FRANCE & NEWFOUNDLAND

MONDAY IN CHILLY FRANCE

Sunday night we ate at the Terrace Cafe.  Len & Dave joined us.  We had a good time and too much wine.  Aspirin before bed!

Monday was bright and beautiful and cold.  High today:  48^o.  At 8:00 AM we docked in Saint-Pierre & Miquelon (SPM), a self-governing overseas territory of France, situated in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean near Canada. It is the only remnant of the former colonial empire of New France that remains under French control and has a population of 6,080.  The islands are situated at the entrance of Fortune Bay, which extends into the southern coast of Newfoundland.

The dock has no facilities and is located about a mile or so from the town.  Shuttle buses were provided into town and we were on the first bus at about 8:45.  We walked around the downtown area and made several stops, including the thrice-burned-down cathedral and the Musee L’Arche.  At the museum you learn everything you will ever need to know (and more) about SPM (Saint-Pierre & Miquelon).  In the 1700’s and 1800’s it transferred back and forth from British to French control nine times, finally becoming a permanent part of France in 1813.

During World War II there was much concern that the Vichy Government of France (under German control) would use SPM to launch offenses against the US and Canada.  Both Britain and the US considered armed intervention in SPM, but General de Gaulle would hear nothing of that.  He led Free French forces, then headquartered in Britain, in a successful landing on SPM to take control of the government.

Another interesting period in SPM history was during the American Prohibition.  Canadian distilleries could not legally ship alcoholic products to the USA, and the government cracked down hard on illegal shipments.  But the distilleries could ship alcohol to France, and Saint-Pierre & Miquelon was France.  So a huge amount of legal booze regularly found its way into tiny Saint-Pierre. Many gangsters including Al Capone and Bill McCoy set up operations in the islands, using them as a base to smuggle alcohol into the US  using speedy rum runner boats.

We had dinner Monday night in the specialty Italian restaurant on board, La Toscana.  Good eats!  Elaine started with octopus carpaccio followed by veal osso buco.  I had lightly battered and fried calamari to start and delicious rack of lamb.

TUESDAY IN SAINT JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND

We were supposed to land here back in 2009 when we crossed from Southampton to New York on the Grand Princess, but bad weather prevented that huge ship from making port.  Today the weather is good and the much smaller Marina had no trouble docking.  High temperature today was expected to be in the low fifties.  In fact, it seemed much warmer.  Bright sun and almost no wind.  A pleasure.

We walked hilly St John’s, not to be confused with St-John (without the s) in New Brunswick.  It is a bustling town and very pretty.  We hiked up the hill and visited both the Anglican Cathedral and the Catholic Basilica of St John the Baptist.  They were starting a mass just as we left.  Good timing.

Then we went to The Rooms – this is a modern building that is part art gallery, part museum, part cultural center, and part tea room and cafeteria.  It’s very well done.  We enjoyed the art of Christopher Pratt and the museum describing life in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Lots of references to the Irish who helped settle here.  God bless them.

Then we hiked back down the hill to George Street where we enjoyed micro brews in the Yellow Belly Brewery & Public House – Fighting Irish Red for me and seasonal Pale Beer for Elaine.  We also shared an order of short-rib poutine (french fries with gravy and short ribs), a take on traditional Quebecoise poutine which is french fries, gravy, and cheese curds.

All good, and then back on board for our 2:00 PM sailing for Belfast. We will be on the Atlantic all day Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before docking in Belfast at 1:00 PM on Saturday.  There will be no more postings until Saturday night.  See you then!

SAINT-JOHN’S PICS (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

SAINT-PIERRE PICS (CLICK TO ENLARGE)