TIBET

                                                          Lhasa, Tibet

 

      Most of Tibet is too arid and cold to support human life. Geographically the country is about the size of France. The huge plateau has an altitude between 1000-5000 meters (3900-15400’). The Qamdo region in the eastern plateau is at a lower elevation and is drained by the headwaters of the Salween, Mekong, and Yangtze Rivers. The Lhasa area has a greater rainfall than the rest of Tibet, the climate is less severe, and most of the population lives here. Semi-nomadic shepherds who tend herds of sheep, yak, and horses live on the uplands surrounding the valleys. The towering Himalayas, surrounding the Tibetan plateau on three sides, made it an insurmountable obstacle to travelers and invaders.

     The country has existed since the 7^th century as a remote mountain theocracy based on the mystical tenets of Lamaism. Here feudal Lamas, whose spiritual authority was matched by their complete control of internal affairs, ruled the population. Some reigns were benevolent, others were ruthless. After the 9^th century the monasteries became increasingly more political, and in 1641 the Yellow Hats crushed their rivals, the Red Hats. The Yellow Hats adopted the title of Dalai Lama (Ocean of Wisdom).

     The autonomy of the lamas waxed and waned during various Chinese dynasties, with almost complete independence enjoyed during the Republican era, 1912-1949. The revolution brought changes. China invaded Tibet in 1950, and in 1951 military action and pressured negotiation reestablished China’s sovereignty. After years of increasing suppression, a revolt broke out and the Dalai Lama escaped disguised as a scholar walking over the Himalayas to India, where he remains today. Known as the Living Prince of Peace, the Dalai Lama is now elderly.. After 9/11 he called President Bush to express his condolences.

     Widespread persecution of the Tibetan people continued, reaching a peak during the Cultural Revolution. Between 1950-’70, over a million Tibetans were killed, 100,000 were exiled, and most of Tibet’s cultural heritage destroyed. Thousands of monks and nuns were sent to labor camps. Hundreds of ancient monasteries were destroyed. Arbitrary agricultural reforms such as imposed planting of unfamiliar crops, and the collectivization of yak and goat herds undermined traditional Tibetan culture. The population further destabilized when the Chinese government encouraged non-Tibetan Chinese to settle in Tibet. In spite of such hardships the Tibetan culture has continued to thrive under the stewardship of the exiled Dalai Lama, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.     

    Chinese built factories and infrastructure, so don’t understand the Tibetan ingratitude. The Chinese honestly believe that they saved the Tibetans from feudalism and that their continued occupation is a mission of mercy. For a long time the Tibetans saw the situation very differently as they found it hard to forgive the destruction of their monasteries or the assault on their religion and culture.

     One afternoon six of us went to visit the Sera Monastery, an active temple where monks are in training. Founded in 1419, Sera means stone hill. It also is the name of a ‘roseberry bush’. At one time every family sought to send a son to become a monk and the monastery accommodated 5000-6000 monks. But like other religions fewer people are choosing the celibate life. Many monks were persecuted or killed during the revolution. Today there are about 700 monks at the Sera Monastery. Upon entering the temple we saw a monk sitting on the floor printing. He was fast and it was fascinating to watch him. The pages were about 4 X 15 inches and he printed 100 copies of the page before going on to the next page. Pressing prayers onto cloth was the first form of printing.

    As we circled the temple we saw a few pilgrims moving clockwise with their prayer wheels and beads. The really intriguing thing here was the philosophical debates taking place in the shaded courtyard.

    At 3 o’clock a monk on the roof banged a gong to alert everyone that the two-hour debates were about to begin. The monks work in pairs, with the older monk asking a newer one a question. If answered correctly the older monk slapped his hands, palms together. If the answer was wrong he slapped his open palm with the back side of his right hand. If he pulls the prayer beads up his arm to the elbow it means that he will teach the newer monk the correct answer. It was extremely noisy in the courtyard and I wondered how anyone could even hear a question, much less answer it. It was an interesting visit.

    There are 500 million Buddhists in the world who believe that time on earth is temporary. Out of death and destruction comes life. Buddhist art is not self-expressive, each part has a meaning and artists do not sign their work.

    Each morning we opened our drapes and curtains wide to allow the sun to shine through and warm up the room. It was effective. We had clear , warm, sunny days all the time we were in Tibet. It stayed light until after 9:00 PM but did not get light in the morning until 7ish.

   Tibet has an interesting culture. It was a fantastic visit.

You may want to check posts: Jochang Temple 8-25-11, Tibet & Yak 6-13-10, Potala Palace 2-9-14

EATING IN CHINA

    At our first evening meal in Beijing at Nine Flowers Mountain Restaurant we enjoyed a delicious Peking duck dinner. David gave us instructions on the use of chopsticks saying, “Most of our meals will be served family style. Food is the first necessity of the people. Color, taste, smell, shape, sound, and the serving vessel are all important aspects of food. Vegetables are the main ingredient and rice is the foundation of Chinese meals. Food is an integral part of our culture.

    “China is divided into four sections when it comes to cuisine and cooking differences, and yin and yang are ever present in the Chinese diet. Yin foods are moist, soft, have a cooling effect and nurture the feminine aspect of nature. Yang foods are fried, spicy or with red meat and are warming, nourishing the masculine side of nature.”

     We were to learn that we always ate at large round tables, symbolizing unity, seating 8-10 people. Each table had a large glass lazy susan in its center. Our plates were saucer size and forks were provided only on request. Meals always included soup and rice in addition to several (6-7) other dishes. Pots of tea were also placed on the turntable so we could fill our own small teacup. Chinese do not normally end a meal with dessert, but if they do it is fruit. I found the food very tasty and managed from day one to successfully eat with chopsticks. That was a real surprise to me! The spoon and fork I packed remained in my suitcase.

    Once in Xian we were in the land of noodles. One day at lunch we watched a noodle maker stretch a glob of dough into yards and yards of spaghetti size pasta. One evening after an 18-course dumpling dinner at the Tang Theater Restaurant we viewed a folkloric show.

Upon arrival at the Tibet hotel we were given a cup of warm sweet yak milk. I’m not a big milk drinker but I, as well as the rest of us, thought the beverage was quite good. It tends to be chilly at high altitudes so the warm drink was welcome.

 

     We had several domestic airline flights while in Chine. Each was a on different airline. We found the planes clean, new and efficient. We were served very good meals on each flight---reminiscent of what American air travel used to be like!

Arrival evening in Tibet we were served yak burgers which were very tasty.

    The gal I traveled to China with was a very picky eater. In Beijing she wanted to eat at a big American chain steak house. What everyone wants to do when in China, right? But to avoid her pouting I acquiesced and had the absolutely worst hamburger I’ve ever eaten!

    One evening in Xi’an we partook of a Mongolian hot pot dinner, hot meaning heat hot, not spicy hot. A pot of boiling water over a burner was at each place. A lazy susan in the middle of the table was loaded with all kinds of veggies, and meat. A large array of condiments to make one’s own sauce was on another table. It was a different kind of meal and one could individualize her meal however she liked. It was fun experimenting with foods and an unusual evening and experience.

MORE CHINES INFO

                                        Other Cities

   Chongqing is a mountainside city located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers and was once known as Chungking. This city has been a bustling port and major center of commerce throughout China’s history. During WW II Chongqing was capitol of Nationalist China (1938-’45). Nicknames often applied to the city are Mountain City and River City.

      With a population of over 3 million, the mountainous and river metropolis is China’s 7^th largest city. The 300-year-old city has a significant historical, cultural, economic and political importance. It was here that Chiang Kai-shek and Chow En-Lai made the famous agreement to jointly fight the Japanese rather than each other during WWII. Japanese bombers did do a considerable amount of damage to the city.

      Today it is a city of contrasts. Undergoing a rapid transformation, it is quickly becoming a vibrant and modern city, a city with skyscraper fever. A city full of cars, but because of the very hilly terrain hardly a bike was seen, which was a big change from what we’d seen elsewhere in the country. The Three Gorges Dam will make Chongqing a major deep-water port.

     We were within easy walking distance of Xian’s Big Goose Pagoda, built in 648 AD. Earthquakes in 1487 and 1521 knocked off the top two stories of the pagoda so now it is only seven stories and 209-feet high. It has been restored, remodeled, and added to many times over the centuries. It was built to hide Buddhist scriptures brought from India to be translated into 1335 Chinese volumes!

     The courtyard is large and from the street very deceiving. The pagoda is Buddhist. Monks are basically vegetarian. In China there are 13,000 Buddhist temples, 30,000 Muslim mosques, 4000 Catholic churches, 12,000 Protestant churches and 1500 Taoist temples, which are usually built on mountain tops as they don’t like the human world. Xian's warriors are in a post noted below

    A visit to the Beijing Opera School was a delight. A local docent told us, “The government established the school in 1952. Prior to that, it was a private school. This best school in the country started out with a one story building. Now we are a high rise residential school with 3600 graduates. Children can come here at age 10 and stay for six years.”

     We worked our way through a small museum where there were many manikins dressed in ornate opera costumes. We visited several classrooms and were quite impressed with the students’ abilities that we observed. We learned that Chinese opera has four characters—young man, old man, woman, and clown.

    Our Yangtze river boat docked at Wanzhou, the gateway to Sichuan. It was an easy walk up 120 steps that were perfect for pacing and narrow in depth. After working our way though many hawkers we boarded a bus that took us first to the Acrobatic Theater. The show performed by children was excellent. They preformed some remarkable stunts. Some of them were so young and they performed such fantastic stunts!

     Because we were delayed leaving Tibet we were late arriving in Chongqing to board our river boat. Instead of taking the time to stop for dinner our guide phoned the ship and they had dinner waiting for us on arrival. We ate even before we made it to our staterooms. It had been a long day.

see post: Xian 11-10-11, and Hutong 5-2-10

CHENGDU

      Chengdu, meaning perfect metropolis was an hour and ten minute flight away. Flying over green fields we could see clusters of houses in the middle for as far as the eye could see.

      Our local docent told us, “Sichuan Province is the largest province in China and also has the largest population. Four rivers flow into the city of Chengdu. The city, surrounded by mountains, is located on a plain 1500 feet above sea level. The population of greater Chengdu is 9 million. The city, boasting a 2300-year history, was built in 316 BC. Because of a thriving brocade silk industry the city was often referred to as Brocade City during the Han Dynasty. It is hot and humid here and we feel spicy food gives us energy.”

     The wide streets were lined with trees. A moat surrounded the original walled city. The last of the walls disappeared as late as 1960. The Cultural Revolution destroyed the Viceroy’s Palace and in its place stands the Russian-style Sichuan Exhibition Center. A massive statue of Mao remains, but statues of Marx, Lenin, and Stalin have been removed. Progress and entry into the new century is alive and well in the city. Chnegdu is the transportation hub for southwest China and the jumping off point for Tibet.

      The city is home to the largest Buddha in China, 210 feet tall. Chengdu has suffered no natural disasters, and boasts the oldest irrigation system in the country. There is no heavy industry, but there is a growing tourist and pharmaceutical industry. The city is known for its pretty girls.

     We saw many bicycles fighting for space with the city’s three million automobiles, which are creating a pollution problem. Bikers were riding using cell phones. Merchants were toting baskets of cabbage. Although this is the City of Hibiscus, it was not the season for them to be in bloom.

    Our hotel, built in 1958, was located across from the Jinjiang River. Jin means prosperous----people’s expectation the hotel would experience prosperity like the new China. The hotel was large and it was easy to get lost among it’s several buildings.

      Chengdu has quite a tea house culture. In some tea houses you can get your nails done, shoes cleaned, ears cleaned or have a massage, all while having tea. However, there is a proper sequence to serving tea. Tea is always brewed in a tea pot. Small handle-less mugs are warmed with hot water, then poured out before being filled with tea. The hostess, or the one pouring the tea, fills everyone’s cup first and her own last.

      Walking around the Panda sanctuary we came upon the lesser panda or red panda. Related to the raccoon they are about the size of a fox, 20-24 inches long with a bushy ringed tail. They have a rust colored soft coat with black markings on their face and ears. They look nothing like a panda. Several red pandas live at the sanctuary.

    China has an incredible variety of landscapes and a rich diversity in its flora and fauna. Besides the panda China has a long list of endangered species including the Yangtze dolphin. However, 926 nature reserves in the country cover seven percent of the landmass.

     On the way back to the city, from the panda sanctuary, we stopped at a silk embroidery factory. It was incredible to watch people doing double faced or reversible embroidery on silk. The factory was government owned so no one was in much of a rush. The work produced was really beautiful.

In the evening several of us went to the 1500-year-old Buddhist Wen Shu Monastery for dinner. Our guide called ahead to order our meal. The monks are vegetarians but we enjoyed a good meal. We took hair raising cab rides during rush hour traffic to the temple.

     The big tourist interest in Chendu is the pandas.

See Panda post 3-13-11

CHINA HISTORY CONTINUED

                                  Modern History

In the late 14^th century, during the Ming reign, a significant change took place when trade with the West was introduced. Over the next 300 years a new commodity, opium, was introduced, and by the 19^th century opium addiction had severely damaged Chinese society and drained vast amounts of wealth overseas. This led to war with Britain, the chief source of the deadly drug. With newer and more modern arms technology the British soundly defeated the Chinese.

With the dawn of the 20^th century China was wracked with internal rebellion and economic stagnation. In 1911 a Western-influenced political leader, Sun Yet-Sen, convinced the people to adopt a republican form of government, touching off a long period of civil war. In 1941 bolstered by the success of Russia in World War II, the Communists rose to power taking control of the government and Mao established the People’s Republic of China.

Cycles of failed economic policies, disunity, and political purges marked the first 30 years of Communist rule. In the 1970s life improved for the peasants when Deng Xiao Ping allowed profit, after government quotas had been met, to be kept by the farmer. However, small plots of land and the ever increasing population the new policy only provided limited relief. In the mid-1980s the government adopted far-reaching economic reforms with market-oriented incentives.

Although the Communists have retained control of the government, the people have held tight to many of their traditional ways. Even today 75% of the population is involved in some form of agriculture. The family is still the center of Chinese life and they still refer to themselves as Han or Sons of Han. Buddhist temples have reopened, in spite of the fact that government discourages religion. There is a new emphasis on manufacturing and technology which has resulted in closer relations with free-market countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.

Transformed by communism, China has experienced a great deal of social and economic upheaval with international isolation, which is reflected in its urban architecture and chauvinistic personality. Drab and gloomy cities of the past are being transformed into colorful bustling places shedding the socialist past and entering the twenty-first century with a renewed sense of entrepreneurism and power. The economic changes of the last decade have been short of revolutionary. Rapid development has brought high rise commercial buildings and five-star hotels, air-conditioned shopping centers, international restaurants---and fast food. As the old gives way to the new, traveling has become more pleasant, comfortable and convenient as it contributes to a rapidly developing economy. Both the tourist industry and infrastructure are experiencing giant growing pains. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing added fuel to this progress.

       China is full of contradictions. While obsessed with being in control and projecting an image of greatness, it is shackled with an exuberant yet unpredictable third-world economy. China follows a difficult set of principles, many of which juxtapose the old and new for organizing the present and transcending the past.

     The ancient philosophy of Confucianism laid a foundation for Chinese ethics and morals that survives today, teaching respect, selflessness, obedience, and a sense of community. The Chinese believe it is important to stay within and abide by a community. Shame is considered a much graver emotion than guilt. They judge themselves according to how they believe they are perceived by those whom they love and respect. Although China appears to be overhauling itself, many residents of smaller cities and villages still live the way they did 100 years ago. I often felt like I was in a time warp when we got out of the big cities, although there is no such thing as a small city in China. Even in the cities a surplus of men work with hammer and nail to build skyscrapers. Maybe these images will fade in the future, but now they reveal a country in the throes of revolution still holding on tightly to tradition.

    Although 25 percent of the economy is now in private hands, poverty remains widespread throughout the country and unemployment is 20-30 percent in many cities. Real estate speculation by overseas and Chinese investment has resulted in an over supply of luxury office buildings, apartments, retail stores and shops.

   China has many problems and only time will tell how they solve them We just enjoyed our adventure, the awesomeness of the country and its wonderful people. Many posts to follow on this huge country.

You may want to check blogs: Xian 11-10-11, Yangtze R 8-24-14, Great wall 6-8-14
China memories 4-9-14, Hong Kong 5-15-14 & 10-8-14, Pandas 3-13-11

CHINA HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL

                                    A Very Long History

    

     China is an awesome country with a 5000-year history--a big country, unpredictable and full of contrasts. China’s 4 million square miles ranks it the third largest country in the world in size after Russia and Canada. The bridging of many centuries has produced a unique and colorful collage of diverse people, different generations, and contrasting levels of technology. Often referred to as communism with a capitalist face, it is a country going through many changes and social growing pains. The ‘new China’ is emerging through a synthesis of the old and new.

    Today China is home to more than a billion people, roughly 22% of the world’s population. They call themselves Han, and they make up 92% of the population. The official language is Mandarin, although Cantonese, Yue, Wu, Haka, Xiang, GanMinbei, and Minnan are also spoken. Today China is considered to be a developing nation, and a poor country in terms of per capita income and quality of life.We are talking people here. City populations are in the millions---everywhere! Most cities are chaotic, congested, and polluted. The people were interesting, and generally friendly, but most often quite naïve about the outside world. Eighty percent of the 50 million visitors a year to China are overseas Chinese returning to visit relatives.

    The Himalayas on the China-India border are the world’s highest mountains. More than two-thirds of China’s land area is mountainous or desert, only ten percent of the land is arable! Since it is an agricultural society that might tell you where populations live. China shares its borders with 16 countries. Korea is on the northeast, Mongolia and Siberia on the north, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal on the west, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam on the south. China’s 14,500 kilometers of coastline make it the worlds longest.

Ancient History:

Archeological records show a highly developed civilization in the area known as China dating back to 4000 BC suggesting that Chinese people have shared a common culture longer than any other people on earth.

China’s first dynasty, the Shang, is believed to have been established in 1800 BC. At that time the country was split into feudal states, although the King was recognized for his ritual role. The Shang kings called themselves Sons of Heaven.

Power was dispersed among feudal lords, and warring between feudal states was common. The peasants owned the land on which they farmed but owed military service to the nobles. As in all agricultural societies, the family was the dominant social unit.

Around 400 BC a new class of learned men began to form and gave rise to what is referred to as the Classic Age of Chinese thought. Confucius, the most famous of these men, asserted that social harmony depends on each individual understanding and acting in accordance with his ‘station in life’. Confucius’ teachings had great influence on China’s development over the next 2000 years. The strict ethical system, more than anything else, provided the basis for the long-standing unity of the Chinese people and the relative stability of the dynastic system of government for centuries.

About the same time Taoism promoted the concepts of inner peace and harmony with nature. Practitioners sought mystical knowledge through meditation, and Taoism was embraced my millions of Chinese.

Around the first century BC, Buddhism, which originated in India, found its way to China. Confucianism and Taoism were pretty much ethical guides while Buddhism was the proper religion. To the Buddhist follower life goes on in a series of reincarnations.

The first empire was established in 221 BC. Called Ch’in, it differed from past dynasties in that one emperor ruled over a unified China. The first emperor, Shih Huang Ti, centralized political power and standardized language, laws, weights, measures, and coinage. During the few years of his dynasty he suppressed learning and tried to destroy most religious texts.

The Han rose to power in 202 BC, and the next four centuries were a time of great historical significance. The Han instituted the ‘Mandarin Bureaucracy’, a merit system by which local officials were selected based on knowledge of the Confucian classics. China’s first university was founded, and a new emphasis on learning and education gave rise to an age of great scientific discovery and artistic accomplishment. The people remained mainly agricultural, and Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism remained the prevailing philosophical and ethical guides.Although specific imperial dynasties came in and out of power, the structure of the imperial dynastic system, with administrative divisions and central bureaucracies, remained in tact until the early 20^th century.

GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK

A Huge  Park

To get to Gros Morne Nnational Park we traveled through dense pine and spruce forest for miles and miles with lots of water, lakes, streams and rivers along the way. I had wanted to visit this park for a long time but it is nor easy to get there, so I was happy to finally have found a way without having to rent a car and make the long drive to the west part of the province.

Originally the forest came to the road edge, but because moose were such a problem, the forest was cut back ten meters on each side of the highway. Driving at night is not recommended as roads are winding, do not have shoulders, are unlighted, and most often do not have outside lines and faint middle lane lines. Plentiful moose add to the driving hazard.

Gros Morne National Park, Canada’s largest National Park, was established in 1973 and given a UNESCO designation in 1987. The terrain is varied and extensive. Geologists from all over the world visit to study different geological forces. It is an area of great beauty with a rich variety of scenery, wildlife and recreational areas. The vast park encompasses western highlands, coastal lowlands, mountains, fjords, valleys, deep glacial lakes, coastal bogs, towering wave carved cliffs, waterfalls, marine inlets, sea stacks, sandy beaches, tundra-like plateaus, grasslands and the spectacular Tablelands and the wondrous Arches. Natural forces of glaciers and shifting continental plates have shaped and formed a landscape creating mountains ten times older than the Canadian Rockies. Colorful fishing villages dot the landscape. There are spectacular views from all over the park.

During our 2-3 day stay in the park area I had a chance to hike several paths along the water’s edge to view the rocky coastline. We visited Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse. The 115 ft high white, conical cast iron tower was automated in 1969. The lighthouse marking the approach to Rocky Harbor and the entrance to Bonne Bay since 1897 is maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard.

The lighthouse houses a small but nice museum. The seasonal fishing for salmon and cod by Europeans in the 1800s led to the growth of communities. The rapid changes of the 20th century have shifted lifestyles away from the sea and lessened dependence on its resources.

Broom Point juts raggedly into the Gulf of St. Lawrence like a worn version of its namesake. The marine mammals, birds and fish of the cold Gulf waters have attracted people to the area for 2300 years.

Joining us a Parks Canada guide told us, “The three Mudge brothers and their families fished from this site from 1941-1975. The family sold the property to the park and have helped to restore the buildings and return the inside of the home with its original furnishings.”

In the shed close to the water’s edge he explained the dory and demonstrated how a lobster trap works. There were no roads into this area until the 1940s, so everything had to be brought in by boat. The brothers fished for cod, lobster and salmon. The cod was cut, salted, and dried on the rocks. Every night, and when rain threatened, the cod had to be stacked in piles and then sheltered. If cod was dried on racks then the racks can be picked up and stacked, but there is no sand so the Mudge brothers just used the clean rocks for drying.

It was hard to imagine moving hundreds of pounds of fish frequently. The whole family was involved in the process. The salmon was canned on the premises and the guide demonstrated how that was done including the hand crimping of the can lids after three hours of boiling. It was another labor intensive job!

After the road arrived in 1959 people could come and pick up the fish so it could be processed elsewhere.

The wind was rather chilly so it was nice to get out of the cold wind into the small warm house when the guide invited us to enter. A fire was burning in the cast iron wood stove. The guide continued, “Ten people lived in this house every year from April to September.” The old iron beds didn’t look very comfortable but I bet they wee so tired they slept well anyway! The guide continued saying, “In the winter the brothers worked as lumberjacks.”

On a clear sunny one we took the BonTour ferry from Norris Point across Bonne Bay to Woody Point. Spots of snow were visible on the Tablelands. As we drove to the ferry I noted the small town had a hospital and three doctors.

The ferry captain said over the loud speaker, “The mountains in Gros Morne are only 7000-7500 feet tall. Gros Morne itself is only 830 meters (932 feet). Note that the mountains do not have peaks but are rounded. Only young mountains have pointed peaks.

“Bonne Bay is 750-800 feet deep and nearly that much more glacier silt sits on the bottom. Many war ships came into the bay During WW II. Ten-mile Pond is only seven miles long but is so named because it was ten miles from the trapper’s home. Pretty logical a long time ago, if you think about it. The mountains here average 40 feet of snow a year and the lower land half that much.”

Bald eagles were flying overhead. Snow crab buoys bobbed in the harbor. Apparently kayaking is a popular sport and several kayakers were paddling around in the water enjoying the nice day.

At the new Discovery Center our Park Canada guide was waiting us. The street level of the center has a museum with informative displays. The upper deck had a wonderful terrace for whale watching. The guide took us on a loop trail where we started out on what was an old partially paved narrow road. The six foot wide road soon narrowed and then turned into a Parks Canada foot path. Stopping often she pointed out and identified some small plant. The last plant was the pitcher plant that eats bugs. It was a pretty plant and one I’d love to try to grow. At the barren Tablelands she explained how they came to be, adding, “The Tablelands plateau has some of the oldest rocks in the world, a real geological rarity.” It was a most enjoyable visit with delightful sunny weather.

MORE ON NEWFOUNDLAND

One  National Park

Terra Nova National Park is located at Bonavista Bay where native Archaic and Paleo-Eskimo peoples stood more than 5000 years ago. Established in 1957, it is the Province’s first National Park. Located on the eastern edge of Newfoundland and also Canada’s most easterly national park, the park's beautiful rugged coastal area has a variety of habitats. Fingers of the Sea protect remnants of the ancient Appalachian Mountains. Rocky headlands provide shelter from the awesome power of the open ocean.

    Its 154 square miles of pristine wilderness includes thick marsh land, rugged cliffs and sheltered inlets of the coastal region to the rolling forested hills, bogs, marshes, coves, ponds and boreal forests and inland sheltered bays. The natural and untouched ponds and bogs provide a safe haven for moose, black bear and lynx. Fourteen native species live in the park, but that is a small number compared to the 40 species in Labrador and 50 in Nova Scotia. It is home to the largest bald eagle population in North America.

    Cultural history abounds in the remnants of sawmills and past human cultures. It is an excellent area for nature viewing. Whales can be seen from the shoreline and birds soar above the trees. Kayaking is a popular activity, and there are 60 miles of hiking paths.

    At the Discovery Center there is a touch and feel aquatic tank which was a fascination to many who had not experienced such a thing. A short movie runs almost continually.

   Not far from the park is the Joey Overlook giving a view of the village of Gambo located down by the river. Joey Smallwood is considered the father of federation. A man of passion and vision he fought hard for Newfoundland and Labrador to join the federation. Joey’s grandfather established a saw mill in Gambo in 1862. Fire a hundred years later burned the forest and brought that industry to an end. Joey, born in 1900, was the first of 13 children.

    Restaurants in the province were almost always connected to a motel and of course there was no fast food or cafés. We had wonderful food the whole trip---some of the best cod I’ve ever eaten. One memorable lunch included moose pie that I ordered and decided to top off the meal with wonderful piece of flaky rhubarb pie and ice cream! My mouth waters now as I recall the friendly staff, ambiance and great meal.

 

   One a Sunday a visit at the Salmonid Interpretative Center in Grand Falls was most interesting. Paul Parsons came in on his day off to tell us all about the center and tour us around the facility. The first thing Paul said was, “We operate under ERMA which stands for Environmental Resources Management Association, which is not a government agency, even though it sounds like one. We are the largest watershed enhancement center of Atlantic salmon. The Exploits River, largest river in the province, divides the province and has been industrialized for a long time, primarily by the paper mill.

    “The center came into being in the late 1970s. Fish ladders and a fish elevator at Red Indian Lake help the salmon get to their spawning grounds. After spawning followed by three years in fresh water then two years in salt water, the salmon return to spawn. These salmon are repeat spawners and do not die after spawning like other salmon do. In the beginning we had to seed the river. We removed eggs, incubated them and had a 95% success rate compared to only 10% in the wild. The salmon could not be removed to a new area because the new fish would still be imprinted to return to mom’s spawning area.”

    While viewing the salmon in the counting window Paul said, “The salmon are just beginning to return. We’ll probably open the gate in a couple of days and start this year’s count. The numbers have been steadily increasing and we expect that to be true this year.”

    Paul was a very passionate environmentalist. From the center it was only a short walk up to a viewing area to see the falls that the city was named for. The water was clear and clean. Purple and pink lupines bloomed in many patches.

NEWFOUNDLAND TRIVIA

Fun  Bits and  Pieces

The trans-Canada highway opened in 1962

Cape Spear is the most easterly point in North America. I had thought I’d like to get there for sunrise since it is the first place to see the sun. However, the sun was up a bit before 5 AM and it would mean trying to get a cab very early in the morning for the 15-20 minute ride to the area. However, on our visit, another gal walked with me to the point for a photo op. The rugged coastline is spectacular.

The Newfoundlander dog we ran into was very friendly and behaved well on his leash. These dogs have a thick curly black coat and big webbed feet. The breed was brought to Newfoundland from England over 200 years ago. They are known for their loyalty and their many historic rescues. This Newfoundlander was very agreeable to being petted and actually was the only one we saw.

Mug up is the expression for when friends and family get together to drink, talk, tell stories and sing. One evening we enjoyed the young brother and sister who entertained us. She had a lovely voice and her brother, a junior at Memorial U accompanied her on the piano. It was a fun evening.

The caribou is native to the area, but moose were introduced in 1878. It was hoped the one pair would provide a food source, but the introduction was unsuccessful. In 1902 two females and two bulls were imported from New Brunswick, and now with over 200,000 animals in the province, as they say, the rest is history. Moose are shy animals, graceful in the water, but sort of lumbering on land. They are the largest of the deer family. A male bull can stand seven foot and weigh 1200 pounds. The female cow is smaller. Males grow a rack of antlers and a flap of skin around the neck that is known as a bell. After an eight month gestation period the calf spends a full year with its mother.

St Johns, largest city in the province, is known as the foggiest city in Canada.

At a large grocery store in Gander, instead of a handicap parking spot, expectant moms have a special stork parking space which is painted pink with a stork holding a baby in a diaper in its bill.

Gander is an alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle.

The last public hanging in St. Johns was in 1835 when John Flood was hanged for robbing 


the stagecoach.

During WW II 100,000 American servicemen were stationed at five Newfoundland bases.

Screech is a local rum---which many say is pretty terrible.

A Screech In is an affair that makes a person from away an honorary Newfoundlander. The ceremony varies in various parts of the province. But includes drinking screech, kissing a fish and usually eating dry bread and pickled baloney. Entertainment is also included and may include most anything,

Legend says that during WW II when many Americans were stationed on bases in Newfoundland one evening a US sailor wanted to try the local drink. Once he caught his breath he let out a blood curdling noise someone called a screech. And after that the word screech just stuck to the local rum.

LABRADOR TOWNS

                                                 Small and Rural

Red Bay was discovered in 1978. At the Discovery Center we saw a 400-year old Basque fishing boat. Mud and the very cold water had preserved it quite well. The Basque people lived at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France. In the 16^th century Basque whalers fished waters in this area. In 1565 the San Juan sunk in 10 meters of water after breaking loose from her anchor in a storm. Many believe this boat is the San Juan.

Whale oil was a valued prize not only for light, but also for use in paint, varnish, soap, and for lubrication. Of the fifteen ports along the Labrador and Quebec coast that were involved in the whaling industry Red Bay is the best preserved. During the season, May to October, there were as many as 1000 whalers in Red Bay. Today the population is 300. Whaling ended along this coast in 1585 primarily because of the Spanish-English War when many of the Basque ships were destroyed. By the 17^th century the Basque had totally abandoned the Labrador coast.

     Whale boats were 26-feet long. Red ceramic roof tiles were used as ballast in the sea going ships and as the barrels of whale oil were loaded the tile pieces were thrown into the harbor. Our local guide told us she and her friends would find tile pieces and play with them. Little did they know they were playing with ancient artifacts!

In the lower building of the Center another Parks Canada guide showed us a miniature replica of the oil processing system saying, “It took two and a half days to process the oil from a whale. On average a whale yielded 40 barrels of oil. This was the largest whale oil processing area in the world. It was a very profitable business as a barrel of oil was valued at $4-6000 dollars.

     Whalers were after the Right and Bowhead whales because they were slow movers and had a lot of blubber so they floated after being speared. The Right whales are no longer seen in these waters. A whaling crew consisted of 50-120 men and boys who were divided into three groups: officers and skilled sailors, craftsmen seamen, and apprentice seamen. The captain of the ship was in charge of the whale venture and the master was responsible for the ship. The crew was generally not paid but given a percentage of the cargo.

     Once whale oil fueled the 109-foot Amour Lighthouse that is made of local limestone. It is the last lighthouse built before the province joined the federation.

    Steeped in history, the past invades the present and life of so long ago. The island has 5000 miles of coastline. The small population is richly diverse. Colorful fishing villages are scattered along the coast. Goods are delivered to coastal areas in summer by steamer and in winter by small planes or snowmobiles.

     The ferry left L’anse au Clair at 8AM for the Port Au Choix Historic Site. The 18^th and 19^th centuries Port au Choix was a center of French fishing. A 1713 treaty gave Britain sovereignty over Newfoundland. However, the French maintained its right to fish along the French shore and set up shore stations for fish processing, but they were not permitted to settle year round.

     The area has a 5000 year history. In 1967 when a fellow was excavating to build a movie theater in the center of town human bones were discovered. That resulted in a three-year archaeological dig. An ancient cemetery revealed 117 bodies buried in a fetal position. The bodies were covered with a mound of rocks. Also found were 15,000 artifacts. The lead archaeologist was Dr. Jim Tuff.

     Maritime Archaic Indians, who crossed over from Labrador, first settled this land some 5,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of their fully maritime lifestyle comes from L’Anse Amour in southern Labrador, which is also the site of the oldest known burial mound in the Americas. The major Maritime Archaic site discovered so far in Newfoundland is at Port au Choix, 160 kilometers north of Gros Morne National Park. Cooler times brought an arctic folk, the Palaeo-Eskimos to these shores. These people specialized in hunting marine mammals and intensely used whatever resources were abundant. Seals were their most important food, and when seals were scarce starvation resulted. For 16 centuries they hunted these shores, then disappeared.

    There are traces of ancient Indian occupation within Gros Morne National Park at Cow Head and at Broom Point.

See post: Beothuks 5-2--12

LABRADOR

Big but Rural

 

      The MS Apollo is a large ferry and at first we wondered why it was coming into the pier bow first. Suddenly the bow of the ship started to open and I remarked, “The whale is opening its mouth!” After the bus was parked in the ferry’s bowels, a crew member met us to escort us up the stairs to the lounge and then returned to escort those who were using the elevator. The crossing was smooth but it was so foggy and misty that you could hardly see the water from the top viewing lounge. The radar kept rotating and the fog horn blew regularly. There was no hope of seeing an iceberg and we just hoped we didn’t hit one! The crossing of the Strait of Belle Isle from Newfoundland to Labrador takes 90 minutes.

     Labrador is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south and west by Quebec Province, and is separated from Newfoundland by the Straits of Belle Isle. Labrador is larger but less populated than the better known island. It is remote and undeveloped except for small ports on the coast and a few towns inland.

     Wildlife abounds among the spectacular scenery where culture and heritage is unlike anywhere else in the world. Newfoundland is often referred to as The Rock. Much of the country is considered rural, but a modern vibrant society still retains its Old World charm with a story to be told or a song sung in every bay.

     Labrador is the home of the largest caribou herd in the world. Isolated from the rest of province, it has remained wild. However, Goose Bay has all the amenities of an urban area.

The soil is red and much more plentiful than in Newfoundland. The terrain is different and very green and lush. Larch trees are numerous and the area reminded me a lot of the Scottish highlands.

     Labrador is French meaning arms of gold. In 1520 Fernandez, a Portuguese traveler and landowner, spotted Labrador but did not land. Labrador’s population of 27,000 is spread out over its 300 square kilometers, so the whole area is very rural. Labrador is two and a half times bigger than Newfoundland. The people are proud and self reliant. Innu and Inuit peoples have lived in Labrador for thousands of years and their cultures are rooted in a deep spiritual relationship with the environment.

     Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949 as its tenth province and the seventh largest. Less than one percent of the land is owned by the federal government. The province of Newfoundland is divided into four areas: the beautiful Northern Peninsula where Vikings landed ten centuries ago; the Central and Eastern Regions with their wilderness forests and seaside villages; and the Avalon Region featuring the historic capital of St. Johns.

     The island measures 325 miles north to south and 320 miles east to west and is about the size of Virginia. Mount Caubvick, at 5322 feet, is its highest peak. Newfoundland forms the northern extremity of the Appalachian geological province of North America. Glaciation has left its mark on the area with most hilltops having been scraped bare and many valleys and low-lying areas containing a thick mantle of rocky glacial deposits. The main rivers draining the island are the Exploits, Gander, and Humber. Thousands of lakes, ponds, and bogs are found throughout the province. Many long finger-like lakes have been formed in glacial valleys with the Grand, Red Indian, and Gander lakes being the largest. Newfoundland’s west coast is an endless fascinating natural wonder with cavernous fjords, dense forests, tufted heathlands, ancient mountains from Port aux Bosques in the south to L’Anse aux Meadows in the northern tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula.

     We often saw the Labrador flag flying. The blue, green, and white flag has a spruce twig in the left corner of the white strip representing the five regions and the top three needles represent three peoples, Inuit, Innu and the settlers.

    The people have a good sense of humor and don’t hesitate to poke fun at themselves. They even make s spruce beer, which I guess you either like or hate. The Trans-Labrador highway is only paved in three small spurts. Most of the highway is connected by either dirt road or ferry. We traveled the 55 mile-long section to Red Bay. Caribou are native to the area and 600,000 of them roam the province.

     The Labrador Coastal Drive showed us tundra plateaus, rugged coastal headlands, and valleys thick with fir and spruce forests. Small picturesque fishing villages with populations up to 600 dotted the landscape. The fog lifted and suddenly someone yelled, “ICEBERG!” And sure enough in the distance we could see a big iceberg floating. Actually the icebergs were early that year and most of them had already passed.

      Newfoundland and Labrador form one of Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces. A particular combination of geographical, economic and historical forces has shaped its society. The isolated location, marine environment, work patterns and social relationships developed in a fishing economy and the British and Irish roots of the majority of its people.

     English is the first language of 98 percent of the population. Less than one percent speak French as the first language. There are 4700 Native Americans living in the area.

     The Hudson Bay Company set up an outpost in 1752. Moravian Missionaries arrived in the 1770s establishing the first missions in Northern Labrador. They provided religious, educational and social services to the Inuit peoples. They also traded with them and provided a link with the outside world. In the 1760s England sent a governor to Labrador who soon requested naval help and received 5000 men.

NEWFOUNDLAND TOWNS

Few and Far Between

TWILLINGATE Ice berg capital of world

 

     The quaint scenic old fishing village, one of Newfoundland’s oldest seaports, has a famous lighthouse overlooking picturesque Notre Dame Bay. Residents have made their living from the sea for two centuries. Today it remains a fishing and sealing town. Four main islands are connected by causeways. The population of the islands is approximately 5000 divided among 17 communities in an area called the Kittiwake Coast.

     Settlers arrived in the 1700s. The area acted as a trading station for merchants from England in the mid 1700s. The village had its own newspaper 1883-1953.

Unique pit saw

     We visited Prime Berth, a private museum created and run by David Boyd. Dave a 60-year old fisherman started at age six with his dad. Here I saw a replica of a pit saw. With no power of any kind the logs had to be cut by hand. By building the saw into a hill one man could be above and one down below so that a long saw could be pushed and pulled through the log. It didn’t produce a perfect board like saw mills do but it worked. Electricity did not arrive in this part of the world until 1963.     Always looking for something different and new I was fascinated with that pit saw.

    Later we moved on to the shed over the water which is called a stage. We were told every fisherman has a stage. It is where the fish are prepared. To demonstrate he took a cod and broke off its head, then cut away the backbone. The cod resembled a kite when laid flat. It was then salted and left for days to cure before being moved out into the sun to dry. The liver was removed and put in a bucket of water where after a few days cod liver oil could be collected and bottled.

    From the head the tongue and the cheeks were cut out. The cheeks are like scallops and both the tongue and cheeks are eaten by the family, not marketed.

    Two small round bones removed from under the cheeks are ivory-like and called ootlith. If sliced crosswise, growth rings can be counted to determine the age of the cod. Today these little bones are finding their way into jewelry, especially ear rings.

    At one time the cod was so thick in this area one could walk on them. They were over fished and the stock was badly depleted when the steel boats and nets came into practice. It was necessary to put a moratorium on cod fishing, which was particularly hard on fishermen who had fished for generations. One year there was no cod fishing at all.

After leaving this very interesting and informative visit we stopped at the 331 foot high Long Point Lighthouse,1867. A foghorn blasts every 60 seconds. The unique design of this lighthouse encompasses a square cylindrical base topped with an octagonal conical and tapering 50-foot tower. The brick structure was encased in concrete after it cracked during a 1929 earthquake. A covered passageway attaches a round watch room to 1-1/2 story keeper's house. The tower is painted red, the lantern and watch room is painted white. It is staffed by the Coast Guard as a light station.

CORNER BROOK

    The city of Corner Brook, now with a population of 100,000, grew up around the mill and inn. The city is nestled among the folded and faulted Long Range Mountains, which are a continuation of the Appalachian Mountains stretching from Georgia. Set at the mouth of the Bay of Islands the city is 25 miles inland from open waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is an area of rugged and beautiful scenery including magnificent fjords, jagged headlands, thick forests, and many off shore islands. Wildlife, forest and water mingle with the city's borders.

     Corner Brook, the second largest city in Newfoundland, is the hub of the west coast. The city has a long and diverse history. People have lived and worked along the shores of the Bay of Islands for thousands of years.

    In 1767 Capt. James Cook was first to survey and map the Bay of Islands. Mountains fringe three sides of the city. The area has more clearly defined seasons than the rest of the province so lovely gardens bloom in summer.

    It is a marketing and distribution point for local fishermen who fish the Strait of Belle Isle in summer and who spent winters working in Corner Brook’s lumber woods. The arrival of the railway contributed to permanent settlement, which was followed by the construction of a paper and pulp industry. Soon after WW II a cement plant and gypsum plant were established adding to the economy

    Four distinct areas with unique commercial activities make up the city. Curling has its fishery, Corner Brook West has retail businesses, Corner Brook East has railway operations, and Townsite has the world’s largest pulp and paper mill ever undertaken in the history of paper making. In 1956 these four communities became the present day City of Corner Brook.

    Between the Old World Heritage, scenery that changes every mile, the most spectacular coastline in Canada, quaint coastal villages and smiling friendly people who speak with an Irish lilt, Newfoundland is truly a special place. It is unspoiled, has few tourists and the air is fresh and clean. The people were warm and friendly with a wry good sense of humor, and we had a fabulous time here.