Day 38 - Twillingate, Newfoundland

2013 07 30

SPLIT PEAS and other delights....

This is our first full day in Twillingate.  Yesterday was a travel day, set up, and dinner.  Today would be a full day of touring and sight-seeing. 

We started the day with a ride share to a place called ‘Prime Berth’, which is really about life and skills in an outport, from days past, toward the present. 

Dave was our guide and co-owner of what really was a fantastic, interesting place.  Many “newfies” are very colourful in expression and tongue.  Dave was not an exception.  Our first point of interest turned out to be his father’s fishing stage. Dave had cut the stage from its’ piles and dragged it 5 miles through the sea to its’ present home. 

We had a demonstration of how cod was cleaned and prepared until the 1960’s when refrigeration and roads reached many of the outports in Newfoundland. It was the best such demonstration to date on our trip.  Dave also pointed out the method which used to be used to make the dreaded cod-liver oil.

When we left ‘Prime Berth’ we had a few hours to explore, eat lunch and meet at a local winery.  Mercedes and Jodie had lobster burgers, while I opted for the local mussels.  What a feed!

The winery tour, turned out to be a tasting, and not so much of a tour, as we have grown to expect.  It was very interesting to observe and taste various wines.  For instance, pomegranate chardonnay!  There was a great opportunity for ice cream lovers.  There were over 20 soft-serve flavours available, including 4 wine flavours.

 

Immediately following the winery, we decided to do some more sight-seeing.  We headed out through Crow Head, Sleepy Cove and toward the Long Point lighthouse.  Very scenic, and there was a TITANIC exhibit (missed it, LOL).

Early on in the evening, we met as a group once again, but this time at the Orange Hall.  The Split Peas were scheduled to entertain us (and 150 others) with the song and music of Newfoundland.  The Split Peas are a group of women who have been entertaining locals and tourists alike for 20 years.  Their show was really polished and the sound system great.  They were not in the least bashful about getting audience participation.

Submitted by:  Jim and Mercedes Wilson

Adventure #19