Arrived in St Johns on July 8/08 on a direct flight from Toronto, on a Air Canada's new Embraer 190, the new Brazilian aircraft, ...pretty nice. Had a Russian taxi driver from the days when Aeroflot stopped on the way to Cuba, and the soviets sought refugee status. St. Johns is smaller than I expected but pretty interesting, ... lots of cutesy shops on Water Street.
First cycling day was out to Cape Spear, just a 45 km return trip back to the same hotel. The road out was very hilly, and rather difficult. Had a lobster dinner the second night at Oliver's, ... very good.
One of the highlights was pick-nic lunch at the remote lighthouse in Ferryland, kind of pricey, at 19$, but the food quality was excellent. The lighthouse is written up in TIME magazine back in 2005
July 12th was my birthday, and all things considered, ..it was pretty good, discreet. It happened to be the night we all went to a dinner-theatre in Ferryland (80 K m south of St Johns) it was a kind of CTV Corner-Gas, but Newfie style, mostly humour. Basic, ... where for example the lighting for the stage was simple track lighting for the home, ... but with the Irish jig music and the super thick accent, the play about a general store -relationship clinic etc.... all went pretty well. The MC announced my birthday, and I was inclined to climb under the table, ... but reluctantly stood up and waved to the crowd (such as it was, about 55% full).
Today July 16 was somewhat rainy (but warm) but yesterday was sunny and hot maybe 27C in the sun and rode without a shirt which is my wont. Most days have been half decent, - weather wise, and the first day out of St Johns was really quite hilly, but since has been fairly flat. The famous Newfoundland hospitality is pretty obvious (and not particularly forced or contrived).
Basically the trip was the "Irish Loop" then the "Baccalieu Trail", and back to St John's. Today, July 20th we've just finished the cycling, and are back at the starting hotel, and our bikes are packed-up. We had 2 superb sunny days, 5 or 6 dry partly sunny days, and a couple of rainy days, ... not bad compared to the reputation. Most days were shortish at say 60Km but the longest day at 117Km was one of the sunny days, near 30C.
Flying back on 21st.
