Boat slips and thick soups
This morning we almost took a ferry.
Wrong ferry, going to a different place, in a different direction, but the possibility was there. That is enough to remind me that things can be unscheduled in my life.
Our next couple of days will be spent heading for our intended passage, back to a more familiar world. So without further ado, the map.
The stay at a hunting and fishing resort was anomalous… we neither shot nor cast during the night, and breakfast among strangers is stressful. With only a slight backtrack, we found new territory to discover; hence, the visit to the Ste-Barbe ferry terminal. Just a whim.
Seeing the Viking trail in reverse didn’t change the gestalt of the area, but I did get one photo of the boat slips. A lack of harbours has meant that boat launchings are handled differently.
One menu item that I have to recommend to the hungry is “Newfoundland Pea Soup”. Compared to my familiar “French-Canadian Pea Soup”, things are thicker. More vegetable content. Sticking a spoon in a bowl means that the spoon stays in one place, much like mashed potatoes. And one bowl is enough; ignore the rest of the menu, or accept over-indulgence as another sin committed.
The city of C0rner Brook is situated in scenery unlike other places we’ve visited. Something very European about the mountains and river valley, I’ve been told. Our decision to stop here for the night came with its own issues.
One of the name brand hotels had a fire, a while back. The GPS didn’t know, and we landed in a yard of restoration. Unfortunately, that leaves the city somewhat short of available rooms. After a couple of hours of calling and visiting, we found a room. No choice, this time around.
We have the “last one in town”. Not listed in the tourist guides, not recommended by the desk clerks in other establishments. Rather, trying to get a star from somebody, anybody. The Corner Brook Hotel is “right downtown”. When I asked if the rooms were smoke-free, the clerk seemed taken aback: “Not in years…”
Ten hours ’til sunrise.
