Leaving the Rock

It's completely normal to say 'be right back' and then not show your face for a couple of weeks. Right?

So the end of the Newfoundland sotry before I forget any more of it.

Tuesday morning was my last in Newfoundland. We got up, packed, had breakfast, and headed out. I needed to do a bit of shopping downtown for fun things to bring back for my lovely catsitter, not to mention my mum and dad. In the past year, I've been doing all kinds of travelling, but it's all been for work and hasn't involved a moment of fun or shopping. So I was determined to bring goodies back from the Rock.

Since the shops didn't open until 10 am, we took our time getting downtown, making a stop at the Confederation buliding and taking a moment to say 'hi' to John Cabot, whose Newfoundland statue looks exactly the same as the Caboto Club statue in Windsor. Just kind of funny.





We also made a stop at MUN, for the mandatory picture-taking with the university sign.





Next, we drove around St. John's, taking in the sights and going down the very steep streets. I love the rows of crooked houses, looking as if they would all tumble and crash to the ground if one were taken away, like a row of dominoes.

Next, it was to the shops, where I dragged poor Rikke and Keith through shop after shop, looking for just the right print and just the right gifts for the people at home. And myself. I finally came away with a little artcard picture that was almost what I was looking for, and a few little gifts that weren't quite what I'd hoped for, but would do. And. I went back to a shop we'd been in the very first day we were downtown, where I'd fallen in love with a little tote bag, and I succumbed to its charms and brought it home with me, where it rarely leaves my side. I like to just look at it sometimes.

We even saw a cruise ship in port, taking up about two city blocks along the waterfront, and towering high above most of the downtown buildings, looking out of place and filling the area with 2000 more tourists.

Overall, it was a great trip, and I'm very glad I went. I definitely want to go back someday and see all the things I missed this time around, like whales and icebergs and puffins and seafood. Not to say that I didn't have a lot of Newfoundland experiences this time around - I had screech and kissed a fish, touched the ocean, had chips with dressing and gravy, listened to an impromptu backyard fiddle and guitar performance, wandered the coast and visited George Street.

Oh, and I almost forgot! As I sat in the Westjet boarding area, waiting for our flight to be called, I was somewhat baffled by the dozens of people lining the walls, whispering and adjusting cameras. All was made clear when the attendant announced the arrival home of Craig Sharpe, who'd placed second in Canadian Idol the night before. He walked a gauntlet of cameras and autograph seekers, with little old women giggling to one another that he was "just as cute as he looked on tv".

I highly recommend a trip to Newfoundland. And try the screech.