Day 20 - Twillingate

 This morning we were up early to the sound of rain.  We ate and dressed and got packed up to catch the 10:00 a.m. ferry off the island.  We were in line around 9 a.m.  It was still raining for the crossing so we had to sit inside this time.  Our destination was Twillingate today.  On the way we stopped at the Beothuk Interpretation Centre which explained about the indigenous people of Newfoundland.  They think the population was only about 2000 individuals at the start of the European influx and they quickly dwindled due to disease, killing by Europeans and starvation because of being pushed away from the coastal areas by Europeans.  It also included an archeological dig site of a Beothuk village dating from 1650 to 1720.  It was a hike of about 1.5 km and didn't really show much more than some depressions in the earth.  The centre was filled with artifacts found at the dig and that was quite interesting.

We got to Twillingate around 1 and paid for our Dinner Theatre reservation and then registered at the nearby campground.  It was still raining, so we just watched a movie while we waited for 5 p.m. and our Dinner Theatre experience.  We were the first to arrive at our table which was set for 8.  Another couple sitting nearby kept looking at us and I said to Pete that I thought he looked so familiar and that he really looked like Jean DeJong's brother but was too young.  Then the husband walked over and asked if we were from Owen Sound.  We said we were and he said I know you from somewhere.  We said that we owned the garden centre and a lightbulb went on.  They live just down the road at 26th Street.  It's that crazy.  We were seated with 3 other couples from Ontario. One couple was from Burlington, one from Belleville and one from Peterborough.  They were all really friendly and we had a great time talking with them during happy hour and our dinner and dessert.  Then the show started and it was really entertaining.  It was songs and skits about life in Newfoundland.  The group in Twillingate puts this on for 17 weeks in the spring, summer and fall.  They cook the meals, serve them and then perform.  It is how they make their living.  Quite something.




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