Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 19:28:50 -0500
Reply-To: Barry Mercer <bjmercer@SYMPATICO.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Barry Mercer <bjmercer@SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject: Re: July on Newfoundland
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Hermann. I am from Newfoundland.
You absolutely should go to visit and if you have as much time free as you
suggest, I can tell you about a trip that will blow your socks off- if you like
scenery, a degree of isolation, and adventure!!!
The viking museum at Lance Aux Meadows is just an exciting place to visit. The
sod houses are staffed by locals who play the part of the vikings. They are
very very entertaining. Your kids would love them. Across the water there you
can see a WW2 American ship that went ashore in a storm. Very strange.
That is at the top of what is called the Great Northern Peninsula. It also
passes through a Canadian National Park called Gros Morne. The facilities at
the national part are first rate and so are the provincial parks in
Newfoundland. There are boat rides into fiords that would make a Norwegian
blush
Halfway up the peninsula is a community called Port Aux Choix. It houses a new
interpretation centre that talks about the paleo eskimo and dorset eskimos.
You can watch archeological digs right in the town.
Keep in mind that these places are off the beaten track, even the viking
village... but the roads are great, the people second to none.
The trip I took while home included a brief ferry ride to Labrador from Port
aux Choix, then I had my westy on another ferry that took us from the south
coast of Labrador back into canada... you see, there are no roads that access
that part of the county. That ferry crew put our westy in an open container,
hoisted on deck, and then a 3 day voyage along the coast stopping at a number
of villages.... whales, porpoise off the bow and scenery like in National
Geographic.
We go off the Ferry about 200 k in from the road head on the North Shore of the
St lawrence River... great beaches, fabulous sea food and all the french you
can speak. It was the part of Quebec folks call The Mingon. Quebec rules,
but not as much as Newfoundland : )
But it all cost money eh?
If you want I can send you photos... if you do go, let me know so that I can
suggest a route and other sites on the Island that you might like.
Barry Mercer
Sudbury
Moo 88 Westy 160k+ KM Hibernating
