Adventures Awaits on the East Coast

Having been born and raised, and done all my schooling in California, I have spent almost my entire life living and traveling around on the west coast. So when I happened upon an opportunity to take a six month work assignment in upstate New York, I jumped on the chance to travel to the east coast, a part of the country that is still relatively unknown and mysterious to me. 

For the next half year, I will be living and working in Malta, NY, a small town in an area whose sleepy exterior belies the rich history within. Less than ten miles from my apartment is the site of the Battle of Saratoga from the Revolutionary War. A few minutes drive northwest of there, and you can reach Saratoga Springs, a town with it’s own longtime traditions of hot springs and horse races. Even today, you can go there to watch (and bet on, if you’re feeling lucky,) live thoroughbred horse racing, a pastime that seems to be distinctly east coast.

There are also countless activities available for the outdoor enthusiast. Warm summer days offer swimming and kayaking on the many lakes in the area, hiking in the vast Adirondack mountain range, and running through the nearby forest trails. Winters are said to be harsh, but also provide opportunities to ski, ice skate, and snow shoe without having to drive four hours up a mountain. 

As an added bonus, upstate New York happens to be in a great location for weekend trips to popular east coast destinations. Three hours of driving can get you to New York City to the south, Boston to the east, and Montreal to the north. With an additional hour of driving, you could reach Philadelphia farther south or Niagara Falls to the west. I definitely plan to visit some of these locations, as well as others in the vicinity. 

So far I’ve been enjoying the east coast experience, seeing interesting places unique to the area. It’s been a bit hot and humid, nothing like the year round temperate weather back home, but that hasn’t deterred me from going exploring. There’s so much to see and do - more than enough to keep me busy for the next six months.

- MC 7/27

P.S. I'd love to hear any suggestions for things to see/do from all you east coasters!

Ships and History in Halifax

We ended our train journey across the eastern stretches of Canada in Halifax, a port city known for its history and lobsters. In many ways, Halifax almost reminds me of San Francisco, with its ample selection of seafood restaurants and waterfront establishments swarming with tourists. But as an older city that had taken an active role in numerous international events in the past, I found the historical buildings and attractions in Halifax to be much more interesting and impressive.

Famous Halifax seafood

Similar to Quebec City, Halifax also has a star-shaped Citadel built on the highest hill overlooking the city. These fortifications were also built by the British, but were intended to be used in defense against the French. The Citadel in Halifax seemed a little smaller than the one in Quebec, but boasted equally impressive features. A tall wall and deep ditch surround the entire fort, meaning any attackers would, after charging up a steep hill, have to drop 20 feet into the ditch and climb 40 feet up a sheer wall before making it into the fort’s interior, all the while being shot at by snipers on both sides. The inside of the fort contains storehouses and sleeping quarters, giving it the ability to be self sufficient in the case of a siege. It appears just as impenetrable as the Quebec citadel, but we’ll never know how it would have actually held up in battle, because like the other fort, this one has never been attacked. In fact, the only time the Citadel ever functioned as a defensive structure for the city was during the Halifax Explosion of 1917. 

Standing in the ditch of the Citadel

It was the height of World War I, and the French cargo ship, the Mont-Blanc, was on its way across the ocean loaded with explosives. Before heading east back to France, they were to make a stop in Halifax. The big ship barely fit in Halifax harbor, and due to miscommunication, the Mont-Blanc collided with the Imo, a Norwegian ship headed in the opposite direction out the harbor. Fire quickly spread across the carnage, resulting in a massive explosion that wiped out the entire east side of the city. The Citadel however, stood firm, protecting the rest of the city behind it from the blast.

The Halifax Explosion is the subject of one of the many exhibits at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Other exhibits featured model ships with exquisite detail crafted by local hobbyists, and a real full-sized ship outside that was free to explore with museum admission. Also featured was a whole exhibit about the Titanic and the aftermath its disastrous journey, of which I was surprised Halifax played such a large role.

Intricate model ships at the museum

After the Titanic sank, rescue ships quickly set out to bring the survivors to New York, the original intended destination. The bodies of the victims however, were sent to Halifax. Halifax was the closest port city to the wreckage that had relatively easy access to the rest of the continent via railroad. After the bodies were identified, they could be sent to their families for burial. Of course, only the families of the first class passengers could afford the shipping costs, so many of the bodies ended up being buried right in Halifax. During our city tour, our guide took us to Fairview Cemetery, where most of the victims were buried. It was interesting hearing the stories he had to tell us about certain individuals buried there, but also sad to think about the tragedy that had befallen all those people. Many of the tombstones were simply labeled with the date of the disaster and a number, the body unable to be identified, destined to rest there forever in anonymity. 

Grave marker at the Fairview Cemetery, inspiration for the character Jack Dawson

Having gone through the US school system, I learned a lot about American history, but not much about the rest of the world. My favorite part about this past trip was learning about the rich histories of each stop, visiting monuments from a different time, and hearing stories about the lives of people past and present. There are many things that we didn’t have time to get to during our stays in Montreal, Quebec, and Halifax, and discover more stories yet untold.

- MC 6/27