Newfoundland 6 - Music, Dance, Chocolate and a Mermaid
Music, Dance, Chocolate and a Mermaid
Our 10th day in Newfoundland finds
us in St. John's, the capital city. We arrived on September 20, 2016.
Our last blog was one of thorny
experiences without pictures and only seemed to be one of problems and dilemmas.
However, we’ve learned that problems are only situations that the mind applies negative
thoughts to. So it developed into a chance to stop and rest and relax and trust
that the difference is being underneath the clouds or above them. Above the clouds
one sees nothing but problems and difficulties imagined below the clouds. Being
underneath them is to experience the situation moment by moment, aware that all
is change and being in control is only an illusion.
Permit me one more bit of philosophy
… we’re realizing that researching and learning about a place, imagining it when
seeing pictures or videos of a place, slowly but surely becomes reality. Newfoundland
has always been an unreality, only fabricated in the mind … Until it becomes a reality
and shatters all those imaginings. The mind
cannot possibly come near the reality. It is only being in a place, smelling it,
seeing it, hearing it, talking to the people who actually live here, breathe in
the air of the place …. then the heart becomes part of the entire experience. Then
… only then … does reality develop and a sense of awe and wonder emerges.
St. John’s, The Capital of Newfoundland and Labrador
We left Gander (which is about
in the center of this island Province) and headed east towards St. John’s, the capital
of NL. The entire population of NL is about 500,000. 25% live in St. John’s. In
fact, 50% of the peoples of NL live in the Avalon … eastern part of the Island.
St. John's, a city on Newfoundland
island off Canada's Atlantic coast. Its harbour was settled by the British in the
1600s. Downtown is known for its colourful row houses.
Driving into St. John’s we were
instantly confused. We hit St. John’s in a whirl of traffic and meandering, narrow
streets that changed names at the drop of a curve … streets that were never designed
for cars. The first thing we happened upon was the Basilica Cathedral of St. John
the Baptist of the Catholic Church. With a screech of brakes we stopped and it was
open. The Newfoundlanders surely know how to build churches!!! Moreover, this church,
the Anglican Cathedral, the Masonic Temple, and the Presbyterian Church are all
established in the same few blocks … and history reports that the competition was
in the field of education and hospitals … all providing the city of St. John’s with
great enduring service. The Anglican Cathedral just a block away is also called
St. John the Baptist.
At this point, to save Dan’s nerves
and Vicki’s confusion … even when following the GPS ... we parked the Coyote and
hit the sidewalks. Around every corner was a marvel.
This statue on George Street is
of music and dance. It was tall … about 15 feet. I’ve taken pictures of parts of
it. I loved the dancers and violinist. 
The colors proliferate here … and
the names of the colors are significant, not random. For example:
· Harbour Deep – an emerald green
named after the recently resettled Northern Peninsular community of the same name.
· Dark Tickle – a rich azure recalling
tickles, narrow water channels that see little sunlight because of their high, enclosing
hills.
· Dory Buff – is the traditional
hue of dories, a shade of rusty gold said to keep the craft visible against grey
skies and seas.
Chocolate and a Princess
Chocolate is honored here … all
right! We imbibed at the Newfoundland Chocolate Company. And here we found a chocolate
tale about Trinitaria. She is painted in three shades of chocolate in this statue.
The Chocolate Mermaid
Legend speaks of a magical land
deep within the rainforests of Venezuela … a land of chocolate trees and chocolate
rivers, chocolate lakes and chocolate waterfalls. The ruler of this fabled land,
the great chocolate king Criollo had a young daughter named Trinitaria. As a girl,
Princess Trinitaria would play under the groves of cacao trees and swim in the chocolate
rivers and lakes. One evening the sea beckoned Trinitaria and as she sat on the
golden beach gazing out over a magnificent sunset, a magical wave swept over her,
transforming her into a chocolate mermaidian form. Trinitaria then set out to swim
the seven seas to bring the gift of chocolate to all the lands of the world. One
day she reached the shores of a northern isle of unparalleled natural beauty. A
land of fresh ocean breezes, blue skies and hills blanketed with sweet, sun ripened
berries. Trinitaria fell in love with this New Founde Lande and to this day you
may catch a glimpse of her frolicking in the waves or surfacing to enjoy a beautiful
Newfoundland sunset.
Signal Hill
We visited Signal Hill with Cabot Tower on
top. A gentle walk up from the visitor center (even found a geocache along the way). This tower
is historically significant for dozens of reasons: protection of the harbour against
the French and against the English – based on whoever had control. Bivouac for soldiers
in WWII.
Cabot
Tower
Cabot Tower is on top of the hill. A gentle
walk up the hill from the visitor center. John Cabot the explorer left his name
everywhere. Cabot Strait is between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia ... the waterway
that spills out into the Atlantic Ocean.
It is also the first location where
a wireless signal was received from England to the New World engineered by the inventive
Marconi. This makes a good story when you research it. They had a display in the
tower about the wireless signal and Marconi.
St. John's from Signal Hill
Looking out to the downtown of
St. John's from the Hill. Note the large Basilica at upper right of photo above
the red building.
Cape Spear
Cape Spear is the farthermost eastern
site on the North American Continent. So we had to go out there! The view of the
Atlantic Ocean is spectacular. We saw whales spouting and took some pictures of
the iconic red Klondike chairs (found all over Newfoundland).
The two lighthouses … old and new
… are fascinating. The new one is still in operation. There are two Cape Spear Lighthouses. The old
one, far right in the distance, operated for 70 years before being replaced by the
new one at the left. The old one included the light-keeper's home, in the center
of the picture, for him and his family. The family stayed with the house for 3 generations.
And … some unusual signs. Screech
is a a rum made in NL. Note the sign painted under the car.
THis sign is outside a gaming store.
Next … head east back to the western side of NL. Planning on a couple stops and then to the ferry back to Nova Scotia.
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