Fun facts about Canada

Speaking of the Trans-Canada Highway, I was at the Mile 0 plaque in Victoria in July, and saw the other end in St. John's, where the sports arena is named Mile 1.

Apart from the contradictory nomenclature, I have to admit I was amused by the fact that the highway begins on one island and ends on another. (Which island is the beginning and which is the end is a question I'll leave to Canadians.) So you can't actually drive the entire highway; you have to swim or take a ferry at at least two different points.

None of the Canadians I pointed this out to thought it was strange. Or hilarious.

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I'm spending a long weekend in New Hampshire so have to put Newfoundland photos on hold until next week. I'll queue up a few pictures for the usual weekend shots and resume Tuesday.

Fun facts about Signal Hill

Here's Signal Hill, the mountain that overlooks the harbor of St. John's, seen from the city. The driver pointed it out as we drove in from the airport, so it one of the first things I saw in St. John's and I might as well start there.

So, fun facts: Signal Hill was the site of the last battle of the French and Indian War (or the Seven Years War, for non-Americans) in 1762.

Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless transmission here in 1901. (Because “transatlantic” is much shorter from Newfoundland than anywhere else in North America, the island was also the starting point for many of the early transatlantic flights, including Amelia Earhart's in 1932.)

Cabot Tower was built in 1897 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Cabot's landing in Newfoundland as well as Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.  It looks rather jaunty sitting on top of its mountain with banners flying when seen from the streets of the city below like this, but up close it's just a surprisingly small stone building.

More fun facts about Newfoundland

You're probably pronouncing it incorrectly. I was taught to say NEW-fun-lənd, with the vowel in “land” smooshed into a schwa, as in Iceland or Scotland. But Newfoundlanders say New-fun-LAND, with an emphasis on the last syllable, and no wishy-washy schwa. The hint to remember the correct pronunciation is I understand Newfoundland.

 I've also heard Labrador pronounced with the accent on the last syllable, but it varies, so probably no one will be offended if you continue to say LAB-rador.

These equally fun primary colors were also in Woody Point, in Gros Morne National Park.

Fun facts about Newfoundland

I have probably taken a hundred pictures of the houses here. This one from yesterday was near Elliston, where we stopped to see more puffins.

I will write about my adventures in detail when I get home; the history we're learning and the culture we're experiencing deserves more time than I have right now. Last night I kissed a cod, and did the Mexican hat dance in a community center; obviously my wild Newfoundland social life is going to take priority.

So here's a fun fact: Newfoundland didn't become part of Canada until 1949. Before that it was a British colony. Labrador, the non-island part of the province, didn't get name recognition until 2001, when the province name was changed from Newfoundland to Newfoundland and Labrador.