Images from Newfoundland, Canada

Sort of late in the summer of 1996, the wife declared that she needed a vacation and wanted to visit an island somewhere. So, doing the best that I could with my limited skills, I hastily threw together an itinerary that would take us across the island of Newfoundland in the far northeastern reaches of Canada. Proud of my efforts, I showed her the plan — that was quickly met with a look of befuddlement. Apparently, the wife was thinking about beaches in the Caribbean or along the southern coast of America, not an island where we would likely be wearing sweaters and long pants for warmth. But, being the trooper that she is, she joined me as we flew to the vibrant city of St. John’s, rented a car, and spent the next ten days fully immersed in a place that was lost in time. The people of Newfoundland own more boats than cars, they speak English that can be very difficult to understand, and their kids dig an Irish-folk-punk fusion that is quite infectious. The people are also warm and welcoming and love to reveal the best of their island home. Needless to say, we had a great time there, even though we had a difficult time understanding people speaking our own language.