Trinity and Port Union

June 3, 2016 by Let's CUT the Crap! 69 Comments

I smacked the alarm at what appeared to be 7:14 a.m. What? Guess no breakfast, I thought. Lucky for us, it was only 5:15. The alarm hadn’t been properly set. Mary groaned, intent on staying in bed a while. I took my time getting ready: a treat not to rush my shower or share the vanity, while I painted my face awake.  The morning began with an upset tummy, but with time for breakfast, I wasn’t going to miss it.

Newfoundland Facts:

• Newfoundland and Labrador became Canada’s 10^th province in 1949
• Becoming a green province
• Hurricane Igor blasted Bonavista Bay, September 21, 2010
• Huge sections of highway washed out
• Hockey Players born in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Birding is big in Newfoundland

We stopped at Mirabella Artisan Gift Shop mid afternoon. The shop put on coffee just for our tour group or so we heard. Mary bought me one while I joined the line to the powder room. The washroom had a shower and if you wished to use it, you had to register with the desk. Really? The room was larger than required for a toilet, sink, wastebasket and baby change table. I wonder if it had been a bedroom at one time. Why hadn’t I asked? I forget what Mary purchased or did she? She used to be an avid shopper but has toned down the habit in the last couple years.

 Surprise, surprise. Though I am never interested in ‘more stuff’ other than books, an adorable sterling silver ring caught my eye. The extra 30% off special didn’t hurt either—better than costume but at a lower price than gold.

TRINITY BAY Quick Facts:

• Trinity surrounded by the bay
• Anglican church built by the merchants

• Catholic Church never had electricity. They couldn’t afford it (too few Catholics).

• Mirabella Craft Store and Dock Marina

• First Court
• Stocks and whipping post
• First smallpox vaccine introduced here
• Strict building code: must be all wood
• Can only use 5-inch clapboard in downtown area
• Have a Heritage Committee
• Center for Tourist Attraction: actors re-enact people of the times 150 years ago (merchants interacting with farmers and other everyday life interactions)

Mussel Quick Facts:

• Mussels main food of star fish
• Wraps arms around mussel till it opens its shell
• Mouth is where stomach is
• Insert stomach where mussel is to consume
• Mussels can’t swim
• Barrels across lake in rows attached with rope
• Rope lengths dropped at intervals for mussels to attach (they like to cling)
• When full, fishermen shuck them off the rope
• Drop rope into water again till more mussels attach
• Big market for them now
• Shipping to Germany

(Rope lengths dropped at intervals for mussels to attach)

PORT UNION Quick Facts:

• National Historic Site of Canada
• William Coaker started a co-op with elevators where he store his cod
• The only union-built town
• Coaker initiated the Home of Fishermen’s Protective Union
• Built houses for retail managers, blacksmith, chief machinist, secretary etc.
• Sir William Coaker Heritage Site
• Historic Port Union
• Sir William Coaker Bridge
• Bust of Coaker resides here
• Port Union Museum
• Coaker’s work proves one person can make a difference

* * *

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

Three guys go to the washroom. The first guy finished announces aloud, “I’m from Saskatchewan. We all wash our hands after using the urinal.

The second guy finishes and announces he’s from Quebec. We all scrub our hands afterwards and he proceeded to scrub.

The third guy announces, “I’m from Newfoundland and my mother taught us not to p*** on our hands.

* * *

Next on June 10^th – Bonavista

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