Of Vikings and Rock: DAY 15 WED. SEPT. 18 ST. JOHN'S

The weather has turned foul today. Windy, cold and the most annoying and never-ending drizzle. We slept in a bit later than usual on this trip, then headed out and about. Lou decided to drive today, to give me a bit of a break from the car.

The first stop was Quidi Vidi village for a brief look around. The area still manages to hold on to a "fishing village" vibe …. at least visually. The reality is that it's become something of a trendy address for affluent St. John's residents, with large and attractive homes standing out against the small and quaint original homes on the roads leading into the area. The streets are narrow and hilly, and parking is at a premium, deliberately so, we think, to keep the number of tourists at a minimum.

Next, as the wind really got up was Signal Hill, with all its historic significance. We drove up into dense cloud and a merciless wind and drizzle. I got out of the car for some pictures, but the conditions weren't great for that. What you see below really captures, I think, the moodiness and potential anger of the sea and elements. St. John's has to routinely deal with nasty weather and the residents must be made of stern stuff to live in this. I also marveled at the fortitude and stubborn spirit of the troops over the centuries who lived, worked, fought and died on such a windswept and weather-beaten place.

A walk along Duckworth Street followed. It's a funky street in the old part of town with lots of craft shops, cafes and restaurants. On a nice day ( all 4 of them! ), this would be a great place to visit. Today? Well, let's just say we did our best and braved the elements for a little while, but eventually beat a soggy retreat to the hotel. We spent the rest of the day inside: we bought some food and ate a simple meal in our room, then rested up for a long, cross-province drive tomorrow. We are wet, tired, cranky and argumentative, so pointing the car west tomorrow will be good for us.