Chicago

Long day.  Up at 3:30 am St. John's, Newfoundland time - midnight in Chicago.  Arrived Chicago at 11:30 am, rode the El to the loop and checked into our hotel.  We walked around downtown a little, Maggie Daley Park and Millennium Park - Cloud Gate, aka "The Bean"

Yes, we're in the picture

Making it an early evening.  Tomorrow morning we are taking a Chicago Architecture Tour of Historic Chicago - riding the bus - Marilyn is a member.  

Tomorrow afternoon we are taking the train to Milwaukee, staying one night and then taking the train back to Chicago. 

St. John's, NL

We checked out of our dorm room, left bags at the front desk and walked to downtown.  

Toured the episcopal cathedral and located the tea room.

Proceeded to the waterfront and then headed off to lunch - salad and pizza

Finally it was tea time - it was a proper English tea and fun.

We arrived back at the university at 5:00 pm, got our bags and took a taxi to the Hampton Inn out by the airport.  We have a 5:40 am flight! 

Chicago here we come.

Bay Bulls, NL to St. John's, NL

We did the other half of the hike we began yesterday

We started in Witless Bay and went to South Head and back.  Nice hike along the cliffs with good views - no fog today.  We could see the island where we went on the boat tour.

Zoomed in on the boat near the island looking at puffins 

Always on the edge

Then back to St. John's, checked into our room at the university and dropped off the rental car.  We had Enterprise drop us off downtown, we walked around a bit, stopped for a sandwich and walked back to the university.

Tomorrow - tea in the crypt!  The episcopal church serves tea from 2:00 - 4:00.  Tea and bake goods in the crypt.  After tea, we're moving to the Hampton Inn, close to the airport, we have a 5:40 am flight on Sunday.

Bay Bulls, NL

Good breakfast at the Bread and Cheese B & B - breakfast casserole, toast, yogurt with fresh fruit and tea/coffee.  Breakfast was at 8:30, so we had a leisurely start to the day.  We started hiking at 10:00

The start of the trail

It was raining and very foggy when we started, our hiking boots are soaked.

Some boardwalk 

Some mud

Some rocks and tree roots 

Trail followed the cliffs

Foggy day to see Island Cove

As close to the edge as I get

Living on the edge

We could barely see two of the three Baboul Rocks

Our turn around point

Fog lifted a little

Island Cove with less fog - the blue green color of the water is amazing

After the hike we stopped in Witless Bay for lunch and then continued on to Ferryland.

We tried rug hooking

A another nice day in Newfoundland.  Tomorrow we will finish the trail we started - start at the other end and walk in to where we stopped today!  Then drive back to St John's and drop off the rental car.

St. John's, NL to Bay Bulls, NL

No hiking today.  After a continental breakfast (yogurt, granola, banana, coffee/tea) we drove to Petty Harbour, stopped at the Water Shed coffee shop for a latte and a tea.

Petty Harbour

We continued on to Bay Bulls and signed up for and went on a boat tour

Our boat coming in

A catamaran - I thought it would be a nice smooth ride!

  

Very foggy as we headed out

 Managed to get a photo of our B & B - the big red house in the picture

As we left the safety of the Harbour the seas were getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed

We got to the Witless Bay Preserve - lots of puffins 

 

And murres

Puffins

And murres

Murres

I headed inside to the lower level and tossed cookies.  Whew, some birthday I was having!

Marilyn stayed up on deck, no whales seen this day.  

Once on land we headed to the Bread and Cheese B & B, to check in - nice place and an awesome view - I took a nap, regrouped, and then we went outside to take pictures.

Cliffs out front

Our boat going by

The gardens

Fully recovered! 

Sea legs

Dinner - salads, we split a cod cake, and we shared a cod dinner.

We had good or better views of puffins for free, from land at Elliston.  And no tossing!

Tomorrow after breakfast, we will hike a section of the East Coast Trail.  A late start, breakfast is at 8:30.