I did not know that the Great Northern Peninsula was so rich in Viking history.  The weather has not been great but the experiences have been extraordinary. There is nothing finer than appreciating the moment you are given.  

Morgan at Parks Canada Viking village

June 3 - A Day With The Vikings 

This was our day with the Vikings.  We had been watching the weather and it has sunshine in the little weather icon on The Weather Network.  We were sure it was going to be sunny.  When we awoke there was not a fleck of blue sky to be seen north, south, east or west.  Fog, dampness, and cold.  

The weather did not deter us from heading to L’Anse aux Meadows, where the Vikings lived 1,000 years ago.  We drove to the ‘end of the land,’ parked the truck and walked around for a bit.  I have to admit, fog or no 

Emily’s $6.00 partridge berry pie.

fog, it was nice not to have so much wind and no rain.  It almost felt like we had entered another season.  

While walking around I walked into the little craft shop, Emily’s Jams and Pies, that said it was open.  It was open but  no one was inside.  There was a small sign reading, cash only, pay here.  As we were poking around Emily popped in, as did another couple we recognized from our campground.  Emily sold her knitted socks, hats, homemade pies, muffins, bread, and other local 

L’Anse Aux Meadows Viking village

crafts.  We chose a partridge berry pie for only $6. 

Emily was so cute.  She has lived at the end of the land for 27 years.  Her husband, Clayton, has worked at the Parks Canada Heritage site for 50 seasons.  Plus, her son is the blacksmith at the recreated Viking village.  We asked what she does for the winter and the answer was knits and bakes.  

Off we went, with the Heritage site as our next stop.  After paying, I got Morgan from the truck because dogs on a leash are welcome.  Karen and I 

Frederick sharing Viking stories.

walked the boardwalk and who did we meet but Clayton.  Of course, we stopped to have a chat and told him we met Emily and purchased a pie.  Clayton, as I mention has been working at the park for 50 seasons doing various jobs over the years.  We asked him what he did for the winter.  With a strong Newfoundlander accent, he explained that in a place like this (meaning remote areas of Newfoundland) you have to get your wood in early, you are your own plumber, your are your own expert in anything that 

Karen and Morgan warming by the fire.

goes wrong because professionals may take weeks to arrive.  You need to have food, stay warm, and fix yer own stuff.  He also gestured that there may a whole lot of huggin’ and loving going on.  We laughed and thanked him for taking time to chat with us.  He also noted how beautiful Morgan was.  

 I cannot say how much I enjoy this small but impressive recreation of the Viking village.  Men were dressed in period costumes and talk of the days when…

We missed Emily and Clayton’s son as the blacksmith.  He was off at 14:00.  But, we did meet Frederick.  Frederick was so charming and captivating with his story telling that we were in his little sod house for quite awhile.  He shared so much that I cannot remember at the time of writing.  What I do remember is that he has a passion for Canadian history.  He has a passion and respect for all people and creatures.  He has worked at 10 of Canada’s 48 national parks.  He played his role well.  

After the park we headed to The Norsemen restaurant for a hot beverage.  When we went inside we were both captivated by the aroma of seafood 

Keeping a lookout with the Vikings

wafting from the galley.  Karen was also taken by the local Labradorite jewellery.  

We were only there for coffee but when we heard the appetizer of the day was fresh lobster ravioli we could not resist.  So, I had a chai tea latte and the ravioli appetizer.  I cannot tell you how speechless I was when I got a bill for $30.  Ouch.  That was the most expensive appetizer I had ever had.  

Karen purchased her beautiful new ring.  She knew how much it was but when she saw the total together she, too had to pick her chin off the floor.  Once in the truck we just had to laugh at how we both assumed that it would be a little less expensive.  

Across the street was a fisherman cleansing his nets.  He referred to the great big storms that we had just had and it would take two days to clean them.  If we were not leaving the next day we would have gone back to help him.  

A new ice berg floated into Quirpon.

We learned that he fishes for lumpfish and it’s roe for caviar.  Apparently the lumpfish caviar is a perfect substitute for sturgeon caviar since the sturgeon are endangered and its caviar very expensive.  

Just a few steps from the fisherman’s dock is a 10-foot Leif Ericsson monument.  Morgan took it upon herself to bark at him to protect us.  

Leif Ericson monument.

Such a brave 2-foot puppy taking on 10 feet of metal.  Hahaha!

Further along the beach was another Viking village.  To quote Moon Atlantic Canada book, “Aside from the Viking theme, it has little resemblance to how

Fresh lobster ravioli.

 the Vikings of L’Anse aux Meadows lived, but it is well worth visiting.”  We were on the off-season so just browsed around the buildings.  

It was a great Viking day for something that I never knew existed until a friend from Victoria mentioned that she wished she had time to visit the Viking place.  Little did I know I would enjoy it so much.  

On the way back to our campground we decided to do another visit to Quirpon.  Little did we know that another ice berg had drifted in.  I believe it may be a little bigger than the last.  

June 4 - Driving the Viking Trail to Port Au Choix

WOW!  We had a Viking breakfast (for us, anyway).  Bacon and French toast.

Decommissioned lighthouse on Flower Island.

  Well, that doesn’t sound Viking at all.  It was a big breakfast and so are Vikings.  Hahaha.  We got ready to pull out and make our way down NL Hwy 430 also known as the Viking Trail.  The weather was looking promising by getting brighter as we headed south.  The road, well, it was as lumpy as ever.  

Morgan visiting the Thrombolites

Our research told us there the Thrombolites at Flower’s Cove so that was a for sure stop.  At the north end of Flower’s Cove, Karen spotted two buildings on a little island.  So, with confidence, while pulling the trailer, I suggested we head in that direction.  At one point I ignored Lucy - another story I will tell in a minute - and found 

Thrombolite history at Flower’s Cove

myself realizing that going further might put me in a turn-around pickle.  

I must tell you, Karen is a first-class spotter when I am backing up.  I do not understand how people shout and argue when parking or backing up a trailer.  

I spotted a place that I could perform a Y turn and we had no problem going back the the route Lucy told us to go.  

Beautiful petal rocks aka Thrombolites

Lucy is my GPS.  I use to call her Bitch-In-A-Box.  That name came from many years ago when Ron would never listen to her and she kept telling him to make a U-turn when safe to do so.  

We followed Lucy and found ourselves at the church and a great place to park to take pictures of what we learned is now and unmanned lighthouse and the keepers house.  

The lighthouse that is no longer in use and the house are situated on Flower Island.  Rumour has it, the last lighthouse keeper had 13 kids.  

Flower’s Cove is also the home of the Thrombolites that we accessed a little

Our generous lobster man.

 further down the highway.  OMG, what an amazing piece of history.  I have posted a picture for you to read for yourself.  If you choose not to read it, just know that the only other place of this planet to see Thrombolites is in Australia.  It was an experience to be standing amongst them.

About 110 kms down the road was Port Au Choix.   It too is rich in history so tomorrow we expect to learn a lot more.  This little gem was suggest to us by John and Gerry, our new camping friends.  When we pulled into Ocean Side RV, 

Ready to remove the bands.

John and Gerry were the only ones here.  Once we got settled, John immediately took us to the dock where they, just the day before, purchased their four fresh lobster.  Karen and I only wanted one each and to do the lobster ourselves.  It was great timing because Gerry had the knowledge and a pot big enough for me to borrow.  

This next section is not for vegans, vegetarians, nor the faint of heart.

At the dock the seller was not in his little warehouse so John showed us the way to the 

John holding our lobster for us.

boat.  They were just unloading the lobster in crates.  $10/lb is the price.  We said we’d take a little one and a big one.  They asked if we wanted male or female.  Karen promptly asked which was better.  The three men on the boat stood up straight and said in unison, MALE.  We all laughed.  Once we had lobsters in hand - well John had them in hand, I asked where we pay.  The fisherman said they were free.  OMG!  We were not expecting that.  We asked if we could come back tomorrow to work for them.  He said certainly not!  Tomorrow is a day off after two long days of fishing.  And, he said that he’d likely be hungover.  Bahhhhh.  

Cooked and ready to eat with garlic butter.

At the campground, we finished getting settled, exercising Morgan then tapped on J & G’s door to borrow the pot.  They invited us in for a beer.  Holy cow!  Their trailer is like a palace!  Fireplace, couch, lazy-boy’s, table and chairs and a kitchen island.  Comfort on wheels.  

Back at Minnie Home, Karen prepared garlic butter while waiting for the water to boil.  I fetched my gloves and pondered the plan to get our dinner in the pot.  We both thanked the lobster for giving it’s life for us.  I apologized profusely.  

Following J & G’s instructions, I picked up the lobster and Karen cut the rubber off the claws and I quickly plunged it head first into the boiling water.  This, we were told was the quickest way to end their life.  With the first in the pot, we did the same for the second.  Fifteen to twenty minutes in boiling sea water and our dinner was ready.  

On board the boat I always carried seafood tools.  I was not prepared for 

Morgan helping me update the blog.

seafood tonight.  Out came the hammer and scissors to break open the pincers and to cut the  thin belly covering.  I wielded the hammer because of Karen’s broken but mending hand.  Needless to say we had lobster splattered everywhere.  Needless to say we were a lobster, garlic-butter mess when we finished.  You just cannot enjoy lobster the same in a restaurant for FREE.

We ended the evening with a visit from J & G and more stories.  

Please note that some of the photographs are courtesy of Karen Glen.