In Halifax,
Canada, hope, courage and laughter overcome a tragic past
WHEN THE Titanic sank in
1912, courageous locals brought the bodies not buried at sea, to close-at-hand
Halifax. This makes it a unique destination, a cemetery that causes an instant
re-arrangement of your cerebral furniture: is this a place of sorrow or
courage?
The Fairview Cemetery,
the best tended of the lot, is the final resting place of over 100 victims. The
three lines of graves are laid out in a gently-curving shape, which suggest the
contours of a ship. This is where you’ll find your first surprise, the grave of
Jack Dawson. Leonardo Di Caprio’s character in Titanic (1997), is named after
(but has no connection to) a real person. You’ll soon realise, however, that
the real stories are more powerful than those you saw on screen. Like the tale
of William Denton Cox, a heroic steward, who died escorting third-class
passengers to the lifeboat.
BREAKING THE ICE
The Maritime Museum of
the Atlantic, which has a Titanic section, is what weaves individual stories
together. More history lives in the exhibits that focus on the Halifax
Explosion of 1917. Halifax, like much of the world, was sucked into the First
World War. It was the point of assembly and departure for transatlantic convoys
taking supplies to soldiers oversees. A miscommunication between two ships
resulted in a collision, followed by an explosion reducing the city to shambles
and killing several people.
And yet, the focus is not
on who is to blame, but what the city did next. Citizens bravely bounced back
both times, re-building their lives. On the day I arrived, the place was
hosting a farewell for Erik, the resident cat.
This might explain why,
no matter where you go in Halifax, people smile. A sign outside a fish shack by
the bay reads, “Who needs the gym? We have all the mussels you need.” Even the
Five Fishermen restaurant, a former funeral home that housed corpses from the
Titanic and Halifax explosion is now a place for ghost stories over steaks,
burgers and martinis.
ART MATTERS
Halifax, a place that
knows how quickly fates can change, makes the most of every day. Walls become
artists’ canvases, photogenic boats are abundant. Locals swear that it’s the
presence of water around them that makes them such an easy-going breed. Men are
out playing a spot of waterfront golf in their lunch break. The Wave, a
3.6-meter tall sculpture, proves once again that approachable art is always a
good idea – children kick off their shoes and scramble up with confidence. But
it’s really the parents who get wild. They climb less confidently, often only
to slide back to the foam base. The excitement in their eyes makes me wonder if
the free-spiritedness we’ve left behind is more precious than all we’ve gained.
WALKING ON
This is a city best
explored on foot. The 1814 Privateers Warehouse, an old stone building, is
where the booty that came in from across the waters, was stored. Nearby, the
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, apart from being a hotbed of aboriginal and local
talent, is also the mecca for fans of Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis. The
3x4-metre home she lived in has paintings on almost every surface. What strikes
you at once is that the heroes in these parts are the ordinary folk.
The stories that peg the
waterfront are of the men who worked the cable ships, clearly among the best
seafarers and technicians in the world, who often grappled with dangerous work
on the ice-choked waters of the Northern Atlantic.
If the walking builds up
an appetite (and you love fresh produce and seafood) you’ll be delighted with
Halifax once more. You’ll find every combination of seafood, every kind of
sausage at the sausage festival, and an abundance of preservative-free chocolate,
served with local ingredients from ice wine, berries and seaport to maple
syrup, honey and seaweed.
Perhaps it’s even worth
mentioning that the doner kebab from Middle East has been adopted by Halifax in
its own unique way. The garlic sauce made with yoghurt and lemon juice didn’t
go down well with the locals. So they created their own – a sweeter version
with vapourised milk, vinegar, garlic powder and sugar. Call it ‘donair’ like
the locals.
And while I lick the
sweet sauce off my fingers, I’m reminded once more of how a city can change its
own story. For here are people who haven’t let their past determine them, and
let hope hold sway over history.
Getting there: There are no non-stop flights from India. Conect
via Turkey, France or Amsterdam. Canadian visa is required.
Eat: Restaurants focus on fresh, sustainable and local produce.
Seafood is abundant.
Do: See the Titanic section at the Maritime Museum of the
Atlantic.
Plan: Canada can get cold, so visit
during the warmest time: late June through August. The Canadian dollar is
roughly ` 48.
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by Sonia Nazareth brunchletters
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