St. John's, Newfoundland

St. John's is the largest and most dominant city in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. About 20 percent of the population of the Newfoundland live in the city limits proper, and another 100,000 live in the "suburbs." So close to half of Newfoundland's population is here. 

It's not surprising that the biggest city is along the water, since so much of Newfoundland's history connects with fishing and trade. It's also very close to the eastern tip of North America, which is located only a few miles away. Here's a surprise - the closest European settlement is actually part of Portugal. The Azores are about 1,100 nautical miles away. It's also closer to London than it is to Edmonton.

The sea still plays a huge role with life here, with a welcoming harbor. In fact, it was fairly recently when some work was done to expand the opening of the harbor to the ocean.(You can't quite see it here.) That way, some of those cruise liners and their money-holding tourists can drop in for a day's stay. Good thinking, St. John's.

As you might guess, this is the cultural center of the region. There's a convention center and arena in the middle of downtown for events. A junior hockey team and a minor league basketball team calls St. John's home. 

It's interesting to note that the land on both sides has steep grades going down to the harbor. The downtown section of the city is on one side, but the other side is empty except for some energy-related industry. Wonder what the history of that is?

Let's see what there is to see: 

St. John's, Newfoundland: Chinese Immigration Monument

Consider this an apology.

In 1906, Newfoundland imposed a $300 tax on every immigrant from China who wanted to enter the country. This was designed to discourages such moves, and the law was in place through 1949. It was a similar story in other regions. 

Still, people made the trip - 80,000 across Canada, and hundreds in Newfoundland. Eventually, the law was repealed, but history hasn't been kind to it.

Therefore, the statue represents a big "I'm sorry" to those of Chinese origins. It is placed on the site of the first Chinese laundry in St. John's, which opened in the late 1800s.  

St. John's, Newfoundland: Peacekeepers Memorial

Canadian armed forces often have been asked to serve in a peacekeeping role in some of the world's hot spots. That's appropriate for a nation that has a reputation for civility and politeness.

The job can have its hazards. On August 9, 1974, a plane was shot down between Beirut and Damascus in the Middle East. Nine Canadians died, and that's the biggest single loss in the nation's history of peacekeeping.

While the rest of the world marks International Day of United National Peacekeepers on May 29, Canada sticks to August 9. This statue was unveiled in 2006; it shows a soldier releasing a dove. 

The display is located in downtown St. John's, and is a nice idea - particularly if you know the background of it all.  

St. John's, Newfoundland: Basilica of St. John the Baptist

There's some interesting history in this part of the world when it comes to religion.

The English and the French were both around during the formative years of Newfoundland, and thus both the Anglican and Catholic churches have a strong tradition. The latter certainly was boosted by Irish immigrants as well. Both sides built good-sized cathedrals in St. John's, the capital city. This is the Catholic entry - the Basilica of St. John the Baptist.

It took 14 years for the structure to be built, as it was completed in 1855. It was the largest church in North America at that point, and is still the second-largest church in Canada. It was built to line up with the sun on solstices, rather than an east-west orientation. It's on a hill above the downtown area of St. John's. 

Our guide said that this was such a magnificent place that New York City became jealous. Thus, St. Patrick's Cathedral was built to take another step in the equivalent of an arms race. When finished, the building in St. John's was the largest Irish cathedral in the world - non-Ireland division.

While the church is magnificent, it might not be the biggest attraction on the block. That distinction might belong to the convent next door. That's where the "veiled virgin" statue is located. It is carved out of marble, and it looks like the woman has a veil on her head even though everything in it is solid. The piece has been under the control of the convent since 1856. It's stunning in person. (No photographs are allowed.)

In order to see the cathedral, visitors must pay a small fee to help with the upkeep. But if you want to see the veiled virgin, you can literally knock on the door and ask politely. A little contribution wouldn't hurt on the way out.  

St. John's, Newfoundland: The Rooms

Is this building an archive? Museum? Gallery?

Yes, yes, and yes. It's all three. 

"The Rooms" is an unusual place as attractions go. It's something of a catch-all for all things cultural and historical in Newfoundland. As visitors bounce from room to room, the type of displays change drastically. You might find art work in one spot, and historic relics in another. Most cities might have three or four such locations, but this represents one-stop shopping. Obviously Newfoundland is rather small, so it's not a bad idea under the circumstances. 

The facility was opened in 2005, and is on a spot that was occupied by Fort Townsend way back when. While traveling exhibits pop up every so often, the emphasis is on local items - as you'd expect. The capsule review is that it's a worthwhile stop if a little unfocused.