St. John's - The Final Stop

FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2018

Our new B&B in St. John’s is called the Balmoral Inn. It is a Victorian mansion which has been updated fully with all mod cons to provide very comfortable accommodation while retaining its Victorian character. Our room is decorated in period furniture and fixtures. The flowered wallpaper is exquisite. The elegant dining room is where we have breakfast. The table is set up in a very formal way. Everyone has a multi piece china set along with many pieces of silverware and a cloth napkin which matches the tablecloth. There is a crystal fruit bowl in the middle of the table. Although breakfast is self-serve, there is a wide variety of tasty foods including several types of pastry. All in all a very nice spread.

After a leisurely breakfast, we set out to explore St. John’s. It is, of course, the largest city we have been in but there was very little traffic. After all, the entire population of Newfoundland (500,000) is smaller than the population of Waterloo Region. Just over 200,000 people live in St. John’s. St. John’s has retained an historic feel about it. Winding streets, irregular intersections, steep hills, old frame buildings. It has a great feel about it.

We started our day at a very modern facility near Signal Hill. It is called the Geo-Centre and features displays and exhibitions that focus on the geological foundations of Newfoundland. The history began 2 billion years ago when the earth was first formed. Videos, storyboards, photos, interpreter presentations and rock samples are all part of the information provided. It is a very user-friendly facility with many guides on hand to answer questions or provide directions. We enjoyed a fascinating film about the beginnings of the earth and its evolution over 2 billion years, a geological exhibit that linked earth to space, and a special exhibition about the Titanic. Although we know the story well, every time I read about it or see more photos, I learn something new. This time it was the exact location of the Titanic sinking in relation to the location of Newfoundland. The disaster occurred much further south than I had realized.

We left our car at the Geo-Centre and boarded the Link Bus. It was similar to a hop on hop off bus except there is no open top. We set off for a tour of St. John’s. Our driver, Colleen, was hilarious! As a municipal employee, she is not supposed to provide commentary on this ride lest it be considered in conflict with the commercial enterprises that offer city tours. But, Colleen told the passengers that she felt foolish simply driving the bus when there was so much information she could share with us. She had no microphone or script but she had a great ‘teacher voice’ and proceeded to shout out information at various intervals along the route. She was informative, editorial, humorous and thoughtful as she shared information about this city that she clearly loves. She was also quite willing to answer questions that the passengers asked.  Our group was a curious lot so it was a lively trip around town.

Our tour started at Signal Hill. Signal Hill was totally fogged in yesterday when we visited but clear as a bell today. Colleen encouraged all of us to get off the bus because she had seen whales in the harbour an hour earlier. She was quite willing to wait as people looked around and took pictures. What a great way to start a tour. And then we heard the big BOOM! Everyone on the bus jumped. Colleen was blasé about the nose and told us that it happens every day at noon on Signal Hill. It is simply a cannon going off as a time signal for the city (kind of like the CBC long beep marking 1 pm each day).

We descended the hill past the Geo-Centre again and proceeded to a section of town that had ‘jelly bean’ houses. Most homes are constructed as row houses and each home is painted a different colour – green, yellow, red, blue, even purple. This trend began in the 1970’s as part of a municipal undertaking to liven up the city. It has clearly worked. Newer homes are constructed ina similar style with each unit sporting a different colour. The colours are somewhat more subdued, perhaps reflecting more modern colour trends and preferences – grey, rust, beige, pale yellow, black and dark blue.

We continued on our informal bus tour past the penitentiary (both front and back), the courthouse, the cathedral, the old railway station (now a railway museum), the federal building (the place that takes all your money and gives you nothing back according to Colleen) and the port. It was as we passed by the port that we heard an amazing cacophony of boat horns. Once again Colleen had the explanation we were all waiting for. At precisely 12:30 each afternoon, the ships in the harbour all call out to one another using their horns. No fuss, simply a greeting to one another and the city at large. Thank goodness for Colleen!!

We travelled along the main street, past so many eclectic shops (catering to tourists but also to Newfoundlanders who come to town to stock up on hard to get items in the smaller communities) and interesting restaurants (quite a few ethnic flavours mixed in with predictable seafood places).  We continued on through Quidi Vidi village, one of the oldest areas in St. John’s. Quidi Vidi is home to a lively and very protected harbour,  also to the Quidi Vidi Brewhouse, which produces Iceberg Beer, and to Mallard Cottage, number 22 in Canada’s list of 100 best restaurants. Reservations are a must and it was totally booked out for the entire time we are in St. John’s. It was a very charming building with a historical marker on the property.  Sigh … next time. Gradually we made our way back toward Signal Hill. The bus stopped at the Geo-Centre, part way up the hill, and we disembarked. We decided to go back into the centre to see the Solar System presentation and another geology exhibit. Of course, the gift shop was an attractor as well.

From the Geo-Centre, we drove to the Rooms, a very modern museum which opened in 2005 and houses the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador. The provincial museum’s exhibits include dioramas of the animal and plant life of the tundra and bog, mounted bird displays, and the aboriginal people who lived in the area. Other displays include the city's British military history, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, and the culture and contributions of the area's Irish fishermen. Changing exhibits focus on other aspects of the province's history, natural history and culture. We had not had lunch so we chose to go to the Rooms Café first for a bowl of seafood chowder and a cappuccino. The views from the café are exquisite, particularly so today as the sun shone brightly upon the city. The harbour, the surrounding landscape and the city itself are all visible from the windows here. A stunning location to be sure. Tomorrow we will return to take in the exhibits.

We returned to our room to freshen up for the evening. First on the agenda was a short nap as we were actually going out for the evening and needed to be awake and alert until quite late. ! We drove about 30 minutes to the Shamrock City Pub in Goulds where we had dinner and enjoyed some Irish/Newfoundland music. Sean Sullivan, Rob Slaney and Sheldon Thornhill played and sang their music on stage. Sean and Sheldon were the musicians from the kitchen party we attended on Wednesday and recognized us instantly. We were given a shout out from stage and they each spent some time with us during their breaks. Sheldon and I even had a dance. It was clear that they were pleased to see us again and that we were enjoying their music. Coincidentally, I had purchased a CD of Newfoundland music about a week ago and guess what? It was a CD that Sean and Rob had made. So now I have the cover autographed. I felt a bit like a ‘groupie’. They performed from 7:30 to 10:00. At 10:30, the second group began to play – The Irish Descendants. They are a well-known group who were selected to represent Newfoundland in the celebrations of Newfoundland and Labrador’s 500^th anniversary in 1997. Clearly the Irish Descendants have been around for a while and have a broad repertoire of music. Two guitars, 3 melodic voices and one incredible fiddle filled the room with music. We were toe tapping along with them for sure. We stayed for the first set and headed back to our hotel. It was well past our bedtime when we finally settled in.

SATURDAY, JULY 14, 2018

It was a slow morning. We missed breakfast at our hotel so we decided to go to the Bagel Café near the port. It was almost noon when we arrived but we proceeded to order breakfast nonetheless. Who wouldn’t when the menu included an egg, toast, hash browns and two lobster claws with drawn butter. We would never find that at home!!! Before we left the restaurant, we made reservations for dinner on Sunday night, our last night in Newfoundland. Menu: two lobsters and a bottle of wine for $59.00

We proceeded to go on our own driving tour of our own. We had made a list of quick stops, places we would like to see but not necessarily go into, and places we would like to photograph. The Railway Museum was an early stop; some jelly bean houses of various colours was also on the list. The cathedral, the Quidi Vidi port, the Terry Fox Mile 0 statue, the Bagel Café, and the Spirit of Newfoundland where we will get screeched in tomorrow were all on the list. We also managed to find the Moo Moo Ice Cream store, a Pride layer cake in a corner bakery and the yellow hanging flowers from a very large tree (yet to be identified).

We also ran some errands: Dollarama for a small container to carry our Newfoundland rocks in (yes, rocks); gas for the car at a Shell station (airmiles, you know) and beer and gin to bring home. Both the beer and the gin are produced and available here but not available in Ontario. The joys of having our own car – we can transport anything that will fit in it.

Then, it was time for the highlight of my day (as if lobster for breakfast and seaweed gin were not enough). I was finally going to indulge in a long-awaited manicure and pedicure. What a treat that was. I had the full treatment, exotic everything!! Three hours later I emerged from the spa feeling like a new woman!! Meanwhile, Jim had his hair cut, his beard trimmed and his shoes shined. He was a happy man!!

We headed to Quidi Vidi and looked longingly at the Moffat Cottage that we could not get into for lunch or dinner. Next to the Quidi Vidi Brewery where a fight of beer would at least drown our sorrows slightly. We did not have plans for dinner although we had a couple of recommendations for restaurants. But, in the brewery bar were sales people for the QVFC company, the Quidi Vidi Fish and Chips company. They were willing to take the order and go out into the now pouring rain and wait at the food truck where the fish and chips were made and bring it back in, delivered to our table. Sold!!! All we had to do was enjoy the view of the Quidi Vidi harbour right outside the window we were seated beside. And so, it was beer and fish and chips. Perfect!!! And delicious!!!

On our way out of Quidi Vidi, we saw an old looking building called the Inn of Olde. On the sign outside it advertised Linda’s Place: Stories, Beers and Wood Burning Stoves. This made us think of our friend, Linda McCrea. After all, we had brought a mug home from Norway from Wayne’s Café for Wayne McCrea. We should do something for Linda. So, Jim went in to see if they had a business card or a placemat or something that we could take along with us. They had none of the above but Linda was there. She insisted that Jim return with the camera to take her photo at the bar. Sometime in the past, she had visited Kitchener-Waterloo and had a soft spot in her heart for anyone from there. Jim was gone for a very long time. I was just about to go in to find him when we reappeared, laughing aloud. Linda insisted that he listen to two of her tales and that she would give him a hug and a kiss for dropping by. I do think he was happy to have escaped her charm. For all that, we do have a photo of Linda behind the bar!!!

It was still raining so we decided to head to our hotel. The charming Victorian house we were in only had space for us for two nights. Tonight we are in a comfortable but very ordinary Comfort Inn. The laundry is in the machines and the bags are being repacked for our trip home. As you can imagine, we have spread out throughout the car and it is getting difficult to find what we want or need. When we leave here on Monday, the car will be well organized again and we will be ready to ruefully say farewell to this wonderful province.

In the meantime, we still have tomorrow!!

SUNDAY, JULY 15, 2018

Well, we packed this morning. Sadly, it is time to leave this wonderful province. What fun we have had! What great people we have met! What amazing food we have eaten!! What incredible sights we have seen! And we have learned so much about Newfoundland and Labrador and about Canada all along the way!! But it is time to go home. Yet, we still have today with some great plans to finish off this adventure with a flourish!

In spite of the pouring rain, we made one more journey around St. John’s. There were still places we had not seen and wanted to take it all in. As it was Sunday, many places were closed but we still drove past and took photos in our minds as well as on our camera. The Confederation Building was one stop. This enormous yellow brick building houses the provincial legislature and all the government offices that support the governance of this province It is slightly outside the city and sits on a beautiful piece of well manicured property. It is a relatively new building since Newfoundland only joined Canada in 1949. Nonetheless, even without the depth of history, it was impressive, standing proud against the sky just like the province it serves.

We drove through some suburban areas admiring the range of homes that occur in the city. Large, old Victorian mansions line some streets. Smaller single family homes line others. Older buildings, rowhouses really, are clustered nearer the downtown area. Some are a bit dilapidated. Some have been totally refurbished. Most are in very good repair. Only a very few appeared to be unoccupied. We travelled through some newly developed areas with a range of housing options – single family, apartments, condos and rowhouses. It was here that we enjoyed the myriad of bright colours and subdued colours, depending on the developer. Jelly bean housing is a feature in every part of St. John’s.

We passed by several military buildings including a large military hospital as well as the legion. It was not very busy early on a Sunday.

We went to the Rooms, the national museum, modern and impressive. We spent considerable time in the exhibits about the history and development of Newfoundland. We also enjoyed the A – Z display of posters, each one highlighting an outlying village beginning with a specific letter. We were amazed at how many of these villages had been along our itinerary over the last 3 weeks.  But the presentation I most enjoyed was the ongoing collection of short movies, each one featuring a senior citizen who was working to preserve an element of the food culture of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was lovely to be able to watch as each one spoke about their own life and why the activity/food/culture they were trying to preserve was so important to them. Along the way, we learned a great deal about gardening, fishing, preserving, and sharing.

After leaving The Rooms, we went partway up Signal Hill again to a small restaurant, The Chocolate Café. There was a display of the military history of Newfoundland in a part of the building. It was very interesting. But, the café was very disappointing, not what we had expected at all. Oh, well!

Back down to the main part of town we went. We had some difficulty reaching our destination because there was a lively Pride parade underway. Even in the pouring rain, it attracted several hundred participants, most of whom were dressed in bright rainbow colours, sporting wigs and hats and feathers, all sorts of paraphernalia. It was fun to watch from the comfort of our car but soon we had to move on as we had an appointment to keep. We were going to the Spirit of Newfoundland to be screeched in.

We met Nathan on our way in. Nathan was the master of ceremonies for the day. We were joined by two men from Ottawa who were in town on business. It was a small intimate group and we all shared some laughs and had a great time together. Nathan gave us some background on how screech came to be. Molasses barrels from Jamaica were central to the story. Nathan introduced the elements of the ceremony – a taste of bologna, kissing the cod, a shot of screech and a sweet candy to freshen your mouth afterwards. The most fun was trying to learn the words we had to recite. The least fun … kissing the cod. At least, it was frozen but it still smelled and tasted like raw fish.

Nathan would ask, “Do you want to be Newfoundlanders?” and we had to answer, “Indeed we do, me old cock, and long may your big jib draw.” We were supposed to speak as quickly as we could and with a Newfoundland drawl. It took all of us quite a few rehearsals before we were ready for the big test. Of course, much laughter preceded the ceremony. We were all tongue-tied at one time or another. And so the moment arrived …. We ate our bologna; one by one we kissed the cod; we spoke our ‘vows’; we downed the shot of Screech; and we sucked on our candy. Celebration …. We had all just become honorary Newfoundlanders!!

Jim and I left soon after the ceremony in search of a shop where we could purchase some CDs of musical groups we have become acquainted with. Fred’s Records was right on the main street, open until 5, easily identifiable by it’s bright purple exterior. We selected three CD’s. We will enjoy listening to them on the way home, tapping our toes and singing along to the music we have come to love.

Our final event of today was dinner, back at the Bagel Café. This time, Jim ordered sautéed scallops and a Greek salad. I chose a bowl of chowder. It was in a broth and not a cream, quite a change from other chowders I have enjoyed. It was filled with cod, salmon, mussels and a solitary shrimp. To accompany the soup, I ordered an appetizer of the same scallops that Jim had. We both enjoyed them to the very last morsel. But the piece de resistance of the meal was the Caesar I ordered. It was a lobster Caesar and where you might expect to find celery, there hung a lobster claw over the edge of the glass. A bit difficult to drink but, with the right tools, it was far more fun to eat than celery ever could be. What treat!!

And then we headed back to the hotel. I am finishing up both this blog and our photo book. So many photos, so hard to choose. Jim is putting the finishing touches on our trip home which will include some sightseeing and some visiting along the way. We will be on the road about another week. A leisurely trip lies ahead of us. The ferry awaits tomorrow.

Thanks for travelling with us on this amazing journey. Newfoundland and Labrador have found a place in our hearts. The memories will be fondly held and shared with anyone who asks.