Newfoundland - did you know ?

Hi Guys

We've just had an email from Alma - a really nice lady who worked at the hotel/restaurant/concert venue we visited whilst in Newfoundland.

Isn't it great how a brief email can suddenly bring back memories of a trip we only took a few short months ago !!

Anyway - here is her email (there were several pics to highlight the writing but I can't post them in the message) :-


Newfoundland - WOW!  Who knew...
 
I'm sure you know some folk that you can impress with all this great knowledge! If you're a Newfie, you should be proud! If you aren't a Newfie.....I bet you wish you were! 

Here are a few tidbits of information that you may never have known before:


WE WERE. . .   

The first province to respond to Titanic distress signal.

The first to vaccinate for smallpox.

The first to host a transatlantic flight.

The first to have wireless communication in the world.

First place to discover proof of the continental drift theory.

WE HAVE. . . .   

The oldest street in North America.

The oldest city in North America.

The oldest rock in the world.

The oldest continuous sporting event (Regatta Day rules!)

The largest university in Atlantic Canada.


~   Most pubs per square foot in Canada(George Street)

~  The longest running radio program in North America.

~  caught the world's largest invertebrate (giant squid).

WE ARE. . .   

~  the funniest people in Canada (ask anybody) 

~  the only Province that has four identifiable flags

~  the only Province able to land the space shuttle (Stephenville) AND GOOSE BAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

~  the most giving people in Canada (Stats Canada) 


A NEWFOUNDLANDER. . .   

~  built the world's first artificial ice arena

~  invented the gas mask

~  was once governor of northern Rhodesia

~  was with Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg


WE ARE THE ONLY PROVINCE TO HAVE IT'S OWN. . . . . . .   

~  encyclopedia

~  dictionary 

~  pony

~  dogs

~  cultural publication

By reading this, you now know more about Newfoundland than... well, almost everyone!


Paul

PS Ive sent her an invite to the forum, suggesting she may be able to help with your questions on visiting Newfoundland and Labrador.

UK-RV said:

...WE HAVE. . . .   
~  caught the world's largest invertebrate (giant squid).
...

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I think they lost this title recently to New Zealand...

I have been to NFLD three times for work (and a little play).  It is one of the nicest place to visit in Canada.  My first choice is Magdalen Islands, but NFLD is a very close second.

The folks in NFLD are extremely nice and welcoming; and they have breath taking sceneries.

Of my 3 trips though, I have never been Screech'd in.

Paul, For your collection re Newfoundland - an Oldie but Goodie
    We hope, generally speaking, you and your Bride enjoyed your colorful journey to the our
"America the Beautiful" and Canada. All the best, carson.


A NEWFIE MOTHER WRITING TO HER SON



My Dear Son,

Just a few lines to let you know that I?m still alive. I am writing this letter slowly because I know that you can?t read fast. You won?t know the house when you come home-----we?ve moved.

It was a lot of trouble moving---the most difficult thing was the bed. You see the man wouldn?t let us take it in the taxi. It wouldn?t have been too bad if your father hadn?t been sleeping in it at the time.

About your father---he has a lovely new job. He has 500 men under him. He?s cutting the grass at the Cemetery.

Your sister got herself engaged to that fellow she?s been going out with. He gave her a beautiful ring with three stones missing.

Our neighbours, the Brown?s, started to keep pigs. We got the wind of it this morning. I got my appendix out and a dishwasher put in.

There was a washing machine in the new house when we moved in, but it isn?t working too good. Last week I put 4 shirts into it---pulled the chain---and haven?t seen the shirts since.

Your little brother came home from school yesterday crying. All the boys in his school have new suits. We can?t afford to buy him a new suit, but we?re going to buy him a new hat and let him look out the window.

Your sister Mary had a baby this morning. I haven?t heard yet whether it?s a boy or a girl, so I don?t know whether you?re a Aunt or a Uncle.

Your Uncle Dick was drowned last week in a vat of whiskey in Dublin Brewery. Four of his workmates dived in to save him but he fought them bravely off. We creamated his body and it took three days to put out the fire.

Kate is now working in a factory in Birmingham. She?s been there now for six weeks. I?m sending her some clean underwear as she?s in the same shift since she started.

Your father didn?t have too much to drink at Christmas. I put a bottle of castor oil in his pint of beer. It kept him going till New Year?s Day. I went to the Doctor on Thursday, your father came with me. The Doctor put a small glass tube in to my mouth and told me not to open it for ten minutes. Your father offered to buy it from him.

It only rained twice last week. First for 3 days and then for 4. Monday was so windy that one of our chickens laid the same egg four times.
We had a letter yesterday from the undertaker. He said if the last installment wasn?t paid on your Grandmother within 7 days, up she comes.

I must close now---because the plumber is coming here to repair the pipes and there?s a shocking smell.


YOUR LOVING MOTHER

P.S. I was going to send you $10, but I had already sealed the envelope.

I hate to rain on a Newfie parade, not that they would notice it, but

The oldest city in North America.

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Mexico is part of North America last time I heard.  Mexico City (aka Tenochtitlan) has been in business since the 1300s.  Teotihuacan since before that, but it is abandoned.   Mexico City sure as hell is not.  Even if you discount the Aztecan city, the Spanish colonial city dates from 1524.

The oldest street in North America

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See above. 

The oldest rock in the world.

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Close but no cigar.   The oldest to my fairly good knowledge, is in Greenland, the Isua Greenstone Band.   The radio dating of those rocks gives a age of 3.8 billion years ago.  Given that the age of the Earth has been estimated at 4.5 bya, that is awfully old.   The Isua rocks are metamorphosed old sedimentary rocks.