We went into Halifax (5 pm Thursday) to attend the opening reception of Footsteps East at the Teichert Gallery.
Anne and Edward gave a talk on their experience: the logistics, the impact of Summer storms, their understanding of the geology (landscape) and the changes in travel since the Group of Seven days ( from railroad to highways).
Before the opening, we stopped at the Bookmark on Spring Garden road. Here, I found Frederic Gros, A Philosophy of Walking.
With hindsight, the book was appropriate. We parked underground at the Muir hotel. Only to discover that the electric system had failed on our Honda CRV. This led to an overnight stay at the Muir.
” Welcome to the Muir, and to refined, distinctly Nova Scotian hospitality on the Halifax Waterfront. “ Born of this Place, “Muir (Scottish Gaelic for sea) takes inspiration from the forces that have shaped Nova Scotia and its people.”
After contacting CAA, we eventually managed to book a tow truck for the next morning. This took us to Kings Honda in Kentville. After some deliberation, we decide to trade in our Honda CRV (2014) with 350,000 km for a Honda HRV (2021) with 35,000 km..
What was to be a quick visit to the city to hear Edward/ Anne’s talk, turned into a confrontation with the changes in technology in urban Halifax, in terms of our overnight stay but also the need for reliable transportation between city and the country.
Acknowledgements
The presentation by Anne and Edward served to illustrate the level of preparedness necessary to undertake a six week road trip, including the artistic equipment. Heather and Sandy Stewart shared the harrowing experience of vehicle breakdown in the city.
References
Frederic Gros, 2023, A Philosophy of Walking, 2nd edition, VersoPress.
The Beacon, Issue 1, A Muir Halifax publication.
Footsteps East en plein air: Nova Scotia to Lake Superior. Exhibition from 1st-30th September 2023. Teichert Gallery. 1723 Hollis Street, Halifax.
Ernest Blair Experiment 