We went to Newfoundland for many reasons. For one thing, we had never heard anything much about it, and by "we," I mean me; my 13-year-old daughter, Billie; my stepson, Harper Simon; my friend Kim Painter; and my photographer and friend, Meg Ryan, who took along her assistant, Learka Bosnak, and her photo assistant, Dan Hallman.

We started our trip in St. John's, the provincial capital. Over the summer, St. John's stages several historic re-enactments, including one in which Napoleon surrenders to the English. Yes, I know that it's highly unlikely that Napoleon was even in Newfoundland, much less surrendered to the English there, but like the re-enactment itself, that is another story. In the final analysis, though, a huge part of what drew us there was another absurdity: we were going to Dildo, a two-hour drive away along the scenic route. Yes, I said Dildo, the name of a fishing village in Newfoundland. Unusual, you say? Well, yes, I would have to agree with you, but it is by no means the only village with a strange name. It's just across the bay from Spread Eagle.

We set off from St. John's mid-morning, laden with cameras and overnight bags in case we couldn't find a B & B inviting enough and, more to the point, large enough to accommodate all 6,000 of us. Somehow, we managed to fit into one vehicle, trailed by the owner of the hotel where we'd stayed, the Spa at the Monastery and Suites, in his soon-to-be-vintage BMW, carrying our stuff -- at least, I think that's why he was with us. Though, I also think his sudden appearance had to do with Meg Ryan's being in the first car.

The ride from St. John's is a picturesque drive through long stretches of green trees sprinkled with small homes here and there. As the roads smoothed out from rolling to winding, we found ourselves driving along the coast, looking at islands in the flat, gray ocean. And in the van we listened to some trip-appropriate local music that I had discovered online. It was by a Canadian band called the Arrogant Worms. They have one song called "A Night in Dildo," to which we sang along: "From Woody's Point to Come by Chance, to good old Ferryland / Come take a look at Gander, Blackhead's mighty grand / Don't let their names deceive you. Newfoundland's mighty fine / so spend a night in Dildo, if you think you've got the time!"