travel – Two Wild Tides

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

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:

The Trek of My Life: Day 4

August 26, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Day 4 started early as always. I devoured a protein bar and we headed off in the early hours of the morning. We were all a little excited because today was supposed to be a little easier (whatever that means). We came to realize that 2 more hours often meant 4 and easier was not necessarily a great descriptor. But we loved it!

We hiked for hours and hours today, chatting along the way. We reached our first Machu Picchu check point where we had to leave our names and passport information. Records of who was on the trail were etched in giant books on the worker’s desk. Then after a quick coffee tasting we were off. Our morning was quite challenging all uphill terrain which was very steep. We saw some beautiful ruins and had great views of the mountains. We were drenched in sweat by the time we reached our lunch stop and the meal was delicious. There was cold juice with our lunch, a rare treat on our last few days of trekking. We devoured it.

The afternoon was all downhill and quite steep. I was grateful for my poles which took some of the impact off of my knees. It was always faster going down because although it was hard on the joints we didn’t need to take rest stops. This made the time pass quickly and allowed us the opportunity to have conversation; something that wasn’t always possible on the way up. By mid afternoon we reached the train station where you could hop on or choose to continue hiking to Aguas Caliente. Stubborn we all were – no one took the train. We were a group of very determined individuals who were not going to quit. Let me tell you walking into Aguas Caliente was a sigh of relief, a real feeling of accomplishment.

That night we all had dinner and then went to our hostel to fight over the hot water for a shower. Then we all headed to explore the quaint little town, take in one of their festivals and get some grub.

It wasn’t long before we were sound asleep dreaming of Machu Picchu.

Hi from the morning protein bar pit stop!

Keep reading: Day 5.

St. Pierre & Miquelon: What To Do and What To See

August 22, 2019 | Leave a Comment

St. Pierre & Miquelon is a fascinating place. It is a slice of France off the continent of North America. More precisely, it is an archipelago (a group of islands), about 20 km off the southern coast of Newfoundland. St. Pierre is the smaller, more densely populated island, while Miquelon and Langlade are larger, more sparsely populated islands. St. Pierre and Miquelon can be reached by plane or ferry. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it out to Miquelon or Langlade on my trip there, so it’s on the list for next time. Keep reading to find out some of the best sites and attractions in St. Pierre that you won’t want to miss!

First thing’s first: grab a tourist map. The small ones offered by the tourism office are ideal (you can grab them on the ferry)– they helped us get around the island, find where to eat and grab a drink, and they have a handy list of all the popular historical sites, monuments, and museums.

The must-sees:

The Graveyard — St. Pierre’s Graveyard is rich with history and fascinating to stroll through. Some of the graves, most of which are above-ground, are quite unique and unusual. Learn the stories of the people who lived in St. Pierre and the tragedies that sometimes cost them their lives. The operation of the graveyard itself is also interesting to learn about, especially the events that caused the entire cemetary to be relocated several times. Be respectful and ask lots of questions.

War Memorials — St. Pierre has quite a few war memorials and monuments due to the many battles, revolutions, and wars France was part of throughout history. St. Pierre’s geographical distance did not immunize them from often being conscripted to fight and defend their country.

Point aux Canons Lighthouse & Fishing Village — Only a couple-minute stroll from the town centre, the lighthouse is worth wandering out to. Also, take a walk through the colourful fishing port and chat with locals about the island’s fishing heritage. Perhaps a good activity to do while you drink your morning coffee?

Arche Museum — Even if you’re not a museum person, I would still recommend checking this one out. It recounts the entire history of the island on easy-to-read interpretation boards and has the coolest artifacts to look at. You’ll even find a real guillotine on display– it really gave me the creeps. The architecture of the museum itself is very interesting. Don’t miss reading about the prohibition history and Al Capone’s role!

Strolling the streets of St. Pierre — This community is absolutely beautiful and for Newfoundlander’s, so reminiscent of home. Have a stroll through the narrow streets of St. Pierre and soak up the vibrant colours, unique shops, and foreign cars. Stop into a patisserie for a delicious snack and wander into the church– you’ll be surprised by the rough contrast of fine architecture and dilapidation.

Frenchi’s — I highly recommend booking Frenchi’s Tours in order to see the sights outside of the town centre. Steve, the main tour guide, was so friendly, knowledgeable, and absolutely hilarious. He spoke great English and could answer all of the questions we had about St. Pierre & Miquelon– and we had lots. We booked the ‘Island Tour’ which took us to all of the breathtaking viewpoints on the eastern side of the island.

You also HAVE to check out l’île aux Marins. Roughly translated to Mariner’s Island, this tiny island was once home to around 600 people. Today, the only inhabitants left are people with cabins and summer homes. On the island, you’ll find the immaculate remains of this community which have been transformed into interactive exhibits where visitors can roam free in and out of the buildings. Read all about it here!

Where to grab a drink and a bite to eat:

The restaurants we loved were Les Délices de Joséphine for coffee and lunch; Les P’tits Graviers and Le Feu de Braise for supper; and Crêperie du Vieux Port was our favourite because they had amazing French and Canadian food and unforgettable traditional crêpes.

We stopped by a few bars, but our absolute favourite was Le Rustique. It had the coolest vibes and it was definitely the busiest.

Let us know what you get up to on your trip to St. Pierre and Miquelon! What was your favourite thing to do or see there? What did we miss? Was there anything you’d do differently? Let us know by commenting below or commenting on our social media, @twowildtides!

Still planning your trip to St. Pierre and Miquelon? Check out our other article: Know Before You Go.