I’ve often heard that the best sunsets in the world can be seen in Florida but anyone who has had the opportunity to visit Newfoundland, Canada knows that we have the most beautiful blazing horizons in the world! Newfoundlanders whose homes overlook the blue North Atlantic don’t always take the time to really look at the sunset. We take for granted all the natural beauty and wonders that surround us everyday.
No need for an alarm clock, I awake each morning to the eerie yodel of the loons who have taken up residence near my home. Yes, you guessed it; I too live on the water! My morning begins like most other working Canadians, getting my boys off to school and then getting off to work. We sit at our breakfast table that offers a magnificent view, but we rarely take the time to look out our window except on Sundays when we sit leisurely as a family. I enjoy a morning walk to the school bus stop with my boys and most times I never really notice that scented salt water breeze on my face. Then it’s off to work via the scenic route. As I make the short drive along the shoreline, I catch a glimpse of the massive iceberg that has just arrived from the north.
I am fortunate to be employed by a local who owns two tourism businesses: Blazing Horizon Resort and Brown’s Restaurant and Gifts. This is where my story really begins…. I meet interesting people every day who are visiting us from far away places all over the world. I try as often as I can to chat with people and learn a little about where they are from and what brought them to our “secret paradise”. Today, I met a couple visiting from Montreal who came to Brown’s Restaurant to experience a taste of Newfoundland. I offered them a table overlooking beautiful Trinity Bay and our own local tourist attraction called “Shag Rock”. They weren’t familiar with our Newfie cuisine and had lots of questions while deciding what to order. Of course, they thought cod tongues were really the cod’s tongues! They decided to share our “Puncheon Tub”, an assortment of seafood served in a puncheon tub replica complete with a little card detailing the significance of the puncheon to Newfoundland culture. I sat quietly awaiting their reaction as they read the little card and began to taste each morsel. I heard the sounds of enjoyment and then they signaled me to come by their table to point out some of the foods as they ate, unsure which morsels were the cod tongues (which turned out to be their favorite). Their meal was complete with Newfoundland brewed Quidi Vidi Iceberg Beer and for dessert they decided to taste our freshly baked blueberry pie. Upon finishing their dinner, I encouraged them to take a look through our telescope for a close-up of Shag Rock and the Iceberg. They seemed so captivated by the view that I encouraged them to sit just a little while longer to experience the blazing horizon as the sun set over Trinity Bay. This experience would turn out to be the first of many in Newfoundland. The story originated with this couple’s first visit, which took place five years ago and I have welcomed them along with their friends every summer for the past five years.
Seeing our magnificent Newfoundland and Labrador through the eyes of a tourist is like seeing it all for the first time over and over. I just can’t get enough of it!!!
