Our second trip into Canada was not as interesting as seeing Niagara Falls - It will be the most memorable! This time when we entered Canada - it was in a car verses our first entry and exit being in the motorhome. As we approached the customs - no military (contractors). I asked to have our passports stamped for coming into Canada as a reminder. We were planning on visiting Montreal, Quebec, and Ottawa. Well so much for the best laid plans of mice and men. The lady customs agent says with the most serious of faces and says you will have to go in to the immigrations counter. Once they are done with you remind them to ask for the stamp. OK, this is different - but rules change. So we go in - there are six individuals sitting there. four woman and two guys. There is an immigration counter but no one is there. The gentleman at the other end says may I help you? I informed this guy that we wanted a stamp for our passports. He said, we would need to wait for the immigration guy. They are all sitting in their seats like good little puppets socializing with each other. I was informed to have a seat and the immigration guy would be with me. Mean time sits down as I pase back and forth - I've just been sitting for three hours driving there. Joan finds out that this guy next to her has been sitting there for over an hour. He has a business appointment in Montreal. After forty minutes and no one to the immigration counter still socializing with the occasional two minute conversation. I go up and ask to speak to the supervisor. This Capt comes up as somber as the grave and asks if he can help me. I informed him that we were only here for a couple of days and only wanted a stamp on our passport. He informs me that it is a slow process and he only had the one person. This is where I wanted to ask if he knew what cut training was - I didn't! I asked him if I could have his bosses information. About this time the immigration guy shows up and says that he is ready to help me. I found out later that the guy who had the business appointment went back to the states.
Now the fun really begins! I explain to this guy that we just wanted a stamp in our passport and that we had reservations at a resort and we were just passing through for three days. Now remember that Joan & I are experienced individuals in age and traveling. The guy stops me and then starts asking questions about if we had been in Canada, when and how long for. We told him about our trip through Niagara Falls. OK this guy has been matrix trained. No deviation here. After the first round of questions he says we can sit down. About fifteen minutes he calls me up and starts to explain to me that people (Oh wait, Joan walks up since she wants to know as well. He informs her - madam we are having a private conversation and would you have a seat! You know how well that went on). So the guy continues to explain to me that people get their passports stamped that way they claim that they are residence. I live in Florida - Why would I want to live here - their people come to Florida to live. Then he changes gears about terrorists. I tried to explain to him that we understood and that previously when we traveled it was automatically done at the check points. I'm retired from the Air Force and had vacationed throughout Europe. OK, he has me sit down again. We are called up again and the questions asked previously are asked again with some new questions about what I freely had given. And that they didn't know us and that they had to make sure. Mean time we watched commercial individuals walk in walk to the counter. Two minutes later they walk out with no one ensuring what they are bringing in is what they say it is. (Remember Civilian Contractors guarding our borders). To end this portion we waisted two hours there!
So now that we are two and a half hour behind schedule. We start heading towards Quebec. Out Wyndham time share says it is in Quebec. Not that it is in Quebec Providence which incorporates - Montreal, Quebec, and Ottawa. No welcome center - so we head towards Quebec. Finally on the other side of Montreal we find a welcome center. The short version of this conversation is that Wyndham had the wrong zip code and information. The town wasn't even on the map. So, we now had to back track through Montreal rush hour traffic (the traffic didn't bother me - but the trying to find the place in the mountains and dark did). We finally found the resort - pretty nice - not up to the Wyndham standards (RCI). All and all it wasn't bad. The restaurant was still open when we arrived. Definately a four our five star. The problem was that it was French food. When Joan & I were in Monty Carlo back in the 70's we went out to dinner there - it cost $150 and two hours later I was starved again. The food is very rich - to rich for my meat and potatoes. We had some soup and to our place.
OK, so now we are a day behind schedule. The next morning we have a nice breakfast and head to Quebec. Joan wanted to ride the carriage around the old town. That sounded pretty good. It is a four hour drive to Quebec. Buy the time we arrived it was 1230, not bad. The problem is that Joan can't walk to far and the carriages are in the center of old town. So I drive and drive - no place to park and the town is filled with people off of the ship docked there. We did see a lot but not as much as we would have liked to see. I'm sorry Joan!!!
We made up for it on our ride back. I took the river road back and as we came through these small towns you could tell they were Catholic! I have very rarely seen such beautiful church's! These churches weren't just beautiful they were exceptional. Once I get back and able to post our pictures you will be able to see what wonders these churches are. Most churches have one steeple - these each have two.
When we travel, I try to take the secondary roads - even with the motorhome. She ends up going through some very narrow roads. Fortunately this time we had a car. I have to ponder about that. With the Class A motorhome we sit up so much higher we have more of a commanding view. The car may be more maneuverable - it's a tuff desission one you will need to decide for your self.
I didn't tell you that part of this trip to the north was too see the changing of the leaves. Well it has been in the 90's in Canada as well. It finally dropped down to the forty's last night and it is raining out side of our motorhome at present - great heater.
Well till next week as we head to Bangor Maine and St Johns Canada - Have a great weekend and week ahead!!!
Friday, September 29, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
Week 2 of the 2017 trip
We have completed our second week of two months on the road. We are currently at Fort Drum. It is located just north of Watertown. Which is north of Syracuse and south of Quebec and the Canadian border.
We started this week off and the last post as we arrived in the UP of Michigan. In a small town called Gwinn. It is located about five miles south of the old K.I. Sawyer AFB and now Sawyer Airport. It is unbelievable how run down a place can be. Every thing I had ever learned from Embry Riddle is that an airport helps a community grow. It helped a city but not Gwinn. Now Marquette on the other hand that is 26 miles in the opposite direction has exploded. It is remarkable how modern it has become.
So Joan & I drove around the base to see the changes and to see our old houses. The base looks in shambles. My old shop and the rest of the shops of ASB (Aerospase Systems Branch) are all abandoned. Half of the hangars look a mess. The BX and Commisary are abandoned as well. We then found our old house. It is not too bad. Alot of the houses are abandoned and in rack and ruin. All in All it was a pretty bad site.
So, one of my tasks to accomplish while up here was to look up some of my former airmen. To me the best place was the American Legion. That place use to be packed
We started this week off and the last post as we arrived in the UP of Michigan. In a small town called Gwinn. It is located about five miles south of the old K.I. Sawyer AFB and now Sawyer Airport. It is unbelievable how run down a place can be. Every thing I had ever learned from Embry Riddle is that an airport helps a community grow. It helped a city but not Gwinn. Now Marquette on the other hand that is 26 miles in the opposite direction has exploded. It is remarkable how modern it has become.
So Joan & I drove around the base to see the changes and to see our old houses. The base looks in shambles. My old shop and the rest of the shops of ASB (Aerospase Systems Branch) are all abandoned. Half of the hangars look a mess. The BX and Commisary are abandoned as well. We then found our old house. It is not too bad. Alot of the houses are abandoned and in rack and ruin. All in All it was a pretty bad site.
So, one of my tasks to accomplish while up here was to look up some of my former airmen. To me the best place was the American Legion. That place use to be packed
Second post and third week
It has been a walk back in time for the beginning part of week three. Joan & I left the UP (Upper Peninsula) of MI 25 years ago in a motorhome. We arrived back in a motorhome. There are several reasons for our return to the UP. One was for my artsy wife and the changing of the color of the leaves. When it happens - it usually only lasts two weeks. It had started, but With high 80's and low 90's it will take a lot longer. Currently we are in the northern NY with 90's. But I digress!
With the closing of K. I. Sawyer AFB four years after I retired from there. I thought that the local community would really be prospering. Every thing I was ever taught through Embry Riddle said that with an airport the community would prosper - not in this case. The city of Marquette is about 26 miles north of the old base. Their airport moved out to the old base (Sawyer Airport). The city of Marquette has really prospered. It has exploded. The city of Gwinn, which is just down the road from the old base, has went back in time. When I was there one of the most popular places was the American Legion. I wanted to go there to see if there where any of the people I was stationed with there - still leaving there. I went there three separate days just to come across one person who hook me up with one other. Joan has always said that you never go back to where we have previously lived. In this case it is truly accurate.
It was great traveling through the UP. It is a beautiful place. We went with one of Joan's friends who she worked with while in real estate, to a friend of theirs who was extracting the honey from their bee hives. I was able to play with them. After they scrape off the wax - that they use for a multitude of products. Then the racks are placed into a centrafuse to extract the honey. There is nothing like fresh honey.
We finally departed the UP and headed south. Our first stop was to an apple orchard - with fresh apples and apple cider. From there we headed east towards Port Huron and into Canada. It had been over forty years since Joan had been there with her girl friend from London England. The neat part of this was that her friends family came from London Canada. Obviously it is much larger now. There are five exits off of the high way. We were heading to the Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. While we were traveling along there were miles of tractors with out trailers all decked out in pink for breast cancer awareness.
As in most places we travel we try to travel on the by ways and off of the interstates. So as we drove through Canada we were impressed. As in the US there were a large amount of apple orchard, vineyards, and corn growing. We drove along lake Ontario heading toward Ontario on the lake. Then down along the river to the whirlpool heading toward the falls. What a beautiful drive. Pictures will be posted once I return home and can up load.
So we finally arrived at Niagara Falls. It is beautiful! It is also very clean and classy. We eventually went across the bridge back into the US. I felt so a shame with such a beautiful natural resource looking like a slum. We couldn't wait to get out of their!
We took the back roads up and past Rochester towards Watertown and just north to Fort Drum where we will be for eight days. We get a rental car tomorrow and head to Canada (Montreal, Quebec, and Ottawa). I will post more in another week. Please forgive the spelling - no spell check on my tablet!
With the closing of K. I. Sawyer AFB four years after I retired from there. I thought that the local community would really be prospering. Every thing I was ever taught through Embry Riddle said that with an airport the community would prosper - not in this case. The city of Marquette is about 26 miles north of the old base. Their airport moved out to the old base (Sawyer Airport). The city of Marquette has really prospered. It has exploded. The city of Gwinn, which is just down the road from the old base, has went back in time. When I was there one of the most popular places was the American Legion. I wanted to go there to see if there where any of the people I was stationed with there - still leaving there. I went there three separate days just to come across one person who hook me up with one other. Joan has always said that you never go back to where we have previously lived. In this case it is truly accurate.
It was great traveling through the UP. It is a beautiful place. We went with one of Joan's friends who she worked with while in real estate, to a friend of theirs who was extracting the honey from their bee hives. I was able to play with them. After they scrape off the wax - that they use for a multitude of products. Then the racks are placed into a centrafuse to extract the honey. There is nothing like fresh honey.
We finally departed the UP and headed south. Our first stop was to an apple orchard - with fresh apples and apple cider. From there we headed east towards Port Huron and into Canada. It had been over forty years since Joan had been there with her girl friend from London England. The neat part of this was that her friends family came from London Canada. Obviously it is much larger now. There are five exits off of the high way. We were heading to the Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. While we were traveling along there were miles of tractors with out trailers all decked out in pink for breast cancer awareness.
As in most places we travel we try to travel on the by ways and off of the interstates. So as we drove through Canada we were impressed. As in the US there were a large amount of apple orchard, vineyards, and corn growing. We drove along lake Ontario heading toward Ontario on the lake. Then down along the river to the whirlpool heading toward the falls. What a beautiful drive. Pictures will be posted once I return home and can up load.
So we finally arrived at Niagara Falls. It is beautiful! It is also very clean and classy. We eventually went across the bridge back into the US. I felt so a shame with such a beautiful natural resource looking like a slum. We couldn't wait to get out of their!
We took the back roads up and past Rochester towards Watertown and just north to Fort Drum where we will be for eight days. We get a rental car tomorrow and head to Canada (Montreal, Quebec, and Ottawa). I will post more in another week. Please forgive the spelling - no spell check on my tablet!
Monday, September 18, 2017
First Update of the 2017 trip
Joan & I are about to enter our third week of a two month travel. Our pictures will probably be updated once we have completed our trip.
We departed as scheduled on the 5th of September. We headed two D'Iberville (Biloxi). As always we were greeted with the warmest of greetings (that might be the reason we never stay any place to long - I can't wear out our welcome!). We rented our first of many cars. For a pittance of $15 per day more I could rent a XTS Cadillac. There is something to say about traveling in style. While there we were wondering about our friends in Texas. Soon to find out we needed to worry about our own selves and our house that we had left behind. I in my normal self was instigating our friends that Hurricane Irma was coming into the golf and heading towards them. Short version of this story - we have been informed our house is standing. The worry part is that we were told that during our 2016 trip. Come to find out when we returned home. All of the neighbors lost power for three days - we lost power for three weeks. We were greeted with a stench.
For those mature individuals who visit Biloxi and the casino's while there. The Beau Rivage Casino has an eight dollar lunch buffet that you can not beat. Surprising that was the only casino we participated with during our stay. On the Friday it was time for us to start heading north and out of the path of Irma.
Our next stop was a small town off of the Columbia river in Kentucky called Cadiz. We would stay with some really great people who had become our friends while he was my boss in Belgium. As we sat on their back porch deer would come up into their yard and graze. The great thing about being at their place is that they have no phone or internet access. So we had too do that old fashion thing of communicating - which seems to be a lost art these days!
On the Monday we took a short jaunt across to Bolling Green. Most people know of this place do to the Corvette Museum and factory (closed at present). But, they have a new adventure there. You can drive a new corvette on their slalom track. It was worth every penny. Once I star up loading pictures you will be able to see it. What a fantastic experience. Didn't even miss the factory tour after that. That brings us up to the end of the first week.
On the Tuesday of the second week we start heading towards Indianapolis IN. I know being a Baltimorian and my team packing up and leaving in the middle of the night. you would think I would want to stay a way from the place. Well there is this gentleman I use to work with for a short time while I was stationed at Keesler AFB. Hadn't seen him over twenty five years. He was a great host and showed us all around the Indianapolis area.
On the Thursday we started heading towards Elk Hart IN. Beside the corvette drive. This was another must on our trip. I had scheduled a trip around the factory where our motor home was manufactured. Oh before I go any further for those who say there are no jobs. I've seen plenty of places screaming for help and they are union jobs (pay well). It was really informative on the process of how a motorhome is put together.
Friday afternoon we headed west of Chicago and up towards the UP (Upper Peninsula) of MI. It has had been 25 years since Joan & I left here. We left in a motorhome and came back in a motorhome. So far we have been able to visit the base of my last Air Force assignment and our house here. The people were and still are the most friendliest. Today marks the second week of our trip.
We departed as scheduled on the 5th of September. We headed two D'Iberville (Biloxi). As always we were greeted with the warmest of greetings (that might be the reason we never stay any place to long - I can't wear out our welcome!). We rented our first of many cars. For a pittance of $15 per day more I could rent a XTS Cadillac. There is something to say about traveling in style. While there we were wondering about our friends in Texas. Soon to find out we needed to worry about our own selves and our house that we had left behind. I in my normal self was instigating our friends that Hurricane Irma was coming into the golf and heading towards them. Short version of this story - we have been informed our house is standing. The worry part is that we were told that during our 2016 trip. Come to find out when we returned home. All of the neighbors lost power for three days - we lost power for three weeks. We were greeted with a stench.
For those mature individuals who visit Biloxi and the casino's while there. The Beau Rivage Casino has an eight dollar lunch buffet that you can not beat. Surprising that was the only casino we participated with during our stay. On the Friday it was time for us to start heading north and out of the path of Irma.
Our next stop was a small town off of the Columbia river in Kentucky called Cadiz. We would stay with some really great people who had become our friends while he was my boss in Belgium. As we sat on their back porch deer would come up into their yard and graze. The great thing about being at their place is that they have no phone or internet access. So we had too do that old fashion thing of communicating - which seems to be a lost art these days!
On the Monday we took a short jaunt across to Bolling Green. Most people know of this place do to the Corvette Museum and factory (closed at present). But, they have a new adventure there. You can drive a new corvette on their slalom track. It was worth every penny. Once I star up loading pictures you will be able to see it. What a fantastic experience. Didn't even miss the factory tour after that. That brings us up to the end of the first week.
On the Tuesday of the second week we start heading towards Indianapolis IN. I know being a Baltimorian and my team packing up and leaving in the middle of the night. you would think I would want to stay a way from the place. Well there is this gentleman I use to work with for a short time while I was stationed at Keesler AFB. Hadn't seen him over twenty five years. He was a great host and showed us all around the Indianapolis area.
On the Thursday we started heading towards Elk Hart IN. Beside the corvette drive. This was another must on our trip. I had scheduled a trip around the factory where our motor home was manufactured. Oh before I go any further for those who say there are no jobs. I've seen plenty of places screaming for help and they are union jobs (pay well). It was really informative on the process of how a motorhome is put together.
Friday afternoon we headed west of Chicago and up towards the UP (Upper Peninsula) of MI. It has had been 25 years since Joan & I left here. We left in a motorhome and came back in a motorhome. So far we have been able to visit the base of my last Air Force assignment and our house here. The people were and still are the most friendliest. Today marks the second week of our trip.
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