Page 19 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - December '21

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 19

St. John’s from page 18 Shops old and new
combine with historic
with the British finally claiming decisive victory. This victory buildings in the downtown
established a clear division between the English possessions core of St. John’s. Because
and the “French” Quebec to its west. of steep hills, many of the
St. John’s is the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador, homes resemble the row
two landmasses separated by the Strait of Belle Isle. houses of San Francisco, each
The two areas became Canada’s two lighthouses along brightly colored with their
Newfoundland’s rocky coast. St. John’s operated for two own architectural identity.
centuries after it was populated before getting the first light One need only look at the
in 1810, at Fort Amherst, on the south side of the inlet. The cityscapes to spot the plethora
Cape Spear lighthouse has operated since 1836. of churches that dot the city
Nick Croke and Bill Parker, two St. John’s contractors, center. In a row stepping
built the two-story lighthouse that took a year. The structure down from the ridge you will
was a true “lighthouse.” The keeper and his family lived find the Basilica of St. John
and worked within the structure that today remains as an the Baptist, St. Andrew’s,
authentic museum of the day. In 1878 the foghorn was added United Church, the Anglican
to help guide mariners into the bay, which is truly needed. Cathedral and the red-brick
After sailing several days in “fog as thick as pea soup,” I can Masonic Temple, just to
assure you that it does indeed get foggy in the North Atlantic. name a few. These along with
A new automated lighthouse was constructed in 1955 and the governmental building, The 1836 Cape Spear lighthouse has been replaced by a more modern lighthouse and is
the 1836 lighthouse now acts as a museum. which mark the identity of the now a museum.
city center are an easy walk, but watch out for the cobblestone
streets that give the city character. Most of the wooden
structures have been rebuilt after the two great fires, one in
1846 and the other in 1892.
Numerous small fishing villages surround St. John’s,
springing up in the many small, well-protected harbors that
have easy access to the ocean. Puffins, whales and caribou
make up the bulk of the animal population in this area.
Moose and caribou were imported to Newfoundland from
the Canadian mainland, which has become a bit of a problem
because they have no natural predators.
Newfoundland was granted a coat of arms in 1637;
however, it was lost in antiquity. Rediscovered in 1928, it was
reinstated by the Newfoundland government. It’s nice to find
royalty in your family. It contains the Cross of St. George,
the lion and unicorn, and even two Beothuk Indians, now an
extinct tribe of Newfoundland.
St. Johns is one of the oldest settlements in North America
with European characteristics, and is an old-world charm. Its
people are eager to brag of their history with their favorite
saying: “There is more history here than the rest of Canada
put together.” I’m not going to get into that battle. One thing
is for sure: They live by their own standards. Even their time
is one-half hour different than the adjacent time zone.
Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences,
having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans,
seas and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel
Leaders, his family owned and operated agency, is located
at Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road, Building
A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach Gardens. The agency has been
serving the travel needs of the South Florida area for over
a quarter of a century. Contact him at (561) 694-9696 or
Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
Photos by Don Kiselewski

Country Roads

Christmas Light

Show

With so many fun events cancelled this year, we are
excited to announce that the illuminating “Country Roads
Christmas Light Show” isn’t one of them! The perfect
way to enjoy the spirit of the holiday season with your
family ... and even viewable from the comfort of your
own car. The daily shows present tens of thousands of
lights, synchronized to music!
Beginning Thursday, Nov. 25 and running until Dec.
31. Shows begin promptly at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and
8:30 p.m. daily, for approximately 15 minutes each
show. This is a “park and watch” type of show, you will
need to arrive early to secure a spot. You can find more
information and updates about the “Country Roads
Christmas Light Show” on Facebook. Location: 15944
84th Avenue North, Palm Beach Gardens ... in Palm Beach
Country Estates.