Summer is almost upon us again and this time it seems like we are inviting the world to come to Newfoundland & Labrador. I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials, the ads on social media, the newly minted license plates, all setting the stage for ‘Come Home Year 2022’. It’s like the siren’s call luring the ex-pats and CFA’s to a tiny island in the North Atlantic with the promise of lively music, friendly faces, food & drink and breathtaking scenery that goes beyond your wildest imaginations. Since 2020 we’ve been telling people to stay away, which is certainly not a part of the psyche of a typical NLer. We are all about welcoming people here. “Come in for a cup of tea, stay a while.” But given the current circumstances in the province right now it’s hard to put on a happy face and swing open the proverbial front door and invite the world in for a cup of King Cole and a lemon cream biscuit. First of all, have you seen the price of a box of King Cole teabags lately? Let me tell ya, you’ll soon have to marry royalty to afford them. Gas prices are through the roof, rental cars are hard to come by, the cost of just about everything has increased, hospitals and their staff are at a breaking point, and the number of people without a family doctor is quite shocking to say the least. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, no pun intended. While I believe all these things to be true there is something to be said for the fighting spirit of the Newfoundlander. All we need to do is glance through our tumultuous history and we get a glimpse of the struggles we’ve faced and how we came out the other side, stronger and perhaps better for it. Maybe that’s why so many people want to come here, hoping some of that determination and tenacity will rub off on them. I’m not gonna lie, I’m excited for the summer and what it may bring. Aside from the obvious influx of dollars for the tourism industry, I think it will help us to rekindle old friendships, make new memories and allow us to put aside our worries for just a little while as we kick back and put the kettle on, because there are lots of tales that have been untold for the last 2 years.
If you still need a reason to come to Newfoundland & Labrador here are a few snaps that might help make the decision a little easier.
*** As usual, click on the photos to enlarge them.***
When the final cruise ship leaves port and the last of the summer tourists board the planes to leave our province let’s hope we gave them the welcome of a lifetime and they’ll always have a yearning in their souls to come home again to Newfoundland and Labrador. A familiar phrase came to mind as I was preparing this blog: How can you tell which ones are the Newfoundlanders in Heaven? They’re the ones who want to come home. “Yes b’y come on home out of it, we’ll manage somehow.”
Until Next Time!
Andrea
P.S. If you’re on Facebook feel free to follow my photography page. Just search for Andrea Peddle Photography!