The Public Gardens of Halifax Nova Scotia

#Public_Gardens_Halifax
These are a Victorian Era Public Gardens & were founded by the Nova Scotia Horticultural Society in 1836. The wrought iron front gates ( from Scotland ) that greets you with the coat of arms of Halifax
 E Mari Merces , which means wealth from the sea.
KeyTip; Free one hour horticultural & historical tours from June-October (10:30am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm & 3:00pm)

Many statues and plaques throughout the park are to commemorate historic military figures and operations during the Victorian Era and early Twentieth Century

The Bandstand is used for free public concerts usually on Sunday afternoons

Home to over 140 species of trees

Over 16 acres of parkland created in 1867

Except for repairs / cleanup after Hurricane Juan ( 2003 ) much of the Gardens have not changed much since 1911

Richard Power & Henry Busch were the architects of this wonderful place

Soldiers Memorial Fountain erected in 1903

In 1887 the statue of Ceres was added ( Roman Goddess of agriculture & fertility)

Waited for almost one hour for our most important  Friend of Nature

Carpet Beds are a Victorian Garden Tradition

Next time in the Gardens look for the model replica ( since 1994) of the Titanic on Griffins Pond launched every spring
 

Saint Petersburg

Smolny Convent built for Elizabeth ( the daughter of Peter the Great )  after she was disallowed succession to the throne and decided to become a nun

Saint Petersburg is the most westernized city of Russia that was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703. It sits on the Gulf of Finland with a population of over 5 million 

The city (previously known as Leningrad) survived a blockade by the German Army for over 2 years during WW2. which resulted in the death of over one million  of its civilians. Also during the siege thousands of buildings were destroyed and Palaces were looted and ruined as the invading army retreated 

Saint Petersburg was built on the marshlands of the Neva River Delta and now has 800 bridges that crosses its canal systems

The most recognizable structure here.....The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.  Why is it called this; it was the site where Emperor Alexander 11 was fatally wounded 

Taking a night cruise on the Kryukov Canal that was built in 1717

Exploring all the different forms of culture to be found here

Griboyedov Canal built in 1739 that was originally called Catherine Canal after the empress

The rivers and canals still play a huge role in the city's transportation  and certainly the best way to view (as a tourist) the royal palaces, gardens and cathedrals 

The area is also called.......The Venice of the North

The Neoclassical architecture style moved onto various Romanticist forms

A UNESCO Site with over 8,000 architectural monuments in the city

Recently local authorities have been transferring the ownership of state-owned  buildings to private citizens.....who then bring the structures back to their previous glory

Moscow

Walking the streets of Moscow and with a population of over 20 million residents...... it is the largest city on the European continent 

Over 40% of the city is covered by greenery including a large forest within those boundaries 

Inside the walls of Red Square

Saint Basil's Cathedral that was built in 1555

Red Square did not get its name from the bricks surrounding the Kremlin nor the link between red and communism. It came from a Russian word kpachar which means red and was the name of the small area between St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin

Presidential Palace

Inside these gates of the Kremlin you have the home of the President, Tsarist treasures in the Armoury, Lenin's Mausoleum and the Historical Museum 

Riding the famous Metro Subway System of Moscow and with over 9 million daily ridership.......one of the busiest in the world . Soviet workers did the labor and art work, but the main engineering designs, routes and construction were handled by the specialists who built the London Underground 

The art work of the Moscow Metro was built under Stalin's rule......he wanted the structures to show radiance!

Kazan Cathedral from the 17th century

With the Communist Rule now as history........Moscow is in the top ten most expensive places to live in the world 

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Some of the molding on the walls inside the Metro

Red Square getting ready for sleep

Moscow is now becoming one of the fastest tourist destinations in the world. But do your homework, as a Visa for visiting is required ........ i waited many weeks and at a cost of $500 to obtain one for myself 



The city is situated on the banks of the Moskva River which has 49 bridges spanning across it and also canals from it 

Best time to visit is through the warm months of June, July and August with the average temperature of  22 C ( 72 F )

For much of its architectural history the city was dominated by Orthodox Churches