Bill And Maria Go To Newfoundland

July 30 th   Fogo Island A wonderful day hiking around and exploring Fogo Island.  These way out of the way places really tug at  me.  I was thinking maybe we could  spend a couple of years in a place like this and then I remembered that I’m seventy one and the days of flitting here and there (Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Vermont, Florida) are in the rear view mirror.   The Canadians staying at our B&B told us over breakfast that they’d met some Texans at a B&B earlier in the trip who were proud Trump supporters.  Newfoundland seems like a strange place for a  Trump  supporter  to go, but I don’t know why  I feel that way.  After breakfast we headed up the hill outside the B&B for a trek over  to a rare sandy beach, the first sandy beach we’ve seen in Newfoundland.   Took off my shirt and shoes and submerged myself in some seriously cold water for a couple of milliseconds.   The walk took us by some old paddocks, a graveyard, and, of course, gorgeous coastal vi

28 July Trinity to Twillingate When we rented a car back in St. Johns, we didn’t ask for this big ass Cadillac-pretend-Chrysler 300 and not being a big ass car owner it took a while to get comfortable handling this behemoth.   But after driving a lot on this trip, including a 4 ½ hour drive to Twillingate today, I’m thinking this is the most comfortable vehicle I’ve ever driven.  Minimal fatigue and as quiet as a New Year’s Eve party in Sanibel.  But while highway driving is fine, navigating this yacht through small towns and parking spaces is not easy.  Also, while I’m apologizing to Canadians for Trump, I might as well apologize for accelerating global warming with this  big ass car.  The drive from Trinity to Twillingate today was a hump, half of which was on the Trans Canadian Highway with the other half on small roads with a few very small seaside villages.  For long stretches we had the roads all to ourselves.  No other cars or trucks in sight.   Just rolling green wi

July 27, 2018   Trinity, Trinity Bay Lets get serious.  Why would anyone  go to Newfoundland?  Be honest.  There’s really only one reason to go to Newfoundland and that’s to see Puffins.  The Puffin is the gold standard of the cute-bird-group.   This morning Maria and I headed north on the Bonavista Penninsula to Elliston where there’s a point that juts out for a view across a channel where hundreds of Puffins nest.  We parked and started walking out but were stopped by an Asian lady coming back who was beside herself with joy describing to us how a Puffin came right up to her.   She was practically crying with joy.  Does any other bird inspire  that  reaction?   Once we got to the viewing point we joined five other Puffin aficionados for the show.   They’re just funny and cute,  and beautiful.  Great characters.  One puffin flew across to our viewing spot and hung  around within a  few feet of us for no other reason than to entertain  us  with some great poses.  After a

26 July 2018 Cupids to Trinity Bay Hiked outside of Cupids today for a couple of hours and then drove  three hours further west to Trinity Bay.  You should check Google Earth to see where we are.   The unheralded Burnt Head Trail hike just outside of Cupids knocked us out it was so stunning.   The drive was miles and miles of rolling forest, fog, lakes and, other than a gas station, almost nothing else.    Hwy 1 is Newfoundland's leg of the Trans Canadian Highway and it is just about the only road around.  Brutal fog first half of the trip and then real honest to goodness sunshine.  Arrived in the very beautiful village of Trinity Bay around 2 where we'll stay for two nights.  Tomorrow we'll day trip up to Bonavista and Ellis to find Maria's favorite bird - the Puffin.  I am out of superlatives to describe the beauty of Newfoundland's coast.   The innkeeper gave us a DVD of "The Shipping News" which was a best seller about  a lost soul getti

St. John's Row Houses - Always Colorful Pouch Cove Hike Looking For Whale Spouts Still Looking For Whale Spouts Kids Actually Swimming In Newfoundland Town Of Brigis Maria Testing The Waters Of The North Atlantic Brigis Harbor Anglican Church In Brigis First View Of Cupids Harbor 25 July 2018 St. Johns to Cupids, NL After dinner last night in Quidi Vidi, Maria noticed a small waterfront cottage with the name “Valley View”. …….There was no valley anywhere in view. Headed north out of St. Johns this morning to hike a trail just past Pouch Cove.  We know little about these trails except for the fact they’re there.  Turns out we came upon stupendous coastal views from towering shore cliffs.   Made me dizzy to get anywhere near the precipice.  Sat down for a spell during the hike to try to see whales and sure enough, far out, we could see ghostly spouts appearing and fading after a few secon

23 July 2018 Logan Airport, B terminal, Gate B2 Fifty minutes to go before boarding and another passenger with an eastern European accent is yelling what appears to sound like non-emergency small talk into his phone while all of us near him are either shaking our heads or laughing.   He’s covered the phone and his mouth with his hand which I guess makes him think we can’t hear him.    Reminds me that some years ago in some forgotten terminal there was a doctor yelling into her cell phone discussing the terminal cancer she’d diagnosed in a patient of her’s.    Very un-HIPPA. A group of ladies travelling to Halifax from Houston, when hearing we   were headed to Newfoundland, asked us if we’d seen the Broadway   smash “Come From Away” which musically tells the   story of all the USA passenger jets forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland after 9-11 and how the Newfies open their arms and took care of everyone.   I have seen great You Tube clips of the play and it is high   on