Newfoundland Screeching and Viking Yelling

When we stopped by the St. Anthony Visitor Center, our host suggested that we check out the Newfoundland music on Friday night, June 22, 2018, in Straitsview, a village north of St. Anthony.  We thought it would be a lot of fun, and we drove up for dinner and the performance.  Little did we know what was in store for us!

The music was offered at Skipper Hot's Lounge.  What a name. SKIPPER HOT???  LOUNGE???  We asked, and the waitress said that "Skipper Hot" was the nickname of the owner's uncle - thus the name for the pub.  I guess "lounge" just sort of echoed the luxurious feel of "Skipper Hot."  Or not.

The music was mellow and enjoyable - in fact, it reminded us a lot of the Cajun music we had enjoyed in Abbeville with our cronies from Betty's RV Park!  The accordian and the waltz tunes were entirely Cajun - perhaps due to the French Acadian heritage - but the lyrics were in English.  Kathy felt so comfortable that she jumped up and volunteered to play the Ugly Stick with the band:

Before they ended the first set, the band announced that they were going to conduct a Screech-In at the beginning of the second set, and that those who are willing and had not yet been screeched in should check in with the pub hostess, pay our fee, and give the hostess our names.  Well, of course we had to see what this screeching-in stuff was all about.

Well.  First they dressed us in Newfoundland fishing gear --

-- then they told us they were going to teach us how to speak like a Newfoundlander, eat like a Newfoundlander (salted capelin, that is) and drink like a Newfoundlander, in addition to dressing like a Newfoundlander.  We had to down a wee dram of Screech Rum.  Bottoms up!

Then, by God, we had to kiss a Cod!

However, these trials were worth it, because, in the end, we became Honorary Newfoundlanders, as attested by our certificates that we completed the Newfie Screech-In:

As newly minted Newfoundlanders, what could be more fitting than that we encountered a moose on our drive back home after the music fest and Screech-In.  This one didn't like our lights and ran as soon as we got close:

The next night, we decided to add to our credentials by attending a GEN-YOU-WINE Viking Feast in St. Anthony.  The feast featured a Viking court of law, but in the process, we had to join in the dancing -

-- and then David, in the role of the ghost of the murdered victim, had to testify in the trial of a young murderer:

Again, though, all was worth it, because, when all was said and done, we were initiated as official Viking Yellers!

Now we feel that we're just part of the gang up here.  No sense heading back to the States because this is home now.