It was a surprisingly sunny, brisk day, and we were stopped at a gas station to fill up the tank. My dad was inside paying, leaving me to my lazy vacation daydreams, when an impeccably dressed gentleman stepped in front of the car and waved for my attention.
“Hullo!”
Had this been westside Detroit, I might have rolled up my window and started the car. However, being as we were in friendly and easy going St. Anthony, Newfoundland, there was only a story to be gained from seeing what the fella wanted.
“Afternoon, young man. I was hoping you could do me a favour. I’m in my Sunday best over here and need my car washed. Wouldn’t want to get myself wet. Could I pay you $10 to lend a hand?”
With nothing better to do and an appreciation for the candid request, I jumped out, shared a friendly handshake, and followed him over to the self-serve car wash.
Feeding coins into machine, he seemed glad for the audience and began regaling me with his life story. A Major in the Salvation Army, the loyal solider worked with the organization for more than 20 years. Now retired, he and was up here in Newfoundland on a road trip with his wife, touring and visiting family.
While I’m always happy for a chat, I had to cut the fella off as the car wash timer had begun and there was a dusty Honda Pilot requiring my utmost attention!
As I operated the various water, foam and wax tools, he couldn’t help but continue hollering his story to me over the whoosh of the high pressure spray.
“20 years with the Salvation Army, I rose up those ranks!”
A few minutes later with a now sparkling car in front of us, he was bursting with gratitude and tried to pay me, which I of course refused. But the gentleman wouldn’t take no for an answer, and lopped a generous $15 into my hand, suggesting I buy something nice for myself.
He requested a photo, gave me a blessing, and we parted ways.
Only in Newfoundland.
Newfoundland & Labrador is a province lying off the east coast of Canada, known to Canucks as ‘The Rock’. If you’re unfamiliar with Canadian geography, you likely haven’t heard of Newfoundland, unless of course you’ve seen the (phenomenal) musical Come From Away.
The Rock isn’t the most exciting of places. Lots of grey skies, and deep forests, it’s known mostly for being cold, and filled with herds of both moose and friendly Canucks who will inevitably get you to drink their homemade rum, AKA Screech. If you drink enough Screech, there’s a high likelihood you’ll be ‘Screeched in’, and end up locking lips with a codfish and dancing a jig with an ugly stick.
It’s basically Canadian Disneyland.
My parents and I were visiting the province to explore Quirpon Island. A desolate rock off the northernmost part of Newfoundland, it’s a place rich in icebergs, humpback whales, and endless horizons.
I went on a few hikes, made friends with a playful fox and, of course, embraced the cold with a polar dip. Swimming amongst the icebergs and seals, you couldn’t wish for a more tranquil location to nearly get hypothermia.
Post Quirpon, we stayed at a hunting and fishing lodge for a few days. Lacking in inspiration and know-how to go either hunting or fishing, we were a bit out of place amongst all the camo and guns, but learned a lot about the sport of bear hunting.
My impression was you walk around the woods with a tin cup singing “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt”, in the hopes of finding some great hairy beast with whom to do battle and kill in glorious combat, adorning your chalet floor with it’s pelt and regaling your grandchildren with the story for decades afterwards.
Apparently, the real process is much less involved. To ‘bag’ a bear, one goes into the woods, distributes a good helping of something sweet (in this case, popcorn covered in corn syrup), and silently waits in a hunting blind/treehouse until a bear shows up. If the Berenstain family decides not to have a snack that evening, you try again a day later. So not quite as dramatic as I expected.
Usually, I was told, one books in a week long hunt so as to increase your chances of finding one of the shaggy creatures. I suppose this is exciting to some people, but to me, sitting around quietly in a hut, staring at the same patch of forest for hours on end seems like an awful use of vacation time.
But, to each their own.
Being in Canada for June/July was extraordinarily special. Catching up with friends and family I hadn’t seen in over 4 years felt like a month long hug.
Worthy of special mention was meeting my two year old nephew, Cedar!
Speechless upon meeting him for the first time while picking him up from day care, I eventually got my brimming heart full of emotions under control and loved reading him a few bedtime stories. Taking part in the world my brother and sister-in-law have created for him was such a wonderful privilege and I made sure to make the most of it given what little time I had.
With a week in Vancouver, two in Toronto, one more in Newfoundland, and a weekend with old exchange friends (who I hadn’t seen in 6 years!) in London, UK, there was a lot of catching up to do and never enough time to do it
While I sadly didn’t manage to see absolutely everyone, I hope to be back soon to catch up and connect again with those who make Canada home.
With the world now back open, my couch is, as always, available for anyone perusing through the fine city of Brisbane. I hope see some of you around this part of the world sometime soon!
Happy travels, and thank you so much for reading.
Zev
PS. If anyone is in Newfoundland or Nova Scotia sometime soon, I very sadly didn’t get the chance to try the iceberg beer very popular there. If you find one and hold onto it until I’m back in town, I will be forever in your debt!
