WOW: Becoming an American, Part 1

This post will come in 2 parts.

Taos Pueblo, a thousand years old and a World Heritage Site

This is Part 1.When I voted in the last US presidential elections in 2012, I was completely amazed at the whole process. It was convenient but, most of all, it was trusted by the people, so unlike how it is in the Philippines. The fascination with America I was born with is definitely not misplaced! After 10 years here, as in the Nat King Cole song “Fascination”, that fascination has turned into love. I just love the public library system. Though not a federal system, each county, save a couple, freely opened its doors to us and gave us library cards even if we would only be in the area for a few weeks. It was almost like that in community centers nationwide where we were able to use facilities such as swimming pools, fitness centers, etc. Public buses and commuter trains ply an extensive network of roads and rails that makes travel easy and affordable.

Desert View of the Grand Canyon, at the East Rim

Montezuma Castle National Monument

The National Parks System that preserves the natural beauty of America for future generations to come has no equal in the world. Through Bill’s Senior Golden Pass which he bought for $10 (I now have one, too, since I turned 62), we have visited, for free, 29 of 49 National Parks. We have also been to 82 National Monuments and National Historical Sites and both national parkways: Blue Ridge and Natchez Trace. I have probably seen more of America’s geography than the average American could ever have (the average is 10 states, according to the US Travel Challenge), and much more than what reading about them could ever do!

West Point 

From the southernmost point in Key West, Florida, to the centermost in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, to almost the northernmost point in Fairbanks, Alaska, and from the easternmost in Bangor, Maine to the almost westernmost also in Fairbanks, Alaska, I traveled through the forty-nine continental United States of America with Bill. And we have both been to Hawaii, albeit at different times. Our wanderings have given us memories of picturesque pretty places that are not even part of the national parks service. Such memories will stay with us till we can no longer walk and are just able to reminisce.

Old North Chutch in Boston

I was lucky to have been awarded a 6-year (junior and senior high school) scholarship at the American School (now International School) in the Philippines in 1961. There I learned more of American history and missed the chance, actually, to learn about the history of my own country. But the story of America came alive as we traveled around the country. It became most intense when we got to the northeast where the colonies dared to fight for its independence from Britain, the southeast where deep division in the country raged In a Civil War not even a hundred years from its independence, and the southwest with its indigenous past well preserved interlaced with the influences of the Spanish colonization, just like the Philippines.

Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the
Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were signed 

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We have been to thirty of the forty-four American Presidents’ homes, tombs, and/or presidential libraries and museums! We have also been to the homes of many famous men, heroes, characters larger than life, founders of enduring institutions, pioneers, and dutiful first ladies, who helped shape American history. And when I visited institutions like the US Congress, the Supreme Court, and the White House or the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, I felt a surge of patriotism I never felt before when I was just a tourist visiting these places.

Joe Louis's fist immortalized

We even came ‘face to face’ with cultural icons, religious leaders, examples of men who had their American dreams fulfilled, and even celebrities in the sports and entertainment worlds. My future as a fledgling writer was encouraged by visits to the homes/tombs of famous authors. We visited factories and/or headquarters of products made in America and noble institutions that serve the world, borne out of American excellence and innovation.  Some institutions are housed in world-renowned, unique, or historical architecture, some of them among the tallest, biggest, longest, etc. in the world. We even found unique museums and went to places where events I had only seen on TV are held. I began to take great pride.

Plymouth Rock, with the year 1620 inscribed

I also met the people of America and learned about American culture. Steeped in sixty years of an Asian upbringing, including several years in Seattle while I was teaching and baby-sitting huddled with my family, I was thrust into an almost totally white community of RVers. I met a handful of African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American couples. As a matter of fact, we met more Caucasian Europeans and Canadians. The Economist reports that visits to national parks have plateaued and they are beginning to court Asian-Americans to become part of the American outdoors. In other words, I did not see much of the real demographic of present-day America, much less what it will be in 2050 when Caucasians will be the minority!

with Ricky and Mega @ Martha's Vineyard

Freedom Tower in Miami

And so I missed the kind of camaraderie I left in the Philippines. There was not a lot of noise; there was, in fact, a lot of being alone. Caucasians are not as clannish as Filipinos so I increasingly felt isolated. There was even no continuity in the few friendships we built because we are all, after  brief encounter in a campground, far-flung from each other.America may no longer be a melting pot. Perhaps, when the first waves of immigration from Europe came, the lines between the Scots and the Irish and the British were more readily rendered porous, even when the Italians and Germans and Swedes came in a second wave. But when African-Americans were granted their freedom, Asian-Americans arrived, and Hispanics from Mexico and Cuba crossed the borders, the atmosphere changed. As a matter of fact, intermarriages for Caucasians are highest with Native Americans. The question, ‘Who is an American?’ was easier to answer before. There is now not one American look, one American voice, or one American dream for America has become a microcosm of the world.

Wow: Picking our Top 10s from Our Travels!

we have chosen the city of Phoenix as our winter haven

Bill and I have been to 49 American states cruising in an RV. This January, while I am finishing my book and Bill is helping his son finish his office building, we agreed to vote on our Top 10s! Often we have been asked the question, ‘What are the best places you’ve seen?’ As usual, I developed a matrix to make our final selections. Most of the criteria centered on three: things to see, places to eat, and things to do.  We voted independently, in separate states, may I add, combined our scores electronically, and came up with the following lists:

Top 10 States to Visit

1.       Arizona

2.       Pennsylvania
3.       New York

4.       Massachusetts

5.       Maine

6.       California

7.       Florida

8.       Virginia

9.       North Carolina

10.     New Mexico

Obviously, we love history and nature!

Top 5 National Parks

1.       Yosemite National Park

2.       Grand Tetons National Park

3.       Glacier National Park

4.       Great Smokey Mountain National Park

5.       Yellowstone National Park

6.       Acadia National Park

In 19 years, Glacier will have lost all its glaciers, so this list will become 5!

Top 5 SMSAs to Live in as a Winter Haven

1.       Phoenix

2.       Tampa

3.       Orlando

4.       Tucson

5.       San Diego

That is why we are snow birding in Phoenix!

Top 5 SMSAs to Live in As a Summer Haven

1.       San Francisco

2.       Seattle

3.       New York City

4.       Boston

5.       Philadelphia

We left our heart in San Francisco

Top 5 SMSAx to Live in Year-Long

1.       San Diego

2.       Las Vegas

3.       Savannah

4.       Albuquerque

5.       Phoenix

You will notice that Phoenix made two lists and Arizona even made it to the top states list so we have decided to make the city our winter haven for Stage 4 and just make trips to other parts of the world or visits to our kids and siblings from there. It may even be our eventual Stage 5 (nesting) home!

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: Saving the Best for 'Last'

the von Trapps whose love story inspired  the Sound of Music
reestablished their family lodge among the hills of Stowe, Vermont

We came down from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick in Canada back to Bangor, Maine to pick up our RV from Webb’s RV.  They had been changing our flooring from carpet to wood laminate. That gave us the chance, at last, to visit Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island, an hour and a half from Webb’s, which they say is the best of Maine!  

Mount Desert Island of Maine

Jackson Laboratory on Mount Desert Island

Bill was in the vicinity 51 years ago when he, together with 28 other high school students  from all over the country, were awarded a  6-week grant from the National Science Foundation to work at Jackson Laboratory on the island. Bill remembers that the pier was where they bought whole live lobsters for a quarter or a large bucket of steamed clams in the restaurant for $1.50 (hamburgers were about $3). Bar Harbor has now turned into a huge tourist area! 

beautiful Bar Harbor

But the main draws really are Acadia National Park in the eastern half of Mt. Desert Island and the beautiful harbor with many small islands.  It was too bad that the day we went there was low-level fog so many of the sights were not picture perfect. The Sand Beach is the only area in the Park that is sandy and the notice read…Swimming, only for the hardy! The water is usually in the low 50’s and with the air temperature in the low 70s, you would not see me even dip a toe! But there was the hardy, frolicking in the cold water.

Sand Beach

Thunder Hole is the hole that thunderously roars as the waves come rushing to its rocks, making the hole a little bigger each time. We were there on low tide and the waves were not as big as they can be. Still, it was a loud cry of the lonely seas. Then we had lots of fun posing atop different rocks, courting a fall from an unbalanced pose. But Bill was there; forever ready to be my knight in shining armor! 

Bill at Thunder Hole, braving it all for my photo!!!

 

Next, we hiked a mile to Otter Cliff, America’s highest coastal drop. Again, the photos taken were 

of a risky nature, but fun. But we were so disappointed that the low fog came even lower and masked the beautiful postcard scenery of Jordan Pond with the North and South Bubble (hills) at the background. But we were fortunate that it cleared some when we got to picturesque Bubble Pond.

Yes, that's me...at Otter Cliff

The coup de gras is Cadillac Mountain. Standing at almost 5000 feet, it gave us a view of Mt. Desert Island. However, winds of 25 knots or more prevented me from enjoying the scenery. As usual, the braver of us two had more of the fun.  Acadia National Park is truly a national treasure. Acadia comes from an extended meaning of the ancient Greek name "Arcadia", meaning "refuge" or "idyllic place".  

atop Cadillac Mountain, the highest point in Acadia

    

Montpelier and Nearby Communities of Vermont

From Maine, we drove our RV, M’a ‘turn, to Camping du Compton to start our tour of Quebec and Ontario. But first, we took a day trip to the last state we have not visited on the East Coast, Vermont. Its capital, Montpelier, is only 2 hours away. The officer at the border laughed when Bill said we were going for some scoops of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream at its Factory. But that was an incredible truth… 4 hours of driving for the best ice cream in America.

Green Mountain Cafe

At the Green Mountain Coffee Café (a restored railroad station) we had a light lunch of spinach pie and broccoli cheddar quiche along with a taste of coconut-infused coffee. Bill finally chose to bring home the raspberry truffle coffee from a huge selection of the famous brand.  The Stowe Magazine on the cashier’s counter chronicled the attractions of nearby villages. We found three intriguing places to visit.

Ben and Jerry had our dessert waiting for us! I had 2 scoops of Chocolate Therapy, the most wicked chocolate ice cream I have ever had, filled with chunks of chocolate pudding and crumbles of chocolate cookie. If there was death by chocolate, this was it! Bill had the famous Cherry Garcia, cherry ice cream with chunks of cherries and fudge flakes, quite refreshing compared to my sinful pick.

chocolate therapy: the best chocolate ice cream I have ever tasted!

Then we found Cabot Creamery, makers of “the best cheddar cheese in the world.”   Bill questions this advertising claim. His loyalty is to Tillamook from the west coast factory. They had a tasting table of about 20 different kinds of cheeses, from 75 % reduced-fat cheddar to vintage, New York, Vermont, Adirondack, etc., mild and sharp, Monterrey and Jack, jalapeno, and habanero cheddars.  I finally found a 50% reduced-fat sharp cheddar…I had been missing cheese a lot.

Cabot Creamery's tasting table

Then we went to where the hills are alive. The famous von Trapps left Salzburg in 1950 to recreate their lovely Austrian lodge in the hills of Stowe.  All 2,500 rolling acres are filled with time-share villas, country club, bakery and brewery, green meadows, and wonderful trails. Maria and the Baron had 3 children, in addition to the 7 he already had. The youngest, Johannes, is now taking care of the family estate.

Trapp Family Lodge at Stowe, Vermont

But the best find from the magazine is the Hope Cemetery at Barre, where granite sculptures and inscriptions therein celebrate the legacies of the interred. There was a large soccer ball, dice cube, biplane, and convertible, a woman coddling her love on his deathbed, and great replicas of the Pieta, dual pyramids, and Roman columns. But my favorite is the couple in jammies, whose tombs are their beds, holding hands saying to each other, ‘Set me as a seal upon thine heart for love is strong as death.’ For a detailed Vermont itinerary, check out the Backpack and Snorkel travel guide.

'Love is as strong as death' says the couple, holding hands
in their jammies with their tombs as their bed

The best of Maine and Vermont will be difficult to forget. But the second half of our Canadian tour beckons. And may I add that our new wood laminate flooring is sooooo coooool! This is truly having the best for last!

Loving the Lighthouses, Lobsters, Beaches & LLBean of Maine OLA

LLBean, the company that grew from making boots, on its 100th anniversary! 

Well, finally we reached the last state of the Eastern coast of the US this blistering summer of 2012. I thought it was quite smart for us to be here at this time. But we still got caught in the web of the record heat wave. We had 90s in Maine for several days!  Good thing Maine is blessed with a long coastline (3,500 miles), second only to Florida in the Atlantic coast..

Ogunquit Beach, Maine

We brought M'a 'turn to Webb RV in Bangor, Maine for a redo of our flooring (strip it of its old carpet and replace with wood laminate tiles). We pick it up when we return from Bill’s reunion with high school buddies in Nova Scotia in Canada. Then we visit Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park and pass through northern Vermont on the way to Quebec and Ontario in Canada.

the Portsmouth Light, most photographed lighthouse
 in the Atlantic Coast

Lighthouses

We have been taking pictures of many lighthouses ever since they first caught our attention at the Outer Banks. And why not when they always carry the aura of romance? Even if their bright beacon lights and eerie sounding foghorns no longer have quite the significance they had in this day and age of the GPS, their distinctive figures still strike a commanding pose against the sky, the sea, and the land. So they continue to evoke the drama of their pasts each time, all over again.

Nubble Lighthouse

Maine has such a jagged coastline that more than 60 lighthouses dot its coast, starting at the south with the well-known Nubble Light in York, one of the most photographed lighthouses because it sits elegantly in a nubble of rocks. Going north, Kennebunkport has the Goat Island Lighthouse. It took us quite a while to find the Wood Island Lighthouse at Biddeford Pool.  But we finally got a view of it from a little park where the bell that it once had stands together with a memorial to its light keepers over time.  

Portland Observatory

At Portland is the oldest and most photographed lighthouse in the east coast, the Portland Head Light. Downtown also features the only existing maritime tower, the Portland Observatory, that was used to warn ships. Then there are four other lighthouses in Cape Elizabeth. Two are in Two Lights Road strangely amidst residential homes. One of them was ostensibly used as a lighthouse before, while the other one never got commissioned. Then nearer the harbor are Halfway Rock and Ram Island Ledge.  

Long Beaches

pretty beach at low tide in Ogunquit

Maine beaches come in various sizes and shapes. White sands cover much of the southern coast, like the other Atlantic beaches down south. As you go north, they begin to just dot the coastline because the beaches become rockier. The coastline becomes more jagged with many pretty little coves.  Perkins Cove with its Marginal Way gave Bill nice hikes with awesome vistas, much like Cliff Walk in Newpoirt, Rhode Island. It is very near our campground, Moody Beach Resorts.

at Perkin's Cove...

And there’s Ocean Avenue that hugs the Ogunquit and Wells beaches, lined by pretty vacation cottag4es, sometimes on both sides in the midst of acres of salt marshes. At low tide, the boats are pretty lying in wait for the next high tide to come. Parking is cramped so you can pretty much take a trolley for $1 to your favorite destination.  The beaches offer  refreshing dips with lots of rocks for playing, unique stores for shopping, and eateries for the freshest of seafood to go, cooked or fresh.

sweet, succulent lobster at Kennebunk wharf in Maine

Lobsters

lobster roll with fix-ins at LLBean

I fell in love with the certified Maine Lobster, succulent and sweet, especially if done just right (crabs used to be my favorite). Beginning in Massachusetts we have seen Lobster Rolls being advertised often. So we had our first such order at an outlying pier of Kennebunkport. For $12, it was a lot of lobster, mostly the prized claw meat, wedged between the two bends of a slice of bread. Wow! We thought a lobster roll was like a chicken salad sandwich!. No sireeeee…it was pure lobster joy!  So I ordered one again at LLBean in Freeport, Maine and also at Sea Dog Bar and Grille in Bangor, Maine.

Sea Dog lobster roll

Lobstering in Maine is worth more than $300 million a year to its 6,000 licensed lobstermen.   2011 was a record catch of over a 100 million pounds. The is a model of a well-managed sustainable fishery program. Only two species of lobsters are of commercial importance: H. americanus, found mostlyin the Gulf of Maine and H. gammarus, the European lobster, found along the western European coast. They have five sets of legs, including a pair of large, meat-filled claws. The world’s largest lobster was caught in 1977 in Nova Scotia, Canada, weighing over 44 pounds and measuring almost four feet long. 

locked moose, preserved as they were caught with each other,
at LLBean Flagship Store in Freeport, Maine

Other Interesting Points 

Fortunately, Maine has diversified from just tourism and fishing. We visited the well-known LLBean, a quality outdoor apparel manufacturer that grew from a boot maker to a large corporation that is celebrating its 100 years anniversary this year. With its flagship store in Freeport, Maine, the town has grown to be a shopping mecca. An outlet mall and almost all brands have branches there. I had a heyday shopping because everything was at a sizeable discount for the 4^th of July weekend sale!

Tom's of Maine at Kennebunk

The other well-known Maine personal care products manufacturer is Tom’s of Maine, manufacturer of natural organic-based toothpaste, soap, etc. When I was teaching business in Seattle Community College, I used it as a case study many times as an example of a successful niche strategy. However, it did not offer tours of its plant headquarters in Sanford, Maine. But we found a good outlet of its products in Kennebunk where it also had its corporate offices.

the George H. W. Bush estate in Kennebunk, Maine

But the most interesting for me was seeing the beautiful George H. W. Bush estate, jutting out from Kennebunkport, Maine.The northeasternmost state of the US is truly spectacular. and we haven’t even seen Acadia and Bar Harbor yet! There are a lot of dramatic things to see:  long sandy and rocky beaches with pretty little coves and awesome vistas, island-dotted bays, and harbors filled with ships, camera-worthy lighthouses of all sizes and locations, and all the fresh lobster you can eat!