Travel Diary

Roadside Connections on the Drive Home from Canada

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picnic lunch at Blueberry Hill Inn

Our drive home from Newfoundland was markedly different than our drive up to Canada. When we began this journey it was still cool enough temps to comfortably car camp and stop for short walks. That wasn’t the case in July when we drove home, so our focus shifted to forming connections with people along the way. Rather than isolating ourselves, we chose lodging that would allow for opportunities to interact with our hosts. We gave ourselves permission to leave late in the morning if conversation was good. I put away my phone and forgot about taking photos and posting to social media. Best decision ever!

This is a continuation of our Road Trip to Canada and it picks up after our 17 days in Newfoundland.

Day 43: Newfoundland to New Brunswick

Spent the night on the 16-hour ferry from Argentia to Sydney. It was our first overnight ferry and I’m glad we booked a cabin. Eric had to knock himself out with melatonin to offset the motion of the ship and I had a brief panic attack when I turned off the lights in our windowless cabin, but we slept soundly and overall it was a fun experience. Note for future ferries: bring more food and assume WiFi doesn’t work.

Our drive today is a repeat of what we’ve already done except that we get to see Bras d’Or Lake in Cape Breton this time. It’s also more colorful as the roads are now covered in wild purple and pink lupine. We stop for coffee at La Factrie in Moncton, which feels like a culinary oasis after our long sojourn in Newfoundland. Our host tonight is Karen in St. Stephen on the Canadian border. She greets us warmly at the door and shows us to our room in her historic home. We have the entire upper floor to ourselves, including her library which has the best religious collection I’ve ever seen. Karen has two masters degrees in theology and has spent time abroad and her books reflect this.

Days 44-45: New Brunswick to Vermont

We help ourselves to breakfast. Karen has provided everything we need to help ourselves without having to wake her. The neighborhood is quiet and we can hear birdsong through the open windows – amazing how our senses open up in the absence of air-conditioning. Our border crossing is quick and painless and once again we find ourselves driving through the Maine wilderness. At Ralph’s Got Gas, there’s an old man in overalls sitting out front just outside of Clifton who looks like a character I’d like to write about. The mosquitos and flies are horror-worthy in Maine and I don’t understand how anyone would wish to hike here in summer. We stop to pee at a rest stop and I refuse to get out because there’s a curtain of bloodsuckers swarming our car – I can wait until we get out of the woods.

Our drive takes us through Franconia Notch State Park and I gaze longingly at the mountains, wishing we were hiking, until Eric reminds me of the insect horde waiting to chomp on us in that dense foliage.

Franconia Notch State Park

The Vermont countryside is equally as gorgeous as New Hampshire, especially our destination of Goshen which is tucked away in a valley between the White and Green Mountains. We are here for Blueberry Hill Inn, which I’ve had on my bucket list ever since I learned about hiking Inn to Inn Vermont. We fall under the spell of this place and its caretakers. So much so that I’ve written a separate post about The Vermont Inn with a Living Heartbeat.

Blueberry Hill Inn sunroom

Day 46: Vermont to New York

After a leisurely breakfast chat with Shari, owner of Blueberry Hill Inn, we drive across the state of New York, stopping for a bit of shopping and lunch at The Silo in Queensbury. I am stuffed beyond capacity and Eric loses his navigator for a while as I fall into a food coma. I wake in time to see our drive into Alfred where we spend the night. Our hosts are Luanne and Steve, professors of music and theater at Alfred University. Steve greets us at the door, welcoming us into their home as if we were family. We meet Luanne and Kavi (their curious yet aloof husky) and I know I’m with like-minded people when I peruse their bookshelves full of travel guides and scrapbooks of their years teaching abroad. Eric and I spend the evening in peaceful repose doing what we love best, reading a book about travel (me) and researching places to eat for the remainder of our journey (Eric).

ecotravel book by McLaren

Day 47: New York to Kentucky

Steve and Luanne enthrall us with their adventures and wisdom. Over coffee and homemade chocolate banana nut bread, we lounge in their living room and swap travel stories. Steve tells us they chose teaching jobs abroad because they wanted their children to be “citizens of the world” – similar to the librarian we stayed with in Concord at the beginning of our trip. They split their time between New York and Costa Rica, where they own a small eco-house. While Steve tries to convince Eric to visit a tropical rainforest (unknowing that Eric is deathly allergic to most everything in the jungle), Luanne offers me excellent advice on Japan and I sit in awe as this fascinating woman shares snippets of her life story.

Our drive through Ohio and Kentucky is hazy due to wildfires still burning in Canada, which reminds me of how interconnected we are on this planet. Our day ends with friends in Covington, Kentucky, an edgy hipster suburb across the river from Cincinnati. Josh and Eric went to school together and we’ve long wanted to visit him and his wife Paradise. I immediately notice the smaller of their two dogs – can’t miss the weenie dog on wheels with an attitude. Cincy has had multiple back surgeries and her loving owners have to regularly expel her bladder now that she no longer has feeling in her rear. If I reincarnate as a dog, I want these two as my human parents. Dog intros complete, we walk to dinner at Riverside Korean where Josh and Paradise ensure we get our veggies.

Riverside Korean egg bowl

Day 48: Kentucky to Tennessee

Eric accomplishes one of his goals in life — he introduces me to Jungle Jim’s of Cincinnati. Our friend Josh describes this place as “a spectacle” and I agree. Imagine if Walt Disney married Andrew Zimmerman and they adopted babies from every country around the world. This would be the grocery store they bring their family to. We see a full-sized alligator in the freezer section, along with a display of insect snacks. A full-sized antique fire truck is in the hot sauce department. An Airstream is in the organics. We turn around at the entrance to the cheese room because by this point I’m completely overwhelmed and am experiencing decision paralysis.

Day 49: Tennessee to Louisiana

Our last day is boring and barely worth writing about. We spend our last night at an Airbnb in Germantown which has the most uncomfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on. We are also informed how lucky we are to have booked a room in advance because the homeowners have been inundated by friends and family fleeing Memphis which has been experiencing a power outage for several days. Up until this point I’ve not been ready to return home, but after this last night we’re both ready to sleep in our own beds.

Day 50: Home

I wake up in my own bed and luxuriate in the knowledge that we can make our coffee the way we like it and I can take a shower in something large enough to actually shave my legs without being a contortionist. I spend the day reflecting on our trip, organizing these journal notes, and I come to the realization that this no longer feels like home. I’m just at a really nice short-term rental, enjoying some down time until our next journey. Perhaps when family visits we’ll begin to feel like residents again, but I doubt it. Travel has always changed us in some way but this trip has irrevocably altered our DNA – there’s no going back after this.

laptop in a sunroom looking out at pool

Fun observations on a long road trip

It’s amazing how after 20 years of marriage, a long road trip can produce new revelations about your spouse. Here’s what we discovered about ourselves and each other on this road trip:

  • I’m a co-eater, I eat every time Eric starts eating, even though I’m not hungry.
  • I get turned on watching Eric change a tire.
  • I can hold my bladder through the night, amazing what 35°F temperatures outside will do as incentive.
  • Eric never stops talking — when did he become the chatter box?
  • I can keep Eric entertained for a 9 hour drive with my witty humor.
  • We’re officially old because if we don’t get our fiber every day things just don’t go well.
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Canada, Hiking, Slow travel, Travel Diary

They Told Us Not to Go to St. John’s

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woman hiking North Head section of East Coast Trail Newfoundland

“You won’t be happy in St. John’s now that you’ve been here, you’ll miss this place.”

Nearly these exact words were spoken to us by two different people in two different places – Fleur de Lys and Trinity. But how could we drive all this way to Newfoundland and not visit their biggest city? Besides, we were here to hike the best trails and the East Coast Trail runs right through St. John’s.

man hiking to puffin colony in Elliston Newfoundland
Had we not stopped in Trinity, we would have missed this gorgeous view in Elliston.

Friendly hospitality in Trinity East

We are not immune to persuasion, however, so we shaved one day off our original itinerary so that we could stop in Trinity East for a night. Like so many decisions made on this trip, we adapted our plans when our gut drew us to a particular place. Home of the Brightside Bistro and Sisters Inn, Trinity East was the perfect stop to break up our long drive from Fleur de Lys to St. John’s.

Brightside Bistro and Sisters Inn, Trinity East Newfoundland

When we walked into the door of Brightside Bistro, the only thing we knew about this place was that Eric was impressed by their menu.

Yes, we alter our itineraries based on menus.

Jaime, one of the owners, greeted us as soon as we arrived and proceeded to chat with us amidst a bustling atmosphere of lively conversation. The place was bright and happy and pumping with good music. In our beautifully decorated room directly above the dining room, I threw myself on the bed with outstretched arms and said “I feel like we’ve been transported to Ireland to one of our favorite pubs.”

bedroom at Sisters Inn, Trinity East Newfoundland

At dinner, we discovered Chef Nikki was off for the night so Eric would miss that menu he’d been drooling over. With the face of a sad puppy, Eric quickly recovered once his fish and chips arrived. My chicken sandwich didn’t sound exciting either but it was FANTASTIC! As was our roasted beet and apple salad and my frou-frou beverage.

Our fellow diners were a mix of hikers (LOVE seeing hiking boots in a restaurant) and the owners’ family members. Father’s Day was that weekend and they were gearing up for a big bar-b-que the next day. With the ease of a master networker, Jaime pulled everyone into conversation that night. We learned that the bistro had just opened a month ago and that evening was the first night this chef was in charge of the kitchen. No one would have been the wiser, everyone working that night moved and spoke like old pros.

At breakfast, the conversations continued and really took off once we realized we shared a passion for Dave Matthews, the Lumineers and Mumford & Sons. They actually named the cafe after a Lumineers song. Jaime showed us the coffee bar they’re adding and I could see how deeply passionate the Brightside team are about this place. They all have jobs elsewhere and drive from Gander and St. John’s – that is a real commitment and it’s always refreshing to see people doing something that they love.

Making friends on the Skerwink Trail

Besides the food, we had also chosen Trinity so we could hike the Skerwink Trail, which often makes the “top 5” of Newfoundland hikes. Skerwink was beautiful, and you should absolutely hike it, but it was very crowded. I wish we had known about the other trails in this area, especially the Fox Island Trail which looked amazing!

quiet moment at beginning of Skerwink, before everyone caught up with us

I was surprised at how many photos I actually took of Skerwink, because my memories of this trail are mostly of conversations or me humming a tune to distract myself from how badly I needed to pee. There were plenty of trees and tucked away places, just too many darn people.

Had we left early, however, we would not have met the lovely people that we did. One couple from New Hampshire chatted with us off and on as we swapped photo spots and we bonded with others as we approached a den of foxes with baby pups.

family of foxes on Skerwink Trail in Newfoundland
family of foxes on Skerwink Trail

But the older couple from Montreal was our favorite. We spent nearly an hour on the trail visiting with them, swapping travel stories as we seemed to share the same travel style. They were very interested in our Trips to Walkabout site and challenged me to find more companies that offer walking tours in French. Défi accepté.

woman hiking Skerwink Trail with man taking photo in background
my buddy from Montreal in background, we're in half his photos as he is in ours

Towards the end of the Skerwink Trail is a beach with views of a lighthouse and island (if it’s not foggy). Most people walked right past it but we love our beach walks so we sauntered for awhile.

Exploring Bonavista Peninsula

We had one day to explore the Bonavista Peninsula and that included our morning hike on Skerwink. The town of Elliston claims to be the root cellar capital of the world and they have puffins, so that was of course a mandatory stop. As expected, Elliston was crowded with tourists so I highly recommend coming early in the morning if you visit. The town was precious and I could easily see myself hunting for the root cellars and taking pictures of all of them. While I was disappointed by the puffins (they were too far for photos), I was awed by the beautiful cliffside walk. It reminded us of Mykines Island where we first saw puffins in the Faroe Islands.

The roads were terrible on Bonavista and it seemed to be something the locals just took in stride. Dodging potholes became entertainment! That didn’t deter us from enjoying a scenic drive around the entire peninsula, especially when there were icebergs on the horizon.

We arrive in St. John's

Our new friends pegged us well, for as we arrived in St. John’s I could feel my wings curling back into my body. St. John’s isn’t a large city by any means and it’s located directly on the coast with beautiful scenery all around. But they were right, we immediately wanted to be back in the small outports. It didn’t help that our Airbnb was a basement apartment below homeowners who had no idea how loud they were. I’m still not sure if it was the dog that sounded like he was breaking things or if they were teaching aerobics classes while wearing steel shoes. Nicest couple and best location near Quidi Vidi, but boy was it LOUD!

view of St John's Newfoundland
photo courtesy of onepony from Getty Images Pro

Noise aside, it was nice to be back in a city where food options were more plentiful. Eric was starting to look like a scruffy nerf herder (any Star Wars fans here?) so we walked into Moammar’s Barbershop for a trim. I knew he was in good hands when I saw how meticulously placed everything was on Moammar’s shelf. He quickly felt the shape of Eric’s head and then the Edward Scissor Hands magic began. The man was quick and precise and I could tell that it was bothering him that Eric wouldn’t let him touch his beard. This was a barber who expected perfection, it was like watching art! His job done, Moammar looked to me for approval, I nodded, and Eric walked out with the best cut he will probably ever have.

moose sausage, halloumi and fresh chard, yum!

Hiking sections of the East Coast Trail

I had a list of sections that we could hike along the East Coast Trail, Newfoundland’s famous long-distance trail. Our original plan was to hire transport services each day so that we could hike entire sections and be returned to our car. By this point in our 50-day trip, we didn’t want to be confined to a schedule so we opted to hike shorter versions each day, simply turning around on the trail whenever we felt like it.

Our first hike was Silver Mine Head, parking at Middle Cove Beach and heading northwest up the coast. I wasn’t feeling well that day so we only hiked 3 miles, turning around where the homes were directly on the trail (just past the bridge and waterfall). Coastal hikes are always our favorite, and this one followed closely along the edge so we loved it!

We didn’t plan it this way, but the next day we reached our 100th mile of hiking on this trip exactly at North Head on the East Coast Trail. We arrived early which ensured a parking spot at the popular Cape Spear Lighthouse

Heading south on the trail, we stopped for lunch at North Head and visited with a group of Newfoundlanders, one of which had cousins that live in Baton Rouge. They were impressed with my Newfie accent but said Eric needed work.

Weather was not on our side for most of our stay in St. John’s, so our third day of hiking the East Coast Trail was short-lived. We drove past Torbay and Pouch Cove, both pretty towns I would recommend for an alternative to the city. It was raining as we drove up the road to Cape Saint Francis, which was in terrible condition so we actually parked at one point and walked the rest of the way.

lodging on East Coast Trail near White Horse Path in Newfoundland

The rain was getting worse and fog was moving in, so we only hiked a short portion of the White Horse Path. It was beautiful, probably my favorite spot, but it’s also one of the most difficult sections of the ECT and dangerous in bad weather. Just when we thought we were the only crazy ones to come out in this weather, we met up with two young men, one who went to university here and the other who was visiting from San Antonio, Texas. Neither had a rain jacket or hiking boots, just “out for a stroll.”

white horse path section of East Coast Trail Newfoundland

The end for us but beginning for others

The morning we left Newfoundland, we walked to Quidi Vidi. It was pretty and Instagram-worthy but I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the people who live there. It’s a tiny area and I can’t imagine what it’s like during high tourist season. We watched as high school seniors dressed in formal gowns and suits had their photos taken. A woman told us that graduations are a week-long celebration in Newfoundland and they have a big party similar to our proms here in the States.

We stopped for a picnic lunch at Topsail Beach, where the East Coast Trail begins. Yesterday morning we were bundled up in coats and our eyelashes were freezing, today was warm and full of sunshine. Appropriate, as it was the first official day of summer for school kids. Children were walking around in shorts and tube tops and rushing from school to stop at Berg’s for ice cream. Eating our beet and wheat berry salad, we watched as families played on the beach, thinking “time to go home, the crowds are out and the sun is shining.”

Topsail Beach playground in Newfoundland
Topsail Beach before the sun and people arrived

Sobering moments on ship

Our adventures weren’t quite over yet, as we hopped on the Argentia Ferry for our 16-hour overnight return to Cape Breton. WiFi never worked and food options were scarce so we splurged on the buffet supper. Bring snacks and books, that’s my advice for anyone taking the ferries to Newfoundland! A ferry is always an adventure, however, and this was no exception. We eavesdropped on people listening to the news on their phones, they had just announced that the Titan submersible had experienced a catastrophic implosion and everyone had died. We had been watching search helicopters fly by that week as we hiked near St. John’s, where the Titan began its journey. Sobering news, which is probably why I had a panic attack when we turned off our cabin lights that night. In a room with no windows and sinking submarines playing in my mind, I felt the need to reach out and hold Eric’s hand. Life is a risk and I’ll never regret living it to the fullest as long as he’s by my side.

man in cabin on Argentia Ferry from Newfoundland

Final advice for visiting Newfoundland

When to visit

  • Mid-June is the sweet spot. It’s the best time if you want to feel more local, have cooler temps for hiking, less crowded trails and businesses are open. The only downside is missing the chance to hike Gros Morne Mountain.

Choosing an itinerary

  • If you only have 1 week, pick a side (west or east) and don’t try to squeeze in the entire island. You’ll miss out on the experiences that make this place so special.
  • If you have 2 weeks, split them up between east and west Newfoundland, spending more days on the west coast if you prefer day hikes and small fishing towns. If the East Coast Trail is what you’re after, spend your entire trip on the east side and add in some time for one of the neighboring peninsulas.
  • If you have time to spare or you prefer off-the-beaten path places and interesting people, head straight to the northern outports and immerse yourself in one of the friendliest cultures in the world.

Read our Hiking Guide to Eastern Newfoundland if you’re interested in planning a hiking trip. If you missed our previous stories about this trip, you’ll find them at Trails and Tales of Western Newfoundland and Fleur de Lys Newfoundland, Land of Storytellers and Icebergs.

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Canada, Slow travel, Travel Diary

Fleur de Lys Newfoundland, Land of Storytellers and Icebergs

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woman standing amongst bergy bits in Petit Nord Newfoundland

The smell of ice — that’s the strongest sensory memory that hits me first as I sit down to write about our time in Fleur de Lys, Newfoundland. And I’m not talking ice like you pull out of your freezer. I’m talking about the smell of glaciers so clean and mineral rich they overwhelm every other smell around. I find myself sucking in air so deeply I get lightheaded, because I just can’t get enough of it.

man taking photo of icebergs near Fleur de Lys Newfoundland

No one told me you could smell icebergs. Some reports say that old sailors claim they smell like cucumbers. If you mean frozen cucumbers then that’s probably the closest description, although it still doesn’t quite capture the scent. This was my first time to see them and it wasn’t even what brought us to this remote northern outport.

We were here to meet The Woman of the Sea.

Why Fleur de Lys and not Twillingate

Throughout this trip, when people found out we were exploring the northern region, their faces would light up and immediately mouth the words “you’re going to Twillingate?” Their faces would fall when we said “no, we’re going to Fleur de Lys.” Locals and tourists showed the same response. It was like we’d rejected their favorite toy. Why on earth would anyone skip the most popular tourist destination in northern Newfoundland? The place with the biggest icebergs, best restaurants and photo opportunities.

iceberg seen off the coast of Twillingate, photo courtesy of Scott Heaney from Getty Images

Our answer was simple. We came to the north to meet people and to witness the daily life of an outport town. It would be hard to accomplish that in Twillingate or the exclusive Fogo Island, but we felt sure we’d find it in the Baie Verte Peninsula, specifically amongst the Petit Nord communities. Named by the French who would seasonally fish these coasts for cod, the Petit Nord stretches from Quirpon to Cape St. John, a coastline dotted with tiny outports that each have their own unique personality and history.

Petit Nord sign in Ming's Bight Newfoundland

Fleur de Lys' Woman of the Sea

We were staying in Fleur de Lys at Woman of the Sea, home and culinary playground for one of the most loving souls we’ve ever met. Kim is a trained chef who offers catered dinners from her home and two bedrooms with a shared bath to rent. When we were perusing Airbnb  for lodging, there was something about Kim’s listing that drew us to her place and we’ve learned to trust our intuition. Call it fate, kismet, Divine Providence, or cosmic forces, I can tell you we were meant to meet Kim. Something clicked the minute we walked through her door, welcomed with coffee and tea buns.

Kim and Eric swap recipes and talk "chef stuff" over breakfast

Our first night in Fleur de Lys was spent visiting with Kim at her kitchen table over fresh pan-fried cod, mashed potatoes and tangy slaw. Born and raised here, Kim has led a fascinating life which has brought her across the globe and back. She hopes to write a memoir and I know it will be a powerful story. With her lyrical Newfie accent and direct way of speaking, Kim is a great storyteller. She’s also an avid reader, her bookshelves are full of cookbooks and history books about Irish independence and rural Newfoundland. A soul sister for sure! To convey just how much we connected with Kim, she used the term “Salt of the Earth” when describing us in our review on Airbnb and I just couldn’t believe it because I had written notes about our stay here the night before and used that exact phrase to describe the residents of Fleur de Lys.

Sam's Place of healing

Kim became our gateway to Fleur de Lys and the Baie Verte area. Through her we met others who continued our education. Like Mary and Bernadine from Sam’s Place, where we learned that “couldn’s” was “what I couldn’t eat yesterday I’ll eat today” – aka leftovers. We warmed ourselves with moose soup (which had been secretly stashed for us at Kim’s request) while Mary (originally from Ontario) kept us laughing as she expounded on all the reasons she hates Newfoundland in the winter (but you can tell she absolutely loves it here). Bernadine was the mother hen of Sam’s Place, quietly welcoming guests with a twinkle in her eye, shaking her head fondly at Mary’s antics. She reminded me so much of Iris who used to work for the Jennings Library – same twinkle, same love and joy pouring out of her.

carrot cake and coffee at Sam's Place in Fleur de Lys Newfoundland
carrot cake at Sam's Place baked by owner Millie Walsh

There’s something sacred about visiting Sam’s Place. Part cafe, part living memorial, this building is the beating heart of Fleur de Lys, representing both the best and worst of humanity. You will find a tragic story here, the kind of brutality and loss that no parent should ever have to endure, but you won’t find the despair that is expected with such pain. Instead, you’ll find a warm light-filled space, where neighbors from outports all around come to visit or have an informal therapy session. Where smiles and hugs are given out like candy. Eric and I went upstairs, where Sam’s childhood playthings are on display. We read the letters on the walls, a mere sampling of 15,000 that were sent to Sam’s parents from all over the world, reminding us all that there is more light in this world than darkness. Sam’s parents, Millie and George,  built a place of healing, not just for themselves but for all those who pass through these doors. 

I purposefully don’t go into details about what happened to Samantha Walsh because I feel the story that should be remembered is one of light and love, but if you want to try to understand the impact on this tiny community, you’ll find an excellent podcast here.

Exploring trails near Fleur de Lys

The reason we needed hot moose soup at Sam’s was because we’d been hiking in the rain that morning. Many outports in northern Newfoundland have at least one community trail that leads to the water, each offering beautiful views of the coastline in different ways. We only spent two nights in Fleur de Lys and the weather didn’t cooperate, but we managed to sneak in as many of these trails as possible.

woman next to Canadian flag on Pacquet hiking trail in Newfoundland

Our first Petit Nord trail was the Ocean View Trail in Pacquet, one of the best short trails we walked in Newfoundland. It began with a viewpoint at Chesley’s Hole, so named for the man who once fell down its cavernous depths and lived to tell about it. It followed the coast out to a large Canadian flag at the tip of the harbor. There was a forest path which looped back to the parking lot but we didn’t take it, choosing to retrace our steps because we couldn’t get enough of the icebergs.

We drove to Coachman’s Cove for our next hike. At the parking lot in front of a large outdoor oven we met a man who I will call Fonz. I don’t know his real name and it’s not from lack of trying. He told us his name several times but his accent was so thick we couldn’t determine what he was actually saying. Fonz held us captive for over 30 minutes while he talked proudly of his town and how a neighboring town (which will remain unnamed) “stole” their artifacts. He talked about working in the asbestos mine which closed down years ago. His face was ravaged by what I can only guess was a very hard life, and it was a stark reminder of why so many Newfoundlanders from these remote outports have left over the years. He also told us how the bread ovens are used during local festivals and Come Home Years.

The first Come Home Year was in 1966 in an effort to increase tourism by inviting expats to return home and rediscover the wonders of Newfoundland. Individual communities continued that tradition throughout the years and in 2022 the provincial government promoted another big Come Home Year. Locals told us a small town might double or triple its population in a day during the events. There would be so much traffic on roads that local entities were begging for volunteers to help fill potholes. Despite the headaches, there’s a definite pride and fondness for this tradition. It speaks to the Newfoundland value of keeping people at the heart of everything.

man standing with arms outstretched towards the ocean full of icebergs
Eric fully embraced northern Newfoundland, you'd have thought he was returning home

Back in Fleur de Lys we hiked their Ocean View Trail. Our intent was to also hike the Spotted Point Trail behind the Dorset Soapstone Museum but weather was not on our side and the museum was closed for the season. Everyone said it’s a great trail, combining excellent views with the history of the soapstone quarry which dates back 1,200-1,600 years ago when pre-Inuit peoples used this resource.

Stories and warm hospitality

Our second evening in Fleur de Lys found us sitting on couches, reading and listening to Willie Nelson and Lucinda Williams as Kim cooked dinner for a book club group. They were discussing The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi, which I found interesting considering Kim’s life experiences. I could tell she was intrigued by the book. Lucy, Kim’s neighbor growing up, was her kitchen assistant for the evening and was delightful to visit with. One of the women in the book club had worked in Lafayette as a travel nurse years ago, the same hospital our friend Lauren works. I should stop being surprised by how interconnected our world truly is.

My favorite part of the morning was listening to Kim whistle in the kitchen while she cooked us breakfast. I’ve never heard anyone who could whistle a tune that well. When asking Kim about what winters were like, she told us about the year the water froze and a polar bear crossed over from Labrador into their town and everyone had to shelter in place for two days while they hunted the polar bear. They stunned him and flew him back home on a helicopter. Even apex predators are treated with respect here.

One only needs to visit Fleur de Lys for a day to understand that these coastal communities know hard times, but what makes them so special in this world is how survival has molded them into a compassionate, hopeful people. People like Kim and Millie and her team at Sam’s Place who find joy in everyday moments and know their joy is amplified when sharing that joy with others. You know the warmth you feel when you walk into a local cafe and they’ve got the fireplace going and your waitress calls you lovie? That’s what Fleur de Lys and north Newfoundland feels like. Like one big polar bear hug, warmth amidst a cold rugged land.

Want more hiking trails in northern Newfoundland? See our Iceberg Trails of Northern Newfoundland on Trips to Walkabout. And if you missed our stories about Gros Morne and Blow Me Down Mts, read Trails and Tales of Western Newfoundland.

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