I love St. John’s.
There you have it. I admit
it. Some people would call me a Townie,
because I was born in St. John’s and lived there for twelve years, but then I
moved out around the bay and lived there until I went to university. In the meantime, I spent almost every summer
of my life in the Bay and I come from good Bay Stock. I also love the Bay. Am I am a Bayman? Nope.
But nor am I a Townie. I am a
hybrid of the two. Which puts me in a
unique position to love (and criticize) certain aspects of both.
First St. John’s – at least the heart of St. John’s – is one
of the most colorful cities on earth.
Its rows of bright houses line a small but scenic harbour, with a
castle-like tower looking out over it.
But the best of all is that it has a great heart. From the crunchy artists and funky clothes
stores hawking their wares, to the traditional music stores and pubs of George
Street, this city is lovable. So, if I
were to spend a favorite day in St John’s it would be:
Wake up and head to Gracie Joe’s for breakfast – wander down
Quidi Vidi Road and check out artists Alexis Templeton (for pottery), and Crafts of Character (for pewter). Run up Signal Hill in honour of the (almost)
half marathon Cape to Cabot which takes runners from Cape Spear to Cabot Tower. Or simply walk.
Pass the Geocentre, which if you have time, has great information on the
geology of the area, but if not, a lovely gift shop. See the views from Signal Hill but then head
down the trail to the Battery. As a
person who sometimes works offshore, seeing the Battery while on the ocean from
the Narrows is certainly a feast for the eyes.
Walk downtown and grab lunch at Oliver’s
or the Rocket. There are lots of great
stores downtown: Outfitters if you love the outdoors, or just want to pretend
you do. Twisted Sisters Boutik for cute and classy clothes. If it’s winter head up to
Bannerman Park to skate the Loop! (Hope
you remembered your skates!) And for dinner - ahh the choices. Sure there's the high-end places like Raymond's, which has its charms, but maybe head to the Adelaide Oyster House for some loud, in your face flavorful over the top food - or head back towards Quidi Vidi Village to Mallard Cottage for ambiance that can't be beat. Not to mention Basho or the Reluctant Chef.
As for rural Newfoundland (the Bay), the images of cliffs plunging into the ocean are real. And they are spectacular.
How would I spend a day in the Bay?
Oh, there are so many Bays with so much character, this is a hard
question to answer. I can only give you
MY favorite day in the Bay I am most accustomed to… Conception Bay North. If it’s summer, there’s no better place to
be. Northern Bay Sands or Salmon Cove Sands
are such beautiful beaches. They have
dark grey sand but it’s nice and soft and the smell of salt air is undiluted. Depending on the time of year, you can find your own wild blueberries or raspberries to pick - but there is also a Strawberry U-Pick nearby (in Northern Bay) that is beautiful in its own right. A great lunch can be had at the Crabby Cat Cafe, in Upper Island Cove near the ocean. The Grumpy Goat Gallery is at the back of this Cafe and I dare you to find a nicer lunch in a nicer area. If you do, tell me about it. The colorful art lights the place up and the view is fantastic. Some beautiful hiking awaits you in Bay Roberts if you follow Water Street down to Mad Rock. Enjoy your hiking and finish your day by having toutons (fried bread) and other Newfoundland delights at the Mad Rock Cafe.
So I am neither a Townie nor a Bayman but I like them both. They both have their treasures and it's worthwhile finding them.
