While in Halifax, Newfoundland, we took advantage of more local sites. We were amazed of how many things we had learned during our history classes that related to this area. Marconi is the person credited with the first wireless radio transmission, thus launching a communication revolution. The location where Marconi received this first radio signal was located in Halifax at a location called "Signal Hill". The hill is located high above the city and offers a great view of the city and the harbor. The day we toured this facility, it was cold and windy, very windy.
From the top of Signal Hill we enjoyed a commanding view of Halifax and the Halifax harbor. Look closely in the picture and you will see several large tug boats used in oil operations in the Atlantic between Newfoundland and Greenland.
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Lee and I standing at the Parks Canada sign for Signal Hill. It was cold and very windy. Notice I was wearing shorts. I must think we are still in Texas.
An information sign relating to Marconi and Signal Hill.
The building where Marconi's workshop and radio equipment was used. The information stated that during the winter, as much as seven feet of snow can accumulate on the hill.
We also visited the Basilica of Saint John the Baptist. The church was built in the 1800s and was beautiful. The church is still actively used.
Information sign.
A very impressive structure, especially when you consider it was built in the late 1800s.
Stained glass windows in the church mounted high in the loft area of the church.
A representation of John the Baptist.
A picture of the sanctuary. Everything in the church was built to last.
We stopped in at Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America. As you can see by our dress, it was cold and windy.
We are now driving across Newfoundland on one of the few paved roads. We are on the Trans Canadian Highway. You can see in the picture that the road crews blasted through solid rock to put in the roadbed.
You can see Gander in 246 KM ahead. We had an overnight stop in Gander to attend a dinner, with the topic of discussion of the Gander Air Traffic Control Center. An unknown factoid for me was that Gander, Newfoundland, is the location of Gander ATC, the busiest ATC in the world. All international flights to and from Europe are handled through Gander ATC. Also, when the USA experienced the 911 tragedy, aircraft coming from Europe were denied landing rights in the United States. The Gander airport allowed landing of these stranded international flights. There were so many stranded passengers, residents in the small town of Gander would come by the airport, pick up complete strangers and bring them to their home for a shower and meal. If Newfoundland were to export anything, it should the universal kindness these citizens demonstrated.
On our way across Newfoundland, we passed the road that exits to the Nova Scotia Ferry. We will later return to this ferry landing to exit Newfoundland going back to Nova Scotia.
We stopped at a small village named Springdale, NFL. Springdale was a small town located on the coast that had excellent Newfie hospitality. We learned of the Newfie traditional ceremony called Screech, where you ate an internal organ of a fish and chased it down with a strong alcohol drink. I wondered if these guys were not laughing at seeing Americans doing this.
Here we are assembling for a meal.
Rita, Lee and I at the dinner table. Rita is one of those precious ladies that we were glad to have met. She and her husband, Frank, were great people and we felt fortunate to have enjoyed their company.
Part of the entertainment for the evening.
Here we are at another feast enjoying the entertainment and a mussels dinner all in an outdoor tent. Mussels are a shellfish that grow in the nutrient rich waters surrounding Newfoundland.
We got our mussels and were ready to eat. The story is Lee was not going to eat any of those things (Her words exactly.). Well, after she tasted them, she and Rita were going back to the pot so many times, I thought the guy cooking them was going to ask one of them out for a date.
I do have to admit, the delicate, sweet taste was unexpected.
Our entertainment for the evening, "Newfie" style.
Info on the whale.
Look at the huge bones that support the big mouth-opening for the whale to scoop up its meal.
We finally headed north on the main paved road that hugs the coast. Along the way we visited numerous fishing villages lining the coast. It was a great example of what impact government decisions have on daily lives. Canada placed a moratorium on cod fishing for 10 years within their territorial waters. As benign as that may sound, if you were a fisherman with a fleet of 10 boats one day actively fishing, then the next day you are out of business, that changes everything. The fishing villages along the coast of the Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland were devastated. What we saw was what ten years of of government decisions had done to the fishing communities.
We were headed for St. Anthony, NFL. It is located on the northern point of the northern peninsula of Newfoundland. It is the location on a Viking "long house" (Click here for information Vikings in Newfoundland) believed to be one of the first Viking settlements in North America.
Inside the Viking long house, a warm fire was a welcome site. The wind was blowing and very cold.
The walls of the Viking long house were made from sod. The ground was rich with plant life and made great sod material for buildings.
Lee and Jenny standing outside of the Viking long house. Jimmy and Jenny were "tail gunners" for the trip. They were great travelers from Florida.
These signs were all along the highway. Every day at the Tracks morning drivers meeting, the words "Watch for moose on the highways" were echoed.
Did I mention there are a lot of moose in this part of the world. However, we did not see a one!
The drive was very scenic and sparse. In this remote area, life is centered on the coast line.
A picture of the rough coastline.
Our campsite in St. Anthony, Newfoundland. RV facilities were minimum compared to US RV parks. 50 amp service was rare, but most had 30 amp service. We were fine with either.
Lee and I with Newfoundland lighthouse in the distance. The sky was blue and the temperature was perfect (You can see I am still wearing my shorts). What a great day to be alive.
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