Home, Final thoughts

 Our last morning on the rock began in a rush. I woke just before 5:30 and could not get back to sleep. I was concerned that we may sleep in. So we got up and packed our suitcases and went down to breakfast. This breakfast was not included because technically our tour ended yesterday at noon. We could have had the buffet but decided on a la cart instead. I had pancakes and Ken had an omlett  and sausage. As usual the presentation was very special.

Then we went back to the room and brushed out teeth and left the room to wait for the taxi. The trip was quick and uneventful. Again we were helped to sign in and get luggage tags. I had succeeded and all was on my SMART phone. When the time came we dropped off our bags and headed for security. I was confused when they held back my bag and searched it. Would you believe that that wonderful, expensive, precious bottle of bake apple preserves is considered a liquid and they confiscated it !!! Horrors!!! I almost cried. We proceeded to the gate area and other people from the tour were there. I went to tell my sad story to the other ladies only to discover that their bake apple preserves had met the same fate. We were sad together. Only one lady had put her preserves in her checked baggage. She did it because of weight, because she decided that the jar was too heavy to carry around all day. The fact that is was a liquid had not accured to her.

But my hero came to the rescue. Ken surprised me with a jar of Bake Apple preserves that he purchased in a gift shop. I do not want to know what he paid but I was so happy to receive it. I have not tasted it yet. Who knows... I may not even like it.

We had been assigned seats at the very back of the plane again. It was so uncomfortable. Plane travel is just not the treat it used to be. It was a long tiring day.

We touched down at 6:30 and Dave drove us home. We just got into the door, had a piece of toast and fell into bed. I have a bad case of jet lag today. I am awake for about 2 hours and then back into bed .

I did manage to get to a grocery store to buy some milk and a few necessities. Hopefully tomorrow will be a lot better

Some things we noticed.

The province looks very different from west to East. The northern penninsula and western regions are more rugged and less fertile than the center and the East. The trees are stunted and there are a lot of areas of bogs and almost muskeg like areas. There are large rocks almost everywhere. The rocks range from the size of a large house to as small as a piece of carry on luggage. These were left by the glaciers of the last ice age.

They have community gardens in the north and east. About mid June the people get together and they plant potatoes and turnip and carrots and cabbage, hearty crops. These are found in various place around the area. Everyone helps with the planting and the care of these gardens and everyone shares in the produce,. It is not an assigned thing. People just take what they need and no more. It is on the honor system.

Also great piles of firewood are along the roadside. No one takes wood that is not theirs, another example of the horour system and people being good to each other.

Front doors that are not used. Many of the homes have front doors with no step or path leading to them. I am sure that the front door is there because of a building code and only because of the code. Everyone uses the back door. The tea pot is always on and the door is always open and ready to welcome people who drop by. That is the way it used to be in Cape Breton. Now people feel they have to call ahead.

In the north and in a lot of the island they do not yet have the system of great plastic containers for garbage. Instead they have there wonderful octogontical wooden boxes. They are often painted in bright colors so they can be easily seen in the fog or in the snow.

The population is mainly Scottish or Irish or English. There are few people of colour living on The Rock. When I asked about it I was told that the people of color do not live in any certain area and most are professionals. The common saying... What do you call a black man in Newfoundland??? Doctor!

The most common relegion is Church of England.

On Line Shopping:

I do not have a photo but they have their own version of on line shopping. Home made mittens and socks are hung on chothes lines and you can stop and check them out and buy from the line. This on line shopping can be in a store or in a front yard.

There is very little farmable land and so there really is not a dairy industry. During the negotation with Canada to become the 10th province the strange clause that was included was the fact that the province could continue to use margarine. It had been banned in Csanada as a measure to help the dairy farmers.

To get the accent correct.

 Remove the letter "h" 

Add the letter "S" 

Put the letter "H" where it does not belong.

Example..".I Likes is at". Translation.."I like his hat."

Use terms of endearment such as love and darling for everyone

Remember it is Newfinland   NOT NewFOUNDland....and Labrador.

Summary: 

We had a great tour, saw a lot and met many wonderful people .

BUT we have concluded that we are probably too old to travel this way. Going steady for days is hard. When cruising or RVing we tour for a few days and rest for a few days. With a bus tour there are no breaks and living out of a suitcase and getting up early every morning is hard on octogenarians. We would probably never do a long one again. But I would do a 4 or 5 day one, perhaps to the Yukon to see the Northern Lights.

Thanks so much for following along. Next trip is an Alaskian cruise in September. We Hope!!