Corner Brook, Newfoundland

Our first stop on VOV was Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The city of Corner Brook is a small town and they were thrilled to have us. Volunteers from the tourism office were stationed on the ship, on the pier, and along the main road to answer questions, give directions, and hand out locally-made saltwater taffy.

The town, while clean and well-kept, is sustained by a paper mill, so it has a very distinct odor and certain areas look very industrial. The weather was pleasant, partly cloudy and just cool enough to need a light jacket so my parents and I decided to explore some of the natural beauty. One of the volunteers directed us to a pathway along a creek up to a pond. It had rained all day the day before we arrived so the trail had that wonderful fresh, piney smell that wooded areas get after storms. I love that scent and as I type this I just want to stand in a damp forest and take a deep breath – the yard of my parents’ cabin always smells like that after rain.

Although we were not the only people from the ship who had made our way to the pond, it was quaint and scenic. If I were an artist, which I am most definitely not, I would spend some time there with my easel and brushes. Geese glided gracefully across the surface, and local family fed the ducks that waddled along the shoreline, and a historic inn was nestled in the trees just across the water. I could have stayed there much longer than we did, it is so easy to feel close to God in a place like that.

After we left the pond, we walked back to the main square where my mom had stopped earlier to speak with a representative from a zip-line company. Somewhere along the line my mother had gotten the idea in her head that she wanted to zip-line on this cruise and my dad was nothing but encouraging. She was a little bit worried about whether she would actually be able to do it because she doesn’t like heights but she loves roller coasters so I didn’t think it would be a problem. My dad and I would have loved to have gone with her but I had to work (that pesky job!) and my dad was still recovering from a total knee replacement, so we dropped her off for the tour and we headed back to the ship for lunch.

My dad was sitting in the library and I was at my desk a few hours later when my mom walked in with a HUGE smile on her face. She was almost giddy as she said, “That was one of the coolest things I have ever done!” I had to laugh because she said the same thing about parasailing when she cruised to Hawaii a few years ago, but having done both I would have to agree that zip-lining is much more exhilarating. I was really proud of her for trying it.

Although Corner Brook was one of the places on the itinerary that topped my bucket list, it was a beautiful town and a nice day. It was a great place to start a fabulous trip.