Gift Shops and History

While in Halifax we visited the old maritime town of Ludenburg on the Atlantic coast. This old sailing town was just what you would picture in the quintessential description of a sailing town, complete with sail makers, wooden boats being made right on the street, rigging shops, maritime shops of every variety and of course the sailors necessity, the gift shop. I have been amazed that the old fortresses we have visited on our trip, both French and English, have all had gifts shops. I had no idea that back in the early 1700’s that the gift shop was such a part of the fabric of daily life. It is amazing but it must be true because all the old sites had one, usually very prominent in the settlement. That is the great thing about history, it is full of surprises.

Speaking of shops, we found that Halifax must be the leader in boutiques (another word for shops men will find nothing of interest in). There were at least 400 of these little shops in Halifax and only one ancient fortress, The Citadel, guarding them all. Very interesting to someone?

As we leave Halifax heading toward U.S. we are encouraged to begin to see some trees turning color. More were seen in New Brunswick and some in Maine too. We are looking to follow the fall color south through New England.