So we got off the ferry in Argentia and headed straight for Castle Hill national historic site. There, we walked around a fort that has changed hands between the French and English numerous times. Next, we went to Markland where we actually found a kosher winery. Although there no rabbis in Newfoundland, this winery and other local businesses fly them in to certify their products.
We spent the evening in St. John's, walking by the water and visiting the famous George Street, known for its many bars. We also visited the provincial war memorial, Government House (the legislature, of course), and Harbourside Park. This park is one of the oldest ports in North America and is very historically significant.
Next, we headed to Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America! We took in the beautiful scenery and watched the crashing of the waves against the cliffside. We settled for the night in Pouch Cove, a picturesque town just outside of St. John's.
The following day, we returned to St John’s, to do some shopping along Water Street. We also saw Signal Hill, where the first transatlantic wireless signal had been received. (We all had great cell phone reception.) From there, there were also stunning panoramic views of the city of St. John’s across the water.
Next, we headed to Dildo because, well, wouldn’t you? There we took photos with the town’s mascot, Captain Dildo! From there, we headed to Whiteway, to pay a visit to Shag Rock. We continued our drive through the uniquely named towns of Heart’s Desire, Heart’s Delight, and Heart’s Content. In the last one, we saw a cable museum at the site of the landing of the first successful transatlantic cable.
From there, it was on to Harbour Grace (oh me, oh my!), where we saw a statue of Amelia Earhart commemorating her frequenting the airport there. Then it was back to St. John’s for an evening on the town. Local beers were sampled, and local music was appreciated.
The next day, our first stop was Trinity, where we witnessed the art of barrel-making at a historical cooperage and enjoyed a short hike along the water. The next stop was Elliston where there were PUFFINS!!! We took the risk of getting blown out to sea by the gale-force winds in order to venture out onto a cliff to get an up-close and personal view of the puffins. They passed right alongside us as they took off and landed on the nearby rock which hundreds of them called home.
That night, we were in for a treat: Glamping! (well… kinda) in Eastport. (we set up tent in a cooking shelter for protection from the rain. It was a welcome treat.)
On August 12, we drove to Gander where we took a gander at their airplane museum. We also paid a visit to the Silent Witness Memorial, commemorating the 101st airbourne troop that perished at that site in a plane crash, as they were on their way home from a peacekeeping mission in the Middle East.
We then hopped on a ferry to Fogo Island, where we saw the Earle House (which may or may not be related to Hailey’s roommate). We also hiked the Fogo Head trail – by far one of the most beautiful hikes of the trip. On our hike up this gorgeous mountain that overlooks the sea, we left our mark on the trail by building an Inukshuk. Back in Fogo City, we had a relaxing evening at the Brimstone Head Folk Festival, enjoying the musical stylings of local artists. That night we treated ourselves to “lodging” at the Caribou.
Bright and early the next morning, we caught the first ferry back to the “mainland”, so as to have a full day in Gros Morne National Park (soooo worth it). In the park, we went on three hikes with diverse scenery: the Tablelands (interesting mountains and a stream), Berry Hill (a bog), and Western Brook Pond (the highlight of the day, through swampland and a fjord). We camped for the night in Shallow Bay campground in the northern tip of the park, in the city of Cow Head.
The next day, we walked along the Shallow Bay beach collecting sea glass, and trampled on dunes that we only later discovered we were not meant to walk on (let’s hope the grass survived). From there, we made our way to Port-aux-Choix where we learned about the different waves of First Nations settlers in the region. There, archaeologists have discovered an aboriginal burial ground dating back about 4000 years.
We went from Aboriginals to Vikings in L’Anse-aux-Meadows (pronounced lance-ee-meadows). This was the site of a Norse village that existed for 5-10 years in the year 1000 CE. We saw a replica of a typical Norse dwelling, as well as the excavation site. On our drive there, we got our first (but not last) view of icebergs. The most impressive icebergs are found in St. Anthony – our next stop. We spent some time appreciating this natural phenomenon before rushing to catch our ferry to Labrador.
We spent the next three days driving on the brand new highway (really a gravel road) through Labrador and Northern Quebec to Montreal. And with that, we come to the end of our cross-country adventures. We made it 62 days and 28,545 kilometers, and our only battle scars were a few chips in the windshield and a shattered back seat window.
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