BY JANET STEINBERG  

If you ever plan to enter a spelling bee, take note:
Canada’s first incorporated city (1785) is spelled Saint John, not the
abbreviated St. John as it is spelled in neighboring
Newfoundland.  To add to your confusion, the proper way to spell its
mighty St. John River is to abbreviate it.

That very St. John River is one-half of a natural
phenomenon known as Reversing Falls that takes place twice a day in Mother
Nature’s own theater. It occurs when there is a head-on collision between
two mighty bodies of water…the St. John River and the Bay of Fundy. 
AUTHOR
AND HUSBAND AT REVERSING FALLS


When the highest tides in the world flow in and out of the
Bay of Fundy through a narrow rocky gorge, they force the St. John River to
reverse its flow.  Twice daily the Bay of Fundy wins, forcing the St. John
River to churn, tumble and flow upstream. 

ST.
JOHN RIVER FLOWS UPSTREAM

The
above-mentioned narrow (or split) rocky gorge has given a great name to an
eatery located on a hilltop overlooking the Reversing
Falls.   What else could it be but the Split Rock Café? Munch a
quick lunch with a view.  For a more upscale dining experience, try
the Opera Bistro.

SPLIT
ROCK CAFE LUNCH BOARD

In a
city where you can usually expect daily rain or fog, outdoor sculptures
brighten the days.

OUTDOOR
SCULPTURE BRIGHTENS DREARY DAY


The
Saint John City Market is Canada’s oldest continuing farmers’
market.  The ceiling of the City Market resembles the inverted hull
of a ship.  When it officially opened in 1876, Saint John was one of
the world’s leading shipbuilding centers.   The Market’s
hand-hewn timbers and dovetailed joints have stood fast for more than a
century.  Fortunately, the Great Fire of 1877 left the market
building undamaged. 


MARKET
CEILING RESEMBLES INVERTED HULL OF A SHIP


Within
the market, colorful stalls display local foods and handcrafted items. Dulse,
the leafy sea vegetable that grows on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, is
considered a maritime delicacy.  Handpicked and sun dried, it adds a
light salty taste to salad and seafood dishes.  Slocum & Ferris,
established in 1895, is the reigning merchant at the City
Market.  They will be happy to give you a sample taste of dulse
before you decide to purchase it.  I took them up on their
offer.  My reaction to dulse…UGH!

MY
REACTION TO DULSE…UGH!

JANET STEINBERG is an award-winning Travel Writer,
International Travel Consultant, and winner of 38 national Travel Writing
Awards.