Architect Abroad

Grose Morne National Park is simply astounding and the 3 nights we spent here were some of the best times of week 1. For starters, the days here featured good weather (+13C) for us to frolic around the park in, which if you are spending all of your days outside, seems like a necessity. Secondly, the people of the park are really incredible, salt of the earth, beautiful, and helpful. Lastly, the trip featured scenery that you are unlikely to see anywhere else on earth, so let’s get to it!

We arrived and settled just in time for the sun to set over the ocean cove, and after cracking a beer we got planning our first day in the park. Mike and I decided to check out the Tablelands, which is one of the only places on earth that you can see the earth’s mantle exposed at the surface. Not surprisingly, the mantle makes the land look like a martian landscape with red iron filled rocks, periodite, and very little, if any, vegetation. The small hike was was like a post-apocalyptic landscape, a perfect setting to any new Dune or Mad Max movies that may be coming out.

After driving through our fair share of fishing villages and quaint towns it was time to dive into one of the best known attractions of the East Coast… Lobster season! Lobster season is short but sweet starting in late April and ending in early July, with the catch estimated to be worth $147 million each season. Our accommodation was fantastic, serving us up freshly caught lobster that was cooked, cracked, and hand-delivered to our cottage for the bottom dollar price of $7/lobster. Norm and Sue, really helped this trip come alive, and it was really hard to stop eating the lobster long enough to take this quick shot. Consider staying with them if you are in the park. The sketchy looking fettuccini was my contribution to the meal.

Our last stop in the park was to hit up The Western Brook Pond Tour. Fun fact, in Newfoundland ‘Lakes’ are called Ponds, ‘Ponds’ are called Fashets, and ‘the Ocean’ is called the Sea. The Western Brook Pond happens to be a lake that was once apart of the ocean many thousands of years ago. The most visually appealing part of this pond is that the lake features the most beautiful fresh water fjords this side of the country.

We are headed north on the viking trail to see what adventure awaits us.