1 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: You're listening to part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 2: Yes, well, what's that mango? 4 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: So you know how small towns like to beef up 5 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: their tourism by advertising a weird claim to fame, Like 6 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: how Riverside, Iowa prides itself as the future birthplace of 7 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: Captain Kirk. I really love that's right, And how Montpelier, 8 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: Vermont claims to be the rotten sneaker capital of the World. 9 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, though I'm not convinced that gross old sneakers are 10 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 3: that much of a draw. 11 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 2: Maybe it's just me. 12 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: I don't know. Well, sometimes I think it pays to 13 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: think outside the box, and that's especially true on the 14 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: remote island of Newfoundland. The top three attractions in the 15 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: Canadian province are icebergs, whales, and puffin. But since visitors 16 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: can experience all of those things in just about every 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: coastal town there, having a unique offering can really help 18 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: the smaller town stand out from the crowd, and one 19 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: of the best examples of this I found is a 20 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: tiny fishing village called Elliston at the tip of the 21 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: Bonavista Peninsula. For the last twenty five years, Elliston has 22 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,279 Speaker 1: touted itself as the uncontested root seller capital of the world. 23 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: It has more than one hundred and thirty documented root 24 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: sellers built into hills and banks all over town, and 25 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: about half of them are still in use today. That 26 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,199 Speaker 1: means that with a population of about three hundred people, 27 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: there's one active root seller for every five residents. 28 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 3: Sell I mean, I got to say, I'm surprised more 29 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 3: people haven't visited just to see all those root sellers. 30 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 3: Mango speaking, which what what's a root seller? 31 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: I mean, it's basically a cold, underground storage spot for 32 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: storing root, vegetables and sometimes fruit. The oldest sellers are 33 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: nearly two hundred years old, and from the outside they 34 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: look like cozy, little hobbit homes built right into the hillside. 35 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: And while it might sound strange to take a tour of, 36 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: you know, a bunch of random root sellers, the underground 37 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: structures actually reveal a lot about the story of Newfoundland. 38 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: For centuries, European settlers relied on root sellers to survive 39 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: the harsh winters, and as a result, many of the 40 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: region's most famous dishes are based on the foods that 41 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: were stored in them. For example, the traditional Sunday meal 42 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 1: in Newfoundland is Jigs dinner, which consists of boiled carrots, turnips, potatoes, cabbage, 43 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: peas pudding, which is a savory pudding made of slit 44 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: peas and salt beef. And no trip to Newfoundland would 45 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: be complete without trying it. And the truth is you 46 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: kind of appreciate the meal a little more once you 47 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: visit a cellar. 48 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, I have to met, you're winning me over with 49 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 3: the dinner angle here. But you know, if Jigs is 50 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 3: a regional dish, then I'm guessing root sellers aren't exactly 51 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 3: unique to Elliston, right, Yeah. 52 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: So underground sellers are scattered here and there throughout the province, 53 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,799 Speaker 1: but Elliston is definitely home to the highest number of them. 54 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: It's also the town that still makes most use of 55 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: them today, not only as a tourist attraction, but as 56 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: a part of daily life. So many local families still 57 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: depend on the food that's stored in their cellars, whether 58 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: for their own subsistence or as a commodity to sell 59 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: to you know, neighbors or to tourists. And because underground 60 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: storage is one of the greenest methods of preserving food. 61 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: Between the hyper local ingredients and a zero power storage system. 62 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: Elliston's eco footprint is about as small as it gets. 63 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 2: That's pretty cool. 64 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: You know. 65 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 3: It's funny because root sellers seem very much like a 66 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 3: thing of the past, but if you think about the 67 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 3: residents of Ellis ten, it's like they're using them to 68 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 3: make the community more sustainable going forward. 69 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, and actually that's a very new Finland approach to 70 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: cultural traditions. Like the whole spirit of the region is 71 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: sometimes likened to a fisherman in his boat. He moves 72 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: the vessel forward to his destination, but he sits backwards 73 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: while rowing. And the idea is that sometimes in order 74 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: to get where you want to go, you kind of 75 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: have to keep your sight on where you came from. 76 00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. 77 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 3: I like that, And I'm guessing by now our listeners 78 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 3: have probably figured out our next destination. Newfoundland is one 79 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 3: of those mysterious places that we've always been curious to visit, 80 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 3: and today we are finally getting that chance. 81 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean the US and Canada I haven't been 82 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: getting along too lately, but it's a country we adore 83 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: here on the show. So in the spirit of friendship, 84 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: we thought we'd spotlight one of the country's most unique 85 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: and far flung destinations. 86 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 2: So let's dive in. 87 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 3: Hey, their podcast listeners, welcome the part time genius. I'm 88 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 3: Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good 89 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 3: friend Mangesh Ticketer. On the other side of that soundproof 90 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 3: glass showing off his Royal Order of Screecher's Certificate, that's 91 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 3: our friend and producer Dylan Fagan. Now he claims the 92 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 3: certificate makes him an honorary Newfoundlander, but it looks like 93 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 3: the kind of thing you could just print out online. 94 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 3: So I'm a little bit skeptical. I always want to 95 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 3: trust Dylan, but this one seems a little fishy. 96 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, so I read up on this and taking part 97 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: in a screech in ceremony is pretty obscure and wonderful, 98 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 1: And of course it's no surprise that our show's most 99 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: interesting person, Dylan, has screeched. 100 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 2: Wait wait, wait to back up a second. What is 101 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: a screech in? 102 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: So getting screeched is basically a tongue in cheek tradition 103 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: for welcoming visitors to Newfoundland. It started in the capital 104 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,720 Speaker 1: city of Saint John's back in the nineteen seventies, and 105 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 1: while the exact ritual varies from one pub to the next, 106 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: it mostly consists of three parts. First, you recite a 107 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: vaguely vulgar oath loaded with maritime lingo. Then you take 108 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: a shot of locally bottled Jamaican run called screech, and lastly, 109 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: you plant a big wet kiss on a frozen codfish. 110 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 3: You are lobbying hard for that trophy for this week's 111 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 3: episode with just that fact. What a ridiculous tradition and 112 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 3: I love it, But does getting screeched have any basis 113 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 3: in the region's history year Is it just some drunken 114 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 3: nonsense and fish kissing. 115 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: A little both? Actually, there are stories of Newfoundland sailors 116 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: performing similar joke initiations, and this goes back to the 117 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: nineteen forties. And as for the rum of the fish, 118 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: that's a nod to the region's colonial history, when French 119 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 1: and British settlers traded salted codfish in exchange for rum 120 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: from the West Indies. Now, I'm not sure exactly how 121 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,919 Speaker 1: kissing got added to the mix, but I'm guessing a 122 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: lot of rum definitely had something to do with that. 123 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 3: Only you, though it sounds like tourists are the ones 124 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 3: who are kissing the cod. I know that Newfoundlanders are 125 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 3: pretty fond of the fish themselves. So for hundreds of years, 126 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 3: codfishing was the backbone of the region's economy, and even 127 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 3: though the Canadian government put a stop to commercial codfishing 128 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 3: from nineteen ninety two all the way to twenty twenty four, 129 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 3: the lean whitefish still holds an outsized place in the 130 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 3: local food culture. In fact, I read that cod is 131 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 3: so ubiquitous there that when Newfoundlanders say the word fish, 132 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 3: they really just mean cod, like that's the default. 133 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: Kind of How like coke is a word for soda 134 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: in the South. 135 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know what other words. 136 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 1: And when you say what kind of coke do you want, 137 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: the answer is always great bica. 138 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 3: Salmon is a salmon and tuna is a tuna. But 139 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 3: fish only is ever caught there. 140 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. I love that, And it also highlights just how 141 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: crucial cod was to New Finland's development. Like think about 142 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: an indigenous group settled there thousands of years ago because 143 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: of the rich cod filled waters, and then English, Irish 144 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: and French settlers did the same throughout the sixteenth all 145 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: the way to the nineteenth centuries. Cod was so tasty 146 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: and so abundant that it lured people from all over 147 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: the world and convinced them to plant roots in this 148 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: really rugged and honestly very isolated area. 149 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. 150 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 3: I mean the lure of the codfish is a big 151 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 3: reason why Newfundland is the cultural melting pot that it 152 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 3: is today. But for all of our fish reverse listeners 153 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: out there, don't worry. Even though seafood is king on 154 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 3: the island, there are plenty of other local delicacies that 155 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 3: don't have fins, chief among them moose meat and in particular, 156 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: moose baloney. 157 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 2: What do you think about that, mango? 158 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: I've never heard of moose bolony. 159 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 3: I had not either before we were talking about this episode. 160 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 3: The largest member of the deer family was introduced to 161 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 3: the island in the early twentieth century. This was back 162 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 3: when Nufouland was still a British colony, and its meat 163 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 3: quickly became a staple and mini island kitchens and moose 164 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 3: boloney proved especially popular with the locals, not only due 165 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 3: to its low cost and long shelf life, but also 166 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 3: its versatility. So today people there serve up moose boloney 167 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 3: in every way you could think of fried baked barbecue, stewd, 168 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 3: canned curried, you name it, They've got it. 169 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: So is all this bolooney on the island moose bolooney 170 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: in the same way all fish is shorthand for a cod. 171 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 3: I mean moose BOLONEI is definitely the default, but you 172 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 3: might not see it called that on a menu. Instead, 173 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 3: people there have their own joking nickname for it. They 174 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 3: called it noofy steak. 175 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 2: Oh I like that. 176 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 1: And you know there's another unique island cuisine I want 177 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: to tell you about. But before that, let's take a 178 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: quick break. Welcome back to part time genius. Okay, Well, so, 179 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: going back to what you said about Newfoundland being a 180 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: melting pot, did you know the island has its own 181 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:24,959 Speaker 1: style of Chinese food? 182 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 3: You know, I actually saw something about that in the 183 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 3: research and it seems kind of an outlier for an 184 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 3: island in the North Atlantic. So I'm curious what the 185 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 3: story is. 186 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, So this goes back to the late eighteen hundreds 187 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: when a large number of Chinese immigrants came to Canada 188 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,599 Speaker 1: to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway and many of 189 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: the families stuck around once construction was completed, and because 190 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: the laws were racist at the time, and they barred 191 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,079 Speaker 1: Chinese men from working most professions. A lot of them 192 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: wound up opening their own restaurants. Now, just like in 193 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,839 Speaker 1: the States, Chinese immigrants weren't able to find many of 194 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 1: the ingredients that they were used to cooking with. They 195 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 1: kind of had to improvise and develop new dishes to 196 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: cater to their Western customers, and this resulted in this 197 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: whole slew of regional fusion dishes, including things like peanut 198 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: butter dumplings in Montreal, ginger beef in Alberta, and stir 199 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 1: fried macaroni in Quebec. 200 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 4: I mean, that actually sounds pretty incredible, I know, and 201 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 4: I'm surprise there hasn't been like a Canadian Chinese place 202 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 4: that opened in Brooklyn like that. Sure there is one actually, 203 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:31,119 Speaker 4: but those improvised dishes, which became known as Chop suey cuisine, 204 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 4: were served all over Canada by the mid twentieth century, 205 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 4: and as chefs continued to expand into more remote regions, 206 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 4: the search for Chinese ingredients got even tougher. 207 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: That was especially true in Newfoundland, where it was next 208 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: to impossible to even get the basics like soy sauce, 209 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: bock choi or things like egg noodles, you know, which 210 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 1: were hard to ship onto the island, and this meant 211 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:56,559 Speaker 1: that tried and true dishes couldn't be prepared as they 212 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: were in other parts of Canada. So once again China, 213 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 1: these restaurant tours got creative and gave the island their 214 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: own regional specialty, New Finland style chow Maine. 215 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 3: But actually I'm thinking about this. Chow main literally means 216 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 3: fried noodles, So how do you make it without egg noodles? 217 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: Well, apparently you substitute cabbage, or at least that's the 218 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: solution that one of their resourceful early chefs came up with. 219 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: He sliced the cabbage into long, thin strips so that 220 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: they'd at least look like noodles, and then he stir 221 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: fried them with veggies and chicken, and whil New Finland 222 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: style chow Maine was worn. The dish proved such a 223 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: hit with locals that it was quickly added to Chinese 224 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: menus all over the island. 225 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 2: And is this something you can still get today? 226 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 1: Yeah? So these days it's obviously much easier to import 227 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: noodles to the island. But just like with cod and 228 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: moose boloni, this new Finland original remains the default. So 229 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: if you order chow Maine there, you'll absolutely get a 230 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: big bowl of cabbage strips. But if you want noodles instead, 231 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: you have to ask for them specifically. 232 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 3: I do love that they serve fried noodles without the noodles, 233 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 3: and nobody thinks that's we somehow, and it does make 234 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,199 Speaker 3: me wonder though, like, is there the same stigma surrounding 235 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 3: Canadian Chinese food as there is with you know, like 236 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 3: American Chinese food, because we always hear that our take 237 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 3: on the cuisine is inauthentic and shouldn't really be considered Chinese. 238 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 2: I'm curious is it the same up North? 239 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, Canadian Chinese chefs definitely feeled many of the same criticisms, 240 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: But it really comes down to what someone means by 241 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: real Chinese food. Like there's this book called Chop Suey Nation. 242 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: It's by this Chinese journalist and we and in it, 243 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 1: she goes on this big road trip to small town 244 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,679 Speaker 1: Chinese restaurants in Canada, including the ones in Newfoundland, And 245 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: while she starts out kind of dismissive of this food, 246 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: the island's take on cho main ultimately wins her over. 247 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: She said the cabbage actually made the dish more flavorful 248 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 1: than the traditional version, and that realization makes her completely 249 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: rethink her stance on Chop suey cuisine. In fact, she 250 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: writes quote, this dish, from its origin story to its 251 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 1: ingredients to its execution, was utterly completely Newfoundland. It told 252 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: the story of this place. 253 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: It was as. 254 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 1: Canadian as it was Chinese. The families behind it had 255 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 1: created cuisine that was a testament to creativity, perseverance, and resourcefulness. 256 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: It wasn't fake Chinese, but instead the most Chinese of all. 257 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 2: The most Chinese of all. Wow, that's pretty cool. 258 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 3: Well, I'd say that's a pretty strong endorsement, and it 259 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 3: does make me want to give this noodle free noodle 260 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 3: dish a try. 261 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 2: I just somehow can't get past this. 262 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 3: But all right, now that we've covered some of Newfoundland's 263 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 3: history and food culture, feel like we should run through 264 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 3: a few of the favorite activities to try while visiting 265 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 3: the island. After all, we don't want to spend our 266 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,680 Speaker 3: entire vacation hanging out in root sellers. So beyond food, 267 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 3: Newfoundland really has a lot to offer, and visitors to 268 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 3: the island are especially spoiled for choice. When it comes 269 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 3: to wildlife watching, You've got puff and breeding season in 270 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 3: the spring and summer. You get whale migrations in the 271 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 3: summer and then early fall. And if you want to 272 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 3: see a moose, apparently you can just go out to 273 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 3: the highway at dusk and you'll probably find a few 274 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 3: that'll be there licking season off the pavement. 275 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: Oh I love that, and it really sounds kind of spectacular, 276 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: all this wildlife, you know. I actually checked to see 277 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: if there was a good moose watching tour I could book, 278 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: But it turns out that's not a thing. Like moose 279 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,440 Speaker 1: are just such a normal part of the scenery there 280 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 1: and you don't have to go out of your way 281 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: to spot one, Which brings me to my next travel tip. 282 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 2: If you want to. 283 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: Blend in with the locals, don't let on that you're 284 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: excited to see a move. 285 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 2: I don't know. 286 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 3: That may be hard for me to do, but I 287 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 3: also know we've got a couple non moose related sites 288 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 3: to recommend. Before we get to that, let's take another 289 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 3: quick break. You're listening to part Time Genius and we're 290 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 3: sharing our muscye stops while touring Newfoundland. 291 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 2: All right, Mengo. 292 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 3: So, staying on the subject of animals that evoke a 293 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 3: profound sense of awe, there's a sign on Newfoundland's code 294 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 3: called Mistaken Point, and it's actually the final resting place 295 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 3: of the earliest ancestral animals on the planet. They're known 296 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 3: as Eddiacrin organisms because they date back to the middle 297 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 3: of the Eddiachrn period, which, as you know very well, 298 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 3: was roughly six hundred million years ago, and they represent 299 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 3: the earliest examples of large biologically complex life forms, you know, 300 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 3: kind of an important leap and evolution here. 301 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: So I assumed these guys were some kind of sea creature. 302 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: But you said there's a fossil site, So what exactly 303 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: did they look like? 304 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 2: All right? 305 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 3: Well, based on the more than ten thousand fossil impressions 306 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 3: found along the coastline of Mistaken Point, Eddiochrins ranged in 307 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 3: size from a few centimeters to nearly two meters in length. 308 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 3: They were soft bodied creatures that lived on the deep seafloor, 309 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 3: and they had several different body types, all of which 310 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 3: were incredibly bizarre. 311 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 2: Mango, that is so rude. 312 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: Well, we don't body shame on this episode. 313 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 2: I'm just saying I just can't help it. 314 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 3: And some of them were tubular blobs, others look like 315 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 3: fern leaves. But the strangest of the bunch had to 316 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 3: be one of the ones that looked like these flat 317 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 3: ribbed pancakes. So here's a fossil photo so you can 318 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 3: see what I'm talking about. 319 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's definitely a pancake with. 320 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 2: Ribs, exactly what it is. 321 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 3: But the really cool thing about mistaken point is that 322 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 3: hundreds of fossil impressions are readily visible on the surface 323 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 3: of the rock, including ones left behind by those pancake 324 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 3: looking guys. Now, if you look closely, some of the 325 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 3: impressions actually formed trails. They're sort of like footprints. 326 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: Wait, so did eddie acrans have feet? 327 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 2: They did not. 328 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 3: In fact, feet did not exist at that point, either 329 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 3: did walking or swimming or really any form of locomotion. 330 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 3: So most living organisms just sort of floated along wherever 331 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 3: the currents took them and ate whatever bits of food 332 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 3: happened to pass by. But that's what's so amazing about 333 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 3: these fossil trails in Newfoundland is that they're thought to 334 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 3: be the earliest known examples of an animal moving on 335 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 3: its own. Oh wow, some bold little diocrans figured out 336 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 3: how to move their muscles and move intentionally really from 337 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 3: one place to another. This was an adaptation that forever 338 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 3: changed life on Earth. 339 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: And this is all going off those ancient proto footprints. 340 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, thanks to the research of paleontologists Alexander 341 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 3: lou we now know that the crescent shaped impressions left 342 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 3: in the rock were likely made by this suction cup 343 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 3: like appendage that some of these creatures may have had, 344 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 3: and they used it to adhere to these flat surfaces, 345 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 3: just like you know, see an enemies and other creatures 346 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 3: like that. And in some areas of Mistaken Point you 347 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 3: can actually see a whole bunch of those crescents nested 348 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 3: together in a line. So the thinking is that those 349 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 3: impressions were left behind by an ediocran that managed to 350 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 3: stretch out its suction cup foot and kind of drag 351 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 3: itself forward like one shaky step at a time. 352 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 1: Cool. 353 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 3: Anyway, next time you're in Newfoundland and you want to 354 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 3: mix a little science history and your animal sight seeing, 355 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,199 Speaker 3: you should check out the fossils at Mistaken Point and 356 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 3: tip your hat to the planet's og travelers. 357 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: All right, Well, eddie Acrians might be embedded in for 358 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: the whole world to see. But there's another kind of 359 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: island wildlife that is far more elusive. And I'm talking 360 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 1: about the Newfoundland faerry. 361 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 3: And I'm guessing that Newfoudland fairy was just another word 362 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 3: for cod No. 363 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: It turns out the province is home to a surprisingly 364 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: rich fairy folklore tradition. Fairy sightings in the region date 365 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: back to long before the rival of Europeans, when indigenous 366 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: groups told stories of reclusive little people with supernatural powers 367 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,959 Speaker 1: who supposedly lived alongside them. Then, when settlers from Celtic 368 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: cultures came to Newfoundland in the sixteen hundreds, they added 369 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: to the island's lore by drawing on the fairy legends 370 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: of their hometowns in Ireland, England and Scotland as well. 371 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 3: This sort of proves our earlier point that Newfoundland is 372 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 3: much more of a melting pot than you might expect exactly. 373 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: And the result of all that cultural blending is this 374 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: distinct oral tradition and folklore that really doesn't exist anywhere 375 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,479 Speaker 1: else in Canada. So even though Newfoundland fairies don't actually 376 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: exist as far as we know, there's still a super 377 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: important part of the island's culture. Most locals have at 378 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: least a few fairy stories to tell you, many of 379 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: which have been handed down through their families for generations. 380 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 3: And I'm curious, though, what are these stories about, Like, 381 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,159 Speaker 3: are they cautionary tales or adventures or what? 382 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 1: So the main through line in all these legends is 383 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: that fairies are mischief makers, so a lot of the 384 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: stories are recountings of people's supposed encounters with fairies and 385 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: the different pranks they like to play on humans. Some 386 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: of the fairi's favorite tricks include knocking over stacks of firewood, 387 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: braiding together the tail of all horses in a stable, 388 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 1: and confusing berry pickers by conjuring a bunch of trees 389 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: in the middle of a pathway. 390 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 2: As little trouble makers. 391 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 3: Like it's more like a leprechaun than your typical Disney 392 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 3: fairy or something like that. 393 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, and another difference is that Nuflin fairies don't have wings. 394 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: In fact, their physical appearance changes depending on the story, 395 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: and sometimes they look like children or knee high adults, 396 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: so again much like leprechauns. But in other cases they 397 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: just appear as glowing lights or. 398 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:00,120 Speaker 2: Even as animals. 399 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: They can use their shape shifting power to play some 400 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 1: pretty mean tricks too. Like there's this old belief that 401 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: if a happy baby suddenly gets temperamental, or a healthy 402 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: baby grows sickly, then it's probably because a fairy has 403 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: swapped the real infront with the changeling, which is basically 404 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: a fairy in disguise. 405 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 3: I mean, that seems like a pretty low bar for 406 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 3: deciding your baby's an imposter like that, How do you 407 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 3: know it's not a real baby who just needs a nap. 408 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, or a snack or something. Right, But apparently it's easy. 409 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: According to legend, if you sneak into a nursery really 410 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 1: quiet and you catch the baby's doppelganger smoking a corn 411 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 1: cob pipe, then you know it's a fairy and which 412 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 1: point the spell will be broken. 413 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 2: Okay, well that's a good good rule of thumb there. 414 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: Well, the good news is that there are some ways 415 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,719 Speaker 1: to protect yourself from fairy mischief. Carrying bread in your 416 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: pockets is a surefire way to ward off fairies, and 417 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: if you wear a piece of clothing inside out while 418 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:53,360 Speaker 1: walking in the forest, they won't be able to tell 419 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: where you're going and can't lead you astray. And lastly, 420 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 1: coins are thought to be another charm asient against fairy 421 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: which is why the more superstitious locals still pin silver 422 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 1: coins to their clothing or even hide them inside baby carriages. 423 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,360 Speaker 1: So when visiting Newfoundland, stuff some rolls into your pockets 424 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: and wear your shirt inside out. You might get some 425 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: weird looks, but also you'll be safe from the fairy attack. 426 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 2: Better safe than sorry. 427 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 3: I guess I'm curious that, like, why are Newfoundland fairies 428 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 3: so averse to coins and bread? 429 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't think there's an official explanation or anything, 430 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: but I did read an interview in Canadian Living with 431 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: this guy, Dale Jarvis, who works for the Heritage Foundation 432 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: of Newfoundland, and he pointed out that the region's fairy 433 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: folklore is deeply tied to the natural world, and that 434 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: the fairies themselves are kind of a personification of nature. 435 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 1: As he puts it quote, they're neither good nor bad. 436 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,159 Speaker 1: They don't follow human rules. Fairy stories are how we 437 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 1: talk about our interaction with the unpredictability of nature. They 438 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: take place at the end of the garden where people 439 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: go to pick berries, in the meadow, at the beach, 440 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: or slightly away from the house. In the border zone 441 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: between the wild and the So in that light, it 442 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: kind of makes sense that fairies would shy away from 443 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: bread and money, since those are products of human society 444 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: other than nature. 445 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 3: You know, it is interesting that Newfoundland fairies are something 446 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 3: to be avoided instead of a culture where you know, 447 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 3: fairies grant wishes or improve people's fortunes. But let's just 448 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 3: say one of our listeners wanted to throw caution into 449 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 3: the wind and try to find one, like, where might 450 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 3: they cross paths with a fairy in Newfoundland? 451 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 2: Yeah? 452 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 1: So, one of the most notorious gathering places for fairies 453 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: is the so called Fairy Ring, which is in the 454 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 1: town of Harbor Grace on the Avalon Peninsula. It's this eerie, 455 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: perfect circle of thirteen massive beast trees and it's surrounded 456 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: by an otherwise barren field. So you can imagine why 457 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: this has sort of gained this loure, and according to legend, 458 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: fairies meet there under the cover of darkness to dance 459 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: hand in hand in the moonlight. I wouldn't recommend trekking 460 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: out there, though, according to legend, if the fairies catch 461 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: you crashing their party, they'll spirit you away to their 462 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 1: underground Kingdom and never let you go. But more importantly, 463 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: the area is on private properties. You'd be trespassing if 464 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: you go there. For a much safer fairy outing, I'd 465 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: say head to Saint John's and take a tour of 466 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: Pippy Park. They have a woodland trail with fairy homes 467 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: scattered throughout, and the ones who lived there seem to 468 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 1: be much better behaved. 469 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 3: I do like that our sight seeing suggestions have highlighted 470 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 3: an extinct animal and now a mythological creature, respectively. So 471 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,879 Speaker 3: one of the most practical travel advice guides here at 472 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 3: part time genius. 473 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: I mean, whales and puffins are given, right, So we're 474 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: taking people off the beaten path. 475 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 3: I guess that's right, especially given that Newfoundland is pretty 476 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:33,479 Speaker 3: out of the way itself. 477 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 2: Right. 478 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is not the easiest place to get to. 479 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,959 Speaker 1: It's actually the eastern most part of Canada and of 480 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: North America in general, and if you do make the 481 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 1: trip out there, you're in for a one of a 482 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: kind experience. But before we take off for the day, 483 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 1: why don't we do a quick fact off. 484 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 3: So one of the most popular destinations in Newfoudland is 485 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 3: the area known as Iceberg Alley. It's the stretch of 486 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 3: the North Atlantic Ocean that runs along the eastern host 487 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 3: of the province. In every spring, it's host to a 488 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:07,959 Speaker 3: slow parade of enormous ancient icebergs. Between four hundred to 489 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 3: eight hundred icebergs pass through the alley each year, and 490 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 3: the vast majority of them come from ten thousand year 491 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 3: old glaciers. These are coming off of western Greenland. Now 492 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 3: during the spring and summer months, you can easily watch 493 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 3: the icy procession from all along Newfoundland's northern and eastern coast. 494 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 3: You can also book a boat tour or even go 495 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 3: scuba diving if you want to see them up close. 496 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 3: That sounds incredibly cold. The best part is you can 497 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,199 Speaker 3: take your time doing it because the average speed of 498 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 3: an iceberg zero point four miles per hour. 499 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: That is amazing and it does sound so cool, But 500 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 1: every time you say iceberg, I think of a boon 501 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: yang and that iceberg. 502 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 2: It's amazing. 503 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: But if watching icebergs isn't your thing, you can also 504 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: try drinking one. Several companies in Newfoundland offer beverages made 505 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 1: with genuine, locally sourced iceberg water. They send out boats 506 00:24:57,680 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 1: to collect bits of ice that have broken off from 507 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: the berg, and once it's melted down, they use the 508 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: water in the production of specially wines, beer and spirits. 509 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: And there's also good news if you like your drinks 510 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: on the rocks, because they also sell iceberg ice cubes. 511 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: Of course, for myself, I don't think i'd feel comfortable 512 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,199 Speaker 1: drinking an iceberg while looking at an iceberg. That just 513 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 1: seems very. 514 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, somehow that feels off all right. Well, here's a 515 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 3: quick one about birthday celebrations. There In some parts of Newfoundland, 516 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 3: there's an old custom called grease face, which is just 517 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:29,160 Speaker 3: fun to say. 518 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 2: Grease face. 519 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 3: It's where you sneak up on the birthday boy or 520 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:35,120 Speaker 3: girl and smear a blob of grease on their nose. Now, 521 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:37,919 Speaker 3: it's typically a parent who does the initial greasing, but 522 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 3: the other relatives and classmates or even teachers have been 523 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 3: known to join in throughout the day, which seems like 524 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,360 Speaker 3: that would just get pretty old. But the messy practice 525 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 3: is thought to have originated in Scotland. There are a 526 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 3: few competing explanations as to what it's supposed to mean. 527 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 3: Some sources say the grease is to keep bad luck 528 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 3: from sticking to you in the year ahead. Others say 529 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 3: it's to help you sort of flied into the new 530 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 3: year in the same way you slid out of the womb. 531 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 2: I guess I really don't want that many people touching my. 532 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 3: Face, especially that one grease It sounds horrible, but anyway, 533 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 3: if that wasn't weird and embarrassing enough, grease face is 534 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 3: often followed by another birthday custom called bumps. This is 535 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 3: when four people grab your legs and arms and lift 536 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 3: you up and down, bumping your butt on the floor 537 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,399 Speaker 3: once for each year. This sucks as we get older, 538 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 3: and then again for good luck. So according to one 539 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 3: Newfoundlander quote, getting the bumps was done to each of 540 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 3: us as soon as we were old enough to walk, 541 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 3: and ended only when we could run faster or manage 542 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 3: somehow to avoid getting caught. 543 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 1: Why are all these good birthday customs also vaguely traumatic? 544 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 2: Definitely are well. 545 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 1: Here's a quick one to keep in mind when heading 546 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: to New Finland from the mainland. You have to set 547 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 1: your watch forward half an hour when you get there. 548 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: And that's because the island actually has its very own 549 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:00,479 Speaker 1: time zone. It's called New Finland Standard Time or NST. 550 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: It is one half hour ahead of Atlantic Standard time 551 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: and an hour and a half ahead of Eastern Standard Time. 552 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: The funny part is that, geographically speaking, most of the 553 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 1: province should technically be on Atlantic time, but the capital 554 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: of Saint John is a tiny bit east of the 555 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 1: dividing line, and since that's the island's largest population center, 556 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,359 Speaker 1: everyone else just follows their lead and pretends it's a 557 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 1: half an hour later. 558 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 3: Well, if you think of bespoke time zone as odd, 559 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:28,919 Speaker 3: you're going to like this next fact. So in the 560 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 3: remote Fogo Island, roughly nine miles off the coast of Newfoundland, 561 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 3: the locals recognize seven distinct seasons. In addition to the 562 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 3: Big four. They have berry season, which runs from September 563 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 3: first until Halloween. It's perfect time for foraging, of course. 564 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 3: Then you have pack ice season, which is when ice 565 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 3: flows surround the island in the month of March, and 566 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 3: then finally in June, there's trap birth season, which is 567 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 3: when fishermen would traditionally stake out their fishing grounds for 568 00:27:55,640 --> 00:28:00,119 Speaker 3: the year by placing stationary nets or cod traps there. Now, 569 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 3: if you think seven seasons has a lot to keep 570 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 3: track of, keep in mind that Fogo Islanders claim the 571 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 3: true count is closer to seventeen. 572 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: I don't want to mainland explain Fogo Island, but that 573 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: feel like way too many seasons. 574 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 2: I was on board with seven. You can't have. 575 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: More seasons than you have months. But I do like 576 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 1: that you have something to look forward to, and I 577 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 1: like that you were able to loop things back to 578 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,199 Speaker 1: Cod one more time. So I think you got today's trophy. 579 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you. 580 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 3: It does always come back to Cod, the first fish 581 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 3: in the hearts of the Newfoundlanders, and now in mine 582 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 3: as well. 583 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:37,359 Speaker 4: Well. 584 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,959 Speaker 1: I am still a goldfish man myself, but that's going 585 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: to do it. For today's Part Time Genius from Mary Gabe, Dylan, 586 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: Will and myself. Thank you so much for listening. If 587 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 1: you enjoyed this episode, then come find us on Instagram 588 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: at part Time Genius or leave us a review on 589 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts. We'd love to hear which fish is the 590 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 1: first in your hearts or any cool facts about Newfoundland 591 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 1: that we forgot to mention. Be sure to tune in 592 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: next week for another brand new episode. Part Time Genius 593 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. This show is 594 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: hosted by Will Pearson and me Mongae Heatikler and research 595 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 1: by our good pal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's episode was 596 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan with support 597 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produced for iHeart 598 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: by Katrina Norvell and Ali Perry, with social media support 599 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: from Sasha Gay, trustee Dara Potts and Viny Shorey. For 600 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 601 00:29:48,480 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.