tour to proceed so here I am, hoping for the best.

Here’s the silver lining part: The storm is forecasted to hit this area overnight tonight (Friday) and linger on into Saturday. Our bike tour is scheduled to begin on Sunday when the worst will have hopefully passed through. We’ve been warned that our guides may have to alter Sunday’s plan, but the forecast after that looks to be favorable. If it all works out this way, then lucky for the bike riding, but also lucky that I arrived here before the crazy weather starts. Woe to others on the tour who may be flying in today/tomorrow.

After sleeping in this morning (I arrived quite late last night), I walked all over Halifax which has retained lots of charm within modern development.  The waterfront area is especially pleasant with lots of shops and restaurants. It rained a bit, but lightly and not enough to dampen my enjoyment. 

 

I happened to walk up from the waterfront and arrive at The Citadel shortly before noon when the town shoots off a canon each day. There were a few ranger-type workers up there who closed the road and cordoned off us pedestrians as noon approached.  From our vantage, all we could see was the mouth of the cannon’s muzzle as it was loaded (gun power but no cannon ball) and pointed. Then we were given a 30-second warning so we could plug our ears and then BOOM it was a no-joke explosion with an impressive smoke plume. We all clutched our hearts and nodded approval.

After the smoke cleared, there was a formal changing of the guards which was much smaller in scale than Buckingham Palace’s. The guards were impressively kitted-out, which seemed re-assuring from a defense standpoint until one of the rangers explained that the guards were staying near the Citadel tunnel so “they could keep their bonnets dry.”

 

It’s Friday afternoon now and I’ve been assessing my storm survival plan.  I’m on the third floor of the hotel which is several blocks up from the waterfront. I brought a flashlight with me.  There is a hotel restaurant, but what happens if it loses power and/or the workers can’t get there?  I’m going out soon to buy some food for my room so I can avoid getting overly hangry while I hunker down.