Icebergs & Eiders

For our trip to L'Anse aux Meadows, we stayed at a little hotel in St. Anthony.

Right next to the hotel was the whale watching tour dock.

So we gave it a go.

Saw one Minke whale, briefly, and she was camera shy.

Luckily we did see some icebergs and a whole bunch of eider ducks.

Overall, it was a relaxing cruise and quite enjoyable.

Pictures from St. Anthony are up in the galleries.

So Gros

Gros Morne was spectacular.

Sure, it was foggy and rainy on the first morning in the park, but it cleared by evening and we had a couple days of great sunsets.

I would definitely go back when junior is a bit older and can hike.

Pictures from Gros Morne are up in the galleries.

L'Anse aux Meadows

L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland Canada, is the only authenticated site of Norse settlement in North America and is the first cultural site in the world to be inscribed upon the UNESCO World Heritage List.

From this site, the Norse first encountered aboriginal North Americans.

When humans migrated out of Africa, some went East, eventually migrating across Asia and crossing over to North America (via the land bridge between what is now Russia and Alaska, or via water).

Some went west, eventually making it all the way to Europe and then to Iceland.

These Vikings then crossed to L'Anse aux Meadows and were the first people from the west to encounter the people from the east.

Completing the circle.

The L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site gallery is up

Hunted until there weren't enough to hunt

During the 16th century, whalers from the Basque Region of Spain and France where making seasonal voyages across the Atlantic to Labrador in pursuit of Right and Bowhead whales for the lucrative European market of whale products, in particular whale oil.

Gran Baya, as it was called by those who founded the station in 1530s, was used as a base for coastal hunting, butchering, rendering of whale fat to produce oil. It became a major source of whale oil which was shipped to Europe where it was used for lighting.

Until they pretty much hunted them all.

Pictures from Red Bay are up in the galleries.

Red Bay Basque Whaling Station

North America's Fortified City

Québec is the only North American city (north of Mexico) to have preserved its ramparts, together with the numerous bastions, gates and defensive works and is one of the best examples of a fortified colonial city.

Being there was like strolling the streets of a medieval European town.

I loved it.

Pictures from Quebec City are up in the galleries.

Historic District of Old Québec