…in Newfoundland and Labrador

Hike NL: Burnt Head Path

September 19, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Looking for a moderate, enjoyable hike that won’t take up too much of your time? Just an afternoon stroll to satisfy the need for salty air in your lungs? If you’re on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, Burnt Head Path in Cupids is perfect.

Cupids is a lovely small town in Conception Bay North, and although I’ve only ever been there for a couple of hours for this hike, I can’t wait to go back and visit again. Cupids is the oldest continuously settled British colony in Canada and was home to our first peoples before that, so it abounds with history. Once you realize how long and rich the history of the area is, walking the trails becomes a hugely humbling experience. It really puts your place in history in perspective.

Burnt Head Trail is a 2.7 km loop that leaves from and returns to Cupids Haven B&B (which looks gorgeous and I’d love to stay there). You can park in this lot for trail access. It’s a moderate hike. I had a bad back the day we were there and was afraid to push myself so this was the perfect hike.

The entire path, although short, offers breathtaking views. You’ll get to see two bays, a few coves, a small waterfall, and an amazing sea arch. There are benches and picnic tables along the trail. Take it all in. No need to rush.

The arch was so surprising. I did not expect to see such a striking feature of nature on this relatively unknown/unhyped trail. The arch honestly makes this path so underrated in Newfoundland tourism. Here I am to let you know that this is here, it exists, and it’s easy to access! Check it out!

Let us know what you think of Burnt Head Trail! Have you stayed in Cupids before? Comment the best places to stay and eat! We want to spend a night or two! I recommend checking out E&E’s Drive-In for an ice cream, slushy, or deep-fried treat after your hike if you’re in the mood to treat yourself.

Happy trails,
char

How To Spend A Rainy Day in YYT

September 16, 2019 | 1 Comment

Newfie word of the day: RDF – an acronym used by Newfoundlanders to describe our frequent weather conditions: rain, drizzle, and fog.

Overcast skies and drizzly days are no stranger to us here in St. John’s. I applaud people who can enjoy a hike in the most dismal weather, or stroll around the streets downtown with an umbrella or road trip despite the downpour. Myself, however, I want nothing to do with it. I try to make the best of all situations, anything Mother Nature throws my way, but instead of being a trooper and bundling up in waterproof clothes, I find indoor adventures that allow me to remain warm and dry.

The following are my favorite ways to spend a drizzly day in YYT.

Mochanopoly. Located on Water Street (near the courthouse), Mochanopoly is St. John’s’ premier board game cafe. The warm, friendly atmosphere is a great place to spend a few hours with friends on a damp day, playing any board game you can imagine. Try the Nutella latte, it is literal heaven!

Escape Quest. Head down to Duckworth Street and challenge yourself to escape fun and intense rooms with NL themes. This is such a fun experience to try with friends, family, classmates, or coworkers. Let us know if you escape in time!

QEII. The Queen Elizabeth II library is located on the Memorial University campus. I know MUN students are probably groaning while reading this, but I enjoy coming here on a rainy day to catch up on homework, read a good book, or explore the stacks to see what I can find. Yes, I am a geek. #sorrynotsorry

The Clay Café. This place is a little out of the way (it’s located in Mount Pearl, on Commonwealth Avenue), but it is a great place to burn a few hours and flex your creative muscle when it’s raining outdoors. The premise is simple: pick out one of their premade ceramic objects (a plate, mug, figurine, etc.) and paint it however you like. They bake it and you pick up your creation a few days later! They also offer Cork and Canvas nights. You bring a bottle of wine, they teach you how to paint a masterpiece- how great does that sound?

The Rooms. I think this one is my favorite. The Rooms is our provincial museum, and it has so much to offer. They have an art gallery, gift shop, historical and cultural exhibits, and a lovely cafe. The best way to experience The Rooms when it’s wet out? Stroll around the exhibits then enjoy lunch with the best view in town. The “Warm Root Vegetable Salad” is a must!

G-Force Funderdome. Located in Paradise off Corisande Drive, the Funderdome is a super fun place for an adults day or night out when it’s less than pleasant outside. They have hi-speed go-karts, glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, Jack Axes axe-throwing, arcade games, pool, and, yup, a bar complete with local beers.

Give back. RDF got ya down? Spend the day giving back to your community. Not only will it benefit others, but it will lift your spirits as well. Volunteer a few hours with The Gathering Place in their soup kitchen; clean out your closet and donate what you don’t wear to the Salvation Army; play with cats at the SPCA; become a conversation partner with RIAC and help a newcomer to Canada improve their English (you can sign up by emailing esl@riac.ca); or, if you don’t have that much time to commit, grab lunch at the Hungry Heart Cafe– this lunch location is operated by Stella’s Circle, they employ vulnerable adults who may have trouble getting a job anywhere else and give them skills to work in the food service industry.

How do you spend rainy days in your city or hometown? We would love to hear about it!

Airport Highlight: Gander International

September 12, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Having grown up in central Newfoundland, I am quite familiar with Gander International Airport. Locally, we all know and love it for its proximity to rural towns, its unique flair, and of course, its direct Sunwing flights to the sunny south in the cold Newfoundland winter. But for a tiny airport in a tiny community, there’s a lot more interesting history to Gander International Airport than you’d expect.

Although these days most major flights out of Newfoundland depart from St. John’s International Airport in the capital city, Gander was once an integral stopover destination for international flights, which is where it got its nickname: The Crossroads of the World. The airport got quite a bit of attention in the last couple of years after the broadway musical “Come From Away” became a global hit. “Come From Away” tells the story of the large role the Town of Gander played in the tragic events of 9/11. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to see the play, but I’m saving pennies in an attempt to head to New York for the show sometime soon.

What do the Queen of England, Marilyn Monroe, and Fidel Castro have in common? They have all been guests of Gander, Newfoundland!
-Erin Gregory, Ingenium Channel

Gander International Airport was built in 1938 and soon after, with the completion of a few more runways, it was the largest airport in the world. It was heavily used by the Canadian and American military during World War 2 and helped make transatlantic flights possible. In 1945, the first scheduled commercial flight passed through the airport. Many international carriers used Gander International Airport over the years, including Air France, Pan-Am, and Scandinavian Airlines.

100s of VIP guests had traveled through the airport by the 1950s, including Albert Einstein, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and Fidel Castro. The Queen of England herself was even present at the grand opening of the ‘new’ terminal in 1959. This terminal is still at the airport today, frozen in time, and rarely used. Shortly after the vibrant, hip (now retro) terminal opened, feats of engineering allowed aircraft to fly longer distances without needing to refuel, meaning Gander International Airport was used less and less frequently. Although the airport is only used in modern times for flights to and from some Canadian cities and by snowbirds heading down south, it is still a very important site for North Atlantic air traffic control operations.

Sir Frederick Grant Banting, who discovered the therapeutic potential of penicillin, died in a plane crash after departing Gander International Airport in February 1941. In 1946, Sabena Airlines flight DC-4 crashed 35 km short of the runway in Gander, killing 27 people. On December 12, 1985, Arrow Air Flight 1285 crashed in Gander. All 256 people on board, most American soldiers, tragically lost their lives. To this day, it remains the deadliest airplane accident in Canadian history. On September 11, 2001, the day of the devastating World Trade Center, Gander opened its arms to 38 planes carrying around 7000 passengers after US Airspace closed. This is what “Come From Away” is all about. I could go on and on about this story, but I want you to see the show, so I won’t. Go see it. Now.

I feel so lucky on the rare occasions when I get to fly out of the Gander international terminal. It has the coolest retro vibes. You can picture glamorous men and women in the 1950s lounging on the bright yellow and orange couches, checking the time on the mid-century clocks, and hopping on the escalator to catch their flight. It’s truly an unforgettable travel experience, especially when you’re aware of the historical significance. You wouldn’t think there would have been such a bustling operation in such a small community– but the impact and importance of Gander International Airport in tremendous.

I highly suggest you check out Erin Gregory’s fantastic article about the airport and its history. She has some great photos and interesting tidbits of information. She sums up the Gander International Airport experience quite succinctly: “it’s like stepping inside an artifact.” I got a lot of my information for this post from good ol‘ Wikipedia and things I remember hearing from friends and family growing up.

What’s your favourite fact about Gander International Airport? Did you know it had such a rich history? There was no way I could cram everything about the airport into one short post– there is so much more to discover. We’d love to hear from you about it! Comment your favourite stories or links to your favourite articles.

-char

Local Media Spotlight: Iceberg Alley Performance Tent

September 9, 2019 | Leave a Comment

The Iceberg Alley Performance Tent is a music festival that spans 11 entertainment-filled nights. The 25,000 square foot tent is in St. John’s on the banks of Quidi Vidi Lake. Performers from various genres will take to the stage to perform such as Brett Michaels, Loverboy, Tim Hicks, and Metric to name a few. Additionally, hitting the stage again this year on September 14 is Alan Doyle with Shanneyganock and Celtic Connection. Last year, Linds & I had the opportunity to take in this amazing show from the VIP Jag Sky Bar. It was a DREAM.

How often does the same concert happen twice? Hardly ever. You have the chance to have the same incredible experience that we did last year. There are still tickets available for Alan Doyle, as well as other, brand new acts throughout the festival! What are you waiting for? Here’s what you have to look forward to:

Our passes granted us access to both the main area in front of the stage as well as the Jag Sky Bar VIP section. This was a treat for sure. Private bar, private bathrooms, free munchies from Exile, and no line-ups in sight. You get a birds-eye view of the stage and the pulsing crowd. We love the whole venue, but we would absolutely recommend treating yourself to some VIP treatment at the festival. (For more details about the general admission perks, check out this article about past years.)

Our east coast roots run deep and there’s nothing we love more than stomping our feet to some tunes that remind us of home. Shanneyganock kept the crowd buzzing and I think just about everyone was getting their groove on. There’s nothing quite like being in a jam-packed room of east coasters who are just so happy to be hearing live music. Not only was the live music great but the crowd knew many of the songs and no one hesitated to sing along. It was a party.

Alan Doyle. Some performers just have this magical energy that they bring on stage with them and Doyle is absolutely one of them. Right from the get-go, he had that sparkle in his eyes. It was such a privilege to witness his work. I was especially impressed with how respectful and humble he was throughout his set. His gratitude for performing on the Rock was thoroughly evident. Man, he knows how to put on a show. As a Great Big Sea fan he definitely did not disappoint; singing a mixture of old and new songs– the crowd was invested. Having the opportunity to not only see him perform but also see the friendly faces in the audience react to his performance was extremely humbling. (Also, I would like to point out that I was videoing in the media pit and he smiled right at me!) We can’t talk about this performance without shouting out the vibrant beauty and talent that is Kendal Carson– she absolutely rocked it. The energy in that tent, on that night, was something truly special.

I’m so grateful that we had the opportunity to experience this event, to dance the night away and sing at the top of our lungs. What’s more? We’re going again this year! We’ll be getting down to Brett Michaels, Loverboy, Kim Mitchell, and David Wilcox. Mark your calendars because it’s a hell of a good time. Cheers to that my friends! Don’t miss this festival. Get your tickets here!

xoxo,
Char & Linds

P.S. Linds wasn’t lying– there he is, seconds before he smiled right at her 😉

Exploring Newfoundland’s West Coast: Western Brook Pond Boat Tour

August 29, 2019 | Leave a Comment

This post is a long time coming! On Canada Day Weekend (yup, months ago) my friends and I took a road trip to the west coast of Newfoundland. We mostly just chilled in the RV, played lawn games, and had some drinks, but we did find the energy to venture up to Western Brook Pond to do the boat tour through the world-famous, breathtaking fjords. I was slightly under-prepared so, unfortunately, the photos are only iPhone photos!

We booked our tour through BonTours, which is the only tour company operating in Western Brook Pond. It was about $65 per person and we did not have to make a deposit to book our tour in advance. I would definitely suggest you book the tour ahead of time as it can be quite busy in the summer.

To access the tour, you’ll need to walk about 3km from the parking lot to the dock. It’s a relatively easy walk and takes about 30-45 minutes depending on your fitness level. I suggest bringing a bottle of water and a snack as the food at the tour facility is quite pricey.

The boat tour was fantastic. It’s about two hours long. We stood at the front of the boat the entire time so our views were fantastic. There is seating on top of the boat, at the back, and inside. The tour guide was great. He was friendly and informative. On the way back, he even played a few local tunes and everyone sang along.

There are so many remarkable facts about Western Brook Pond. What particularly stands out in my mind are the tales of huge chunks of the cliffs falling into the water, once even causing a 100-foot tsunami. The pond also carries extremely low levels of electrical charge compared to other bodies of water, meaning it is unable to support much marine life and therefore the water is pristine.

I know my pictures aren’t much. You might even be wondering after reading this post, “why would I bother going all that way for a boat tour in a little pond?”

Well, words and photos will NEVER demonstrate the magnitude of the fjords. To give you an idea, the CN Tower is 553 meters tall, and the tallest rock face in Western Brook Pond is 600 meters. It’ll blow your mind!

Have you been to Western Brook Pond? My goal is to snowmobile it next, and hopefully hike it someday. Let us know what you thought of the experience in the comments below or by reaching out on social media, @twowildtides!

Check out our other adventures on the west coast of Newfoundland: