{"id":825,"date":"2023-08-20T21:24:52","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T01:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/?p=825"},"modified":"2023-08-26T15:34:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-26T19:34:02","slug":"vikings-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/2023\/08\/20\/vikings-in-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"Vikings in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[First of all, a clarification: There is no such thing as a Viking people, and they didn\u2019t have horns on their helmets. Norse men would \u201cgo on a Viking\u201d, which means rampaging and pillaging. For the sake of romanticism, I\u2019ll do like the interpretation centre does, and use the term interchangeably with the more appropriate \u201cNorse\u201d, the people.]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, I come to the main destination of this trip: L\u2019Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site<\/a>. This is the site where they found signs and artifacts of Vikings travelling to North America. I had heard of the place a long time ago, and was I curious to go see it. I\u2019ve been enjoying playing Valheim<\/a>, the video game, and became even more fascinated with the Viking culture since. Wanting to explore Newfoundland by motorcycle, it made for a good destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Man
Valheim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last night, I went to the Great Viking Feast<\/a>, an interactive buffet in St Anthony, with staff dressed up in Norse clothing and putting on a show. Diners are encouraged to participate in the act. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience! The food was all local Newfoundland dishes, and they were delicious. I highly recommend signing up for it if you are ever in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Entrance to the feast hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Norse feast hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Norse
Cpt. Thorvald Hrudsson and his wife<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Great Viking Feast: local dishes from Newfoundland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After a good night sleep in a hotel bed, I hit the road toward L\u2019Anse au Meadows; I plan on staying the whole day there to take it all in, and learn as much as I can. Fortunately, the weather is perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The road at the site is under renovation, as well as the centre\u2019s parking lot. I\u2019m directed to go to the temporary lot, off the grounds, and take the shuttle to the centre. I make sure to only bring my camera as I leave the parking lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My bike often gets the attention of many elderly people. They inquire about it, and are often surprised to learn it\u2019s a modern motorcycle, with all the features of one: water-cooled, fuel-injected, ABS, traction control. They\u2019re even more astonished when I tell them it\u2019s 1,200cc. The bike\u2019s retro style seems to mask the size of engine. They tell me they used to ride a British bike back in the 60s or 70s. They always have a wide, childish grin when they reminisce about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I arrive at the interpretation centre, and was glad to find out they have a guide that speaks French. Gabriel gives me the tour of the grounds; he\u2019s very knowledgeable and his discourse is quite detailed and informative. I learn that he is from New Brunswick and notice he speaks with an Acadian accent. He is in second year studying History a the University. His passion for the stories he shares is apparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Selfie
My guide: Gabriel, l\u2019acadien<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He drops me off at the recreated settlement buildings. The place is out of time. If it weren\u2019t for the few visitors, you\u2019d think you had travelled back in time. They recreated three buildings: the main dwelling, a furnace and a small hut for indentured servants. I didn\u2019t realize Vikings had slaves. These came from Ireland and were well well-fed, clothed, housed, and well treated. They didn\u2019t sleep in the main hall with the other workers: they had their own hut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
Replica of the Viking settlement at L\u2019Anse aux Meadows<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Ancient
Viking settlement at L\u2019Anse aux Meadows<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Main dwelling (longhouse)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"An
Furnace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are guides here dressed up in period-appropriate clothing, and they share stories in character: a worker, a smith, a seamstress, etc. We interact with them to learn more about their day-to-day activities, while they demonstrate various typical tasks they would perform. The experience is quite immersive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that Vikings washed themselves once a week, groomed their hair and beards, and used make up? European nobility of the time washed themselves only twice a year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Daniel
Arrr! Let\u2019s go on a Viking!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Staff set up a Norse-themed escape room here! We get locked up in the slave hut and have to figure out the puzzles to get to the goal: a treasure map to some hidden grapevines. Vikings found grapes in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI, an area they named \u201cV\u00ednland.\u201d They were sought after commodities for making exotic wine. The game is well-designed and challenging, but quite fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Three
We solved it!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I go back to the interpretation centre and spend the time reading everything<\/em> and checking out all the artifacts on display. I read not only about the Scandinavians who sailed out, but also the presence and culture of the local indigenous communities. Various Viking expeditions were here only 10 years over a period of 30, about 1,000 years ago, but the First Nations tribes visited this place over 3,000 years before and after the Norse explorers. There is no indication they crossed paths here though. However, they did meet and trade with them in V\u00ednland and in present-day Labrador.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was satisfied I had experienced everything this place had to offer, I go back to my bike, and ride nearby to Norstead, a recreation of a typical permanent Norse settlement. They built a longhouse, a blacksmith\u2019s workshop, a church and a large boathouse. Small white tents were used for trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Norstead: a Viking Village<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Main hall: kitchen, bedroom for workers, feast hall & throne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The
Snorri<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Snorri is a full-scale replica of a Viking ship. People actually sailed it on the same route Leif Ericsson would have taken! The boat is now being refurbished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I enjoy Norstead a lot. I could spend an entire day here, and maybe even sleep in the main longhouse like they did back then\u2014if they offered it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All in all, I really enjoyed the whole experience, and I\u2019m glad I took the time to ride all the way here. The people are awesome, they love their work, and the place is magical. It\u2019s totally worth it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the campsite, I take a few minutes to lube up the chain and give the Bonnie a bit of a wipe down before night falls, write this post, then head to bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sk\u00e5l!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
All clean!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Map
Day 6: St Anthony to L\u2019Anse aux Meadows to Pistolet Bay Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Riding distance: 78km<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[First of all, a clarification: There is no such thing as a Viking people, and they didn\u2019t have horns on their helmets. Norse men would \u201cgo on a Viking\u201d, which means rampaging and pillaging. For the sake of romanticism, I\u2019ll do like the interpretation centre does, and use the term interchangeably with the more appropriate […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[5,12,9,6,7,19],"class_list":["post-825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","tag-motorcycle","tag-newfoundland","tag-road-trip","tag-trip","tag-triumph-bonneville-t120","tag-vikings"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/img_2808-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1471&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=825"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1044,"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/825\/revisions\/1044"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nadeo.ca\/daniel\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}