Two provinces every year for 5 years.  Marathon goal: all of Canada by 2020.

Holiday weekend destination: NEWFOUNDLAND.  Nowhere further East on the North American continent.  Marathoning Labour Day Monday, holiday same-day both Canada & US.  Colorado return late Monday nite; days missed from work: ZERO.  Perrrrrfect – stockpiling PTO (vacation days) for Antarctica (Jan 2019).

Denver to Toronto [everything Air Canada involves Toronto] almost missed my connection clearing Canadian Customs (Nova Scotia last summer, 8 extra hours ‘til next available flight).  Thankfully this time, an Air Canada rep walked [me] to the front of the line; otherwise, would’ve been Sunday first opportunity to see St John’s.

Newfoundland & Labrador.  Newfoundland’s the island, Labrador mainland Canada.  #10 of Canada’s ten provinces, joined the Confederation March 1949.  Entire weekend spent in St Johns, province’s capital city.  Booked a pricey B&B stay downtown (B&B sans one ‘b’/NO breakfast).  Old historic home.  Unique rowhouse experience.  Capital city, sleeps downtown, why rent a car?  Walking vacation.  By Day 2 that flaw’d be rectified.  No Lyft, no Uber.  Whole lotta walking.  HILL-Y!  Like our San Francisco without the busy city part.  GORGEOUS scenery however.  Over-the-top OCEAN views, unique local foods & Canada’s FRIENDLIEST people.  Crazy accent too – super FUN, more Irish than Canadian.

Late to bed, early to rise.  3 ½ hour time difference.  HALF hour time change?  No joke.  Day’s first waking thought: MUST FIND FOOD.  Missed a couple meals Saturday.  Ready, ready to eat!  LOL>

Classic Café East on Duckworth TOPPED the short-list.  For a guy who digs diners – absolutely, bang on.  Waitress recommended 2 local specialties.  Add my first choice (fish cakes) & that’d make THREE.  Spending Canadian $$ this trip – bring it on.  Words of Scarlett O’Hara: “I’ll never go hungry again.”

Fish cakes & eggs (cod cakes), toutons with molasses (fried dough/fritter) AND salted cod/hard tack   & scrunchions (fish/potatoes/onions/mystery meat, skillet’d together).  SUPER TASTY.  Lotta take-away — big eyes, little stomach.

Boat tour scheduled early afternoon.  Plenty of time to walk off breakfast – well, maybe part of breakfast.  Who am I kidding?  2½ kilometers to Quidi Vidi Village.  Would have to add 40 to that figure to walk off MY breakfast.  SOOOO very FULL 🙂

Hafta/MUST do while in St John’s: Quidi Vidi [pronounced kiddie-viddie].

Village on the water, hemmed in the island’s rolling hills.  Fishing boats, sea gulls, brightly-coloured dockhouses.  Super scenic, quiet/peaceful, reminiscent of Maine.  HIGHLY recommended.  HUGE FAN of Newfoundland.  LOVE LOVE this place ❤️

Quidi Vidi Village, NL