The Avalon Peninsula is one of many chunks of Newfie rock sticking out into the seas. As you roam the area, it becomes more and more obvious how much of North American origins and history started around here. All because this was the first landfall for early mariners from France, Spain, Portugal, Britain, Ireland and more. Bona Vista is Newfoundland's first national park, for instance. It displays traces of heroic whaling combined with modern ecological sensitivity.
Down the road is Gambo, birthplace of Joey Smallwood. Newfoundland didn't join Canada until 1949, and Joey was Premier at the time, so he's the 10th "Father of Confederation". Then Gander, the middle of Newf and a crossroads of global aviation because it's the first refueling stop from Europe. Gander is known for the catastrophic crash of a U.S. military plane in 1985. 285 perished on takeoff, ironically after 2 years of peacekeeping. But Gander is also celebrated for the safe welcome mat on tragic 9/11. 37 passenger flights diverted here and the town of 2000 sheltered 6700 stranded souls! (This heroic story is portrayed in this year's Tony-winning play "Come From Away".)
Newfoundland's glory days centered around wealth generated by the cod fishery and offshore oil rigs, the first long gone and the second drastically cut back. An aging oil refinery stubbornly carries on in aptly named Come By Chance. And fishing towns here and there survive by bringing in a few cod but a lot more crab and shellfish.
History also pops up --- literally ---in remnants of hilltop forts. One is Chapel Hill, where France and Britain fought over ---what else---the cod fishery in the 1600's to 1800's. At the base is Placentia, where two churches continue the division between Catholics and Protestants. It's also the dock for the overnight ferry to Nova Scotia.
Down the road is Gambo, birthplace of Joey Smallwood. Newfoundland didn't join Canada until 1949, and Joey was Premier at the time, so he's the 10th "Father of Confederation". Then Gander, the middle of Newf and a crossroads of global aviation because it's the first refueling stop from Europe. Gander is known for the catastrophic crash of a U.S. military plane in 1985. 285 perished on takeoff, ironically after 2 years of peacekeeping. But Gander is also celebrated for the safe welcome mat on tragic 9/11. 37 passenger flights diverted here and the town of 2000 sheltered 6700 stranded souls! (This heroic story is portrayed in this year's Tony-winning play "Come From Away".)
Newfoundland's glory days centered around wealth generated by the cod fishery and offshore oil rigs, the first long gone and the second drastically cut back. An aging oil refinery stubbornly carries on in aptly named Come By Chance. And fishing towns here and there survive by bringing in a few cod but a lot more crab and shellfish.
History also pops up --- literally ---in remnants of hilltop forts. One is Chapel Hill, where France and Britain fought over ---what else---the cod fishery in the 1600's to 1800's. At the base is Placentia, where two churches continue the division between Catholics and Protestants. It's also the dock for the overnight ferry to Nova Scotia.
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