Some background: Vikings gradually immigrated westward from the mainland of Europe, sort of island hopping the northern route, first Britain, the Shetlands, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and next obviously Newfoundland and Labrador. Just out of town from St. Anthony is L'anse aux meadows. The site of the first Viking settlement in North America, established by Lief Ericson, son of Eric the Red, who established Greenland because he was exiled from Iceland. The settlement, established about 1000 years ago, was called Vinland. It was abandoned much later and only rediscovered in the 1960's, now a World Heritage Site.
We took the Viking Trail tour from the ship, two school bus loads of happy cruisers.
Our guide was a Newfie lady, about 40 who had the most delightful accent and laugh. One of the best guides we have had, ever. We bumped along about an hour to a replica reconstructed Viking settlement where people in period costume entertained us in a delightful manner. Even the little kids were great.
All part of Parks Canada's effort to employ people. Today it was worth it. They did an excellent job and we were proud of them. Ian applied for the job as a blacksmith's helper, but failed the language test: He could not speak Newfie!
Next, merely minutes away is the actual remains of the newly discovered settlement. I had my photo taken in the sod-covered remains of lief Ericson's bedroom. [Or so I imagined].
The whole site of about five acres was excavated at one time, but Parks Canada recovered it in sod to keep it intact until modern technology and money catch up with the research that they want to do there. It is very well done as well and there are period re-enactors there as well. We sampled black bear meet cooking in one of the huts, it was actually very much like beef, better than I ever expected.
All too soon it was time to return to town and after a brief wander about we boarded the tenders and returned to our waiting palace. Shortly after that we were under way again, socked in with fog heading for Greenland which is a days sail away [612 nautical miles, north east]. We can feel the Atlantic swells for the first time now.
This is not a place that many people would want to live in. The winters are very long and cold. And the good weather is short and unpredictable. They have an abundance of moose and in the spring polar bears are about. Most young people leave, because it could be considered a dead-end if one stays.
As we pulled out a boatload of ice went by, do you think that is what they make the 'Glacier Water' that is for sale in town out of?
This may not be as exciting as looking for tigers in India or lemur in Madagascar, but is very relaxing and educational.
No comments:
Post a Comment