Finally got through most everything we felt worth posting for pix. So here's the link to the different galleries
Some of these were in the blog, but not all.
One thing I wish we would've focussed on a bit were all the great places to eat or have a bevy in St John's.
From pubs to coffee/bakeries to tea houses to eateries, there's a lot to choose from on Water St, George St and Duckworth St. That is a 3 block section in the heart of St John's.
I'm sure there are more. One of the more interesting pub/eatery places was the Yellow Belly on Water St. What made this a little different, is it's also a brewery! So you can order everything local from eats to drinks.
They also have a sort of cellar/cave below which is candle lit only and it pitch dark when you come in from the light.
They actually give you a small flash light just to look at the menu. Once your eyes adjust, you see a bar area with tables surrounding enclosed by walls made of large stone bricks. Just something unique to try if you're ever in the area.
As mentioned, there's also no shortage of live music to choose from.
Arlene and I certainly enjoyed the trip and hopefully, you've been able to capture a glimpse of our experience through this blog.
Cheers!
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Rewinding and Filling in Gaps...
OK, gonna travel back in time a bit here and try to fill in a couple of missing days from The Rock. This will be a bit longer, so bear with me.
I think, aside from coming home, we talked about being up in Twillingate. We took another boat tour as a last attempt to see an iceberg. We were kinda rolling the dice as it's a little early in the season for them.
We left from the wireless lodge, Bluewater Lodge and Retreat, a little earlier than suggested by the owners and were glad we did. We stopped in Lewisporte to fill up the car for the day and I took the opportunity to ask the gal working there for a good place to eat. The locals always know where the good restaurants are. We were directed to a hotel and were not disappointed. More good food, friendly service and wifi! What more could you ask for.
We touched base with the kids, checked the weather for the day and took off on the hunt for icebergs.
Twillingate is one of those picturesque fishing towns in a harbour with at least four coves. It all looked like one big U shape to us, but our tour guide explained all the nuances involved with fishermen naming the different coves even though they are pretty much side by side.
Nonetheless, we took off on a bright sunny day, breeze coming off the North Atlantic wasn't all that cold. We were treated to more rugged coastline and an explanation of some of the Newfoundland dialect.
Our guide was pretty lively and kept us entertained with details of the area and what life was/is like for fishermen in the area. She herself, worked with her family on a large fishing boat out in the Atlantic with swells as big as mountains for a number of years. They now do the boat tours, her telling the stories and her brother piloting the boat and spotting whales.
Just as we were about to turn back the brother came running out of his cabin quite excited he'd spotted the spray from a whale somewhere on the horizon. We couldn't see it, but he was pretty sure it was there. So off we went looking for this spout of "whales breath". Sure enough once we got close enough, Arlene spotted the whale and yelled the traditional, "There she blows!".
I think, aside from coming home, we talked about being up in Twillingate. We took another boat tour as a last attempt to see an iceberg. We were kinda rolling the dice as it's a little early in the season for them.
We left from the wireless lodge, Bluewater Lodge and Retreat, a little earlier than suggested by the owners and were glad we did. We stopped in Lewisporte to fill up the car for the day and I took the opportunity to ask the gal working there for a good place to eat. The locals always know where the good restaurants are. We were directed to a hotel and were not disappointed. More good food, friendly service and wifi! What more could you ask for.
We touched base with the kids, checked the weather for the day and took off on the hunt for icebergs.
Twillingate is one of those picturesque fishing towns in a harbour with at least four coves. It all looked like one big U shape to us, but our tour guide explained all the nuances involved with fishermen naming the different coves even though they are pretty much side by side.
Nonetheless, we took off on a bright sunny day, breeze coming off the North Atlantic wasn't all that cold. We were treated to more rugged coastline and an explanation of some of the Newfoundland dialect.
Our guide was pretty lively and kept us entertained with details of the area and what life was/is like for fishermen in the area. She herself, worked with her family on a large fishing boat out in the Atlantic with swells as big as mountains for a number of years. They now do the boat tours, her telling the stories and her brother piloting the boat and spotting whales.
On the boat with us was a family from Sweden. It appeared to me the parents were much more excited to be there than the kids lol.
Finding things for tourists to see is a big deal to them. They feel just as bad if they take you out and no whales are found. We were just enjoying being out there in the sea air imagining the early explorers first thoughts at the sight of the rocky coastline and marvelling at the water thick with cod.
For such large animals, they certainly look graceful in the water. Gliding up and down without making much of a ripple when they dive for more food, capelin or krill.
After a few passes, we headed in for a lunch on the deck of our restaurant overlooking the harbour.
Unfortunately, no icebergs save for one way out on the horizon about 25-30 miles out. We weren't about to go chasing that one.
Next stop, Harbour Grace. We figured another 4-5 hrs of driving (some of the side roads are 60-80 km/h). We sent a message off to the place we were going to just to let them know we'd be late getting in, then hit the road.
Now 4-5 hrs of driving sound like a lot, and honestly it can be, but I love driving. And it's not like we don't stop from time to time to just take in something we've seen along the way. Combine that with the slower speed limits on anything that's not the T.C.H., what would normally take 3 hrs here is like time and a half. But you never know if you're coming back so we decided to take the opportunities as they came to stop and "smell the roses" as it were.
We reached Harbour Grace and our next B&B around 7-7:30 pm. The Rothesay House Inn is a certified heritage house run by native Newfoundlanders who quit their rat race jobs in Toronto, moved back to Nfld and have never looked back over the last 10 yrs they've welcomed guests into their home.
George and Lynn do an amazing job of making you feel like part of the B&B family for the time you are there. Lynn is a self taught chef who cooks up amazing dishes for breakfast and supper. George does the meet and greet and serving. Both are committed to accommodating their guests. Numerous times when requests were made, the first words from George were, "Of course." And if at all possible, he would deliver.
As mentioned, we showed up late. Meaning we missed the supper call, but then, we weren't expecting to have supper there. The way it works is you need to let them know if you're staying for supper as they prepare everything fresh and need to know how much food to get.
George looked flustered to us, in that he didn't have a supper for us. "No worries" we told him , we could easily find some place to catch a bite. I told him we'd seen a Chinese place on our way to their Inn. "You've come all the way to Newfoundland, you're not going to go eat at a Canadian Chinese restaurant for goodness sakes!" was his reply. We couldn't help but laugh. He then went about giving us directions to a nice restaurant about 15 minutes away.
What we didn't know at the time was that just before we got there, another couple that was supposed to stay the night had shown up, but George had forgotten to book them. He was beside himself feeling badly for the inconvenience. But, true to form, he found them a place to stay for the night, at a different B&B AND took full responsibility. Kind of refreshing in this day and age of blaming others.
To me, it's one of the things that impressed me the most. Down to earth professionalism, if that can be used as a term. No putting on airs, no shifting responsibility and committed to serve.
After returning from a very nice supper, we got settled in our room. Being a heritage home, it's not fancy shmancy like a 5 star hotel, but that's not our style anyway. It's quaint, cute and rustic. Clean as a whistle too.
Next morning we were introduced to the rest of the "family" for that day. At the table, it was pointed out to me that a member of the 1967 Stanley Cup Champion Toronto Maple Leafs was in our presence. I didn't believe it at first, but then I was shown the Stanley Cup ring of one Larry Jeffrey. A defensive forward who would in today's terms be called a grinder. The type of player that goes to the dirty places and sets up the goal scorers.
He was very funny and sharp as a tack. I couldn't believe it. Growing up a Leafs fan in an area with nothing but Habs fans wasn't easy as a kid. And '67 was kind of the last hurrah for the Leafs. So this was some kind of special for me.
Back in those days, they didn't have the training facilities or medical facilities we have today, so needless to say the NHL dream took it's toll. Larry has metal rods in his back and at least one replacement knee. It's hard for him to stand for any length of time so I was very grateful for our conversation about how things were back when he played and his take on things today. But that's a blog for another day...
We spent the day doing a loop of the area which took us along another coastline and many changes in topography. From forest to barren, hilly winding roads kept us busy for most of the day.
We had a quick lunch at a place called Bay De Verde. Beautiful spot overlooking a, well you know, a bay ;-). This picture in particular gave me the willies because it's a straight drop off that ledge. In Manitoba, there would be ropes, railings, warning signs and what not to protect you from dropping off the ledge. In Newfoundland, they expect you to use a little common sense and stay away from the edge. Novel idea to say the least. Not that many guard rails around the curves on the hilly highways either. I think the idea is to maintain a speed that won't send you hurdling into the rocks or sea below.
When we got back to the Rothesay House, we were treated to a fantastic seafood crepe prepared by Lynn. Shrimp, lobster and scallops for the filling. So tasty! Served with rice and turnip tops.
After supper, everyone just stayed at the table. Two Drs from Chicoutimi, a retired air force navigator and his wife, us and of course, Lynn and George. Fascinating time trading stories and listening to others life experiences.
I had mentioned to George that I still wanted to get a sunrise from the east side of the continent, thereby seeing it before anyone else in North America. So George volunteered to join me at 4:15 am, coffees in hand setting up on a look out just down the street facing the harbour which opened up to the North Atlantic. We didn't get an actual sunrise, but it didn't matter. The visit between the two of us was building a bond. We were becoming friends. That is really their motto. Come as guests, leave as friends. It's a formula that seems to be working for them. After getting a few shots of some interesting morning sky shots, we walked around the area and I received a history lesson in some of the characters that make Newfoundland so interesting.
I'm not quite finished the rest of the pics, and sadly we had to leave that day for our final night in St John's before flying home. I hope that someday we can return. Still so much to see and do.
I'll create a link to pictures once I've got them done. Hopefully this Canada Day weekend. Kind of appropriate eh?
Monday, June 24, 2013
Packing Up...Mixed Feelings
I'm sure most if not all of you know what we're feeling today. We know we need to pack up and go home, but it's been one of those holidays you just don't want to end.
I have a few days to catch up on which I'll do later. Today, just a brief note to let you know that Arlene and I think this has been without a doubt the best holiday trip we've taken.
Newfoundland, not unlike Manitoba, is quite diverse in its topography which has made for many "wow" moments.
There are some areas that look so desolate, you can't help but think, "What keeps these people out here?" Fishing and tradition I'm told.
This is also the first time we've tried the B&B lodging. The two places we stayed have set a very high bar. Not just with clean rustic historic homes, but the feeling of being part of the family of travellers. So many stories traded. It's so different from checking into a hotel room at the end of the day and staring at a TV. At Rothesay House in Harbour Grace, they serve amazing suppers, then everyone stays and sits around the table or moves to one of the sitting rooms and visits for the evening.
Here at the Narrows B&B in St John's, we were greeted with hugs as we pulled in yesterday. Here it's the breakfast table that garners the lively conversation that changes strangers to friends.
Yesterday, George, the owner of Rothesay House, and I were up at 4:15 am to try and catch a sunrise. Didn't get that, but had an great time getting to know each other. We walked around Harbour Grace getting to know the history behind the little town and the struggles.
If you ever get the chance, or are looking for something different to do for a holiday, consider the experience of historic Newfoundland. It's not just the food and the scenery that will impress, but it's the people that make the difference. One that we'll never forget.
I have a few days to catch up on which I'll do later. Today, just a brief note to let you know that Arlene and I think this has been without a doubt the best holiday trip we've taken.
Newfoundland, not unlike Manitoba, is quite diverse in its topography which has made for many "wow" moments.
There are some areas that look so desolate, you can't help but think, "What keeps these people out here?" Fishing and tradition I'm told.
This is also the first time we've tried the B&B lodging. The two places we stayed have set a very high bar. Not just with clean rustic historic homes, but the feeling of being part of the family of travellers. So many stories traded. It's so different from checking into a hotel room at the end of the day and staring at a TV. At Rothesay House in Harbour Grace, they serve amazing suppers, then everyone stays and sits around the table or moves to one of the sitting rooms and visits for the evening.
Here at the Narrows B&B in St John's, we were greeted with hugs as we pulled in yesterday. Here it's the breakfast table that garners the lively conversation that changes strangers to friends.
Yesterday, George, the owner of Rothesay House, and I were up at 4:15 am to try and catch a sunrise. Didn't get that, but had an great time getting to know each other. We walked around Harbour Grace getting to know the history behind the little town and the struggles.
Before we knew it, 7 am rolled around and it was time to prepare breakfast. George does all the serving and visiting, while his wife Lynn does the cooking. They make a very good team.
After breakfast and more hugs, we pushed on to St John's. We started here and leave from here. We covered a lot of ground, but didn't get everything done. I wanted to get a shot of St John's Harbour at night, so we waited then went up to Signal Hill. Well, what we didn't realize was that a lot of people went up there as well to get shots of the super moon happening that night. Eventually, we found a spot and here is the result.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Two times a charm
First off, my apologies for not posting yesterday. When we arrived at our next lodging, we found out they had no wifi. Only dial up. No TV either. Not much of anything other than a very nice looking log style lodge and a quiet setting...too quiet. We were the only ones booked there. It was deathly quiet. We felt totally cut off. Couldn't let our kids know where we were.
The lodge was way down some gravel road away from anything that resembled civilization.
Anyway, we did go back to the fjord tour, hiked 3 km down the path on a clear sunny day. Had a wonderful boat tour to experience some great scenery and hiked 3 km out again.
We grabbed a bite and headed down the road. Five and a half hours later we reached the solitude of Blue Water Lodge and Retreat.
The owner said the reason they built the place was for people to get away from it all and just sit and relax. Which is all fine and good for those that like to do that sort of thing. The problem being, I'm way to a-d-d for that and I'm totally hooked on being hooked up. That's how I unwind at the end of the day. I read articles, I look at photos and how they were done. I post pictures and this blog. I was starting to panic. Somehow sitting out on the deck, with no music, no anything and having mosquitoes gnaw at my flesh didn't seem all that appealing. Ok, so there aren't that many mosquitoes but you get the idea.
There were some important emails that had to go out yesterday so the owner was kind enough to allow me to use his laptop to get that done. Dial up is something I started with years and years ago. I'd forgotten how slow it is.
One also has to change the settings so that all the graphics don't load or you'd be there forever or at least until you needed another haircut.
Anyway, we got that done. Arlene and I sat in the lounge area and listened to each other breathe. I tried editing pictures, but the silence was deafening. I was afraid to...well you guys know...for fear of having it reverberate throughout the lodge. Did I mention we missed supper and there was no offer for food? My stomach does funny things when it's empty.
We had to head out early to catch a 10 am boat tour in Twillingate which was about 90 min away given that you can only go 60-80 km/h on most roads in the area. They wind in and out of some very picturesque fishing communities so going slow is really not that bad a thing.
The owners of the lodge insisted we could have breakfast at 8, leave at 8:30 and still get there for 10.
As my family knows, I hate arriving 'just in time' for anything. Especially if I'm not sure where we're going or completely clear on the way to get there. I like to leave room for error. At the very least we'd need time to pick up our tickets and get organized.
Now to be totally fair, the lodge does look very nice, is neat as a pin, has some nice flowered paths and a great looking deck. The hosts were trying to accommodate as best they could I guess. If we hadn't had the agenda we had, we probably could have enjoyed the setting. But no wifi? The place just wasn't in sync with what we like to do.
We did make it to the next boat tour, we did see more whales and some great scenery, we are in our next lodging and they DO have wifi. Things are getting back on track.
No real plans for tomorrow other than to relax, edit pictures and poke around a bit.
The lodge was way down some gravel road away from anything that resembled civilization.
Anyway, we did go back to the fjord tour, hiked 3 km down the path on a clear sunny day. Had a wonderful boat tour to experience some great scenery and hiked 3 km out again.
We grabbed a bite and headed down the road. Five and a half hours later we reached the solitude of Blue Water Lodge and Retreat.
The owner said the reason they built the place was for people to get away from it all and just sit and relax. Which is all fine and good for those that like to do that sort of thing. The problem being, I'm way to a-d-d for that and I'm totally hooked on being hooked up. That's how I unwind at the end of the day. I read articles, I look at photos and how they were done. I post pictures and this blog. I was starting to panic. Somehow sitting out on the deck, with no music, no anything and having mosquitoes gnaw at my flesh didn't seem all that appealing. Ok, so there aren't that many mosquitoes but you get the idea.
There were some important emails that had to go out yesterday so the owner was kind enough to allow me to use his laptop to get that done. Dial up is something I started with years and years ago. I'd forgotten how slow it is.
One also has to change the settings so that all the graphics don't load or you'd be there forever or at least until you needed another haircut.
Anyway, we got that done. Arlene and I sat in the lounge area and listened to each other breathe. I tried editing pictures, but the silence was deafening. I was afraid to...well you guys know...for fear of having it reverberate throughout the lodge. Did I mention we missed supper and there was no offer for food? My stomach does funny things when it's empty.
We had to head out early to catch a 10 am boat tour in Twillingate which was about 90 min away given that you can only go 60-80 km/h on most roads in the area. They wind in and out of some very picturesque fishing communities so going slow is really not that bad a thing.
The owners of the lodge insisted we could have breakfast at 8, leave at 8:30 and still get there for 10.
As my family knows, I hate arriving 'just in time' for anything. Especially if I'm not sure where we're going or completely clear on the way to get there. I like to leave room for error. At the very least we'd need time to pick up our tickets and get organized.
Now to be totally fair, the lodge does look very nice, is neat as a pin, has some nice flowered paths and a great looking deck. The hosts were trying to accommodate as best they could I guess. If we hadn't had the agenda we had, we probably could have enjoyed the setting. But no wifi? The place just wasn't in sync with what we like to do.
We did make it to the next boat tour, we did see more whales and some great scenery, we are in our next lodging and they DO have wifi. Things are getting back on track.
No real plans for tomorrow other than to relax, edit pictures and poke around a bit.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Boat Tour Gone Foggy...
Well, another interesting day on the Rock. We woke up to this...
We had a decent night's sleep, it's never the same away from our own bed, up showered and ready for breakfast. Nicer spread than what someone described in TripAdvisor. Homemade breads and jams, fresh fruit salad, hard boiled eggs, selection of cereal and an interesting ham and cheese bread pudding.
From there we took off for Western Brook Pond. The 430 takes you along a coastline for the Gulf of St Lawrence. As a prairie boy, it just seems weird to be this close to something we only talked about in history class many moons ago. Past a couple small fishing villages along the way with nets and lobster traps strewn about.
After about a 30 min drive we reached our destination.
As we parked, we could kind of see the outline of the fjords we were about to tour, but the fog was still pretty heavy.
It's a 3 km hike, classed as easy around these parts, with a few inclines. Well, for a couch potato like me, it was more like climbing Mt Everest. Note to self to work on cardio.
Nice hike through woods and bogs and such. Didn't see a whole lot of wildlife. My guess is they were all at home sipping latte's and laughing at the mainlanders trekking across the marsh.
Anyway, we reached the boat dock and went inside with much anticipation. Arlene in particular, has been looking forward to this tour. Crystal clear water, 200 ft waterfalls, steep rock face all in a land locked fjord carved out by glaciers.
Well, it didn't take long to figure out we were in trouble. The fog was really rolling in now and all we could do was wait and hope it would lift.
Two by two more couples arrived. Some with the help of canes that must've worked pretty hard to get here. All with the same anticipation. All with the same disappointment.
The nice thing about these situations is the opportunity to talk to other travellers. The place got pretty noisy the longer we waited as the visiting escalated. There was coffee, sandwiches and hot dogs to be had as we waited. Finally at 1 pm, the Capt came and gave us the final word. No go. They looked just as disappointed as us. I started thinking about the 3 km trek back to the car with nothing to show. Oh well, off we went. Back through the woods, bogs and such. Up and down the "gentle" inclines and finally reaching the parking lot. 6 km hike in one day. That has to be some kind of record for me. ;-)
On the way back to Rocky Harbour to get a refund we decided to stop along the way. There were some neat spots along the coast for picture ops. Figured we might as well make the best of the day that wasn't. One thing about Gros Morne National Park is there are no shortage of hiking trails and lookouts. You could spend a few days just exploring all of these.
As I write this, we are waiting for a restaurant to open up. It would appear most close in the afternoon to get ready for the supper rush. So if you don't get lunch by 2:30, you're out of luck. We're trying a place called Justin Thyme Bean and Bistro. Strongly recommended by others. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but rave reviews on the food.
I can't wait.
Not looking good for our boat tour planned for today.
We had a decent night's sleep, it's never the same away from our own bed, up showered and ready for breakfast. Nicer spread than what someone described in TripAdvisor. Homemade breads and jams, fresh fruit salad, hard boiled eggs, selection of cereal and an interesting ham and cheese bread pudding.
From there we took off for Western Brook Pond. The 430 takes you along a coastline for the Gulf of St Lawrence. As a prairie boy, it just seems weird to be this close to something we only talked about in history class many moons ago. Past a couple small fishing villages along the way with nets and lobster traps strewn about.
After about a 30 min drive we reached our destination.
As we parked, we could kind of see the outline of the fjords we were about to tour, but the fog was still pretty heavy.
It's a 3 km hike, classed as easy around these parts, with a few inclines. Well, for a couch potato like me, it was more like climbing Mt Everest. Note to self to work on cardio.
Nice hike through woods and bogs and such. Didn't see a whole lot of wildlife. My guess is they were all at home sipping latte's and laughing at the mainlanders trekking across the marsh.
We did manage to spot this guy, or at least Arlene did. She does a lot of spotting for me.
As best as we can figure it's a Red Cross Bill. To me it looks like a sparrow that got spray painted, but if any of you bird experts out there know what this is please let us know.
Anyway, we reached the boat dock and went inside with much anticipation. Arlene in particular, has been looking forward to this tour. Crystal clear water, 200 ft waterfalls, steep rock face all in a land locked fjord carved out by glaciers.
Well, it didn't take long to figure out we were in trouble. The fog was really rolling in now and all we could do was wait and hope it would lift.
Two by two more couples arrived. Some with the help of canes that must've worked pretty hard to get here. All with the same anticipation. All with the same disappointment.
The nice thing about these situations is the opportunity to talk to other travellers. The place got pretty noisy the longer we waited as the visiting escalated. There was coffee, sandwiches and hot dogs to be had as we waited. Finally at 1 pm, the Capt came and gave us the final word. No go. They looked just as disappointed as us. I started thinking about the 3 km trek back to the car with nothing to show. Oh well, off we went. Back through the woods, bogs and such. Up and down the "gentle" inclines and finally reaching the parking lot. 6 km hike in one day. That has to be some kind of record for me. ;-)
On the way back to Rocky Harbour to get a refund we decided to stop along the way. There were some neat spots along the coast for picture ops. Figured we might as well make the best of the day that wasn't. One thing about Gros Morne National Park is there are no shortage of hiking trails and lookouts. You could spend a few days just exploring all of these.
As I write this, we are waiting for a restaurant to open up. It would appear most close in the afternoon to get ready for the supper rush. So if you don't get lunch by 2:30, you're out of luck. We're trying a place called Justin Thyme Bean and Bistro. Strongly recommended by others. Doesn't look like much from the outside, but rave reviews on the food.
I can't wait.
Wow, what a great meal! The outside isn't finished yet because this young couple just opened up and focused on getting the inside done, which is very nice.
Justin and Lynn opened 33 days ago. Justin does the cooking and Lynn does the meet and greet. We had a wonderful experience visiting with both of them and the food was absolutely fantastic. I had the Pepper Strip Steak and Arlene had the Chicken with a Brie, Apple, Cranberry sauce. Both were very good. We finished with a homemade recipe of Mandarin Orange Cake from one of their mothers. Dessert was accompanied by coffee from freshly ground beans ala Jonnys Java.
All in all a disappointing start to the day wound up to be one of the best days yet. Chasing scenery down rabbit trails topped with a great meal served by great people.
If you're ever in Norris Point, NL their restaurant is a must.
As for the boat tour, we've changed up our plans a bit and if it's sunny, we're going to take another stab at it. It means getting to our next stop late in the evening instead of early afternoon. But we think it will be worth it.
We'll let you know tomorrow.
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