Newfoundland

A 15-day adventure by Leah Read more

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Trip start
September 8, 2019
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Thursday, September 5, 2019 at 1:13 PM
🌧 20 °C
Altitude: 103 m
Canada Steady Water 49.916698, -56.183349°55’0” N 56°10’60” W
Heave Away!
September 5, 2019 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
Newfoundland is the only province I had not been to so it seemed a great idea to make it our first trip since our return to Canada in January 2019. Plans began over a year ago with Heather and Alan from St. John’s graciously offering to be hosts for this adventure. Diane and Gary also joined us from Calgary. We celebrated our decision with a gin toast at Diane and Gary’s place when we last met…or maybe we were toasting for another reason! The 6 of us can usually find a reason to make a toast! Our monthly HDL calls (Heather/Diane/Leah) now needed to include travel as part of our discussions! Sometimes it was hard to get it all in but we managed!

When you tell folks you are going to Newfoundland, you get one of two responses. “Oh, I have been there and you are going to LOVE it!” or “Oh, you are so lucky! It is on my list of places to visit!”

We flew across the country to Halifax where we met Diane and Gary to catch a flight to Deer Lake. Packing presented a bit of a challenge as the 6 of us are travelling in a van with limited space and we also need to pack wine, food, and some supplies. Kern and I made clothing piles where we added, took away and added again…you get the picture!

Heather and Alan have put together a fabulous itinerary for us! No detail too small and everyone’s needs and interests considered. Our travels will include Gros Morne, Twillingate, Fogo Island, Trinity, Bonavista, St. John’s, Bay Roberts, Cape Spear, Admirals Cove…I hope by now you are reminded of the tune “I’se the B’y”….

And as Aaron often says...”adventure is out there” and we intend to find it!Read more
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Friday, September 6, 2019 at 4:27 PM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 103 m
Canada Steady Water 49.916698, -56.183349°55’0” N 56°10’60” W
Saltwater Joys
September 6, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
The title of this blog is taken from a beautiful song by Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers...check it out!)

There is no time to waste in a place like Newfoundland with so much to see! Today’s itinerary included a Western Brook Pond Boat Tour where we saw the landlocked fjord of Western Brook Pond in Gros More National Park. Western Brook Pond is the park’s largest lake (16km with a depth of 165 metres) and it is spectacular to see! An easy hike of 3 km brought us to the dock. After a picnic lunch which included gravol for me on advice of the captain who cautioned us about the choppy waters (hints of Dorian’s pending arrival). The boat ride was so much fun. The crew entertained us with facts, music and Kern and I even got to play the spoons on the upper deck!

Next stop was Lobster Head Cove Lighthouse. Anything to do with lobster, I am game! Aside from the lighthouse, there were several trails right along the coast and a tuckamore forest (think of those scraggy, bent spruce trees clinging to the cliffs in the wind) . Even more exciting was sitting in the Parks Canada “Red Chairs” overlooking the ocean towards Rocky Harbour where Stan Collins lives. We’ve been following his twitter feed since planning this trip. If you are not following him, you might want to consider it! His photos are great as are his tweets! And, back to the red chairs, the Parks Canada “Red Chairs” program began in Gros Morne! Does anyone know how many “red chairs” there are in the Parks Canada program? 102 in all and they can be found in select national parks and historic sites across Canada.

Then it was time to wet our whistles at the Cat Stop Pub and Grub in Norris Point and be entertained by local talent before we had dinner at Neddie’s Harbour Inn. Halibut, mussels, lobster fettuccine with squid ink…oh la la! Here we were served by none other than Daphne who was waitress extraordinaire!

All the while keeping an eye on Hurricane Dorian news as we hear it will be joining us soon!Read more
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Saturday, September 7, 2019
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Canada Mackerel Point 48.364288, -53.35763248°21’51” N 53°21’27” W
A Visit to Tablelands and Trout River
September 7, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
We woke up to another beautiful sunny day with no signs of Hurricane Dorian yet! After breakfast and packing lunches, we headed to the Tablelands where we were able to see the Earth’s mantle. There are only 4 other places in the world besides Gros Morne where you can see this in case you want to add this to your bucket list- Barbeton, South Africa; Disko Island, Greenland; Inyo County, California and Macquarie Island, Tasmania. It was a gentle hike of 4 km round trip in and out. While on this hike, we saw a beautiful halo around the sun that lasted for the entire hike. It was incredibly distinct and clear to the naked eye. Although this is common occurrence, we thought perhaps it was a "sign" since we were in such a special place and so Heather, Diane and I tried touching the rocks to see if we could do some time travel. What can I say- we are Outlander fans! Needless to say it did not work but the laughs we had while posing for the photos were well worth it! The landscape on the hike reminded me so much of Namibia especially Damaraland which made this place even more special.

There is also a Discovery Centre in this area which we visited. The staff were so friendly and passionate about their work and the displays were amazing. It was here I learned that moose were introduced to Newfoundland in 1904 and guess what...they came from New Brunswick! Yay NB! Four moose were brought over to start the population and be a food source for folks here on the Rock. Who knew!

Our next stop was the beautiful little town of Trout River snuggled in a sheltered cove on the west coast of Newfoundland. Here we climbed a LONG set of stairs which took us to the top of a hill overlooking the town and the ocean. Beautiful vistas to enjoy with our picnic!

All in all a really good day!Read more
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Day 1
Sunday, September 8, 2019
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 18 m
Canada Michael's Harbour 49.29023, -54.97709349°17’25” N 54°58’38” W
Hurricane Dorian Joins Us
September 8, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Well, as predicted, Hurricane Dorian landed last night just as we were heading to bed. Our little home away from home, Monty’s Shorescape, shook and rattled but fortunately did not roll otherwise we would have ended up in the water!

This made for a lazy day and a chance to do laundry, catch up on reading and just relax in front of the fireplace. Kern, Heather, Alan and Gary ventured out for a bit to check on the area and see what damage, if any, Hurricane Dorian has done. Diane and I stayed warm and cozy at home with Diane offering a tutorial on this program Find Penguins thus the start of this travel blog. Thanks Diane!

We did lose power for a few hours but nothing more serious than that. We ended our day with a great meal at Chanterelles Restaurant in the Sugar Hill Inn. Maple glazed salmon! Yum! Yum!

Tomorrow is a travel day as we head to Twillingate!Read more
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Day 2
Monday, September 9, 2019
☁️ 10 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Canada Young Point 49.648253, -54.76314449°38’54” N 54°45’47” W
Fogo, Twillingate, Moreton's Harbour...
September 9, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
You know that tune, right? Well, we did not get to Moreton’s Harbour but it wasn’t for lack of effort!

Today was mostly a travel day and we arrived in Twillingate late afternoon. A quick check in to our lovely accommodation at Applewood B&B and we were off to visit the Long Point Lighthouse where we saw spectacular vistas. And to make it even better, we also visited the Lightkeeper’s Fudgery and Gift Shop where we sampled and bought fudge! So yummy!

A man offered to take a photo of Diane and I. And, we got to chatting ( as one does!). Turns out he had just been to Yellowknife in July and was heading beck on Thursday. His son is RCMP there! Needless to say we chatted about YK! Small world!

Dinner at Annie’s Restaurant where I had great fish cakes and then to bed for an early rise for our trip to Fogo!Read more
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Day 3
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 7:00 AM
⛅ 5 °C
Altitude: 75 m
Canada O'Brien 49.057434, -55.01137549°3’27” N 55°0’41” W
A Day on Fogo Island- Part 1
September 10, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C
The early bird gets the worm and the ferry! We had an especially early rise in order to catch the ferry to Fogo Island. Any trace of Hurricane Dorian was long gone as skies were blue and we enjoyed a wonderfully warm and sunny day! We decided to be “walk ons” for the ferry rather than take our vehicle! Excellent advice from our hosts, Heather and Alan! We were met by Lettie from Fogo Island Bus Tours and our day went from great to fantastic. Lettie, in true Newfoundland style, took us under her care and showed us almost every nook and cranny of the beautiful Fogo Island. She shared stories, insights, jokes and tips!

The ferry landed in Stag Harbour and we then made our way to Seldom. First stop- FU Trading Company. I know what some of you are thinking! FU stands for Fisherman’s Union not anything else! Here we learned about the fishing cooperatives and how crucial they were for saving the livelihoods and home of the local population.

Who has heard of the Flat Earth Society? Well, we had and since one of our group read about it having an office in Shoal Point,we were off in search of that! Sadly, we found the building but no sign (literally) of anything so we knew it was time to move on to the next stop!

Joe Batt’s Arm, nestled in the north of Fogo Island, is home to the Fogo Island Inn. Legend has it that the town is named after a European settler possibly a deserter from Captain James Cook in the early 1750s.

Built and opened in 2013 by The Shorefast Foundation and at a whopping $2000/ night with a minimum 3 night stay, it sits on an outcrop of rocks against the Atlantic Ocean. We were “allowed” to walk to the building after parking close to the road but there are times, according to Lettie, that the property is off limits. We were also allowed to go to the art gallery inside the main entrance but everything else was off limits. The building is supposed to blend in to the landscape but our group consensus was that it did not. It really stands out- you couldn’t miss it!

The Fogo Island Inn furnishings are all locally and beautifully made. Furniture, rugs, quilts, artwork and so on! Because of this, a spin-off business has developed which sells these goods all over the world! It’s pricey but very beautiful.

In addition to building the Inn, the Shorefast Foundation also built 4 small but architecturally unique studios which are available for artists to live in as part of their residency. They typically host 15 residencies a year!

I really didn’t know much about the Shorefast Foundation and it’s CEO, Zita Cobb. I’m definitely going to add them to my twitter feed!

Our next visit was to the lovely town of Tilting which is primarily an Irish settlement. Lots of evidence to support this with shamrocks and Irish flags on display.

This post to be continued....Read more
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Day 3
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 11:00 PM
⛅ 10 °C
Altitude: 40 m
Canada Dark Hole 48.166599, -53.96480248°9’60” N 53°57’53” W
A Day on Fogo Island- Part 2
September 10, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
Now for the rest of our day and onto our final stop, Fogo, on the northwest side of the island. More seafood for lunch with a yummy serving of pan fried cod! So good! A hike up to Brimstone Head (one of the 4 corners of the Flat Earth) with stunning scenery as a reward for making it to the top (not to mention burning off a few calories). We also visited a “ fishing stage” which is a little wooden building that sits partly on a wooden frame and partly on land. When the cod come in, they are received in the front of the stage, processed and then moved to the back of the stage. And last but not least a quick visit to the Marconi museum which also have us a stunning viewpoint over Fogo.

Then it was a race to the ferry and we made it just as the last vehicle drove on. Whew!

Cannot sign off before I tell you about dinner at Sansome’s! Once again, great food! Crab spring rolls, mussels, lobster Kaiser, seafood fettuccine, cod, seafood chowder and then desserts of partridge berry cake, rhubarb cake with vanilla sauce, chocolate pistachio cake and ....

The experience was topped off by a beautiful sunset waiting for us when we left the restaurant. Life is good. Seeing new places and eating great food with good wonderful friends. We are blessed.Read more
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Day 4
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 26 m
Canada Indian Arm Brook 49.280936, -54.9004249°16’51” N 54°54’2” W
Wheels up: Bonavista Peninsula
September 11, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Well, it was really “wheels rolling” as we loaded the car after a scrumptious breakfast served to us by Audra at Applewood B&B. Ham and egg cups, fresh fruit and 5 kinds of homemade jam- bakeapple, partridge berry, blueberry, beet jelly, rhubarb jam and good old peanut butter! I tried 4 out of 5 jams but only because I ran out of toast and couldn’t eat anymore!

Just an hour out of Twillingate, we stopped at the Beothuk Interpretive Centre. Here we learned about the indigenous group, the Beothuk, who lived in the area from 1650 to 1720. The Centre has a beautiful Spirit Garden where you can make an ornament of sorts from seashells, feathers, bark, etc and attach your name or someone else’s to it. You then hang it on one of the trees. It was such a special little sacred space in among the birch trees- made more poignant given today is the anniversary of 9/11.

We arrived at our destination late afternoon- hungry and thirsty! We stopped at the Port Rexton Brewing Company for a flight of beer and lunch at Oh My Cheeses where there were lots of choices for variations on a grilled cheese sandwich! Yum! Yum!Read more
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Day 5
Thursday, September 12, 2019
🌧 10 °C
Altitude: 5 m
Canada Mackerel Point 48.364311, -53.35768148°21’52” N 53°21’28” W
The Bonavista Peninsula
September 12, 2019 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 10 °C
“From Bonavista to Vancouver Island
This land was made for you and me...”

Despite the weather being much cooler, rainy and windy, we did not let it daunt our spirits and set out for a full day of adventure. Our first stop was Port Union which is known for forming the 1st Fishermen’s Protective Union (FPU) and the start of the labour movement in Canada. It prides itself as an example of a town intentionally built by a labour organization. The man who led this movement, Sir William Coaker, organized his first strike at the age of 13!

Next stop was Elliston which included:
—Puffins: home to the Atlantic Puffin, the official bird of Newfoundland, Elliston has one of the closest land views of puffins in North America; sadly, I didn’t really see any as most had already left the area.
—Root Cellars: this initially put Elliston on the map and Elliston declared itself the Root Cellar Capital of the World in July 2000. There are approximately 133 documented root cellars, some of which have survived nearly 2 centuries.
—John Crosbie Sealers Interpretation Centre which focuses on the story of sealing and the life of sealers. Although dangerous and challenging, sealing was a way of life for many in Newfoundland. This centre also highlights the 1914 sealing disaster where, in one terrible storm, 254 sealers lost their lives. This place was very thought provoking.

Onto Bonavista where it was time for hot tea and soup at Mufflin’s Tea Room. Delightful! Then a stop at John Cabot’s statue which marks his discovery of the New World. It was so cold and windy at the top that it was only a quick stop for a Kodak moment and then onto Dungeon Provincial Park which is a large hole in the ground with 2 adjacent caves leading to the sea. The “Dungeon” formed when the waves began carving 2 caves into the rock on the ocean floor. As the cave got deeper they eventually carved out an area that could no longer support the overhead rock. As a result, the roof collapsed forming the large sinkhole structure and 2 caves leading to the ocean. It was pretty intense to look over the cliff into the Dungeon below! Not for the faint of heart!

We ended the day with a fabulous 4 course meal at Fishers’ Loft. It was a great way to end the day. Great food with great friends!Read more
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Day 6
Friday, September 13, 2019 at 6:58 AM
🌧 3 °C
Altitude: 40 m
Canada Dark Hole 48.166599, -53.96480248°9’60” N 53°57’53” W
Shine on, Shine on Harvest Moon...
September 13, 2019 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 3 °C
Friday the 13th dawned with the most amazing sunrise made even better with an early catch up call with Aaron (but very late night for him as he just got off work)! Any signs of the wind, rain and cooler temps from yesterday were chased away as the sun rose over the lighthouse across the bay and warmed everything up!

Today's highlight was hiking the Skerwink Trail, a moderate to difficult 5.3 km loop along the coast where you see amazing scenery. This trail is internationally ranked among the top 35 trails in North America and Europe and it is one of Canada's top 10! Easy to see why as the views are stunningly beautiful- grey beaches down below, rugged cliffs and stove pipe rock structures jutting out of the ocean. The health app on my iPhone recorded an equivalent 34 flights of stairs and I believe it! We later met a local woman who said she runs the trail regularly and does it in 38 minutes!

All that hiking worked up an appetite so we headed to Two Whales for lunch and some really good lattes. We have not had many lattes on this trip so far and so it was a treat to have one!

It's was our last day in Trinity area so we went to the waterfront area to check out the little shops. Mirabella's is a place you should check out if you are in the area and also Aunt Sarah’s Chocolates. Lots of yummy choices and you even get to sample! The sales lady (who said she isn't Sarah) told us about 2 tourists from New York State who saw the musical Come From Away and were so touched that they wanted to visit Newfoundland. As well as visiting, they also wanted to show gratitude to any Newfoundlanders they met, so they brought boxes of Hershey chocolate bars in custom wrappers with messages of thanks for the generous spirit shown during 9/11. It was very touching to hear the sales lady (who says she isn't Sarah) tell the story and what a great story! Acts of kindness...doing what you can, when you can, where you can!

The day continued to get better and better as we had dinner at the Twine Loft before we headed back to Two Whales but for a concert this time! Crooked Stovepipe is a St. John's based band and the oldest bluegrass band in Canada! Amazing talent and the place was packed...literally!

Another day done and dusted but we laughed together about "packing it all in!" Our day started with a beautiful sunrise and ended with a harvest moon! Grateful for another fantastic day...and we do it all again tomorrow!Read more
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Day 7
Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 8:11 AM
⛅ 6 °C
Altitude: 124 m
Canada Juniper Ponds 47.5698, -52.779647°34’11” N 52°46’47” W
On the Road Again...
September 14, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
With Willie Nelson's tune in my head, we loaded our stuff and ourselves into the van again for the trip to St. John's where we will stay at Heather and Alan's place. It was a 4 hour drive and we were glad to arrive especially knowing we were guests at Heather and Alan's fabulous home for the next leg of this trip.

Kirby, their daughter, delivered dinner for us...lasagna and buns...so yummy!

Then it was off to Iceberg Alley for an Alan Doyle concert which also included Shanney Ganock and the Celtic Connection! We really enjoyed the concert and the crowd. In Allan Doyle's words...it was a great Newfoundland kitchen party!

Kirby asked us what we liked most on our trip so far...and she ended up hearing about each and every thing we did. It was too hard to pick one or even two!

Having such a grand time...Read more
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Day 8
Sunday, September 15, 2019 at 8:49 AM
⛅ 10 °C
Altitude: 63 m
Canada Kellys Brook 47.567017, -52.71321147°34’1” N 52°42’48” W
Hiking Signal Hill and spots in-between
September 15, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
Our day started with bright sunshine followed by a scrumptious homemade breakfast of eggs, croissants, bacon, toast, jams, jellies and fruit! It was nice to have a slow start to the day and not have to pack up or move camp!

After breakfast, the table was cleared so we could look at a map of St. John’s and orient ourselves. Our plan for today was a hike to Signal Hill and a few historic stops along the way. Heather and Diane opted for coffee together while Gary, Kern and I geared up for a hike with Alan on a weather perfect day.

We walked from Heather and Alan’s home to Signal Hill with Alan stopping at spots along the way to give us the history and background. The Signal Hill hike was spectacular and Alan made sure we covered all the nooks and crannies! Signal Hill is 167 metres above sea level and you get amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean, the city of St. John’s and the Narrows (channel through which all ships must pass when entering the harbour).

The Health App on my phone registered 15,888 steps, 9.9 km and 49 flights climbed! Love my Namibian hips! All that climbing and walking meant we had earned a visit to The Ship pub highly recommended by Alan! So off we went to wet our whistles and meet up with Diane and Heather. Turns out the waitress was getting ready for a Caesar competition as the Mott’s Clamato juice rep was in town for this yearly event. Our waitress has participated for years and won a few years back! She would not share this year’s special concoction with us but told us the rim would be dipped with blueberry sea salt from Newfoundland as well crushed seaweed and a few other things I cannot remember. We wished her well and then headed to the car wash to clean up Kirby’s van before we returned it. Kirby, Heather and Alan’s daughter, so graciously loaned us her van for the road trip. We all decided to sit in the van as we went through the car wash…we even made that experience memorable!

Back to the house for a rest and another great meal to end the day! Full bellies and grateful hearts…life is so good to us!Read more
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Day 9
Monday, September 16, 2019 at 7:13 AM
☁️ 13 °C
Altitude: 63 m
Canada Kellys Brook 47.566998, -52.713247°34’1” N 52°42’48” W
Exploring Quidi Vidi and Cape Spear
September 16, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Another beautiful sunny day with a high of 18 forecasted! Quidi Vidi Village (pronounced Kiddie Vidi by most folks) is a small village close to St. John’s. We did a walking tour through it with our wonderful guide and friend Alan. The place is named after Quidi Vidi Lake where the Royal St. John’s Regatta is held every year in August. The village also has Newfoundland’s largest microbrewery- the Quidi Vidi Brewing Company where, of course, we stopped and sampled some of brews.

While Alan, Gary, Kern and I hiked to the “gut” which is the local name for the harbour at Quidi Vide, Diane and Heather managed to score a table for lunch at Mallard Cottage, a quaint 18th century Irish style cottage. It is also one of the oldest wooden buildings in North America and recognized as a National Historic Site also. And best of all, the food was great! Even better, they have a Cake Table where you can fill a plate with desserts for $10.00. How sweet is that!

Next stop- Cape Spear- the easternmost point in North America! It is also the trailhead and trail end for 2 parts of the East Coast Trail and we saw lots of folks hiking this trail. Maybe some day! The original Cape Spear lighthouse, built in 1836, is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland. A new concrete one was built in 1955. It was a beautiful day with virtually no wind and the ocean was calm. Alan, who has been there numerous times, said it was the 1st time he had seen the weather conditions so calm there! Lucky us!

Then onto Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, a small town of about 960 people but most famous for being the birthplace of Alan Doyle.

Back home to Alan and Heather’s for dinner together and then we watched a documentary on the Gander response to 9/11 and the creation of Come From Away.

A great day was had by all.Read more
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Day 10
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at 9:02 AM
☁️ 8 °C
Altitude: 124 m
Canada Juniper Ponds 47.569801, -52.77959847°34’11” N 52°46’47” W
Screeched In- Honorary Newfoundlanders
September 17, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Tuesday dawned rainy and a bit foggy but did nothing to dampen our spirits! First off was a yummy breakfast at Rocket’s where we enjoyed lattes, scones, croissants and so on…topped off by macarons- partridgeberry, vanilla and blueberry! Followed then by a tour of local art galleries where we saw fabulous art by so many talented artists- Christopher Pratt, Mary Pratt, Barbara Pratt, David Blackwood, Kym Greeley (Heather’s cousin), JC Roy…

We also went to The Rooms which is conveniently located across the street from Heather and Alan’s place. The Rooms is Newfoundland’s largest public cultural space and what a space it is! The design mirrors the fishing rooms where families came together to process their catch. There were lots of different exhibitions. A fun one was called A Job to Say: Newfoundland and Labrador Expressions where many local sayings were explained so people understood what was meant by them. As well, there was an exhibition called Beaumont-Hamel and the Trail of the Caribou which showed the impact of the 1st World War on Newfoundland and Labrador. A very compelling exhibition.

And, Barbara Pratt was painting in the foyer so we were able to watch her paint and talk to her about her process. Very special!

The day ended with Kern and I being “screeched in” at Christian’s Bar on George Street! What a fun time we had. There were 17 of us in all and Chef Loco (Brian the bartender) made it a unique experience by remembering each of our names more than once. So, we are now honorary Newfoundlanders and proud to say so!

Dinner at YellowBelly Brewery where I had…you guessed it…fish again. Fish tacos! Another stop at Shamrock City for some music. Then home and to bed…tomorrow is another day!Read more
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Day 11
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 7:11 AM
🌧 7 °C
Altitude: 63 m
Canada Kellys Brook 47.567028, -52.71324247°34’1” N 52°42’48” W
Rainy Day Exploring
September 18, 2019 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 7 °C
More rain and drizzle today so our plans to go to Bay Roberts are on hold and we decided to do things closer to home. We drove along Marine Drive and saw many beautiful homes with spectacular views. We stopped at Otter Cover which is the place where, on April 12, 1980, Terry Fox filled a glass jug with water from the Atlantic Ocean. His intent was to add that water to the Pacific Ocean when he finished his Marathon of Hope but sadly he never finished the marathon.

We also stopped at Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto and saw a plaque marking the spot where John Paul II knelt and prayed of September 24, 1984.

We did a short hike at one of the East Coast Trail entry points but the wind and the rain was pretty hectic. This trail also marked an area, the Loss of the Waterwitch, where a schooner on November 20, 1875 went down. A hero, Alfred Moores, had himself lowered down the cliff and he was able to save 11 of the men on board the ship. Sadly 9 men did die that day. We saw the cliffs where he would have been lowered and it would have been quite a feat given the size and the angle of the cliffs!

We also visited Heather’s brother and had a cuppa coffee with him and his new pup, Lila. He lives in a place called Pouch Cove but it is pronounced Pooch Cove. We also went for lunch at this fabulous little cafe The Traditional Cafe and Deli where EVERYTHING is homemade and done right there on the premises! Bread, cookies, cakes, lasagna. soups, salads…you name it! I chatted up one of the waitresses and found out they cook 2-3 turkeys a day just to keep up. Open 7 days a week and music on Thursday nights!

And to cap off our excursions for the day, we stopped at the Newfoundland Chocolate Shop and stocked up on all things chocolate.

Back at the ranch, we sat and talked about our last few weeks together as Diane and Gary head for home tomorrow. Kern and I depart on Sunday. We will really miss them. Over dinner (Heather’s yummy pot roast with sticky toffee pudding for dessert!) we talked about what we liked most about our trip, what surprised us during our trip, what we learned that we did not know before and so on!

Another day blessed with adventure and friendship! Life is good!Read more
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Day 12
Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 7:29 AM
⛅ 4 °C
Altitude: 61 m
Canada Kellys Brook 47.567114, -52.71322847°34’2” N 52°42’48” W
The Yellowknife Connection
September 19, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C
Our party of 6 is now down to a party of 4 with Diane and Gary departure’s this morning. We were really sad to see them go but are already talking about next year’s gathering!

Heather and I booked manicures followed by a little down time today to do laundry and catch up on emails and so on.

Kern and Alan left for a hike along the Trans-Canada trail…just in case Kern wants to plan doing the whole trail at some point in the future!

Today’s highlight was dinner at John and Delores Dooley’s home here in St. John’s joined also by Lillian and Alan McOuat who are in Newfoundland for a few weeks visiting family. Lots of reminiscing and even more belly laughs about "life in the Knife". So much so that I forgot to take some photos of us all together so no photos to post with this entry.Read more
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Day 12
Thursday, September 19, 2019
⛅ 11 °C
Altitude: 63 m
Canada Kellys Brook 47.567047, -52.71322347°34’1” N 52°42’48” W
What's That in Your Grocery Cart!
September 19, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Alan and Heather took us to Bidgood's famous for traditional Newfoundland Foods and Crafts. I think the pictures will speak for themselves!
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Day 13
Friday, September 20, 2019 at 3:50 PM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 124 m
Canada Juniper Ponds 47.569801, -52.77959847°34’11” N 52°46’47” W
Off to a place in the country...
September 20, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Today’s sunrise was amazing and for today’s adventure we headed to Alan and Heather’s country place in Admiral’s Cove located on the Avalon Peninsula of southeast Newfoundland. Enroute we also visited Ferryland which, I was so nicely corrected, is pronounced Furrylund. We did a nice hike up to the Town’s famous lighthouse at Ferryland Head. It was built in 1870 and automated a century later. We did not do the famous Lighthouse Picnic but saw lots of folks with blankets and baskets spread out on the grass and hills surrounding the lighthouse.This area is known as the “Irish heart” of Newfoundland.

Heather and Alan’s country place is beautiful. Situated right on the edge of a cliff, it has a view second to none of the Atlantic Ocean from the back deck and the sun bathes the living room and deck for most of the day! It was hard to leave it but Alan had another hike in mind so off we went. This time to part of the East Coast Trail specifically Brigus Head South. Rated a moderate hike it had a few good climbs in it but we needed the exercise given all the good food and wine we have been enjoying. The views along the hike were again stunning and the rock outcrops so amazing!

Later that evening we were treated to a fabulous sunset that made the sky look like cotton candy. A salmon barbecue and a few special wines made for an unforgettable evening.

Today’s activity rated pretty good- 11,726 steps; 7.1 km and 36 floors according to the app on my phone. I wish it could also register smiles as I am sure there were thousands of those!

Hoping for sunshine tomorrow as we plan to go berry picking!Read more
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Day 14
Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 9:46 PM
⛅ 7 °C
Altitude: 63 m
Canada Kellys Brook 47.567043, -52.71322347°34’1” N 52°42’48” W
Last Days, Lasting Memories
September 21, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Well, we woke to rain and cloud so berry picking did not look so promising. After a hearty breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, coffee and juice, we made a plan to pack up and head back to the city but with a stop at La Manche Village to do a hike in to see the suspension bridge. Although the hike was only about 4 km in all, it was a very wet trail with water flowing right down the middle of the trail and some parts required us to go off path quite a bit to avoid deep puddles. Parts of it were slippery and mucky along with climbing up and down several rocky paths. But, it was well worth it! There was a nice waterfalls close to the suspension bridge that Alan said he has never seen flowing before and he has done this hike about 30 times. We saw the remnants of La Mache fishing community which was hit by a powerful winter storm in January 1966. The high tide and waves destroyed a lot of the homes and boats in the area; so much so that it was enough to make the folks in the area relocate. The suspension bridge was built in 1999. Again, beautiful views of the ocean and coastline. As we were walking back on the trail, we passed a few people who were hiking in dressed in sneakers- even white sneakers. We talked with them about the condition of the trail and cautioned them to be careful. Hope they made it in and out okay!

Once home it was time for Kern and I to start packing up. Tomorrow is the end of our time here in Newfoundland and we head to NB to see family before going back to Victoria.

We had our final meal with Alan and Heather at one of their favourite restaurants Olivers and enjoyed more good food followed by a taxi ride home with the most entertaining cab driver I have ever met. He had us in stitches all the way home.

Great to end a day with such good friends and lots of laughter. We are blessed!Read more
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Day 15
Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 9:08 AM
☁️ 7 °C
Altitude: 135 m
Canada St. John's International Airport 47.612339, -52.74191747°36’44” N 52°44’31” W
So long for now...
September 22, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C
Departure day dawned bright and sunny! As always, we are early to rise and a few last minute things to pack. A big pot of oatmeal compliments of Alan! Then to the airport with last minute hugs of goodbye! Then time to reflect while waiting for the flight!

What an amazing trip we have had! We never tired of looking at ocean and coastlines…there was no end of beauty and awe to stand at the edge of a cliff and look out over the water and rock. We loved the music, clapped our hands to the beat and even tried playing the spoons. We loved the sayings and had fun either trying to understand them or use them appropriately! We so enjoyed the people we met along the way- always so welcoming and always making sure we were okay and experiencing the very best of what Newfoundland has to offer. We loved the seafood and ate as much as we could whenever we could- mussels, cod, scallops, cod, squid, clams, cod, fish cakes and more cod! We were surprised by the weather; everyone told us it would be cold and wet and cold and wet again! But even with Hurricane Dorian, we had fantastic weather. Sunshine, warmth, beautiful sunrises and sunsets and enough rain, fog and drizzle to show us what it can be like for those who live here year round! We loved the Newfoundland Chocolate shop…that one speaks for itself. And, we love that we were screeched in and are now honorary Newfoundlanders!

Most of all we loved sharing this trip with dear friends- Diane, Gary, Heather and Alan. It was made so much better with friends around us. There is a saying “Life is made for good friends and great adventures.” So blessed that we shared this great adventure with our good friends. Special thanks to Heather and Alan for helping plan the adventure and sharing their home and love for Newfoundland with us. Thanks to Kirby and Colin for lending us their van to travel in- so very gracious and kind of them!

We thought back on the supplies we needed for this trip. In addition to hiking gear- hiking boots, rain jacket, micro down jackets, hats, wool socks, gloves and so on, the following were also deemed necessary:
-endless supplies of great wine,
-bags and bags of Hawkins cheezies,
-chocolate bars,
-fudge,
-coffee,
-wine gums,
-Twizzlers liquorice,
-Jujubes,
-G&T…

I probably have forgotten a few items but you get my drift!

This trip has left us thinking about when we can next visit…maybe iceberg season.

But for now, this adventure has ended and we leave this place so much richer for our experiences here. Thank-you Newfoundland and thank-you Heather and Alan! You are extraordinary hosts and thank-you hardly seems enough given all you did for us over our time with you.

So long for now....Read more
TravelerLovely farewell, Leah. T.I.N. (This is Newfoundland) Safe travels.
9/22/19Reply
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Trip end
September 22, 2019