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East Tour Diary Day 6

At 7.45am morning class Dougie informed us on the plan for the day as breakfast and then on the bus to St. John’s Curling Club for our game, returning to our hotel to change into our Number Ones for a banquet in City Hall which we walk to, leaving the hotel at 5.30pm. The Sherrif, after running through potential candidates awarded the Tammie to Don Frame for leaving his phone on the plane when we landed at St.John’s airport, causing the bus to return there. We were greeted at St. John’s Curling Club by Eugene and were led through a broom arch and then upstairs to change where we were given a dram. We then met our opponents before being “piped”onto the ice by the same musicians as yesterday. Our opponents were no ordinary curlers, with one rink containing Mike Adam former World Junior champion and alternate in Brad Gushue’s 2006 winter Olympic gold medal side, and another skipped by Jamie Korab who played Lead in that Olympic gold medal side! Just to add to the pressure Tamnavulin skip George Paterson tweaked something in his knee and pulled out of the second half of the game. Jura recorded a 1 shot win against Mike Adam, Bruichladdich lost by 2 shots against Jamie Korab and Tamnavulin and Fettercairn both lost by 4 shots resulting in an overall minus 8 shots. Lunch followed in the shape of soup and croissant sandwiches and more drink. We returned to the hotel by 3pm. Frank Ross, Jim Wylie and George Bee walked up the hill in light drizzle to look at the Rooms ( a museum) only to find it was closed on Mondays! Jim and George then joined several others for a couple of beers in the Newfoundland Embassy ( a bar recommended by one of our hosts) before returning to the hotel to change for the banquet. We left for City Hall in the rain and arrived to drinks and photos before sitting down to eat at 8 tables of 6 per table. As well as the 20 tourists plus our courier Jim and driver Bob our hosts included Bill and Liz Jenkins, Toby McDonald and his wife, Tony Stirling and several local dignatories. The banquet was followed by a sScreeching in ceremony which was hilarious which included kissing the cod, for which we were later presented with a certificate naming each of us as an Honourary Newfoundlander. Bill Jenkins then said a few words and presented our tour skip Dougie with an original painting. Dougie thanked Bill and gave the vote of thanks. We bade our farewells and concluded the evening in the Newfoundland Embassy where we were joined by Neal, Mark and Toby, three of our hosts .