Tablelands, carnivorous flowers and The Rooms

Since last entry we’ve once again covered a lot of territory. In spite of threatening weather, we managed to hike on the remarkable tablelands of Gros Morne Park – a UNESCO World Heritage site. The clouds lifted just as we drove up to the trail head and we hiked on an area that was once part of the earth’s mantle. It was lifted up millions of years ago and now, because it consists of minerals plants don’t like, sits as a rust-coloured, bald plateau in the middle of rounded green mountains. There is some plant life along pathways and in areas of run off and I spent some of my time on my knees taking pictures of the Pitcher Plant, a very neat carnivorous flower sitting like a cobra in the grass.

We stopped for a Mug-up on our way out of the park - thick slabs of home-made bread with molasses and tea. The fisherman sitting in the restaurant challenged Bill to add Baked Beans and Fish Cakes to the Mug-up. Both were the kind of rib-sticking food a fisherman would be glad to have after a day’s fishing. We then listened to his fishing tales – he is from St. John’s but on the west coast fishing for mackerel. He swears his nine-year old son won’t be a fisherman if he can help it – hopes that Danny Williams is going to have a solution for him.

We left the west coast and decided to just drive straight across Nfld to St.John’s in one day. The weather was changing and we felt ready to move on to another province. We arrived in St. John’s at 10:30 at night, relieved not to have any moose incidents in the dark. In fact we didn’t see one living moose in spite of all the warnings – no doubt because hunting season is in full force. We did have a close look at a black bear crossing the road and then changing her mind and going back – all because her cub on the other side decided not to join her.

We spent the next day in St. John’s finishing up seeing the sights. It was an unbelievably blustery day. The rain was moving across the sky in sheets. It was blowing like crazy and really grey. We were surprised every time we ventured outside to find it was actually warm! We couldn’t see for rain flying in our faces and had to keep our hoods tied tight to our faces. Spent a few hours in The Rooms - museum, art gallery and archives opened two years ago – designed to reflect the shape of the buildings used for fish preparation all along the coast. When we came out, the rain had stopped and we were able to wander around the old town of St. John’s and take pictures of the turn of the century multi-coloured houses. Ended the day in a charming restaurant where we toasted Newfoundlanders with Quidi Vidi beer. Nova Scotia is next.