Thursday, July 09, 2009

the (original) edge of the world

So, I'm back from my whirlwind tour of the east coast gem known as NFLD and Labrador. May I just say that more people need to have a better appreciation of that amazing place. It's full of history AND nature - can it get better? Before I left, I had made a mental list of things I wanted to see and do while I was over there and I'm pleased to report I batted 1.000. Fourteen pages of journal only skim the surface of the whole experience.

Food: I ate so much seafood in nine days, my body actually craved iron. It was pretty amazing: cod tongues, pork scrunchions, scallops, fish chowder, snow crab... we even picked our own lobster for dinner - not from a tank, oh no... from a lobster trap off the pier. Georgina was delicious. There was also moose burgers and caribou steaks. Yes, we ate well.

Nature: if you like to hike, NLFD is the place for you. They have trails of varying lengths (thirty minutes to eight hours) and degrees (easy-moderate-steep-mountainous). I will admit that I didn't do it nearly the justice I'd have liked, but next time, there will be better hiking boots and smaller backpacks and appropriate headwear. And yes, there will be a next time. Some of my favourite places include the drive between Red Bay and L'Anse Aux Loup (Labrador), Western Brook Pond, and Saint Anthony.

History: NFLD boasts not one but two UNESCO World heritage sites: L'Anse aux Meadows and Gros Morne National Park. While the Tablelands are beautiful, mythophiles like myself are just drawn to the 1000-year-old Viking ruins found at the northern tip of the island. Others will do a better job of explaining the deep significance of this site - not just to Canadian history, but to how we view global human relations as a whole. It's a beautiful site, lovingly preserved for "future considerations" and meticulously replicated a few metres away so you can explore freely, touching anything you like and peppering the "villagers" with curious questions ... I mean, is it really true that a woman led an expedition here? (it is, btw).

People: I don't think I've been to place where the people were quite so welcoming. B&B's were full of hosts and hostesses that chatted with you and told great stories about polar bear visitors or played the accordion over breakfast. They almost never locked their front doors, often kept the keys in the ignition and waved when you drove through town. It truly was relaxing because you didn't worry about someone taking your wallet while you were outside taking pictures of the sunset or even locking doors behind you as you left for the day. The people are reason enough to return.

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