17 July 2019 Wednesday

The Holiday Inn staff is great. They give us a goody bag with all the toiletries we need. O gets a laundry detergent pod so we can wash our grungy camping clothes in the morning since these are the only clothes we have with us here in Saint John. Even the free breakfast and coffee is good. We are told we can take our time getting packed up and out of our room. By 11:15 we are checked out and getting into a Vets Taxi. Patrick McLaughlin, our driver, is very talkative and knows this area well, as he grew up here. He is also well versed in the history of Saint John and New Brunswick as he often does taxi tours for people who visit the city on cruise ship tours. We learn that the first children’s playground and the first teeter-totter were invented in Saint John. He also claims the first fog horn was developed here, as well as the first dump truck, the world’s first police union and, from them, the 5 day work week. Along the way we drive by the Irving family airplane hangar which is bigger than the Saint John airport. He chatters on as we go, describing the plight of Irish immigrants in the mid 1800’s and explaining how the people of Saint John fought off the American invasion in the War of 1812. Our drive back to the Interpretive Center in St. Martins where Vincent awaits goes by quickly.

Back at the Interpretive Center I figure out how to get in and out of Vincent. We check out with the staff so they know we are safely out of the woods and describe our rescue. On the way back to Saint Martins we stop at Caves Restaurant to sample a bowl of their world famous chowder. It is hot, filling and delicious. While there we get another closer view of the St. Martins sea caves. Then we return to the B&B. For today we have a first floor room. Tomorrow we will have to move to the second floor. It will be interesting to negotiate the stairs!