We knew we would love this place as soon as we got here and we did. We instantly felt at home. The visit was too short, but we took full advantage of it, spending two nights and almost three days walking the streets. We walked so much that Duckworth, Water and Harbour Streets became as familiar as Bloor Street at home. Only homier. It’s a tiny, perfect city in a green and pleasant land.

St. John’s vies with Quebec as the oldest city in Canada (disputed by each – quelle surprise!). Some make the distinction that St. John’s is the oldest English speaking city in the country, but that belies its own history as the destination for seasonal fishing vessels from various, non-English speaking European ports. It is believed to be named by 16th century Basque fishermen, after the feast day of St. John the Baptist. When English sailor John Rut visited the settlement in 1527, it was already seasonally inhabited by Norman, Breton and Portuguese fishermen; by 1640, it was a full-time port town. While St. John’s being Canada’s oldest city remains disputed, so is Water Street, built in 1540. It’s supposed to be the oldest street in North America. What is a good Québécois to do but to défier that notion, naming Rue Petit Champlain as its contender. May the best city and street win.

The friendliness of Newfoundlanders is legendary, so I’m not going to go on about how sweet the people are to strangers, but what is obvious is how pedestrian-friendly this place is. I’m not talking about wide sidewalks, scramble intersections, cross-walks on every block and car-free Sundays. I’m talking about how drivers treat pedestrians (and each other).

I’ve visited dozens of cities but I’ve never felt so safe as I have as a pedestrian in St. John’s. Before you even realize that you want to cross the street (not at an intersection), the drivers in both directions stop for you. It’s like they’re telepathic. You stand at the side of the road to cross, and they all stop for you, regardless of where you are. Drivers come to stop signs and they actually stop. They don’t turn right over your toes, they don’t turn left over your heels. My favourite cities – Hong Kong, Dublin, Paris, New York and Toronto are all great for walking but I don’t step out onto the road without looking 360 degrees around me, even if my green light is complimented by a lighted walking man beckoning to me from the other side of the road. While St. John’s is tiny by comparison (2011 population 106K), all it takes is one car to run me down, but it’s less likely to happen in St. John’s than anywhere else I’ve been to.

The streets are dotted with cafes, pubs, specialty stores and galleries and the city even boasts another record: George Street houses two blocks of the most bars and pubs per square foot than any street in North America! Quebec City, I challenge you to the challenge of challenging this!

We didn’t stop at any of the George Street pubs because they were far too hip for us with child in stroller, so we ate at the Celtic Hearth, one of many Irish pubs around town. It was OK, but less authentic and more pub-in-a-box type of place. The food was good, but we were disappointed the first night because they were out of Guinness. The next night it was on tap but like everywhere else outside of Ireland, they pour stout as quickly as they pour the ales and lagers (I was hoping that they would take their Guinness as seriously as they do in Ireland, where, until you finish a four-year apprenticeship, you don’t earn the honour of pouring a pint for the locals). Nevertheless, It was a nice place to hang out and kid-friendly.

More noteworthy is the Happy Hummus Hut, a tiny vegetarian and/or gluten-free and/or vegan hole-in-the-wall with all homemade and fresh offerings. Choices like almond and curry pesto wrapped in rice paper rolls with green beans and shredded carrot grace the menu, with taco spiced almond pesto rolls, chickpea salad, chocolate hummus dipper and other delights. We were warned that the hummus choice we made was very spicy that day but truth be told we couldn’t taste any spice at all. Still, the food was fresh and original. The cafe is located on Duckworth and they take their vegan seriously, preparing vegan dishes in a separate part of the kitchen. Kudos to them. A year into their business, they’re busy and doing just fine.

Most notable is the Newfoundland Chocolate Company, a destination of choice to be sure. I was introduced to their delicacies a few months ago when friends brought back a box of tiny perfect chocolates (see The Smiling Land entry here, 2012/08/28). We had the privilege of walking through their very doors two days ago, and came out with $148.78 worth of chocolate. I can attest that as of this date and time, approximately $129.21 of that chocolate is left. Some of you who are reading this might even get to taste some of that chocolate if any of it makes it home with us. Will I regret even mentioning the chocolate?

Yesterday morning we left St. John’s with some trepidation, wondering if we shouldn’t have given it another day (or five). We may never get a chance to return but somehow I think we will (sans kids). How could you not love a place so rich in history, especially in our relatively young country? It looks old. Good old, not bad old. The wood framed houses are tall and painted in bright primary and pastel colours, the windows and doors framed in white. The streetscapes are fun, lacking the drab uniformity of cities built, like Toronto, out of brick and mortar. Much as I love my home city deeply, it could use some of the whimsy that St. John’s seems to take pride in. Much like the spirit of its people, it says, “Look on the bright side…”

Thanks to http://www.canadafaq.ca/what+is+oldest+canadian+city/ for some of the St. John’s stats.