By Barry Zander, Edited by Monique Zander, the Never-Bored RVers
The stone lighthouse bathed in a misty cloud was worth the climb
Thanks to Mary Hansen, I found out that this blog did not get published. It’s part of my struggle with the Internet, which has shut down several times before I could tell if the “Publish” command has completed its task. As of today, Saturday, we have been to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland-Labrador, with Prince Edwards Island scheduled for two weeks from now.
And thanks to Charlie Webber his advice to travelers: “We also work at the Halifax West KOA and know that their reservations for the summer are going heavy at present, so that might be an indicator for other campgrounds in that part of Nova Scotia. Having in mind your planned travel to the Canadian Maritimes you might want to consider reservations.”
AND NOW FOR THE BLOG THAT DIDN’T GET POSTED A WEEK AGO:
We were “C.F.A.”s — now we are “Newfies.” We are in Newfoundland [pronounced New’finLAND], which, along with its merged province of Labrador, is one of the places I was most interested in visiting on this six-month journey.
Okay, before getting to the topics of this blog, I’ll explain that a “C.F.A.” means to Newfoundlanders that we “Come From Away,” local jargon for tourist. We qualify as “Newfies” because we have been “screeched in,” meaning that we participated in and survived a ceremony that tested our mettle in this rugged area in the North Atlantic.
OUR ACTIVE ENDEAVORS
We continue our travels through the Maritime Provinces of Canada, staying busy with exploration, discovery, history and culture, thanks to the itinerary of our Fantasy Tours caravan. Two days ago we
Like Moby Dick, the giant white ferry swallowed up dozens of RVs, cars and trucks
boarded a monster ferry boat for a 5½- hour passage across the Gulf of Cabot from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. After passing a lighthouse perched on a jetty, for the remainder of the trip we were enveloped in fog. That may sound like a downer, but the ferry is practically luxurious, with very comfortable seats and features like TVs, internet, a café, a restaurant, a gift shop and more.
Can you imagine a giant parking garage on the high seas? Our 50-foot rig was swallowed up in the immense parking area on Level 3, along with cars, motorhomes and commercial 18-wheelers.
It was pitch dark when we disembarked at Port Aux Basques. We followed instructions for about 25 miles to our campground, where we were greeted by owner Dennis Keepings, who instructed us how to reach our designated campsite.
A very few hours later, we were up again, boarding a bus for a tour of the southwestern part of Newfoundland. An astounding fact: the province (without its sister Labrador) is larger than Japan. And another one: There are 1,000 communities in the province, some of which consist of just a few houses in the wilds.
The tour took us many miles along isolated two-lane roads. Predominant scenery was the dark blue and green-blue ocean on one side, with very green rolling hills on the other, and stunning glistening ponds of all sizes and shapes in between.
Presenting our lesson in Newfie culture on the tour bus was Alice, wife of Dennis, a multi-talented hostess and six-generation (at least) local.
Part of the rigorous induction ceremony at the solemn Screen In involved exertion and careful stepping.
After the tour, the fun began! Alice and Dennis teamed up to conduct the Screech In. Rather than regale you with the details, I’ll save that for your visit. What I will say is that it was a hoot! Even the most complacent in our group were roaring with laughter and enjoying the passage from C.F.A. to Newfie.
Yesterday we discovered another North American time zone. In addition to the four in continental U.S., and another in Alaska, we went through Atlantic time and set our clocks/watches ahead another half-hour for Newfoundland time. Yes, there is a Newfoundland Time Zone, so when it’s 8:30 here, it’s 7:00 in New York. No one seems to know why.
POUTINE … IT RHYMES WITH CUISINE
Tonight’s dinner for caravan members was moose stew. It tasted exactly like beef stew. But not “everyting” (that’s how they talk up here) … not everyting to eat is what you’re used to.
We haven’t tried “poutine,” nor are we eager to. Poutine is an indigenous concoction of the Maritimes that starts with French fries covered with melted curds (or cottage cheese). Over that is poured gravy, and then other things are added to individualize it. I found out that poutine probably is derived from the Middle English “pudding,” to which it has no resemblance.
Dulse. UGH! This is not only an acquired taste, but even handling the smell is a challenge. Dulse is seaweed, specially prepared as a snack. It is even used in tea, but it’s certainly not my cup of … and we have yet to see a “fiddlehead,” but it has been described to me as a sort of asparagus with a top that is in the shape of a fiddle.
I’ve mentioned lobster rolls in an earlier blog, found throughout Coastal New England, which is primarily lobster with a bit of mayo on a bun. Today we had our first “McLobster Roll” under the Golden Arches, “From the waters of Atlantic Canada, succulent lobster meat combined with celery, green onions, and light mayonnaise-style sauce with a hint of lemon, on top of a bed of shredded lettuce.” We like Monique’s version better.
PASSIVE NEWFOUNDLAND
We walk through museums (several on this trip), viewing paintings and sculptures contemplating what the more interesting ones mean to us. Sometimes the name of the work indicates the artist’s intention, but not always, and often it’s something like “Woman in Thought.” No help.
Ponds and hills form the beautiful serene countryside of Newfoundland
Caravan travel like ours includes tours of cities and rural areas, where we get to visit places of local importance or beauty. We could do that on our own, of course, and it would provide a conceptual memory for us, but like having explanations with artwork, we find greater value in knowing what’s around us through facts and yarns. In most cases, we would not have embarked on multiple tours on our own; yet, when the group boards a tour bus to sightsee, we almost always learn a lot from the guide’s narration.
Traveling the winding roads through Southwestern Newfoundland, we had a sampling of what the area is all about. We walked up to a stone lighthouse; saw a countryside that is beautiful and fascinating. We constantly passed small dark blue freshwater lakes and ponds with a backdrop of hillsides and even mountains with patches of snow still evident in mid-July. A few waterfalls, a few rushing brooks.
Alice, our guide, assured us that the people are the friendliest anywhere, always willing to help their brethren. I saw five fishermen sitting atop tables along a dock and ventured forward to chat with them. After my initial introduction of “Hi, I’m a tourist” (which causes Monique to cringe), I was surprised to find them very congenial, answering my questions and asking about me. Alice was proven right.
DOZENS OF OPPORTUNITIES
Quietly enjoying the grassy hillside along the Gulf of Cabot was a lone caribou.
One point I want to emphasize is that although we are with a group following schedules made up far in advance, we still get to venture out on our own, such as today’s side trip to see The Arches, a dramatic rock formation at the seashore. There aren’t that many towns along the way, but we are able to stop as we please, shop as we please, or just move on to the evening’s destination.
We continue to develop friendships with our fellow travelers, still having to overcome not remembering all the names, but we seem to know who is interested in what and even most of the dogs by their masters. We enjoy the companionship, while still taking advantage of chances to often be on our own.
A final note. I really enjoyed reading the book “Shipping News” (made into a movie), about a family that moved to Newfoundland. According to Alice, it could have been set anywhere in the province, but probably was totally made up. A disappointment, but at least we got to see Jesse Stone’s bridge in Nova Scotia.
From the “Never-Bored RVers,” We’ll see you on down the road.
© All photos by Barry Zander. All rights reserved
NOTE: As we prepare to board a ferry to Labrador, I have had a few minutes to prepare this article AND Internet connection. At each stop, we grapple with the question of whether we will have WiFi and cellphone service. In at least half, we’ve had both.
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