Treasures of Newfoundland, Weekend 1

Geography has captured my heart again. It was my favorite subject in elementary school although I think, even in the Dark Ages when I rode to school in a ox-drawn wagon or trekked through the snow in my bare feet, geography was part of “social studies.”

Anyhoo, give me a map and I am a happy soul. It doesn’t even matter what’s on the map. (Treasure would be fun.) I like coloring and labeling maps too. 

Today our furniture was supposed to be delivered, but the moving truck has broken down at a truck stop one mile from our house. It could be worse, right? It could be somewhere on the mainland. So today I will write another chapter of the WIP (work in progress) and explore my new homeland on the Internet, same way I have for the past ten months, zooming in and out on Google Maps. Last week I discovered I now live on the Avalon Peninsula. (Doesn't that sound romantic?) How did I not already know this? Avalon. What a lovely sounding place. And it is lovely! The Learning Curve is extremely high right now, and my brain is overflowing with good stuff--miles vs. kilometers, fahrenheit vs. celsius, how to make GOOD coffee in the tiniest coffee maker ever and how many pairs of socks to put on in the morning Luckily there is nothing I love more than learning. But I do love writing and taking photographs. Thus, this blog!

Saturday My Hero took me on a drive through some beautiful, breathe-taking countryside to see Cape Spear, half an hour from our house. While he wouldn’t stop long enough to let me out of the car in picturesque Petty Harbour or along the side of the road to snap pictures, he promised we’ll go that route again many times. I can’t wait to see the seasons change.

Petty Harbour from the car window

on the road from Petty Harbour to Cape Spear

Cape Spear is the mostly easterly point of North America. It's the first place the sunrises on the North American continent. The Portuguese called it “Cabo da Esperanca” (Cape of Hope) and the French called it “Cap d’Espoir.” English (with a lovely Irish lilt) is the language here, and eventually the place became “Cape Spear.” When you see the photo of Cape Spear from Signal Hill (coming up) notice how it does indeed look spear-shaped. 

On Cape Spear, which guards the entrance to St. John's harbour, there are two light houses. The first was built in 1836 and lit with oil until 1930. It’s the oldest standing lighthouse in Canada. The newer lighthouse was built in 1955.

Cape Spear's lighthouses

My Hero did eventually stop the car and let me out to take pictures when we arrived at Cape Spear. I didn't last long. The trusty iPhone said the temp was -29—and that’s in Celcius. I took my gloves off long enough to snap a few pics, and many are blurry due to my shivering—or the wind. 

There’s history to be learned at Cape Spear and I'll be back! I look forward to exploring the place when the snow is gone and it’s safe to wander. And maybe warmer? Bunkers and gun barrels from WW2, oh my! 

looking at Cape Spear from Signal Hill

Sunday morning, we drove to Signal Hill. I was there in November when we were on our house hunting trip and the fog was so thick I could barely see my hands at the end of my arms. And I thought it was cold back in November! 

Sunday morning, the weather was cold but beautiful. Sunny and clear, no fog. The sun was almost too bright for pictures, as you can see, and we lasted only ten minutes outside the car before climbing back in—again, my problem is frozen fingers. I must investigate better gloves. Surely there is something just for photographers!

Signal Hill was originally called “The Lookout.” It’s an amazing point from which signals were given with flags from the 1600’s until 1960. Cabot Tower was built on Signal Hill to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and the 400^th anniversary of John Cabot arriving there in 1497. Again, you can find out more about the history in a future post!

Cabot Tower

looking down at St. John's from Signal Hill