| We had reconnoitered another spot about which | | | | regard foreign factory ships destroying the Grand |
| we were told at Quidi Vidi Lake, on the East end | | | | Banks fisheries, the ship might be there for many |
| of town. There are many RVs parked here | | | | more months. The crew did not seem to be too |
| anticipating next weeks regatta on the lake. All | | | | displeased, sunning themselves on deck. |
| day two man sculls, 4+1s and 6+1s were | | | | Walked down George Street, home of the |
| practicing for next weeks contest. A hiking path | | | | George Street Music Festival. The street is a pub |
| winds around the lake and is a popular spot for | | | | crawler’s paradise. Just about every |
| the locals. St. John's is noted for its network of | | | | establishment on the street is a pub, many with |
| hiking trails. From the Quidi Vidi trail four other | | | | Celtic names. Food is also available, but nothing |
| ones branch out into the rest of the city. | | | | else, except entertainment at night. Went into the |
| We took a walking tour of the Eastern Part of | | | | Anglican Cathedral, the exterior surviving the fire, |
| the city. This is where many of the rich people | | | | but the interior being gutted. Their small museum |
| built their homes after the numerous fires in the | | | | has artifacts from the fire, including bent church |
| 19th century, which leveled the lower dock | | | | keys, charred beams, and a mummified church |
| portion of the city. Many of the homes are in the | | | | mouse (really a rat). The services are of the High |
| Queen Anne and late Empire Style, with later | | | | Church variety, with Matins held before Eucharist |
| Victorian thrown in for good measure. | | | | and Evensong (Vespers) daily and Solemn |
| The tour took us to the Colonial House, which held | | | | Vespers on Sunday. They have a photo in their |
| the legislature and Supreme Court for the country | | | | museum of the crew who worked on the repairs |
| of Newfoundland from 1850 to 1959. They | | | | of the Cathedral. One of the men was killed |
| moved to the Confederation building then. The | | | | during the project. Mysteriously he appears as a |
| building now houses the Provincial Archives. | | | | translucent person the photo. You can see the |
| We crossed the street and were invited to | | | | rest of the background through him: a ghostly |
| attend the garden party at the Government | | | | specter. Over 50 members of the Cathedral |
| House, the home of the Lieutenant Governor of | | | | community who died in the World Wars are also |
| the Province. We were the delegation from the | | | | honored with a plaque near the altar. |
| esteemed state of Illinois. The Royal Regiment of | | | | Drove through the English Gardens of Bowring |
| Foot and the 27th Company- 2nd Battalion Royal | | | | Park. A wedding was in process that day. The |
| regiment of Artillery were present in style. The | | | | park has many statuary, including a replica of |
| drum and fife corps was augmented by the royal | | | | Peter Pan and one dedicated to the |
| provincial military band, which played during the | | | | Newfoundlander Fighting Man. Cascades, and |
| party. Tea, lemonade and biscuits were served to | | | | winding pathways make this a bucolic focal point |
| all of the invited guests. | | | | for the community. |
| Thursday, July 31, 2003 | | | | After naps we met up with our friends Andre and |
| Drove to Signal Hill, overlooking the harbor and the | | | | Pamela and drove to the George Street Festival. |
| sea. We looked at the exhibits at the | | | | Most of the bands were run of the mill. The |
| interpretation center, which traced the history of | | | | headliners were High Holy Days from Thunder |
| the area from before John Cabot through the | | | | Bay, ON and I Mother Earth, a local group making |
| battle of the Somme on July 1, 1917, where | | | | its name nationally. The crowd was sparse until I |
| almost an entire generation of young | | | | Mother Earth came on stage. From every |
| Newfoundlanders were lost in one day. | | | | direction people came into the square, at least |
| At 11:00 was the tattoo, a 1795 reenactment of | | | | five thousand strong. The lead singer was from |
| traditional military activities, performed by the | | | | St. John’s and it was home coming for the |
| Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot and the | | | | local hero. The music was heavy rock |
| 27th Company – 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment | | | | accompanied by a light show. The audience was |
| of Artillery. Comprised of High School students the | | | | really into the music, complete with mosh pit. The |
| corps consists of drum and fife band, the | | | | lead singer even entered the pit for one of his |
| Regiment of Foot and the artillery regiment. They | | | | songs and was raised on high. He was in no fear |
| demonstrate the purpose of marching drills which | | | | of injury, because these were his friends. |
| were used in actual combat, the firing of muskets | | | | After the concert, about 11:00 the 5,00 plus |
| from different formations, and the use of the | | | | crammed into the many pubs along the street. |
| howitzer and cannon in battle. The exercise was | | | | The party continued. The festival will go on for |
| quite informative and entertaining. | | | | three more nights. We plan to be there Tuesday |
| Talking with the historian for the group after the | | | | night for the Kitchen Party. |
| performance we asked about the Germans and | | | | Had Ice Cream at the famous Moo Moos . |
| W.W.II. He said that it was a possibility. Many ships | | | | Monday, August 04, 2003 |
| were sunk in the North Atlantic and bodies were | | | | We treated ourselves to Ches’s Famous Fi |
| washed ashore along the coast. Among the | | | | And Chi (fish and chips). The were good, but not |
| bodies, or parts of them, would have been a | | | | as good as the Friendly Fisherman’s Café in |
| certain number of German sailors. Since their | | | | Rose Blanche. (Fortunately not nearly so hearty a |
| identities were unknown the citizens would hold | | | | serving either.) |
| services and give them a Christian burial. This is | | | | We visited the Quidi Vidi Brewery. A tour had just |
| definitely a plausible explanation and still a | | | | left. We got some labels for Don, our Master |
| marvelous example of Newfoundlander hospitality. | | | | Brewer, of their products. At Christmas they |
| At 2:00 we were scheduled for a tour of Signal | | | | produce a Mummers Ale, in which they put |
| Hill. So we went to the Johnson GeoCenter, just | | | | orange rinds, cloves and other spices into the |
| down the hill. Constructed in the hill, the exhibits | | | | mash, giving it a special flavor. A Mummer is a |
| are underground revealing the actual rock of | | | | British tradition during the Twelve Days of |
| Signal Hill. Some of the oldest rocks in the world | | | | Christmas, where people dress in costumes and |
| have been found in Labrador. One hands-on | | | | are masked. They go from house to house to |
| exhibit is of a rock almost 4 billion years old. We | | | | have their tankards filled after they entertain and |
| had to leave early because of our tour | | | | the hosts try to guess their identities In |
| appointment, but returned later to finish the | | | | Philadelphia, PA the mummers parade is an annual |
| exhibits. | | | | event on News Years Day. |
| On Signal Hill, we met Billy, our ranger tour guide. | | | | Down the road is the Quidi Vidi Battery, built by |
| Only two of us were in the tour, even though | | | | the French, when they attacked St. John’s |
| many other people were on the hill too. He | | | | during the Seven Days War. It is very small, but |
| showed us around the hill for over an hour and a | | | | adequately protects the cove to Quidi Vidi from |
| half. Signal Hill was used for many purposes, | | | | an attack from the sea. |
| barracks, hospital, prison, etc. Its primary use was | | | | Hiked the Virginia River trail, two Kilometers each |
| for signaling the incoming ships into the harbor. | | | | way. The trail parallels the Virginia River as it |
| The signal was relayed from Cape Spear, the | | | | cascades down from the hill on which Fort |
| Eastern most point in North America, by hoisting | | | | Pepperrell was built in W.W.II for the Americans. |
| the ship’s colors. This was then observed by | | | | Now it is called Pleasantville. A Texan designed the |
| the merchants and townsfolk who readied | | | | fort and left his imprint: the streets form the |
| themselves for the ship. In 1901 Marconi sent and | | | | outline of a ten gallon hat and have names like |
| received the first transatlantic wireless signal from | | | | Churchill and Roosevelt. |
| Europe, a series of three dots. He used an aerial | | | | We headed for George Street. Tonight we were |
| attached to a kite. The cable companies were not | | | | going to get Screeched, i.e..become honorary |
| too pleased with his achievement, because they | | | | Newfoundlanders. Screech is what one does after |
| had just laid the transatlantic cable at great cost. | | | | drinking the dregs of the dark molasses rum in |
| How he did this was revealed twenty years later, | | | | the olden days. After one month here we feel |
| bouncing the signal off the ionosphere. This | | | | the blood of the island coursing through our veins. |
| changed communications forever and helped | | | | At Trapper John’s Museum and Pub we were |
| marine communications. | | | | properly screeched: drank screech (Newfoundland |
| Queen Victoria laid the cornerstone for Cabot | | | | rum straight, kissed the puffin, or cod, and |
| Tower in 1897, the 400th anniversary of his | | | | repeated the pledge. |
| discovery. One other interesting fact is that the | | | | Now we could enjoy the Kitchen Party. A Kitchen |
| Basilica of St. John the Baptist towers line up with | | | | Party is a Newfoundland tradition where anything |
| the narrows, the entrance to St. John’s | | | | goes, just as in the kitchen at home. Tonight |
| harbor. By lining the masts to a series of lanterns | | | | was Newfoundland and Celtic night. Some of the |
| from the tower, the ships were able to navigate | | | | groups were Banshee, six Royal Newfoundlander |
| the Narrows without incident. This was done until | | | | Policemen, and Celtae, where the men wore kilts |
| recent times, when the Narrows were dredged | | | | and the girl fiddler wore slacks. She really started |
| for easier access. During W.W.II a large net was | | | | to get into the music half way through the set. |
| hung across the narrows from Fort Amherst to | | | | Then came the Navigators, whom we had |
| Signal Hill to keep out the German U-boats and | | | | previously heard. The headliners were |
| protect St. John’s shipping. The Germans, | | | | Shanneyganock, which had the audience going wild |
| however, had hired many ship captains who sailed | | | | with their Newfie and Celtic songs and their |
| from Bell Island, a short distance away. They | | | | upbeat tempos from the fiddler, drummer, bass |
| were familiar with the waters and dangers in the | | | | and rhythm guitars, and squeeze box player. More |
| area. So they were able to circumvent the net. | | | | people were at the Kitchen Party than at |
| Friday, August 1, 2003 | | | | Saturday’s concert. |
| Did some necessary laundry on Merry Meeting | | | | Wednesday, August 06, 2003 |
| Street and other chores today. Merry Meeting | | | | Today is a beautiful sunny day for the running of |
| Street is so named because it is at the top of | | | | the 185th consecutive St. John’s Regatta. This |
| the hill overlooking the harbor. People would | | | | is the only major festival held between a prison |
| meet there to chat and watch for ships entering | | | | and a cemetery. The shells, i.e., boats, are the old |
| he harbor. | | | | British fixed-seat ones, unlike the Olympics shells |
| We are set to stay at Quidi Vidi Lake until next | | | | where the sets move with the legs. There are |
| Thursday and watch the longest running sporting | | | | twenty-three qualifying races, the men rowing a |
| event in North America, the 185th consecutive St. | | | | 2.450 kilometer course , turning around a buoy |
| John’s Royal Regatta. From dawn to dusk, | | | | and then returning to the finish line. Most do it in |
| the crews have been practicing. We are looking | | | | under ten minutes. The women do ½ the |
| forward to the race. | | | | course in under six minutes. This year OZFM, a |
| In the evening, we walked to Bannerman Park, | | | | local radio station woman’s crew won again. |
| the site of the St. John’s Folk Festival, which | | | | They set a new course record of under 5:00 |
| began today and extends throughout the | | | | minutes. Newfoundland Power won the men’s |
| weekend. Also on tap this weekend is the George | | | | competition. |
| Street Festival, which runs through Tuesday night. | | | | The competition is not just about the racing. It is |
| The groups here have more of a rock rhythm. | | | | a festival. A minimum of 50,000 people |
| Hi again for the third installment. | | | | congregated around the pond, visiting the |
| On Saturday, August 02, 2003 we took the | | | | concession booths, eating their way along the trail |
| walking tour of the old downtown of St. | | | | and waiting for the children to play on the |
| John’s Most of the original buildings have been | | | | different rides. The atmosphere was one of joy. |
| destroyed because of massive fires in 1846 and | | | | Bands played, crowds stood or sat on the banks |
| 1892. The streets rise up from the harbor via a | | | | cheering on their favorite teams, tailgate parties |
| steep hill, typical of most port towns. At the top | | | | were set up including jig dinners. A jig dinner is |
| of the hill is Merry Meeting Street, where young | | | | like a New England Broiled dinner. It comprises |
| people would congregate and yet keep a look out | | | | salted beef or pork and then different vegetables |
| for any ships entering the harbor. Two of the | | | | are thrown into the pot, making quite a stew. |
| many ships docked at the harbor today were a | | | | Thursday, August 07, 2003 |
| French luxurious cruise ship with a passenger list | | | | Woke up this morning and most of the parking lot |
| of only ninety people, whose itinerary was the | | | | was cleared, a different sight from yesterday. |
| Arctic circle and the naturalist sites there. The | | | | We will be moving on too, having enjoyed our |
| other ship was a Russian trawler in the harbor for | | | | stay at St. John’s. Will we return? The |
| engine repairs. They have been there over a | | | | answer is, "Yes," someday, and this time in less |
| month. Knowing how much the Newfoundlanders | | | | than a 40 years. |