It has been so long since I was here I forget how this works and I couldn’t figure out how to delete my prevous comment.   Maybe when I get home.  To continue:

I was hoping to see a B&B on my way downtown but that didn’t happen and I eventually got to the Vallet Mall and to the second floor where I understood there was a library.  Of course there wasn’t but a young lady gave me directions to the library and it was on the same street.  Heading across the parking lot I met a man walking his dog who complemented me on my neat St. FX cap.  He was an alumnus and we had a nice chat.  He did the Around the Bay marathon in Hamilton some 20 years ago.  The lady didn’t say how far the library was but it was across from a service station.  Just like Costa Rica you are either walking uphill or downhill and this was my time to go uphill for a good km.  I registered at the library and spent about 1 1/2 hrs catching up.  The library is in the Justice building and when I left from the side door two RCMP officers had a handcuffed man with a seriously bandaged arm who was complaining about where they were about to take him.  I phoned a B&B and got directions but the woman said she was just going out.  No problem though; I should just let myself in and get settled in room 5. On my way there (still uphill) I made a mental note of some interesting walking paths on the way.  Later on I got information about the trail and a good Chinese restaurant right across from the Justice building.  I found the trail easily and it was very pretty along a stream but i missed the exit to the Justice building and went right downtown again, 2+ KM.  I  had a good Italian meal with a glass of wine and was now pretty tired.  My back was quite a bit better but not 100%. 

There were two Newfoundlander guests at breakfast both visiting their spouses in the hospital across the street.  One was from Port aux Basques and worked on the ferry.  I didn’t understand too much he said.  It was then back up the hill to the visitor’s information centre and it was open but looked like it had been ransacked.  I went to the gift shop next door where I was directed to an attached office.  They were in the process of relocating.  Dean was the attendant and was very helpful.  I had planned to give my back some more rest and go directly to St. Anthony, leaving Gros Morne to do on  my return.  The problem was that there was no bus there until Monday at 4:00pm, three days away.  Not wanting to spend four days in Cornerbrook,  Dean suggested that I could catch a shuttle to Deer Lake and from there there were two bus lines that shuttled people to the coast.  That sounded like a good compromise, I could get to Gros Morne anyway.  I had time to spare so asked about another trail that looked to be nearby.  It started right across the street winding up above a gorge with great views.  That sounded like just what the doctor ordered and it was.  The round trip was a good three km and very enjoyable.  After lunch Dean drove me downtown to catch the shuttle to Deer Lake.  It was a taxi and we picked up another passenger a block away from my B&B.  He had been doing some work at the hospital.  He was going to the airport but on the way we passed the Deer Lake Visitors Centre so I was dropped back there.  My first order of business was to find a B&B and the attendant again was very helpful.  She phoned about a dozen within walking distance (it was now raining) but they either didn’t answer the phone, were full or wanted $70.  There was a ray of hope though, one lady thought she might have a cancellation within an hour.  After that that I learned that the shuttles to the coast didn’t run on weekends.  I went next door to the Irving bus stop for a snack and to see if there might be any truckers going north that would take a passenger.  Everyone in the restaurant looked like families except one guy that might have been a trucker but I couldn’t come to ask him.  It was still raining so I thought that I might have a chance hitching a ride so I went over to the underpass to try my luck.  I had none so after 15 minutes I went back to the Visitors Information Centre where she gave me the news that there was indeed a cancellation and they would pick me up. 

It was a small neat house run by a retired couple (him from construction and her from barbering).  She left almost immediately for a 90th birthday party leaving me to chat with her husband.  It was pretty well a one-way conversation focused on the stupidity of politicians, the raw deal that Newfoundlanders got from Ottawa and even arguments that the island shouldn’t be called a “rock”.  He is apparently a very good “amateur” artist and sculptor so I got a few stories on how crappy and expensive the stuff was in the souvenir shops compared to his work and prices. He gave me a few suggestions for a place to eat including a new Chinese restaurant that was fine.  Although he drove me there, I walked back in a light rain.  On the way I met a man walking the other way on the other side of the street.  “Lovely evening, isn’t it buddy”, he said or something to that effect.  The lady of the house was back when I returned and not wanting to engage in further “conversation” with Art, I found a hockey game on TV and went to the living room to say goodnight.  They had one question; “Are you a smoker?”.  When I answered in the negative they explained that they had an alarm system that they out on at night and one guest went outside for a smoke at night and set off the siren.  I expressed surprise that an alarm system was needed in Newfoundland and mentioned the folk song “There’s no Padlocks on the Doors in Newfoundland”.  They agreed that it wasn’t necessary but it seemed to make their guests more comfortable.  Then Art started talking about Newfoundland singers, including Roy Payne.  They were surprised that I had heard of him so I related the comment that my late brother Doug made when Roy was a special guest at the Luskville Hotel where he played in the house band.  He told me that he was the best song-writer, singer, musican that he had ever heard but that he would never amount to anything because of his drinking and pill taking habits.  Well, they both said that he had hit the nail right on the head.  They also added a few other problems that he had no doubts about his musical talent.  Art went to elementary school with Roy and as they were the oldest it was their job to start the fire in the belly pot stove.  There was a younger and very much smaller pupil that the put into the stove one morning, warning him that he would pay dearly if he let out a peep.  When the teacher who was 16 came inshe took off her coat rubbed her hands and went to check on the stove.  When she opened the lid and saw only two white eyes looking out at her, she went hysterical and fainted.  Art thinks that they were suspended for a day for that caper.  There were many more that he related as well about school, the people Roy owed money to, the children he has fathered, etc. etc.  I missed my hockey game.

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