Day 22 St. John's NL

 Sep 25 - St. John's NL

It is nice to be in one place for more than two days. No rushing, packing and unpacking.

We headed out on another sunny day to Cape Spear.

If you stand here, your back to the sea, the entire population of North America stretches out in front of you. And there’s nothing behind you until Ireland.

Perched on a rugged cliff, at our continent’s most easterly point, sits Cape Spear Lighthouse – the oldest surviving lighthouse in the province, a National Historic Site, and an iconic symbol of Newfoundland and Labrador's marine history.

The Portuguese named this location Cabo da Esperança, meaning "cape of hope", which became Cap d'Espoir in French and finally "Cape Spear".

A lighthouse has operated at Cape Spear since September 1836. The original Cape Spear lighthouse was the second lighthouse built in Newfoundland; the first was built in 1810 at Fort Amherst, at the entrance to St. John's Harbour. In 1832, the first legislative assembly for the colony created a lighthouse board. Cape Spear was chosen as the site for a new lighthouse because it was on the rocky eastern coast near the entrance to St. John's harbor.

It started spitting rain so we hopped into the car.

Take heed!

Then drove to Petty Harbour.

Alan Doyle, the frontman of the iconic folk-rock band Great Big Sea, was born in Petty Harbour in 1969. Alan wrote about his childhood in Petty Harbour in his book Where I Belong.

Back to the Harbour.

Back to town for lunch at Yellowbelly's.

When Mary Brown’s (fried chicken) was deciding upon an appropriate way to celebrate their 50th anniversary, and their return to downtown St. John’s, they knew they wanted to do something big – three storeys big to be exact.
What used to be an empty, red brick wall is now a Where’s Waldo-esque world filled with scuba diving chickens, mer-moose and more. In one section, a drumstick-toting crab smiles next to a shark wearing a Hawaiian shirt (which is placed next to an actual walk-up window where late-night revellers can place their order after hours). Nearby, a giant squid roots through a treasure chest filled with gold coins. And up above, a happy sea monster swims near the Battery. Painted by local artist Kyle Bustin.

George Street in downtown St. John's is two blocks of bars, pubs, restaurants – and nothing else. It's the centre of the entertainment district and its unique reputation has spread far and wide. It has inspired songs and stories, and has been a magnet for musicians and their fans for decades.

The 12ft tall sculpture is located on George Street, the city's famous entertainment area. It celebrates the performing arts in music and dance, honouring some of the province’s best-known artists: singer-songwriter Ron Hynes, NL accordion pioneer Wilf Doyle, and actor Tommy Sexton.

We had seen a plaque for Ron Hynes the other day at Ferryland.

He wrote Sonny's Dream, which we have heard often on this trip.

The sculpture also serves as a memorial to the artists. Flowers are often placed there to remember their contributions to arts and culture in this province.

Artist bio
Morgan MacDonald holds degrees in Fine Art (Grenfell) and Business (Memorial), and runs his Newfoundland Bronze Foundry from Logy Bay, NL. He uses lost wax casting to create works that are highly realistic and technical in nature with an emphasis on our deepest expressive human qualities. 

We happened upon the Gay Parade.

Driving back to the hotel.

From our window.