PRETTY PETTY
When guests ask us how to correctly pronounce Newfoundland, we let them know we’re probably the last group they’d want to consult on any sort of linguistic matter. “… want to consult…” Most Newfoundlanders are still speaking ‘Early Modern English’ with the same dialects we’ve managed to preserve since the late 1700’s. Remember…
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MY LOVE
Our Mother often reminds us; “Nobody comes to Newfoundland for the weather. Unless they really like weather. Because we’re weathering weather, whether we like it or not!” “…we’re weathering weather…” Newfoundland could best be described as the nose of North America, and many would suggest we’ve got it shoved in the queerest spot…
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NOTE TO SELF
Tour guide and super man, Mike Edmunds just completed a McCarthy’s Party 12 day, cultural immersion tour of Newfoundland and Labrador. He sent such lovely notes and photos throughout the week, we thought they were worth sharing in a blog. “Who says hot air only come from politicians …” The best comes from…
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PETER, PETER, PETER
TO PETER LARACY AND THE MCCARTHY PARTY TEAM Hi Peter I arrived back home in Sydney Australia yesterday after having a wonderful time on the Tour in Newfoundland and Labrador followed by a visit to my sister in Ottawa. I would just like to say a big Thank You to you for providing a…
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HERE TO STAY
Brother Mark arranged for our staff to see the ‘Come From Away’ musical when the cast from Toronto’s theater visited St. John’s, Newfoundland for a 10 day tour last January. It was magnificent. An emotional roller coaster that brought forth so many memories, teasing our sentiments without ever allowing us to fully embrace the feelings…
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LUH!
Yesterday we were invited to ‘The Rooms’ to hear Tony Curtis read from his new book, ‘This Flight Tonight’. Tony is an Irish poet of great renown, but his Mother best described this unique composition when she told him; “Don’t you call dis a book of poetry – dis is sometin you can actually read!”…
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ROCK, ROCK
Newfoundland is a geological wonder that is worthy of notice, if not keen observation. The island comes by its nickname ‘The Rock’ with brutal honesty. This is the southern most extremity of the ‘Canadian Shield’; a region that was completely covered in ice sheets measuring a mile and a half in thickness. Glacial ice of…
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SCREECH REACH
‘Screech’ is an award-winning Demerara Rum that is manufactured in Jamaica for an exclusive bottle and branding agreement with Newfoundland’s Liquor Corp. As the name suggests, this is a unique marketing concept which is based on a steeped history of trade that defines our island’s partnership. Together with our Caribbean cohorts, we form a…
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NEED TO READ
We had a very special guest join our last ‘Guide’s Book Guild Gathering’ – three of them in fact. Each of whom exhibited a strong connection to this month’s reading selection, Kevin Major’s novel, ‘Found Far and Wide’. A factional recount of a Newfoundlanders role in WW1 history – most particularly, the Gallipoli campaign where…
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QUITE RIGHT
We have a city tour scheduled this afternoon and I can’t wait to meet these guests, just to find out why they’re here. Off season tours are no doubt unique, but they most often start the exact same way; “Now, what brings you crowd to Newfoundland in the middle of an April winter? There’s no…
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CAPITAL IDEAS
We recently hosted a ‘Familiarization Trip’ (FAM) for a small group of journalists and travel industry experts who were considering Newfoundland as a weekend retreat for their clients / readers / followers. The latest trend in the industry focus’ on ‘Short Haul’ destinations, and with non stop direct flights to London, UK, Montreal, PQ and…
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HIGH FIVE
There’s a brilliant information board located on the top of Signal Hill that features a map of the ‘Newfoundland Centered World’. Though partially presented in fun, it is a wonderful reference point where guests gain a better appreciation for St. John’s geographic location, and our proximity to so many major centers. “… Newfoundland centered…
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KNOW SATISFACTION
We were out for our annual family hunting excursion on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula (GNP), and with an especially successful showing early in the week (two animals down in the first two days), we were afforded plenty of extra time to explore some of the surrounding areas, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site at L’anse…
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THE SON ALSO RISES
McCarthy’s Party’s most popular day tour is the ‘Historic St. John’s and Cape Spear’ experience; providing a brilliant introduction, interpretation, and orientation of Newfoundland’s capital and its environs – including Cape Spear, the most Easterly Point in North America. This is the oldest colonized region in the new world and our local guides will regale…
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STAR SH’are
Craig Borden from ‘Rugged Edge Sports’ introduced us to some members of Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s new STAR program (Strategic Tourism for Areas and Regions) in the Corner Brook / Bay of Islands / Humber Region last week. The purpose of this initiative is to utilize a STAR certified consultant to work with a committee…
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