01 Sep 2024
Our tour got off to a poor start because the email we had received said: "We will meet in the parking lot of Pier 22 at 12.00 noon on the 29th to start your tour. Pier 22 is behind The Westin Hotel." We walked to and around the Westin, but could not find the bus. We even asked at the hotel's front desk. I then called Viator and was put in contact with our guide, Jonathan Duru. He directed us back to the Pier parking lot where the other tour members had to wait for our delayed arrival. As to the tour itself, visiting the Halifax cemetery where victims of the Titanic are buried was quite moving, and Peggy's Cove was beautiful. However, Jonathan spent too much time talking about himself and his opinions — particularly on class disparities. He also did not budget his time effectively. More than once, he said he could use 8 hours, instead of the 5 hours we had. He also kept mentioning a restaurant he wanted to take us to, but when the time got to 4 p.m., a fellow tourist suggested we skip the chowder and head back. In Jonathan's favor, I must mention that he successfully maneuvered through a bad traffic jam to return to the pier. I have taken excellent Viator tours of Shanghai and Prague. This was not up to that level.