Random Passage -- New Bonaventure, Trinity Bay

I was fortunate over the summer to go to a place close to Trinity that I found to be personally fascinating.  It is a place that is known as the "Random Passage Site"  located in New Bonaventure.  Honestly, when I first heard about it, I did not think that it was going to be very interesting.  I knew nothing about the movie that was made there and had no intention of seeing it.  All i knew about the place was that it was a replica of an early Newfoundland settlement.  Sounds boring?  Well, I thought so.  I stayed just down the road from it and knew about the place for two years before I decided one day to go and see it with my sister.  She thought that it might be interesting.  So, my sister and I went one Sunday afternoon in August.

There was a concert series on Sundays, with, from what I gathered traditional Newfoundland music.  Now, I really like the traditional music, with the accordion and fiddle.  (I have always wanted to learn how to play the small accordion).  Anyhow, I thought that at least I would enjoy the music.  Was I in for a surprise!

Getting to the site was quite a small drive from Trinity.  I would say that it is about 15 kms along a winding road.  Beautiful scenery and everywhere you look, you can see the traditional salt box style homes, as well as some more modern type homes too.  Since you are travelling along the coast, you frequently get to see water as well as thick forest.  The site is on a hill at the end of the road in New Bonaventure.

I have tell you that we went after it had rained, so the area was a bit muddy.  Parking the car, my sister and I  first went into the tea house, where they have some trinkets for sale as well as the tickets to get into the site.  There is the tea room there, too.  We paid for our tickets ($8.00) and made the trek to the place where the site is located.  It is quite a distance from the tea house.  I would say about 1km, which, is not really a hike, but I was not expecting it to be a walk, otherwise I would have worn more comfortable shoes.  Next time when I go, I will remember.

Here is a sample of what I saw that day at the site.  It was quite amazing, the music, the instruments used and the artists.  I really enjoyed myself.

The musical guests playing there that day were Jim Payne and Fergus O'Byrne, two people that I had never heard play before that day.  It was a rather warm, sunny, as it can be in Newfoundland, day. 

They decided to play in the graveyard of all places, but of course, it was not a real graveyard, but a set for the movie.  It was the backdrop, however, that was the most spectacular:  the set was on a cliff, so that you could see the ocean in the background.  What a view.  Now that is the way to see a performance. They also had some storytelling and jokes mixed in with the music.  It was quite the afternoon of entertainment. 

After the entertainment, we then went around to the set and took a look at some of the houses. Wow, you can just imagine what it was like to live in rural Newfoundland not that long ago.  Some of these people must have starved.  But that is another story.

Here is a pic of their root cellar

It was behind a fence, so we really could not go into it.  If I remember correctly, there were goats or chickens around inside the fence too.    Here is another picture of it.

That's my sister, by the way.  I hope that she does not mind her picture on my blog.  This picture shows what we saw inside, which is basically your pioneer village type home.  But it is the setting which really speaks volumes to me.  On a cliff overlooking the ocean seems like it would be a wonderful setting for a home.   But not the kinds of homes that these people must have lived in.  I know that this is a recreation, but, many homes around here were most likely very much like what is depicted at the Random Passage site.  I could not imagine living in one of these homes on a cliff during the winter time.  The wind alone coming from the ocean would be too much for me.

Another picture of my sister alongside the wharf.  Again, Random Passage site.  I know that there are probably some more spectacular photos, but she took them all and I did not get a copy of them yet!

Oh I have just updated this, as she finally sent me some pictures.  Here is me, being a washer woman.  Don't as me why, but I am always doing something dumb in pictures.  Here I am going to fetch some water.

Random Passage site, especially during the Sunday afternoon music series, is something that I would definitely recommend for the tourist to see.  Even I would enjoy going out to see an event like this again.  Truly a hidden gem here in Newfoundland.  It is one of my recommended places to see if around the Trinity area. 

Have you been there?  Let me know!  I am always interested in seeing other peoples perspective and pictures.