Saturday, June 19, 2010

June 16 Newfoundland

A "Shakey" Welcome to Newfoundland

When the ferry docked at Port Aux Basque, Newfoundland it was raining very hard, cold and constant winds blowing at 40 MPH with gusts of 60-80 MPH. The wagonmaster knew it was too dangerous to drive to the appointed campground so he found one closer. Those 20 miles were the most terrifying I've ever driven. But thanks to our wonderful Lazy Daze rig and many unspoken prayers, we made it. The winds continued throughout the night . Most of us slept lightly, in case our rig was toppled over - very scary. The next day it was sunny and calmer.

We traveled to Deer Lake, NFL and began to discover the unbelievable beauty of this country.

The group loaded up in cars and went to a waterfall where salmon usually come to spawn. No salmon were jumping but the river was a sight to behold.


Here are our new friends from Albany, GA, Frank and Fay. They have been so kind to drive us around to the various sights. We've enjoyed their company and hope to see them again after the caravan. You can tell by how we are dressed and how our hair is blowing, that it is still cold and windy.

Tonight we had a special evening of entertainment. The guys you see are called the Sharecroppers. They have performed for royalty all over the world. They now limit their engagements, to stay close to their families. The thing that has been so touching about this part of the country is the strong family committment. I'll share a few of these stories with you later, but for now let me tell you about the Newfie Screech-In!

This fellow was an official Newfoundlander who initiates foreigners, who then become certified Newfoundlanders. It's all pretty hilarious and quite entertaining. I can't tell you exactly what he does because we don't want others who come on the caravan to know about it! We also had a great meal - but I didn't know I was eating moose until I'd already started eating it. Hey, it was good! Two of the predominant foods included in most meals, is mashed potatoes(real ones) and rutabagas. Never cared much for those until now.

Tomorrow it's off to Labrador, another ferry ride!

No comments: