Day 10 - Sightseeing in St. John

We started the day with a quick trip to a drug store as I'd broken my sunglasses yesterday and needed a new pair!  Then on to the St. John's Jewish Historical Museum.  This was more interesting than I'd anticipated.  It seems that the first Jewish person in the area came in the 1700s, brought some family and friends to join them, and the Jewish community grew.  They built a synagogue and then in later years when the population dwindled somewhat, they moved to a smaller location, and they now have a small synagogue attached to the museum.  The museum had pictures and artifacts of items owned by some of the prominent Jewish families from the area, along with old wedding announcements and various stories about the families from the St. John area.  

This showed a couple getting married under the chuppah.  The several brides were just to model different gowns that were donated to the museum.

I was especially taken with this gown because it looked so much like mine! (see below)

You can't see it in the picture but I also had a belt where the train was attached, like the one on the mannequin. 

Our next stop was the City Market, where I managed not to take any pictures, except for the entrance!  It was an indoor market with stands selling fresh meat and veggies, souvenirs, and food.  There was a visitor's center inside where I was able to get a brochure about a self guided walking tour of St. John.  

The walking tour took us all around the area with little blurbs about various buildings or other locations.  Here are some of the highlights.

An old burial ground from as early as 1784

St. John's Stone Church

Inside the Stone Church

The St. John Arts Center had a beautiful stained glass ceiling in the rotunda.  When we went inside to see it, we were told they also had a display of paintings and pottery (see next three pictures)

My favorite piece

Near the Courthouse, I saw a news cameraperson.  Being the busybody I am, I asked her what was going on.  She explained that it was the Kamyshnyy trial, a double homicide.  I googled it, of course, and Kamyshnyy is on trial for murdering two boys, aged 10 and 17.  

The Market Slip at Market Square

The Market Slip (the water behind the tree in the center) was constructed in 1788 and handled coastal marine traffic until the 1970s.  This was a key trading and gathering area for the Indigenous people who lived here before the Loyalists (British) arrived in 1783.  This area is now called "The Gathering Space".

We took a lunch break, (we really needed to sit!), and then went to see the famous reversing falls.  It's best to see them either at low or high tide, and we were there just before low tide.  This place is where the St. John River meets the Bay of Fundy.  The Bay is a tidal waterway, and as the tide comes in or goes out, and it meets the river flowing down, it causes whirlpools.  

A better view can be seen in the video below.

We came home to relax for a while, and later went back to the reversing falls, when it was almost high tide.  The difference in how the water looked and flowed was remarkable!  

And while we were watching, we spotted a seal swimming along!

Then we went to dinner at Steamers, and I had, as an appetizer, steamers!  A whole bucket full!  Then I had a lobster roll and David had a fried seafood platter.  All delish!

Here are a few other pictures we took throughout the day.

St. John is a very industrial town.  There are smokestacks like this in several areas.  

It is still Pride Month!

We were sitting in the car getting directions running and this deer strolled by.

This was on the wall next to our restaurant.