My Journey

St. John's, Newfoundland

Jessica Pook takes a trip to Newfoundland, Canada’s most eastern province, and in St. John's discovers a characterful city that offers a warm welcome to everyone

There’s a sign in the window of Fogtown Barber that states "we are fully booked until further notice". This is, no doubt, partly because it off ers a great haircut, but the surge in business also follows the hiring of Serhii Firsikov, a Ukrainian who fl ed his war-torn country in May for a new life in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The province was the fi rst in Canada to welcome Ukranian refugees and many, including Firsikov, have since settled and found employment in Canada’s easternmost province.

Since his arrival, Firsikov has been welcomed into the community with a warmth that is commonly associated with Newfoundlanders and has been inundated with appointments and donations from locals looking for a tidy trim.

Alas, a short back and sides isn’t my style, but having spent some time in St. John’s I have come to see for myself just how hospitable the locals are.

Maybe it’s the Irish infl uence: St. John’s is the easternmost city in North America, closer to Dublin than to Vancouver. It’s estimated that at one time half of Newfoundland and Labrador's population had Irish roots due to the surge of immigrants from the Emerald Isle in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, this cultural infl uence remains evident in the music scene and a distinct Gaelic twang.

Although the Irish connection is strong, don’t expect a pint of Guinness in this part of the world – in Newfoundland they mostly drink iceberg beer!

Iceberg ahead

It’s not uncommon between late May and early June to spot an iceberg as it makes its way from Greenland or Canada’s Arctic through iceberg alley and eventually south. These silent natural giants can be seen from vantage points such as Signal Hill or on a boat trip from a safe distance (we’ve all seen Titanic!)

In the small fi shing village of Quidi Vidi they are making the most of these seasonal visitors by brewing beer made from iceberg water. The bottled lager is brewed using ice formed tens of thousands of years ago which started as compacted snow, meaning there are no minerals – which gives the golden beer a uniquely light taste.

I take a swig, not sure what to expect, and am pleasantly surprised at how refreshingly crisp it is - and very cold.

And icebergs aren’t the only giants roaming the seas here. Between May and September the world’s largest population of humpback whales return each year to Newfoundland and Labrador to feed on capelin, krill, and squid.

They can often be seen breaching the waters just off the coastline.

Colourful and creative

Nestled in a steep valley, Quidi Vidi itself could be easily mistaken for somewhere in Norway, complete as it is with colourful houses straddling the hillside and fi shing boats bobbing in the calm harbour.

The small village is also home to Quidi Vidi Village Artisans Studios, a cooperative

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It's not that invites studio uncommon to see icebergs as they makes their way from Greenland artisans to participate in a series of workshops and training opportunities to develop their business skills and advance their creative techniques. One talented local tells me about her knitting business and shows me a pile of 'sensory blankets' she’s made for young people with anxiety. Splashes of creativity and colour are commonplace around St. John’s and none more so than its famed ‘Jellybean row’, with its hilly streets adorned with rainbow-coloured houses. It’s said that fi sherman started matching their boats to their houses so that the wives knew when to put dinner on! Nowadays the residents take it upon themselves to keep facades as brightly coloured as possible.

Cod is king

Throughout my time in Newfoundland I’m treated to some of the freshest seafood, ranging from lobster rolls to oysters to cod and chips, all washed down with a 'Bloody Caesar' which I later fi nd out is a concoction made with clam juice.

But there’s one fi shy encounter that I couldn’t leave without ticking off .

Kissing the cod, also known as 'Being Screeched in', is a local tradition which requires Newfoundlander native, Skipper Dickie, a codfi sh and a shot of screech - a potent rum made on the island.

It takes full concentration to both understand and repeat the words of Skipper Dickie who asks “Is ye a Screecher?”, to which we reply “Deed I is me old cock, and long may your big jib draw!” before giving the unsuspecting cod a kiss and then washing the taste away with a shot of screech. And just like that I’m an honorary Newfoundlander!

The province hopes to entice many of its former residents to 'come home' this year for a post-pandemic celebration.

The 2022 Come Home Year invitation serves as a reminder of what the province has to off er, including its wild coastline, colourful cities and fresh local produce. All provincial Historic Sites across Newfoundland and Labrador are off ering free regular admission in 2022. This includes entry to Point Amour Lighthouse, Newman Wine Vaults, Heart’s Content Cable Station and Beothuk Interpretation Centre. newfoundlandlabrador.com •

Book it with... Canadian Affair

Canadian Aff air off ers a seven-night St. John's and Toronto short break with four nights in St. John's and three nights in Toronto. The package includes fl ights from the UK and internal fl ights from St. John's to Toronto. Priced from £1,122pp. canadianaff air.com