St John's, Newfoundland is packed with history, colour, tourist attractions, and hidden gems, so one day isn't near enough to see everything but I packed as much as I could into my first day on the road.
On the Agenda: Visit my friend Dave, Terry Fox Mile 0, Outer Battery, Signal Hill, The Rooms, Jelly Beans Houses, and Feast on seafood!
I drove from Portugal Cove to Gower Street United Church, in downtown St. John's, where I met my friend Dave.
The office manager of the church, Linda, gave me a tour of the fantastic old building which was built in 1896. The dark wood, amazing pipe organ, spiral stair case to the balconies, and the magnificent stained glass windows are mind blowing - an absolutely amazing experience.
After the tour, Dave, Linda, and I headed for lunch at a local hotel. What a treat to have a delicious plate of seafood. I'm from Alberta which is known for it's beef so having fresh seafood was a real treat. After dropping Linda back at the church, Dave and I continued on.
The first stop was mile zero of the Terry Fox Run. I am in awe of his accomplishments. I knew that I would be driving the route he took to Thunder Bay, I had no idea what that would entail. After driving it, I am humbled by his immense courage and strength.
Our next stop is a favourite of mine - Outer Battery. I was glad Dave drove as the roads are so tiny and narrow, sometimes, once you're in, you have no choice but back out... All the multi-coloured houses are perched on the rocks just below Signal Hill and directly above the water. We walked around and I snapped as may photos as possible.
Time to move on. The obvious choice was Signal Hill. We parked in the parking lot of the visitor centre and walked up to Queen's Battery. Old canons face every direction,this made St. John's Harbour impenetrable in times gone by. The wind was bitter, but I know that if my husband Gene (who adores canons), had been with us, the visit here would have lasted much longer. We returned to the car and drove to the peak of the hill where Cabot Tower is located. The view from here is astonishing. No ship could possibly sneak up to the harbour entrance. From this blustery vantage point, you can see for miles. It was so bitterly cold that we cut our walk short. I was relieved to be once again cocooned inside the car.
The one place I had not visited on my previous trip was The Rooms. I'm so glad I made it there this time. The exhibits were really interesting: The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Gallery, Alexander Young Jackson's "Lake in Labrador " 1930 (a dream come true to see anything from the Group of Seven), and a gallery devoted to indigenous history. The view over the city and harbour from the restaurant was breathtaking.
So... Dave and I had a wonderful day which passed far too quickly. We had supper together and then, before we said goodbye, he (in his usual protective way) came back to the AirBnB to check over my "new" car, tested my tire pressure, gave me a tire gauge, and quickly (before I could take his photo!) drove away. Thanks Dave for making my day in St. John's so memorable.
The next day I was heading to Lower Island Cove. I didn't know where the heck that was, thank goodness for google maps!
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