OLA: Making it Last!

World's Largest Tire...where else but in Detroit!

We wound our way to St. Clair, Michigan from Lakefield, Ontario, maybe 10 miles from the border crossing and camped at the St. Clair Resort of Thousand Trails. And, yes, it has just been 4 years since I said I do to Bill at 8 pm on 8/8/08, 3 ½ of which have been on the road! But it has become a never-ending honeymoon. Fulltime RVing is making it last...forever, or at least until the end! Bill says we have experienced so much together we might as well be celebrating our 10^th!

Palmer Park in St. Clair, Michigan

dinner at River Crab across the banks of Canada on St. Clair 

He scoured the vicinity for a nice restaurant for our anniversary dinner and found River Crab on the banks of beautiful St. Clair River, with Canada as our backdrop. It was Wednesday Music on the Deck night so there was a live band. The food was excellent, Bill choosing seared halibut fatoush and I opting for the classic scampi when I found out that the live lobster had to be ordered in advance and the Dungeness crab was frozen! But the chocolate truffle cake was to die for! Strolling at the lovely Palmer Park before dinner added to such a nice anniversary day.

Spirit of Detroit

Detroit is only 45 minutes from our campground. With not much preparation, unlike when we were in the Canadian cities, I just clicked the item ‘Spirit of Detroit Statue’ on our Garmin. We were taken to the heart of downtown. And there it was…the 26-foot cast bronze statue that was cast in Norway. He is holding a gilt bronze sphere emanating rays to symbolize God in its left hand and in his right is a family group symbolizing all human relationships.

Joe Louis fist

At the intersection in front of this statue is a huge left arm with fist clenched! It is a tribute to former heavyweight champion and Detroit son Joe Louis. Just a few minutes from there is the Joe Louis Arena where many athletes were working the steps. Across the street is the 14-acre Hart Plaza where large evocative sculptures are on display. Beside the Plaza is the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, the very first, and still active, vehicular tunnel in the world, connecting Detroit and Windsor, Canada.  And beside the tunnel is the elegant GM Renaissance Center.

dramatic sculpture at the center of Hart Plaza

Our next stop was Hitsville USA in the Motown Historical Museum. Going there we passed through streets of old, dilapidated abandoned homes, sometimes with facades torn off, many filled with garbage. It is estimated that there are about 12,000 such homes in Detroit. The city’s population has dwindled, from close to 2 million, to less than 800,000. While certain areas have been renovated, giving Detroit a fresh new look in some areas, the spectacle of rows of abandoned homes was quite unnerving.

Motown Historical Museum and Hitsville USA

To join a tour of Hittsville USA,  we had to stand in line. The empire Berry Gordy built from the Motown sound he created together with Smoky Robinson, Marvin Gaye, etc. consisted originally of 8 homes on West Grand Boulevard (also known as Berry Gordy Boulevard). Only four of the homes still stand, two of which are used for the Museum and tour. Although it was exciting to listen to their rags to riches stories, we liked the Sun Studios tour in Memphis more because bits of the original recordings were being played while the story was being told. At the end, anyone can have his photo taken with memorabilia.

Then we went on to look for the World’s Largest Tire, a Uniroyal weighing 12 tons and standing 80 feet tall. We finally found it, after a couple of tries, on Interstate 94 between Highways 39 and 2.  It first served as a ferris wheel in the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair then transferred to this current location at Allen Park in 1966.  And as you turn into 24, the arrows will lead you to another empire, the one built by Henry Ford. There we found the Automotive Hall of Fame, the Henry Ford Museum with its Ford plant tour, and the family-oriented Greenwich Village.

 

daredevil ride at Red Bud Trail Speedway

We then proceeded to Bear Cave Resort on the other side of the Michigan thumb for another week of rest before we proceed to Bill’s 50^th HS reunion in Pittsburg, Kansas. Now this is a unique campground. There is a real cave within the premises. And at the far end of the a waterfall, albeit small. And here’s another unique feature: about a mile from the campground entrance is the Red Bud Speedway, a motocross race track. You can hear the whirrrrr of the ‘cycles all day during weekends!

Devil Slide on Mount Tom

Mount Baldy

We also went to the Indiana Dunes (not Jones) National Lakeshore. All of 15,000 acres and 25 miles of shoreline, the national park is the result of the glacial deposits that also created Lake Michigan. It is unique with lovely beaches, marshes, and ‘mountains’. Mount Tom with the devil slide is 192 feet tall while Mount Baldy, his greens nearly gone), is 149 feet. And you can see the Chicago skyline from there. On the other side is the city’s power plant and breakwaters. And some Century Progress Homes still remained from a real estate development trial on the Michigan shores.

one of 5 remaining Century Progress Homes

Gerald Ford Presidential Museum and Berry Ford Garden

Then we made a special trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan to visit The Presidential Museum and Library of Gerald Ford, 38^th president of the US, is not imposing but lovely.  The beautiful Betty Ford garden is a labor of love of a master gardener, Connie Shell. At the far side of the museum is the burial site of the Fords (Gerald and Betty) where the greens are carefully maintained. Another nice place to visit in Grand Rapids is the Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. It is all of 130 acres filled with almost 300 sculptures, one of which is the production into reality of the da Vinci horse sketch.   

 

iconic symbol of the University of Notre Dame

the Mae West HouseCar

But our main reason to camp in Bear Cave is to see Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana, about 20 minutes away and the RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana, another 20 minutes away. Notre Dame is a great campus but the big surprise is the RV Hall of Fame. It had 55 RVs dating from the early 1900s! Even Mae West's Housecar was there! It was so nice to see the history of luxury camping through the different models from the time the wagon was hitched to a horse or a trailer to a Model T!

Airstream Ranch with 7 old models on display and new onew running on the highway!

And the never-ending honeymoon continues! Fulltime rving is making it last forever! .

OLA: Loving Ottawa, Toronto, and Niagara, Ontario!

Bill and Carol relaxing at Raymond and Marissa's penthouse balcony
with a view of the Toronto skyline...Highlight of our Ontario Visit1

There are four equally exciting faces to the province of Ontario: a government hub, a unique rural town, a modern metropolitan center, and a top tourist spot. It was an unforgettable week in this part of Canada.

Changing of the Guards at Parliament Hill every 10 AM

Ottawa, the Government Hub

the river view of the Parliament in Ottawa

I had not included Ottawa in our itinerary and Bill questioned that. So we decided to make a small diversion and spend a day there. And are we glad we did! Ottawa is the government hub of Canada. At Parliament Hill one can witness, every 10 AM, the colorful changing of the guards like they do at Buckingham Palace. The fine architecture and beauty of the government edifices on the hill give Canada the aura a well-governed country.

the Canada War Memorial in Ottawa

 Close to Parliament Hill is the Canada War Memorial, a fitting tribute to all war heroes, from WWI to the present. I commented to Bill, and he agreed, that the memorial is beautiful and perfectly sized…not gigantic nor puny, just right. At the back of Parliament Hill is the Canadian Centre for the Performing Arts, an iconic glass-accented building with the surprising spider sculpture at its back. And across the street stands the beautiful Basilique de Notre Dame.

Carol and her play spider...in front of the Canada Performing Arts Centre

Carol and the big mosquito

Lakefield, the Rural Town

We were camped at the Galvin Bay Resort in Lakefield, Ontario. Bill had fun at the Thursday Farmers’ Market, bringing home a huge round loaf of cornbread, a dozen excellent chocolate macaroons that didn’t last long, and a jar of chipotle hummus. Coming into town he spotted a house with three huge wooden mosquitoes fashioned out of tree branches and wood, promoting their tree services. And we were floored that, only about 20 miles from the campground and still at Peterborough County, is the highest lift lock in the world. We even chanced upon a cruise boat lifted up and brought down!

the highest lift lock in the world, lifting a river boat, in Lakefield, Ontario

the imposing Toronto City Hall

Toronto the Metropolitan Center

With a population of 2 million in the city proper and about 9 million in the SMSA, Toronto is Canada’s biggest city. It offers everything: St. Lawrence Market that almost equals Granville Market in Vancouver, the CN Tower, tallest tower in the world (featuring plexiglass for part of the flooring so one can see through to the far bottom), a public library that features a wading pool and waterfall inside, an ultra modern City Hall, the Hockey International Hall of Fame, an underground city, a Harborfront Centre with a nice boardwalk, and an expo of the 1927 Toronto World Fair together with the Muzik Garden.

Raymond's red BMW convertible, top down!!!

Carol caught in  hockey!

But the highlight of our stay was our visit with Raymond and Marissa Pineda, colleagues from the Institute of Advanced Computer Technology in Manila. He is a partner at Deloitte Consulting, in charge of the business analytics practice area. They now have downsized from an 8,000 square foot home to a 2,200 square foot penthouse on Yongge St. , the longest street in the world, right in the middle of the metropolis. They brought us to a great brunch at the Boiler Room of the dazzling  Distillery District.

Carol with the Star at Toronto's The Beaches

We also spent the lazy Sunday afternoon at The Beaches where an International Jazz Festival was being held. (By the way, Raymond drove us around with his red BMW convertible, top down!).  After this, we went to their penthouse for high tea, more of visiting, a game of squabble, and picture taking at their balcony where the view of the Toronto skyline is spectacular. We also met their children, Dennis and Angelique, talented and good-looking and respectful and affectionate to their parents. Raymond and Marissa, married for 27 years, are highly successful on both the personal and professional fronts.

at Raymond and Marissa's penthouse terrace with a view of the Toronto skyline!

view of the two falls from Prospect Point at the American side

Niagara, the Top Tourist Spot

But a visit to Ontario would not be complete without a stop at one of the world’s best natural attractions, the Niagara Falls. Bill had not seen the great falls. I had twice before, the last one being 15 years ago. So I had not seen the improvements made on the American side, especially Prospect Point that juts out for a spectacular view of the American and Horseshoe Falls together. Even a nice restaurant, the Top of the Falls, has been added to Therapin Point where a commanding view of Horseshoe Falls is available, except when the mist rising out of the thunder of falls is at its peak.

the American Falls from Therapin Point on the American side

Horseshoe Falls by day

But the view of Horseshoe Falls is still best at the Canadian side. At night a great light show on both falls kept Bill and I twiddling around with the camera and tripod settings for hours! Shopping for souvenirs is also great and we found so many nice bargains. Our hotel was also a bargain and the Filipina manager upgraded us to their best room (we came on slow days, Monday to Wednesday) which features the heart-shaped Jacuzzi inside a couple’s room. Too bad our stay didn’t coincide with our anniversary!

Horseshoe Falls by night

We were given the chance to experience the many faces of Ontario. And we feel very blessed. The only thing wrong, the only fly in the ointment?  We couldn’t find a ref magnet of Ontario for our collection! May I just say… the memory is forever etched in our hearts, anyway! So there!

love in a tub at our Niagara hotel

OLA: Getting a Bit of Europe in Quebec!

the Montmercy Falls in Borough de Saint anne de Beauprex near Quebec City

There was was a long queue of huge RVs at the border between Maine and Quebec…of Americans spending summer in Canada, like us, and of Canadians returning home from winter in Florida. We were in good company getting into the province! And we did get a little bit of Europe, France to be specific, in  Quebec: Quebec City, Montreal and the smaller towns of Cooticook, Compton, and Sherbrook! But the street signs were all in French (without English counterparts in Quebec City!) I had to review my halting French!

the walls of the Walled City of Quebec

Falling in Love with Quebec City!

Vieux Quebec, Old Quebec, is a World Heritage Site. Much of it has been preserved and restored, including the Walls around the City. It is divided into Upper and Lower Towns. At the Lower Town is the Place Royale, the old plaza around the Chapelle du Notre Dame. The Old Port now serves the ferries that give people a view of the beautiful city from the St. Lawrence River. The old commercial district has been converted into Rue de Petits des Champlains, rows of shops that call out to you with creative things. And at the end is a ‘frescoe’, a mural that looks so real it extends the shops even further!

amazing fresco at the end of the Rue de les Petits Champlains in Quebec City

Chateau Frontenac, quebec City icon

You can either walk the steps to go from Lower to Upper Town but there is a charming ‘funiculaire’ that you can ride on, with a spectacular view! You board at one of the shops on the lower level and exit on the upper level  to the beautiful scene that the Chateau Frontenac, an iconic sight of Quebec City, makes. Bill and I had lunch at Chic Shack where our seats faced the Chateau and the statue of Champlain, the founder of the city. That is also where we had the real poutine, the way Gretchen said it should be, with all the trimmings!

wonderful poutine quebecois

Basilique de Notre Dame in Quebec City

From the Chateau is a short walk to the Basilique du Notre Dame where a pretty wedding was being held. At the little Place (Plaza) in front are merrymakers entertaining crowds of tourists. All along the sidewalks, at the sides of the rows of quaint restaurants, are little places where paintings and drawings by local artists were displayed and sold. We did not go to the Citadel for we knew nothing of Canadian history and were pressed for time. We did not even go to museums. But we took in all that the French ambience offers.

Basilique de la Saint Anne de Beauprex

Instead we went to a suburb of Quebec City, Borough de Saint Anne de Beauprex, a good twenty minutes away. The Basilique de la Saint Anne de Beauprex is at the center of the town, together with a Cyclorama de Jerusalem and a Museum dedicated to St. Anne. The Basilique is enchanting with its marvelously crafted exterior façade and the exquisite ceiling and altar inside. The Cyclorama is a well done attempt to portray the whole of Jerusalem at the time Jesus was being crucified at Golgotha. 

Cyclorama de Jerusalem

And between Quebec City and the suburb is a waterfall higher than Niagara. It was amazing that so close to an urban city center is the beauty of a huge waterfall! I must say…Quebec City is awesome! Bill and I could easily go back one day.  In fact, the DUs may consider it for a future reunion.

Basilique de Notre Dame in Montreal

Making a Scene in Montreal

We did not mean to but we did make a scene in Montreal. Our day of sightseeing began just like before. We went immediately to our first priority, the Notre Dame Basilica in Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal) with the statue of Jacques Cartier, the city’s founder. It was the first basilica that charged for admission. In quiet protest I let Bill get inside and take pictures while I just sat at its the front steps, admiring the line of multi-colored carriages waiting for tourists to parade around town (Canadian $48).

Bill thinking about food at Tim Horton's in Montreal

Then we had a quick lunch at Tim Hortons, Canada’s biggest fast food chain, it’s like Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonalds, and Starbucks combined! The Information Touristique is just nearby and they gave us a plan of attack to take on the city’s best. We went to the rest of the  Vieux’s attractions: Marche se Bonsecours, the Rue des Artistes, the Place le Jacques Cartier, the Vieux Port, and the City Hall. Then Bill got the car from his 2-hour parking slot.

Old Port of Montreal

And as he saw me, waiting for him in front of the City Hall, the car suddenly stopped. Opening the hood and finding no clue, he pushed the car to the side of the street as I steered. Soon the car became a part of many tourists’ photograph of the Hall! It was stuck there for 45 minutes, as we sipped cool iced tea at a nearby café, waiting for the towing service of the Good Sam network. Thus we made a scene until the truck came, mercifully extricating the pimple on the City Hall beauty.

our little Saturn being towed out of the road in front of the Montreal City Hall

our little Saturn at Midas in Montreal

The car, and us, were towed to Laval, Quebec, where a Midas branch was located. Unfortunately, 5PM rolled by and they could not find the problem. We had to look for a motel nearby. Unluckily, they were all in an area that had a power blackout so we could no longer resist our fate…a pricey hotel downtown. We decided to take on a treat, go to a nearby Italian restaurant, and bask in the comforts of the 4-star hotel.  The next morning, we were poorer by almost $1000, but the car was ready!

our hotel in Laval, Quebec

We went back to our campground in Compton to check out our Rv, M’a ‘turn, then drove out to Ottawa where the manager of the Casselman branch of Canadian Tire said we can park for the night so we can visit the city sights the next day. We sorely missed the Biodome, the Olympic Village, the Biosphere, and the Underground City in Montreal but what can we do? A newer car would be a nice treat!

Postscript

highest suspension walking bridge in the world

But I should also tell you about Bill’s discovery one afternoon he ventured out on his own as I was ensconced in my online scrabble games:  the highest suspended walking bridge in the world (50 m high x 169 m long) in Coaticook, 7 miles away and the little version of Niagara and the Lighted Walkway in the town of Sherbrook just an hour away. The province of Quebec is really spectacular!

Sherbrook's little Niagara and lighted walk

OLA: Rounding Out Our Canadian Swing .....with Jim and Carol Thiesing

beautiful fields of rape seed and potatoes in Prince Edward Island

We had spent a few nights at the beautiful home of Jim and Carol Thiesing in South Carolina last April as we were winding up along the East Coast. Just as we had come to Nova Scotia together, we also planned on spending a few more days at Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick plus a quick look at the phenomenon at the Bay of Fundy via Amherst, Nova Scotia.

The Beauty of Prince Edward Island

ferry ride to Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island was a short 40-minute ferry ride from Pictou near Antigonish. Actually, the group of Jack and Joy, John and Roxanne, and Gretchen went on the same ferry with us in another car, but their itinerary was a little different from ours. But the ride was fun and quite an experience for me!

birthplace of Canada

Charlottetown is the capital of PEI and the birthplace of the Canadian nation. On July 1, 1864 a meeting of representatives from Nova Scotia, New Foundland, PEI, Quebec, and Ontario was held to discuss the confederation of the provinces into one Canada. It was held at the Assembly Hall in the xxxx, much like Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It should not be confused with the Founders’ Hall, a museum erected on the site of the disembarkation from the ship Queen Vitoria of the first settlers.

at Lobster on the Wharf, Charlottetown, Priince Edward Island

But what we really enjoyed that night was whole steamed lobsters, 1 lb each for the two Carols, and a pound and a half each for the gentlemen, right out on the deck of Lobster on the Wharf. And, actually, before that we meandered around the board walk and were fascinated by the crafts stores and happily surprised by a beautiful wedding at the beautiful  Basilique of St. dunstan between the wharf and the Assembly Hall. Bill even found a “Carol’s House” for the ladies!

the nice wool sweater company Carol found

After a night in Charlottetown, we proceeded the following morning to the town of Cavendish.  In North Rustico, just before reaching our destination, Carol T directed us to a wool shop she had found in an advertisement. There I finally found a pretty woolen hat to replace the alpaca one I bought from the Blue Ridge Parkway store (which accidentally found its way into a washing machine and dryer, shrinking into a baby’s cap!) Thanks a million, Carol!!!

the Green Gables home

great find at the Green Gables Store

Cavendish is the birthplace of L. Montgomery who wrote some 20 novels (Anne of Green Gables is the most well- known)and 500 short stories. The house, where her grandparents lived, is well preserved. The Haunted Trail and the Lovers’ Lane, which she wrote about, are such lovely walking trails. The Museum of Green Gables, on the other hand, is the home of the Campbells, the author’s aunt and uncle, where she spent many nights growing up. The whole area has been named the PEI National Park.

the Anne of Green Gables Museum

red sandy shores of Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is a beautiful place. We found rolling acres of beautiful fields of rape seed alternating with flowering potato fields, creating a nice palette of yellow and green and white. Just imagine the pretty picture they made with the river and the quaint homes along it. As if that wasn’t enough, the charm of PEI oozed out even more as we drove to its red sandy shores and the red cliffs that surround her beaches. All four of us agreed that we could have spent more time there.

The Wonder of Nature in Nova Scotia

30 minutes after and almost all the markers are gone

Amherst, Nova Scotia is at the northern tip of the Bay of Fundy. There are many spots where we could witness the world’s highest (up to 50 ft) tidal swings but Jim chose the place because it was also the site of the fossil caves research center. We went at 7:45 PM right at the middle of the coming of the tide. We settled ourselves at a spot and then watched, as our favorite post, stone, or other marker, kept disappearing the hour we were there. We must have seen a total increase of 5 feet! Thanks Jim for this great experience!

McLobsters in the McDonalds of Eastern Canada!

Amherst, Nova Scotia is also the place where the Thiesings brought me to a rather unique place! McDonalds in the northeast serves McLobsters! Even at $9 it was a good deal…restaurants have them for $13-19 each, depending on the sides.  Wish these McDonalds are not that unique! Thanks  to the Thiesings for introducing them to me. We even saw Subway advertising Atlantic lobsters!

even Subway serves lobsters in Prince Edward Island!

The Coastal Towns of New Brunswick

The road down to Bangor, Maine is through New Brunswick which we just whizzed by on the way up. This time around we meandered into a trio of coastal towns, St. Martins, St. John, and St. Andrews.

duo of sea caves at high tide in St. Martins, New Brunswick

St. Martins is the gateway to the Bay of Fundy National Park. Its main attraction is the duo of sea caves which, at low tide, you can walk to! It also has 2 covered bridges which, at a good angle, can be photographed together with the lighthouse.  For a little village it has quite a selection of beautiful homes by the sea that are now mostly for sale. The two craft stores by the little harbor also gave us an intro to collecting rocks, a good thing to do when it is low tide as the water reveals a wealth of them such as multi-colored beach hearts and those with white lines, one of which bring tremendous luck!

Trinity Anglican Church at Trinity Royal, New Brunswick

St. John, the biggest of the three towns, is mostly industrialized. Its board walk is small and filled with restaurants. After lunch at the Peppers Pub, we proceeded to the City Market which is a little version of Granville in Vancouver. Its claim to fame is the design of the ceiling…an upturned ship! The old Trinity Anglican Church at the Trinity Royal, St. John’s 20-block historical heart, was also a sight to behold. It dates back to the 1789. Its bell tower and steeple rise to a majestic 210 feet!. Then Carol T and I had fun with the cartoon characters that sat by a bench in a small park.

romantic bathhouse on Minister's Island

The best kept secret of St. Andrews is fascinating Covenhagen on Minister’s Island, a 690-acre island off St. Andrews, accessible at low tide by a wide gravel bar suitable for vehicular travel. Covenhagen was built in 1891 by van Horne, an American from Illinois who was contracted to oversee the construction of the Trans Canada Railway.  It is a solid mansion with 17 rooms with so many others on the island:  a kerosene engine that pumped the water into the house, a Bath House that leads to the rocky beach out of which a swimming pool was literally carved, and a big barn with a creamery beside it. 

  

access to Minister's Island almost gone

Also at the town is the only remaining blockhouse, a defense station, at the beach. Though charmingly inviting, our Canadian swing with the Thiesings has come to an end! We were excited to see our new flooring, spend a day on Mount Desert Island before continuing on to complete our Canadian cruise. Quebec and Ontario, here we come (Alberta, BC, and the Yukon were in 2009)!