Red Bay, Labrador

Once a thriving whaling center, today Red Bay is a National Historic Site that offers visitors a glimpse into the history and lifestyle of 16^th-century whaling.

Definitely one of the absolute smallest ports we’ve ever visited, we bundled up good and were among the very first tenders deployed. Once ashore, we were amazed at the lack of activity. In fact, there was none. It may have been because it’s Sunday and the weather was very poor, but I suspect that even on a warm weekday the activity is pretty slim. We walked to the very top of the main hill, past several homes and didn’t see or hear a soul – it was about 9:00.  Cheryl snapped a few pictures – we walked through a very small cemetary – most of the graves contained young adults from the mid 18-hundreds.

It was quite foggy and in fact, fog has been prevalent the past two days – a nice, welcomed break from Phoenix - temps in the mid-40’s. We boarded a tender for our return to the ship, only to be completely fogged-in. We returned to shore and were sheltered from a light rain in a small hut. About 30 minutes later, there was enough visibility to return to the ship, so off we went.

Corner Brook, Newfoundland

The Maritime Archaic people were the first to inhabit the area around Corner Brook around 3,500 years ago, taking advantage of the excellent fishing waters. Today with a population of 22,000, Corner Brook is Newfoundland’s second-largest city and a gateway to the many scenic areas of the province. This little corner of Canada offers pristine landscapes and very warm hospitality to those intrepid enough to make their way here.

We took a courtesy school bus into town (about a half-mile) and were dropped at City Hall where a few of the locals were in the process of setting up a sidewalk sale. We decided to take a hike (literally) so off we went into the woods. We emerged less than 30 minutes later and were immediately drawn to a roadway vehicle designed like a train. For $2 total, we boarded and basically got a tour of the city. We eventually arrived back at City Hall where our day started, hopped on the school bus (the only two passengers) and made our way back to the ship.  

Sydney, Nova Scotia

A beautiful day in Sydney, Nova Scotia with termps in the low 80’s…though our days of wearing shorts will soon come to an end, we’re told!

We had an early but leisurely breakfast this morning and were among the first passengers off the ship. Yes, the first thing we did was wander over to the large base fiddle outside the ship and snap a picture – it stands 60’ tall!

The city itself was built shortly after the American Revolution and grew significantly due to its steel industry. Now recognized as the largest urban hub on the island, Sydney boasts a booming tourism industry – attracting visitors like us during the summer months. Bear in mind here – we spent all of our time in the city itself, though we understand from other passengers that Cape Breton Island (on which Sydney sits) is quite beautiful, providing scenic outlooks at every turn. Our decision to remain in the city itself was based on my walking health, which will hopefully improve with time.

The downtown area itself is quite old, though well-maintained. Neighborhoods  too are dated, but clean. Our trip back to the ship was very nice, as we ventured down to the waterfront and strolled along a fairly modern walkway – a good mile, with sitting benches along the way.

Bar Harbor, Maine

One of the East Coast’s premier summer resort towns, this famous port was built on shipbuilding, lumber and fishing, and today lays claim to a booming tourism industry, attracting more than 25 cruise ships during the months of May through October. Neither of us have spent much time in this part of our country – in fact, the last time we were anywhere near the northeastern coast was during our honeymoon 32 years ago.

To digress a little, we left our home in Phoenix nearly one week ago. Our first stop was in Charlotte, NC where we visited our four kids – it had been nearly one year since we last saw them.  I experienced a stroke nearly two years ago, but was extremely fortunate.  Long story short – my loving wife has been nursing me back to health and while I’m not 100%, I’m definitely in much better shape than I would have been without her – she’s been a true rock for me, and I can’t begin to thank her enough for all she’s done and continues to do for me.

It was truly wonderful seeing our kids again and spoiling the six grandkids. After spending four days with them, we then took our rental car to Winston-Salem, NC to catch a major drum corps show and visit with many wonderful folks. Monday morning we drove back to Charlotte and caught our flight to Boston where we boarded Holland America’s Zuiderdam Tuesday morning.

Back to Bar Harbor. Our day was a little short. We arrived at 10am and because of insufficient dock space, we ‘tendered’ guests to and from the shore. A quick aside here – we walked a little short of 2 miles…probably the farthest I’ve walked since my stroke. I was very sore & exhausted, but made it. We stopped around 11:30 for some famous lobster. We were both a little disappointed – you couldn’t order a tail but instead, had to take a whole lobster – NO THANK YOU! Our other choice was simply a lobster sandwich, which we both ordered. There was plenty of lobster meat, but it tasted pretty bland – again, disappointing.

We mailed three birthday cards at the Post Office, walked a little more and by 2:00, were back on a Tender heading to the ship. Happy Hour at 4pm! Dinner at 5:30 – skipped the show tonight – in bed by 7:30.

Bar Harbor – a beautiful, small community. Wouldn’t live here, but a very nice place to visit!