Port Rexton, Newfoundland has seriously got to be one of the most beautiful places on earth that I have ever personally been to. I felt like every time I walked out the door, I could not get over the view in front of me. I used to wonder how or why anyone could live so far out in the middle of nowhere with relatively few amenities. But now I know why! People may not live in Newfoundland for the weather, but they sure do live here for the views and the people, of course!
You can never be guaranteed of any set weather in Newfoundland, especially at this time of year. On occasion, it is just as likely to be scorching hot as it is to be buried in a couple of feet of snow. But normally fall weather here is dark and grey and wet. So when we were blessed with several days of gloriously warm sunshine, the kind Newfoundland has been asking for all year long without success, we were mesmerized by the absolutely beauty we were surrounded by and very thankful.
And this is to say nothing of the people here. Where else would you go and have people who are so invested in others. While at a restaurant one night, the waitress commented on how she liked when the season got a bit slower because then you got to "know people." I cannot even imagine someone saying that in our restaurants in Toronto. But Newfoundlanders want to say hi and strike up a conversation. They want to find out where you are from, what you are doing here and have a conversation about politics. It is no lie that Newfoundlanders are some of the most friendly people in the world. And hospitable too! The people who ran this place in Port Rexton, well, you wanted to get to know them, have your kids hang out together and skip rocks in the pond and cuddle with their pets. The always went above and beyond to make our stay and the wedding all come together seamlessly. It felt, well, so comfortable and neighborly.
We
ate fresh caught fish every day of the week, and the food was
really, really wonderful here. Some of my favorites were the partridge
berry muffins. Partridgeberries? Yes. One evening, I was out
exploring with Magdalene asleep in the carrier when I stumbled upon the
epitome of rural Newfoundland. As the dusk was coming on, I came across
a woman picking Partridge berries. She wore a weathered white straw
hat and jeans with berry stains at the knees. Her red-stained gloved
hands held a pot in one hand and a large bag containing at least 3lbs of
berries in the other. Partridge berries--similar in flavour to a
cranberry but the size and texture of a blueberry. I'd never heard of
such a thing. But they make amazing jam!
One of the upsides of having such early risers in our family is that we got to see some of the most spectacular sunrises. Up on the hill overlooking Port Rexton and the ocean, we would get the first glimpse of the sun as it lit up the morning sky.
Yes, more to come.... Including "the wedding!"
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