I like Saint John

I was about 12 the first time I visited Saint John, NB. My father had business in the city and for some reason he decided to make a family holiday out of it, not his norm. The journey from PEI was torturous back in the dark age with a not too frequent ferry and hours of twisty winding roads. Saint John was my first "city" and I've had a soft spot for it ever since. I'd never seen red brick apartment buildings, steep hill roads, an interesting downtown; and I had never stayed in a hotel! The Admiral Beatty to be specific, which is now a seniors residence, and across the street from King's Square with it's lovely bandstand and access to STORES.
The second time I was in grade 9 with a YMCA group and billeted in Lancaster.To get to Lancaster you have to pass near the pulp mill and I thought I would throw up it smelled so awful. Seriously awful. When I was commuting to university in Maine Saint John was a bottle neck to be endured along with the smell but still I smiled on it fondly because of my 12 year old excitement.
Jim's family of origin is from Saint John so we've been coming back here for years and in between visiting with relatives we've explored the area. Like most interesting things, people, or places Saint John's personality is complicated. The people are wonderful and friendly, but they are cut-throat drivers.
There are lovely parks and high outlooks, but some are in desperate disrepair with nary a picnic table in sight, like Fort Howe.

Wolastoq Park, an Irving initiative, with oversized wood carvings depicting historical figures.

Reversing Falls Bridge

The scenery is spectacular, but there is that pesky fog. It beats most cities for interesting old wooden houses, both grand and not-so-grand but many are in dire condition. "The Irvings" own most everything and have given Saint John incredible benefits, but the populace either loves them or hates them. Aside from the huge nature park and other recreational gifts, the pulp mill that I gagged over in the 1960's is the only mill in North America that meets all environmental and emission standards. There is no whiff of sulphur in Saint John today!

The used-to-be-stinky paper mill with the 'falls' in front

 One of SJ's claims to fame is the Reversing Falls and we hit a low tide which gave a glimpse of the power of that phenomenon.

more of the outflow of the Saint John River called, "reversing falls"

Other things Saint John is or was home to that you might recognize: Atlantic Sugar, Crosby's molasses, Red Rose tea, Sims Paintbrushes, Moosehead beer, Royale tissues, and a huge Irving oil refinery.

AND they have a highway system that makes it possible to go from one side of the city to the other without clogging the downtown streets!

cross town highway!

There's a lot more but that's enough for now. Check my FB page for pics of the cruise ships, including the Queen Mary 2. They park right downtown like you would park a car. 

I like Saint John.