Arrived in St. John's to find we'd rented a wonderful townhouse in a wonderful part of town - luxury and convenience! Just a few (straight downhill) blocks to the harbor/shopping/restaurants in the heart of the historic district. Great way to begin our visit. We immediately went walking (quite the feat after climbing the mountain the day before, said my calves and thighs).
I thanked our lucky stars, too after seeing first the sign in the window, then the poor guy sitting there with his arm in a brand new cast that told the whole story. He smiled and waved at us.
Signal Hill in St. John's is the first place the sun hits North America every day. Watched it our first morning here from our bedroom window.
The B.I.S., Benevolent Irish Society, built this manse as an orphanage around 1900. Today it's just. three. huge. condos. There's some $$ in St. John's.
First visit to Rocket Bakery and Food store, a strong recommend! Loved their system. Everything made from scratch. Was greeted by one of the owners. Gonna get me one of those raspberry cakes as a late birthday cake.
We specifically went to Rocket because a passerby on the street took us for the tourists we are and recommended we go there for lunch, as every Tuesday local performers...perform. We did and they did.
Lots of Irish and English influences...in food, architecture, language. Police are also named constables, i.e.
Had a phone talk with Dr. Jones, who said I should be on a 28-day, not 10-day, regimen of antibiotics for Lyme. Tourism sent me to a walk-in clinic at a grocery store. Walked into a grocery story clinic (how's that for convenience?) that turned out to not be a walk-in, but they took me anyway. Took my name and address, put me in an exam room immediately, saw the doctor in one minute, he took his time with me, was outta there in 10 minutes total for $40, got Rx filled downstairs in store in 20 more minutes (pharmacy was busy). Gotta say hooray for socialized Canadian medical system!
Here's my full "medical record."
And the gal who said, "Sure, we're not busy. We'll help you."
Canada is completing a 23,000 mile walking trail system. There are spectacular, beautifully maintained trails just everywhere, both countryside and in town.
Spent Wednesday atop Signal Hill, and I know now what it's the #1 rated tourist attraction on TripAdvisor. Geology, history, the view, the trails (see the one in this photo?)......rocks are 450 million years older than the Rockies.
Incomparable views. Our rental house, btw, is next to the huge yellow and red building in center of photo, The Rooms, the provincial history museum, art gallery, and archives. More on that below.
Stealing from Wikipedia here....The final battle of the Seven Years War in North America was fought in 1762 at the Battle of Signal Hill, in which the French surrendered St. John's to the British under the command of Lt. Colonel William Amherst. Lt. Colonel Amherst renamed what was then known as "The Lookout" as "Signal Hill," because of the signalling that took place upon its summit from its flagmast. Flag communication between land and sea would take place there from the 17th century until 1960.
During Signal Hill's first construction period in the late 18th century, Signal Hill was designated as the citadel for St. John's. Other Canadian citadels include Citadel Hill in Halifax, Fort Henry in Kingston and Citadelle in Quebec City.
During the 19th century, Signal Hill was manned specifically during the Napoleonic Wars and the American Civil War. A second construction period in Signal Hill's history saw the construction of the Queen's Battery Barracks, which has been completely restored to the period of 1862.
Construction on Cabot Tower began in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's landfall in 1497. The building was declared officially open in 1900. The practical uses of the building were flag mast signalling, and a Marconi wireless station which has since been moved to St. John's International Airport.
On 12 December 1901, the first transatlantic wireless transmission was received here by Guglielmo Marconi in an abandoned fever and Diphtheria hospital, which has since been destroyed by fire.[1] The transmission, in Morse code, originated from his Poldhu Wireless Station, Cornwall, UK.
The fog rolls in, five minutes later it rolls out and it's a full-on sunny day again.
View of Signal Hill from other side of harbor; Allen was sitting right in the middle of where that little cloud is.
Allen is so content to be on an active harbor.
Wednesday nights are free-admission nights to The Rooms, right around the corner from where we're staying. It's a new building, 2005, and stunning, both inside and out.
I could go on an on about its exhibits, but just chose a few to tell about here. We're fascinated by the intricacies and decorations of aboriginal clothing. This is caribou, exhibited with the special tools and colors used to decorate it. Photo doesn't nearly do justice.
Sealskin jacket.
Sealskin boots - waterproof, too.
In Mikq'mac
Newfoundland's economy has been turned completed upside-down in the past 20 years. The mainstay cod industry was effectively closed by federal law in 1992 when it was learned less than 1% of the species remained around the area. Incredible economic disaster. Then oil was discovered, and is now putting lots of new money into the local economy. There is a sense of "boomtown" in some respects. Noticed that even Norway's national Statoil has an office here.
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