resulting iron destined for nails
Fittingly, we next encounter Ragnar
the blacksmith, surrounded by furs,
shields and axes in his sod house.
Ragnar notices my five o’clock
shadow and cracks, “If you want to
be a free man, you should grow out
your beard.” For a second, I question
the wisdom of having made the
434-kilometre drive here from the
Deer Lake airport up Highway 430,
known as the Viking Trail. Will my
journey through dense boreal forests,
past thriving seabird colonies and
over stark tundra culminate in unpaid
labour for gruff Ragnar?
Thankfully, his fearsome facade
quickly dissolves into smiles.
At NortherN Delight , a homey restau-
rant in nearby Gunner’s Cove, photos
of icebergs and sea urchins adorn the
yellow walls. Before dining, I peruse
model Norse ships in the gift shop. I’m
still pondering the sagas I heard the
night before around Thorstein’s fire:
tales of Erik the Red (Leif Erikson’s
dad) and the Greenlanders, both com-
posed in the 13th century, 200-plus
years after the events they describe.
Why was L’Anse aux Meadows aban-
doned by the Vikings after only a few
years? Was it a result, as the sagas indi-
cate, of a Vinland trade dispute that
escalated into treacherous slaughter?
How different would Canada’s history
have been if the Vikings had stayed? »
Arches Provincial Park
along the Viking Trail
The New
NewfouNdlaNd
Vikings are fascinating,
but take a look around
the province for some
modern-day surprises
Fogo islAND iNN
The hotel’s design echoes
traditional Newfoundland
architecture using wooden
stilts—but with a decidedly
modern update. Inside,
guests will find chic
suites, a contemporary
art gallery, a cinema that
plays East Coast films and
a bar, perfect for sampling
Screech, a local rum.
BotwooD MurAls
Canada’s youngest province
has a long legacy of folk
art, inspired by the region’s
traditions, seafaring history
and natural beauty. That
legacy is larger than life in
the town of Botwood, where
murals dance with colour on
the sides of homes, fences
and businesses.
the rooMs
Appropriately, this museum
and gallery on the St. John’s
harbourfront resembles a
collection of colourful row
houses. The 3,000-square-
metre museum tells the
story of the province and its
inhabitants through painting,
folk art, sculpture, paper
ephemera and artefacts.
Model
Ship
Auk islAND wiNery
Shield-making workshop
Thorstein the Viking
Why drink regular wine
when you can drink vino
made with iceberg water!
Located in Twillingate, the
self-proclaimed “Iceberg
Capital of the World,” this
island vineyard produces
some of Canada’s tastiest
wines using melted bergs
and local wild fruits.
CAA MANITOBA
SprINg 2019
37