This one is a bit more about Halifax

I've spent the past week sleeping in Meghann's parking lot in Halifax by night and engaging in a bit of a routine by day. Every day I ride into town on Libby (the little silver addition to my Jamboree family). I go to the Second Cup coffee shop, check email, browse cheap travel options and sip soya lattes. I go to the Y. I go out and see something of Halifax. And then I find some place to have dinner and a glass or two of wine before returning to the Jamboree to sleep.

As far as coffee shops go:

I've been to Starbucks, of course, but they have a maximum of 2 hours online time per day. I tried another local coffee shop called Perks, twice actually, and both times their internet was down. I have gotten wireless signals in bars and restaurants to keep me company while I eat, and one evening I even had a few too many glasses of wine while browsing a little too long.

Hands down, Second Cup wins. Not only is it Canadian, it serves great coffees AND lets you sit there all day if you want, online. The reason I know all this isn't because I'm dying to spend all my time in Halifax online, but I had to get some work done this week, so needed a place to go where I could sit for hours and do that work. As well as browse and email and skype... and sip coffee...

I got to observe some of the coffee shop clientele while there. There's this one guy there every day, smells pugently of cigarette smoke and wears his tie around his neck, but right against the skin, not on the shirt but inside the shirt. He's otherwise well enough groomed, if you don't mind the fact that he wears the same clothes every day. He sits and listens to music on his Discman (haven't seen one of those in years!) and sips his coffee and knows every server by name.

There are two students from Dalhousie university, two young guys, who sit beside each other but both on their own laptops, comparing stuff. There is a woman who has come in a couple of times with a young Chinese girl, engaged in animated Chinese lessons over their cappucinos. There are two other young students who sit at opposite ends of the room from one another, both online, and I think engaged in an online game either against one another or on the same team against someone else, as they occasionally look up and make a comment to each other simultaneously about something that happened on both their screens. And these are just the people I've seen more than once.

Seriously, coffee shops are interesting character studies.

Another part of my routine is that I've gone to the Y almost every day to sweat and shower. It was the first place I went to when I rolled into town a week ago. The staff went above and beyond the call of duty to help me find Meghann – my parking lot hostess - online, to help me get a personal locker that I could keep all week, and, of course, let me use the facilities.

Here's my two-cents-worth for anyone planning an extended trip around North America and values feeling good: get a Y membership.

35 dollars a month and you can exercise when you are sick of driving or otherwise just needing to sweat. And shower! I can't tell you how important that part of it is. When I arrived here in Halifax, as an example, I hadn't showered in about 3 or 4 days. I had been sleeping in truckstops and parking lots in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. I drove straight to the Halifax Y, seriously. Directly. First stop. Met the uber-gracious and friendly people behind the desk, and then, thankfully, sweated, saunaed and showered. You know that expression, “I felt like a new woman”? Uh huh.

I've decided to give my own YMCA awards for the services across the country so far.

Best security for Betty: Victoria
Swankiest new facilities: Its a tie! between: Calgary Eau Claire, and Winnipeg
Most challenging to get to: Mississauga
Most obviously full of the beefiest guys: Saskatoon
Most trusting (ie/didn't call to verify that my membership was in good standing): Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Best escape from the rain: St. John's, Newfoundland
Best class (karate!): Montreal
Hands down, friendliest and overall most helpful: Halifax

In fact, I was so damn thrilled to have found the Y in Halifax, to sweat and shower away my days on the road, that I composed a jingle. You know what tune to set it to, I'm sure I don't need to point that one out:

Young girl!
After driving around
you can go to
the nearest-kinda-big town
a-and work out!
All your driver's stiffness
and you'll feel – bet – ter – af – ter - wards

Young girl!
After your exercise
you can go down
to the sauna, no lies!
a-and shower! for the very first time
in sev - eral - days – but who's – count - ing.

Dun dun dun dun dun

Let's hear it now for the Y M C A
Yea, give a cheer for the Y M C A ' hey...

You can travel a lot
and sleep in par – king lots
and never worry that – you – are – a - slob.

Young girl!
After you feel revived
You can go out
and take part in your life
a-and feel great!
Knowing that you are
so clean - and - re-vit-a-lised!

Let's hear it now for the Y M C A
Give a cheer for the Y M C A ' hey...
... etc...


Ok, I admit, “young girl” is a bit of a stretch now that I've celebrated my 37th birthday, but it goes with the spirit of the song, don't you think? And attached are the pictures that will make the ladies at the Halifax Y famous, and without whom my week in Halifax would have been considerably less happily spent. :) Meghan with one n.

And finally, dining in Halifax. Yum. And great names. I've been to the Economy Shoe Shop. The Argyle. The Wooden Monkey. The latter being my favourite, full of gorgeous vegetarian and fair trade and organic dishes.

And so I leave Halifax feeling like I've gotten to know it, kinda, in an everyday sort of sense. I didn't take too many pictures, some of the citadel until my camera batteries died on me. But enough to know that I like it.

Halifax