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Thursday, January 2, 2014

It's cold

We thought it was cold in Montreal and St Johns but today we arrived in Gander and is 22 degrees below zero centigrade. Apparently the wind chill factor means it feels like minus 36 . That's the coldest weather we have ever experienced in our winter travels anywhere. It is so cold it is hard to breathe and we have had to rug up in our warmest woollies and gloves.

We just loved Montreal. It is a delightfully sophisticated city with many coffee shops - with espresso coffee - and excellent restaurants. Montreal had just had a gigantic snow storm so it was heavy going in parts - but that's the way we like it.

St Johns was quite an experience. It too had just had a snow storm that dumped more than a meter of snow on the town - so it was quite a sight. Most of the footpaths had not been cleared so we had to walk through great piles of snow or walk on the road - which we did most of the time. Apparently this is a regular occurrence and the motorists always give way to pedestrians. I fell over only once - and not on my camera - so did not sustain any injuries.

The town itself is just gorgeous and is full of multi-coloured houses crowded together on very hilly streets. We were absolutely astonished by the quality of the restaurants and had dinner at two of the best we have found since we arrived in the USA.

The landscape is reminiscent of the fiords of Norway.

Gwenyth tried cod tongues with pork scrunchions for the first - and last - time. I tried half of one and that was enough for me. This is a local delicacy but is an acquired taste and requires a strong stomach.

Tomorrow we exploring the area around Gander and on Saturday head off to Fogo island.

5 comments:

  1. I heard about the Noreaster weather last night and I was hoping you guys were okay, I wasn't sure where you were at the moment. I had imagined going to Montreal by train a few years ago when I wasn't flying for several years. It seems like an interesting place even though I don't speak French. We spent a week in Houston and the firecracker noise was overwhelming before and during New Years, but the food was great.

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  2. Okay, you got me with that one-but in looking it up I also found that moose nose is another sought out delicacy.

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  3. Brisbane will be 41 deg C today. I think I envy you.

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  4. Hope the Jamiesons' supply is holding out!
    Happy New Year!

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  5. Esb: I am sure you would love Montreal. Apparently there a many Québécois who do not speak English.

    Fmcgmcllc: I will add those to my list of non edible items in Canada.

    Sandy: we sure don't miss the heat.

    Annie: there is never any chance of us running out of Jameson

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