Friday 21 June - Travel Marystown to St. Pierre

Today was a slow day taken up mainly with travel or waiting. We stopped for lunch at Grand Bank (Mary had cod and I had liver and onions). The Seamens' Museum at Grand Bank was interesting with a lot of artifacts, excellent models and a good many videos explaining the various aspects of local life.

We took the ferry to St. Pierre from Fortune. It was not a big boat and the sea was a little rough at times, but not as bad as on the whale boat. Even so three of our group were seasick. I quite enjoyed it and Mary was fine.

We went through French Customs on arrival and I now have a St.Pierre stamp in my passport. The hotel is very close to the dock and our room is very comfortable and spacious. We arrived quite late and it was raining. There was an excellent welcome dinner:
- French onion soup - good broth and very hot
- Beef bourguignon - with an excellent gravy and pureed potatoes
- Chocolate layer cake
Washed down with an excellent red languedoc wine

Some of the group were so full they couldn't take dessert so they gave them to a couple at an adjacent table.

First impressions are that this is very french. People are very friendly, especially when you talk to them in their language.