Day 33 Aug 13 2014 St. Johns Newfoundland Canada

Newfoundland and Labrador became the 10^th province of Canada in 1949. The first use of the name Newfoundland was in 1497, in an English registry recording the discovery of Terra Nova or the “new found land.”. While many Europeans saw or visited Newfoundland, it was John Cabot while sailing for Henry VII in 1497 who garnered mudch interest in the are with his reports that spoke of “the sea swarming with fish, which can be taken not only with the net, but in baskets let down with a stone.” Thus began the great years of fishing when vast fleets from England and France sailed and fished the waters of Newfoundland. The decision to become part of Canada took many years and two public referendums. Today, St. John’s is an interesting seaport as well as the capital of the province.

 

 

 

Signal Hill is Canada’s second largest national historic site and offers a spectacular view of St. John’s, its harbor and the adjacent coastline. Cabot Tower, built in 1897 at the summit, commemorates the  anniversary of John Cabot’s Newfoundland discovery. This is where Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal on December 12, 1901. Amazing how far we have come in only 111 years! It is also noted as the last North American landmark Charles Lindberg sighted during his solo flight to Paris in 1927.

While in the city, we visited the beautiful Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and had an opportunity to see the beautiful “jelly bean” colored homes along Gower Street.

What a wonderful day