tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55976221379983772552024-03-05T14:39:36.851-06:00Views from elsewhereRachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-31051858806018596352011-08-07T10:31:00.013-05:002023-02-27T08:32:30.086-06:00Last post?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iCCjAtc8Db8tAvfwUvGeNhHUTuu5wptq7mARw4y3TU6b8tLRETIcPkAKZSqmMKdbBck1-It2uhtr1XARGqvlNVJuiuagXLs1ooKW97yYsgvXdE-W9De-QOyufzcgtJH0D7u-e9CM3cE/s640/route-map.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iCCjAtc8Db8tAvfwUvGeNhHUTuu5wptq7mARw4y3TU6b8tLRETIcPkAKZSqmMKdbBck1-It2uhtr1XARGqvlNVJuiuagXLs1ooKW97yYsgvXdE-W9De-QOyufzcgtJH0D7u-e9CM3cE/s640/route-map.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 321px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 640px;" /></a><br />
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So, here is a map of the route we took <span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;">–</span> starting with our arrival in Toronto in February and ending up back there again in July (just over 23,000km). In case some people are just interested in specific parts of the trip here are links to the individual posts:</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">February 2011</span><br />
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Arriving in Ontario post is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/touchdown.html">here</a><br />
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First days in Canada post is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/early-days.html">here</a><br />
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Polar bears and more at Toronto zoo post is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/arctic-conditions-tropical-rainforests.html">here</a><br />
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Mall pictures are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/strange-things-we-saw-in-mall-today_11.html">here</a> and <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/strange-things-we-saw-in-mall-today.html">here</a><br />
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Winter weather in Ontario countryside post is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/on-lake.html">here </a><br />
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City day in Toronto is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/city-streets.html">here</a><br />
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Dogsledding near Haliburton, Ontario is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/husky-adventures.html">here</a><br />
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More Haliburton winter pics are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/haliburton-highlands.html">here</a><br />
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Ottawa post is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/ottawa-stop.html">here</a><br />
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National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa photos are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/national-art.html">here</a><br />
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Québec City post is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/02/living-it-up-in-quebec-city.html">here</a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">March 2011</span><br />
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Some thoughts on Canada and winter are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/first-month-post.html">here</a><br />
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More Toronto is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/rounding-up-and-rolling-high.html">here</a><br />
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Niagara is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/extremes-of-everything.html">here</a><br />
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And into the USA – Ann Arbor, Michigan is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/first-stop-usa.html">here</a><br />
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Cleveland, Ohio is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/ohio-rolling.html">here</a><br />
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Rochester, New York is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/empire-state.html">here </a><br />
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Vermont is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-england-part-one.html">here</a><br />
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Massachusetts – Boston and Concord are right <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-england-part-two.html">here</a><br />
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Plymouth, Massachusetts and on to Connecticut can be found <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-england-part-three.html">here </a><br />
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Philadelphia one-dayer is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/03/philadelphia-day-trip.html">here</a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">April 2011</span><br />
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Our New York City days are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/04/ny-baby.html">here </a><br />
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Our New Jersey weeks are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/04/jersey-shore.html">here</a><br />
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From NJ to Washington D.C. is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/04/delaware-maryland-washington-dc.html">here</a><br />
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Virginia and North Carolina are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/04/blue-ridge-mountains-of-virginia-and_23.html">here</a><br />
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Tornado dodging in Tennessee is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/04/never-dull-moment-in-tennessee.html">here</a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">May 2011</span><br />
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Mississippi and Louisiana are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/following-mississippi-to-new-orleans.html">here </a><br />
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Texas fits in <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/texas-sure-is-lot-of-it.html">here</a><br />
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New Mexico part one is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-mexico-land-of-enchantment-part-one.html">here</a> whilst part two is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-mexico-land-of-enchantment-part-two.html">here </a><br />
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Four Corners, Utah and Arizona are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/corners-and-valleys-and-canyons-oh-my.html">here</a><br />
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Las Vegas/Nevada is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/one-night-in-vegas.html">here</a><br />
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California<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>s Hollywood, Beverley Hills and Venice Beach are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/05/california-part-one-hollywood-calling.html">here</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">June 2011</span><br />
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California<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>s LA to Santa Cruz is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/06/california-part-two-in-between-two-big.html">here</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">
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California<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>s San Francisco is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/06/california-part-three-san-francisco.html">here</a></div><div style="text-align: left;">
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Northern California and the redwoods are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/06/california-part-four-big-screens-giant.html">here</a><br />
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Oregon is in <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/06/oregon-so-much-to-see-so-little-time-to.html">here </a><br />
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Washington state is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/06/washington-last-state-for-us.html">here</a><br />
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Our USA final observations are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/06/usa-observations.html">here </a><br />
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Then back into Canada – British Columbia part one is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/06/beautiful-british-columbia-part-one.html">here</a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">July 2011</span><br />
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Whistler and the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/beautiful-british-columbia-part-two.html">here </a><br />
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Vancouver Island is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/beautiful-british-columbia-part-3.html">here</a><br />
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More Vancouver and leaving B.C. is all <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/beautiful-british-columbia-part-4.html">here</a><br />
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The Rockies in Alberta are on show <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/alberta-part-1-rocky-mountains.html">here</a><br />
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Alberta – Edmonton, Calgary and Drumheller are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/alberta-part-2-cities-and-dinosaurs.html">here</a><br />
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The province of Saskatchewan is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/saskatchewan-prairies-mounties-and.html">here </a><br />
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Manitoba moments are <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/manitoba-horses-dogs-and-winnipeg.html">here</a><br />
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Ontario from the western border and back to base is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/07/ontario-north-to-south-last-days-on.html">here </a><br />
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And our last fortnight in Ontario (in the heatwave!) is <a href="http://viewsfromelsewhere.blogspot.com/2011/08/final-fortnight.html">here</a><br />
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I<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>m sure I<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>ll be writing about aspects of the trip for ages (partly <a href="http://slowlaneshuffle.blogspot.com/">here</a>) but for now we can maybe answer the most popular question (<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">“</span>so what were your favourite places/highlights?<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">”</span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">–</span> I can<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>t tell you how many times we<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>ve been asked that!). OK, here goes:</div><div style="text-align: left;">
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h enjoyed Hollywood and visiting all the family (Ontario, Michigan, New Jersey, British Columbia).<br />
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Mark especially liked Vermont, D.C., North Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Monument Valley in Arizona, Portland in Oregon and Victoria on Vancouver Island (but he liked lots of other places too).<br />
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And me? I really did enjoy every second (especially not having to do boring housewife stuff) but I suppose if I<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>m pressed for favourites I liked the American south and south-west (Memphis, New Orleans, Taos). And the sun – I<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>m really missing that already (though h is the exact opposite and probably liked all the winter activities best). Guess we<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>ll be getting her a dogsled for Xmas (er, not).</div><div style="text-align: left;">
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And that<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>s all, folks.</div><div style="text-align: left;">
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Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-31995412934635438752011-08-03T08:48:00.007-05:002023-02-27T07:39:43.937-06:00Final fortnight<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SPaqmP-tQRYWvWafhaMce88f-5w5YpsPJNPralGfoSo?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxwEMsadwkkEko-nFGaiOvfzKBJacFqH1Dxt51slWN_rL4tnkMQoYpc2C0OuxHu1XK4gwaY8ysLiwKRB5TGfOmc87yVInxCA4mytg3njCpWpds3qJDL70TU36CXW0pyGho5Xdxkn-E04/s640/IMG_7382.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We're back at home in Scotland now (we arrived back the morning of 30th July). Our last fortnight of the trip was spent mainly seeing all the various family members in the Toronto area, celebrating birthdays (Mark's, Auntie Morag's...) and desperately trying to keep cool in the major heatwave that was going on (lakes, pools ... we got in any water we could because it was very, very hot, and humid). There were lots of BBQs, lots of trips out, lots of good-byes, and Mark even finally got to a baseball game with cousin Mario and Uncle Jim (Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles – the Blue Jays won). Most of the photos of this period are family shots but there's a few more general ones in this last tiny slideshow:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627217697311" title="Last days"><img alt="Last days" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6011/6003125582_be5ed76108_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Our next (and probably final post on this blog) will be a map of our journey and links to all the individual posts so you can visit the places you're interested in with ease. Everyone keeps asking where we liked best but really, speaking for the adults in the party, I can say that we loved the whole trip – every day, every destination – and we were lucky too because everything worked out well and now here we are back safe and sound. What more could we ask for?</p>Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-72565824256117457342011-07-23T15:44:00.013-05:002023-03-03T10:58:18.068-06:00Ontario north to south – the last days on the road<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_nIIHpb-vUpVnAlDbkVo9c8f-5w5YpsPJNPralGfoSo?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjnWVi2fA3xZyqQ4JOdUgG8Gn4hCx-VZbB99PsxEdC1Y6YORPJyn8D0svtOltyJJ5wbPfckc083bGPlupxa0nX87tDOjKHK4Fe1b9cD_X-6yKys4bCRzjs6yUIqPWLrBDILyPb2pa7yM/s640/IMG_6932.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">On the road between Thunder Bay and White River</span><br />
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On Tuesday 12th July we finally re-entered Ontario (we left the province back on 12th March when we entered the USA and Michigan). This time we drove along Highway 1 (that for some reason changes into the 17 when you enter Ontario) and passed by Kenora. We didn’t stop there for more than a coffee as we had miles and miles to go but it looked a pretty place and we took a few pictures. Then we followed the 17 past Dryden (not so pretty) and then lots of rocks and lots and lots of water/lakes. We stopped in Upsala for some very, very fine pie and then carried on (and on and on) until we finally got to Thunder Bay. This was the longest drive we did in one day (we started in Richer, Manitoba) and we were still hardly in Ontario at all by the end of it all! Giant province!<br />
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We ended up staying in a hotel downtown in Thunder Bay. It had lovely views of Lake Superior (or the Bay anyway) and the place seemed pretty quiet (until bedtime of course when something like 3 whole soccer teams all arrived in our hallway and slammed their doors in some kind of formation display). The next day we had miles more to go so we set off from Thunder Bay without much more than a quick look round its Finnish/Italian district (Bay and Alcoma – quite charming) and a stop just outside town to see the Terry Fox memorial (details <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Fox_Memorial_and_Lookout" target="new">here</a>). Our Ontario photos up to this point are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627133988671" title="ontario north to south 1"><img alt="ontario north to south 1" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6023/5965193287_6fb28a88f7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Then it was back onto highway 17 to drive along the north shore of Lake Superior. The views were lovely (when we got them) and we stopped for lunch at a little lakeside village called Rossport (complete with tiny museum and quirkiness aplenty). After that it was driving, driving, driving and all in sunshine too so at about 5pm we stopped for the day at a place called White River. We’d never heard of White River before but apparently it is the original home of Winnie the Pooh (the original bear, as in the bear that A.A.Milne saw in London Zoo that gave him the idea for the name of his toy bear in the stories). The White River bear was a black one called Winnipeg (named after its owner’s some time home city) and she was given to London Zoo in 1918. Her owner, Harry Colebourn had given her on loan in 1914 when he went to fight in France and he didn’t have the heart to take her back at the end of the war, such was her popularity. This may not seem like a huge tourist attraction of enormous importance but when you travel with an eleven year old these things matter.<br />
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We stayed the night in a motel in White River (much quieter than Thunder Bay), ate more poutine, used more air conditioning, and then the next day, after h had breakfasted on Winnie the Pooh shaped pancakes we set off south towards Sault Ste Marie. The first place we came to on this stretch was Wawa (it has a giant metal goose – the town is named after the goose’s call apparently). We had to stop for a photo with the goose (after all we’ve had giant lumberjack and bull, giant roadrunner, giant crawfish, giant moose, giant elephant, why not a goose too?) and then we drove on down through the Lake Superior Provincial Park and some really stunning scenery. We stopped for lunch at tiny Batchawana Bay (and an Austrian resort’s restaurant – all schnitzel and bratwurst) and then drove on (finally!) to Sault Ste Marie (pronounce the ‘sault’ as ‘soo’). It felt like we’d been in Ontario for weeks already by this point (such huge distances) – no wonder we’d seen so many helicopters about!<br />
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We tried to find the centre of Sault Ste Marie but its little one-way system and the fact that the townspeople were closing the main street off with cones for their annual fair was all conspiring against us. We did manage to see the waterfront, wave at the USA and Michigan over the St Mary’s river and spot another few landmarks before driving on out of town. Our photos of the second section of Ontario (south of Thunder Bay to Sault Ste Marie) are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627134088379" title="Ontario north to south part 2"><img alt="Ontario north to south part 2" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6126/5965796470_5607ccd3dd_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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After Sault Ste Marie we stopped at Bruce Mines on the coast of Lake Huron for a look at the next lake and some dinner (curry, since you ask). Then we drove a little further on to a lovely little place called Thessalon where we stayed in a lakeside motel with amazing sunset views. We’d visited Lake Huron on our last trip to Canada in 2003 and it was good to see it again – still looking so beautiful too.<br />
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On Friday 15th July we drove east along the north coast of Lake Huron until we got to highway 6 and that took us south and onto Manitoulin Island (again we’d visited Manitoulin in 2003 and were keen to take another look). It was an absolutely scorching day so we ate a quick lunch in Little Current (which really is quite little), stared at some pretty boats, got very hot and then drove on south until we passed a place that looked like it had a beach (Manitowaning). It did have a beach (a little one) and it was all very lively down there (swimming lessons, teenage frolicking) so we joined in with all the other families (mostly locals it seemed) who were desperate for a cool dip on a hot day. It was great fun and we all swam (although in the pics on here you’ll only see me standing in it I did in fact get in and swim too). We also looked at the old ship being restored nearby and the little art exhibition/bookshop alongside – a lovely spot all round.<br />
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After that we drove on to the ferry port of South Baymouth where we had booked a motel room for the night (so as not to miss the early ferry!). We ate fish and chips, swatted mosquitos, watched the wildlife on the bay, took photos … oh, and did laundry. I have done laundry in some really beautiful places now.<br />
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The next morning (16th July) we got up early and parked up for the first ferry. You park up and then wander off for breakfast in one of the port’s cafés – it’s very civilised. Then we boarded the ship for the crossing over Lake Huron to Tobermory (a trip we’d done in reverse in 2003). Our photos up to leaving South Baymouth and Manitoulin Island are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627258588270" title="Ontario north to south - part 3"><img alt="Ontario north to south - part 3" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6129/5965875708_8a8eebfc33_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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The ferry trip to Tobermory was just as I remembered it – smooth and calm and beautiful – but little Tobermory was a little busier than we last saw it (as this was prime summer season and we were last there in October ’03). It was baking hot again when we got off the ferry so we looked around the little bay for a bit but then had to take refuge in a lovely ice-cream and sweet shop (pretzel cones – unusual). Then we drove on south only stopping for more food (it never ends!) and another visit to the groundhog statue in Wiarton (Wiarton Willie) – though there it was almost too hot to stand in the sun. We met some friendly folk in Wiarton with a dog named Zoe (our dog’s name) and they gave us some advice on our next leg of the trip (down to the area just west of Toronto). Then it was back in the car again, a stop for baked goods from some Mennonites and then south as far as the city of Guelph for our last night on the road. In Guelph we ate, slept and rose again, all the usual stuff.<br />
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On Sunday 17th July we had arranged to meet another writer/blogger for breakfast at her home just north of Guelph and so off we went to Elora to meet <a href="http://poetikat-km.blogspot.com/" target="new">Kat Mortensen</a> and husband Kevin (and cats). H had been keen to get to Kat’s since reading about her muppet DVD back on a Xmas post (and her wish was granted – she did watch muppets before lunchtime). Mark and I, on the other hand, chatted with Kat and Kevin about travelling and homes and families and, even at one point, poetry. It was all good.<br />
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By lunchtime it was turning into another boiling hot day (by now the TV was talking about a ‘heatwave’) and though we tried to visit some of the local sites (pretty Elora – like a village in Yorkshire or something) it was just too hot to hang around anywhere in the middle of the day. Because of this we ate more ice-cream (medicinal really) and then drove on through little Ontario towns with names like Fergus and Arthur until we finally got back to our Ontario base of Whitby, east of Toronto. We still had over a week to go till our flight home but plenty of family visits to get in before then. We probably will manage another Ontario post when we leave altogether but for now here are the last of the road trip photos (Tobermory back to Whitby, via Kat’s):<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627134449385" title="Ontario north to south - part 4"><img alt="Ontario north to south - part 4" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6028/5965405505_672cca3180_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-25503543301879263012011-07-20T20:11:00.004-05:002023-02-27T07:57:21.137-06:00Manitoba – horses, dogs and Winnipeg<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-style: italic;">The Ex, Portage la Prairie</span><br />
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On 9th July we left Saskatchewan and drove into Manitoba. We entered the province at about 2pm but then it was 3pm before we knew it because the clocks changed again and we were now in Central Time proper. Saskatchewan is officially in the Central Time zone but they don’t put their clocks forward in the summer so they’re only Central in the winter (confusing? Yes).<br />
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We’d booked a place in Portage la Prairie so we drove straight along Highway 1 in the soaring heat. Portage (as the locals call it) turned out to be a pretty small place with a lot of churches and not many restaurants so we ended up in a pizza chain for tea (the Boston pizza place – not bad at all). We were sat next to a big guy dining alone so of course we ended up chatting with him, as you do. He was a long distance truck driver and told us all kinds of tales about driving on ice up north in Canada in the winter and such like. Then we had a pretty quiet evening (well, apart from the noise of the air-conditioning of course – not something we often need at home).<br />
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On Sunday 10th July we drove into the centre of Portage to check out their town show (called the ‘Ex’, for exhibition). The event has been running for years and it is very much a local show with a fair on the side. As we got there early (and it was already very hot) we looked at the local cooking/art/sewing competition displays indoors first. After that h and I got henna tattoos from a lovely lady who has not long moved to the province from India and then we wandered off to find shade near the rodeo ground. We were determined to see a rodeo (having been near to so many) and this show started at lunchtime so we were well in time. We took our places, stood for the national anthem, sat through all the boring ‘place your bets’ bit and saw some lovely gee-gees. We thought h might like the rodeo (all the horses) but in all honesty she was very underwhelmed (and fairly concerned by all the roping of steers – “why are they doing that?”). It was steaming hot by then too and there was little shade around the ground so that didn’t help. Then luckily a performing dogs show started next to the rodeo and this was much more her thing (in fact possibly one of the highlights of the whole trip for her – she loves dogs). Diamond Disc Dogs were three very clever border collies and one very friendly trainer so in fact we all enjoyed their display very much and h got to pet their pup afterwards too. Then it was into the petting zoo for her to meet many more beasties (poor creatures – the toddlers were really running riot in there) and then we were all about melting so we got back in the car and drove off east. Our first set of Manitoba photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627211531424" title="Manitoba - part 1"><img alt="Manitoba - part 1" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6007/5945119346_9776b42521_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Winnipeg wasn’t far away and that was our next place to stop so we got there in time for a cool-down and then some dinner. We stayed in a lovely old hotel in the centre and took a walk around – seeing the big old railway station (and the cross-country train was in – it seems to stop there for a few hours and let the passengers out for a while). From what we could see this Union station doesn’t have any other services at all – really different from the bustling stations you get in most big cities. We were pretty tired from all the heat so ended our day there – back to the hotel and to bed.<br />
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On Monday 11th July we had a really fancy breakfast (made a change from the “complimentary” stale bagels and festering food you get in some hotels) and then went down to the Forks area of the city (where the two rivers, the Red and the Assiniboine, meet). We had promised h a look at the newly reopened Children’s Museum down there and so off we went and she spent a couple of hours reading and making art and sticking her head in giant kaleidoscopes and such like. It still didn’t come close to the amazing kids museum we saw in Rochester (NY, USA) but it was entertaining enough and all very bright and new (also quote of the week from a woman in there - “there’s nothing cool in that bit, hon, it’s all just educational”). After this we walked along the river (much evidence of the flooding of recent months), grabbed a very slow sandwich in a café that was right in the middle of a bridge on the river and then walked along some more (a fair bit up river, though the kind of empty Exchange District and then quite a long way round back to the hotel).<br />
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Winnipeg is a city that feels very much in an in between stage (like they haven’t quite got it ready for visitors yet, well, apart from the Forks area maybe). Articles in the local press seemed to suggest they have their share of problems to deal with too (not much work, their share of crime) so that might be a factor. It seems a shame because there are lots of fine old buildings on show but a lot of them seemed to be either being renovated or empty and, apart from a big provincial museum, there didn’t seem to be much for a visitor to do in the centre/downtown. We tried our best (and from the photos the city actually looks quite striking) but on the street we really couldn’t find much to hold us. We found a couple of nice record shops and second hand bookstores and there were obviously a lot of festivals based in the city (music one just finished, fringe theatre one about to start) but by four o’clock we had kind of run out of options and so just collected our car and set off east (glad we’d only booked one night and not two). Sorry Winnipeg we don’t mean to slag you off (I’m sure it’s very different if you live there) but it did feel a bit of a ghost city centre in places. Maybe it was partly us - we have seen a lot of different cities since February.<br />
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We drove east along the 1 after Winnipeg and stopped the night in an old-school motel on the highway in a tiny place called Richer. The motel had an equally tiny restaurant/café but the food was really good so that was a nice surprise. We all tried our first poutine (chips with white cheese and gravy) and it was absolutely delicious! Then we retired for the night to listen to the very noisy fan in the room and the doors of the motel banging till midnight (it had a bar as well as a restaurant – drunk people bang doors).<br />
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The next day (July 12th) we got back in the car and pretty soon we were out of Manitoba and back into the province we had started off in back in February/March (Ontario). Everyone had warned us that we would feel like the driving was nearly done once we crossed the Ontario border but that in fact there would still be miles and miles of ground to cover before we got back to our base near Toronto (and they weren’t wrong!). So, next time our long trip through Ontario back to base camp. But for now here are the rest of our Manitoba photos:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627213715588" title="Manitoba - part 2"><img alt="Manitoba - part 2" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6134/5945569741_117c1cb218_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-56424115761779223542011-07-16T09:04:00.005-05:002023-03-03T11:06:16.035-06:00Saskatchewan – prairies, mounties and cellars full of booze<div style="text-align: center;">
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RCMP Heritage Centre, Regina<br />
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On Wednesday 6th July we left Alberta and entered Saskatchewan. Like much of south-eastern Alberta the scenery around Highway 1 was very rural and fairly flat – ah ha, yes, the Prairies!<br />
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Pretty soon we stopped at a little place called Maple Creek for our lunch break. The sun was working hard and it was hot, hot, hot so we chose a cool-looking place and did some more eating and drinking. Then we wandered around a bit looking for shade and also looking at cowboy boots (and all the other cowboy stuff around – this is as much cowboy country as anywhere in Texas).<br />
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After that we drove to our stop for the night – Swift Current. We had booked a very cheap and cheerful place but it was so hot that we decided to head for the town’s public outdoor pool to literally chill out a bit first. It was a really good little facility and we spent a very enjoyable couple of hours cooling off with lots of local youths and parents. It was very friendly and a real bargain too. We then made our own dinner in the cheerful lodgings (cooking – how do you do that again?) and then slept (air conditioning turned up full).<br />
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On Thursday 7th July we pointed ourselves in the direction of the province’s capital Regina but first took a lunch break in the place with the excellent name of Moose Jaw. At first sight Moose Jaw looked a bit run-down and grim but once we got out of the car and looked round the downtown area we could see that it was really quite a lovely place. As with Asheville (that we liked so much in North Carolina, USA) Moose Jaw didn’t have the money to pull down all its old buildings when other places were modernising in the 1960s and 70s and so it’s got lots of beautiful old buildings left in its centre. We had, for example, a coffee in a really gorgeous cavernous place (a café with a fab shop upstairs called, suitably enough, the Wandering Gypsy). There seemed to be a lot going on – music festivals, ‘word festivals’ – all sorts of summer activities and on the local radio on the way in we heard that “Hollywood were in town” filming a serial killer drama (to be called <i>Rabbit</i> apparently).<br />
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Moose Jaw’s biggest tourist pull is the Al Capone connection (it is believed he lived here when things in the US got too hot for him – plus it was the centre of a lot of bootlegging during US prohibition) and we did go along with this and take the tour of the town’s twisting cellar network (complete with mobsters and speakeasy characters acting us through it). It wasn’t the best tourist activity we’ve encountered in the trip (very rushed dialogue, plus the Capone connection is based on rumours rather than fact) but it was entertaining in its way. There was another tour (more fact-based) about how early Chinese immigrants had to live in the same tunnels to escape persecution but we didn’t take that one - figuring the harsh truths might be too much packed into small underground spaces, especially for the youngest member of the party. Funny how the murdering mafia can end up being the fun option, isn’t it? Strange world.<br />
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We then left Moose Jaw (stopping at the giant moose on the edge of town for a photo op, obviously) and drove on to Regina to spend the night there. Our photos of Saskatchewan up to Regina are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627200095212" title="Saskatchewan part 1"><img alt="Saskatchewan part 1" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6010/5939517605_98e6fb6114_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We got to Regina quite late in the day on 7th July and headed for the downtown area where we had booked a place to stay. It’s a small city, as capitals go, and we were at the downtown pretty quickly (via lots of streets with very Scottish names, again). We checked in and ended up in a restaurant called La Casa Latina run by folk from the Dominican Republic. There we talked to one of the friendliest waiters of the trip (and there have been many). This one was a young man of Chilean extraction and he told us all about Regina’s universities and different communities (many – people from all over the world) and all kinds of other stuff. It was a quiet night – he really may has well have just pulled up a chair and joined us – and h ended up watching TV in the back with kids of another member of staff. For an hour or so, we were quite at home (great food too).<br />
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Next day, Friday 8th July, we headed to Regina’s main tourist activity – the Mounties Museum (or Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Centre, to give it its full name). It was pretty quiet there – it hardly felt like summer holidays at all – but then I guess a police museum isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time (indeed I’m not really sure it was ours but we persevered). The museum is next door to the RCMP’s main training facility and part of the day’s attractions is watching the current crop of trainees parade for their Sgt. Major. We trooped along with the rest of the visitors to watch this but there were not nearly enough horses on show (only 2 – and they didn’t move). I know they’re not really mounted police anymore but still, something for the tourists! Plus the marching was not exactly of the highest calibre either (but then they were trainees and how important is marching really, in the role of the contemporary police officer?).<br />
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Back in the museum we watched a, to be honest, fairly cheesy film about the work of modern RCMP officers (part <i>CSI</i>, part <i>24</i> from what we could see) and looked around at the, much more interesting, historical displays. They were, as you might expect, pretty patriotic (hurray Canadians, boo Americans!) but as we can be neutral in this matter we didn’t mind. More importantly they had no café to speak of in the museum (just a vending machine full of junk) so we drove back through Regina looking for lunch. Luckily, just as we were leaving we saw a little Italian deli and stopped there to meet another fantastic and friendly Regina character (so Italian, so OTT) and to purchase, yes, I’m sure, the finest sandwiches in all of Saskatchewan. We ate on the road and headed east again – this time hitting huge rainstorms instead of sunshine.<br />
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We stopped for the night in another place with a great name, Moosomin, only to find, when we got there, that it was Rodeo Weekend. Many of the prairie towns and cities have some kind of rodeo in the summer (a bit like Highland Games for the Scots) and they range from the giant Calgary Stampede to little local events like Moosomin’s. The little town was all abuzz with activity and cattle and on the morning of the Saturday we caught the end of the parade (small) and headed down to the Rodeo Ground (at the back of the ice-rink) to see what was happening. Most of the activities were scheduled for later in the evening (and we were due elsewhere) but there were some horses out being exercised and we were promised kids stuff and <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">‘</span>stock dogs’ pretty soon so we hung about for a bit (in the sun once more). It was all a bit slow to get going but the locals were very friendly and told us all about the events (Rodeo Queen etc. – more about horseskills than swimsuits, I’m glad to report). The kids stuff was bouncy castles, games and a petting zoo and you might be able to guess by now which one of those h went for (“can I hold the rat please?” Ugh!). Then we sat and waited for the <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">‘</span>stock dogs’ (border collies herding cattle) but at this point it all got a bit <i>Vicar of Dibley</i> (“I’m sorry, we are still waiting for some more dogs to turn up…”) so we put ourselves back in the car and headed east again. In a very short time we were out of Saskatchewan and into its neighbour Manitoba. The rest of our Saskatchewan photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627075698377" title="Saskatchewan part 2"><img alt="Saskatchewan part 2" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6132/5939547751_6794a96921_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We’re deep back into Ontario now and nearly back to our starting point over here. Still Manitoba and our last Ontario post to come, and then home again within two weeks.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-49329560937305115652011-07-13T17:56:00.004-05:002023-02-27T08:09:06.083-06:00Alberta part 2 – cities and dinosaurs<div style="text-align: center;">
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We’re just back into Ontario now but still getting through the backlog of posts. Here’s the rest of our adventures in Alberta.<br />
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Because we had driven from Banff up to Jasper (rather than the other way round) we came out of the Rockies near the more northern of Alberta’s two big cities – Edmonton. So, after a quiet, just-get-some-food-and-sleep night in a little place called Hinton, we did indeed make our way to the city with the big mall on Saturday 2nd July. Yes, one of Edmonton’s main claims-to-fame these days is that it has a great big mall/shopping centre (the West Edmonton Mall) and whilst we are not exactly professional shoppers we had been advised that it was a worth a look. So we looked.<br />
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We were expecting, I don’t know, miles and miles of mall – a whole city of mall perhaps – but in all honesty I think I’ve probably been in bigger shopping centres elsewhere (like in the UK). What the W.E.M. has that is more unusual, however, is all the extras on display – a giant wave/swimming pool, an ice rink, a sea lions show, a fairly huge ship (in the middle of the shopping area), a whole indoor fairground – and we did pass a couple of entertaining hours looking at all these attractions, watching skaters, going on rollercoasters and so on. We had a slice of pizza in the food court (‘Gourmet World’), did a tiny bit of shopping and then moved on. It was very busy in there – a friendly atmosphere – but it was a sunny day outside and we were happy to get back out again. However, I can see why folks need something like the mall in Edmonton in the long winters and I suppose they are pretty far from the water so the wave-pool must keep the kids happy year round too.<br />
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We had booked a night in downtown Edmonton but the hotel had other ideas and had moved us to a sister hotel a little further out of the centre. It was annoying at first but in the end not a problem as Edmonton’s downtown didn’t seem particularly inviting (a bit 1970s in places, not necessarily in a good way) and the place they moved us to was in the Strathcona/university area on Whyte (“the cool street” so we were advised by the lovely and supremely helpful receptionist in the new place). We were tired and hungry by the time we got into the hotel but even our sleepy eyes could see that it was a nice, hanging-out kind of an area and we ended up in a really welcoming Irish pub for dinner and Guinness (or water). It had live music and everything – very civilised.<br />
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The next day, Sunday 3rd July, we drove down the highway (the Queen Elizabeth II highway no less) to Alberta’s other big city, Calgary. The road was pretty busy with people heading back to the city after the holiday weekend but it’s not too mighty a journey and we stopped for lunch at Red Deer (pretty name, pretty much an endless plaza kind of a town). We’d booked a downtown hotel in Calgary (almost by accident) and so we ended up spending a very pleasant Sunday evening in a little no-frills Vietnamese restaurant on the edge of Calgary’s teeny Chinatown. We also took some photos of the downtown area and wandered about a little bit. The city was very much getting itself ready for the huge Stampede event that takes place every July (and of course there was another royal visit pencilled in too, not just ours).<br />
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As well as the Rockies and the Stampedes and so on Alberta is also famous (or infamous, depending on your view) for the oil sands exploitation that is bringing wealth to the area. TV ad time in the province is liberally peppered with “yes, we’re really doing our best to keep it green” public info films and so we were interested to visit something connected to the industry. Our guide book had information about an exhibition on the subject at the Energy Resources Conservation Board but the book’s a little out of date and the exhibition isn’t there anymore. We were told it had all been moved to the Science museum but that was closed for the summer (for renovations, we think). So, basically we didn’t see anything but the TV ads but you can read about the sands all over the web (say <a href="http://www.ercb.ca/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=249&PageID=0&cached=true&mode=2" target="new">here</a>, the pros, or <a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/03/canadian-oil-sands/kunzig-text" target="new">here</a>, a balanced article).<br />
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On the Monday we headed down to one of Calgary’s attractions – Heritage Park on the south side of the city. It was a lovely sunny day (but not too baking) and we spent a very happy day exploring 19th (and early 20th) Century Alberta – the buildings, outfits and customs of the folk who arrived there from elsewhere and settled. It’s quite a big site, Heritage Park, but a manageable size and with lots of transport options for getting around (steam train etc.) and a section called Gasoline Alley about transport and fuel. A lot of the buildings are originals that were moved to the site and the whole place is quite fascinating and very smart and organised. We ate in a 19th century-style hotel at lunchtime (though pretty regular modern food), went on early 20th century fairground rides, learned all sorts about all the different people who came to Calgary around this time. As it was summer break there were a couple of groups of kids doing ‘summer camp’ Heritage style (i.e. all in costume, living in the Park as though it really were in the past) – it looked a lot of fun! Best of all for h (and the rest of us day visitors), there was an ongoing bit of professional street theatre during the afternoon with little sections of the play acted out in different locations around the site (all in costume etc.). The piece was well done so we followed it through all its 4 acts to the end and h’s retelling of the story is below:<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">While in Heritage Park in Calgary there was a street-play. The story was about two friends Wendy Wickham and Gertrude Grimshaw and also two men called Herman and Charlie who are friends as well. At the start of the story Charlie and Wendy met and instantly liked each other. Gertrude got a book about making boys like girls from a strange salesman. The book didn’t help when Wendy and Charlie wanted to speak to each other because it told her to pretend she had another boyfriend to make him jealous. They both left.<br /><br />Herman wanted to help his friend Charlie, but he wasn’t much use at love. Herman decided to buy some love potion and get Charlie to spray it on Wendy. Herman bought the potion from the same salesman who sold the book to Gertrude. They went to the hall where Wendy and Gertrude were to try it out. Charlie was nervous about it and Gertrude came out first and got sprayed by accident. She fell instantly in love with Charlie (because she saw him first) and chased him down the street. Wendy came and was furious that Gertrude was so infatuated with Charlie. Gertrude didn’t care and insisted that she marry Charlie. The salesman, dressed as a reverend with dog collar and false beard, declared that he would marry the two (for a fee). Gertrude walked off, and declared the wedding would be later that afternoon.<br /><br />Herman said to Charlie that he would get an antidote (some hate potion) and spray it on Gertrude, to put things right. When it was time for the wedding, Charlie was ready to spray Gertrude, but this time Wendy got in the way at the wrong time and Charlie sprayed her! Wendy now hated Gertrude, her friend, because she saw her first! They fought and argued. Gertrude still loved Charlie and wanted to marry him. The salesman, dressed as a reverend, tried to sort it out. He failed. Wendy and Charlie decided to meet at the grocery store in half an hour.<br /><br />At the store everyone came out of the shop arguing. The salesman was looking like himself now. Charlie asked him to tell them which potion was which. The salesman did that. Herman accidentally sprayed himself and fell in love with Gertrude! Charlie explained the problem to the salesman. The salesman told Herman he would spray him back to normal. Herman protested, but the salesman sprayed him anyway. The group kept asking for the reverend and the salesman. The salesman had to keep switching costumes. One time the salesman came out as the reverend, but came out without his false beard. The group now knew something was up! Herman reminded them that the potions did work. The salesman admitted that he didn’t think that the potions would work and told them the disgusting ingredients. Charlie suddenly said that he would marry Gertrude if she wanted. Charlie leaned in to kiss Gertrude, but instead of a kiss Charlie sprayed Gertrude with the hate potion. She pushed him out of the way, now not interested in him any more. Herman and Gertrude took the salesman away to the Mounties. Wendy and Charlie went into the grocery store together. Wendy said that she didn’t have the boyfriend she mentioned earlier so they started to make friends. We followed the cast all around the Heritage Park. It was a bit confusing but it was very good.</span><br />
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We left Heritage Park when it closed at 5pm (having squeezed every bit of entertainment and education from the day) and drove to a place just outside Calgary for our overnight stay (Strathmore – we pretty much just ate and slept there). Our photos of Edmonton and Calgary are below (Calgary starts at the red flags with the cowboys on – I missed getting a shot of the city sign):<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627049231487" title="Edmonton & Calgary"><img alt="Edmonton & Calgary" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6141/5928488466_19a0e11026_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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On Tuesday 5th July we made our way to one of Alberta’s other key draws – the Royal Tyrrell Museum (the centre of all things dinosaur). We passed through Drumheller (the museum is just outside there) and entered what they call the Alberta Badlands (amazing scenery – like lots of little Grand Canyons). We had been told to watch out for prairie dogs (gophers to some) and we didn’t have to wait long – one came visiting in the museum’s café patio when we were getting a quick bite in between science lessons. The museum was (to use a much used word in North America) awesome and we particularly enjoyed the areas that told all about the special discoveries that have been made in Alberta (lots of fossils – there is a whole genus <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertosaurus" target="new">Albertosaurus</a>). As well as that though there was a whole ‘trip through the ages’ area (that took, well, ages to get through – h lasted longer than I did) and a garden of things that grew back in the Cretaceous period (i.e. between 65.5 and 145.5 million years ago). Oh and there was a gift shop (of course).<br />
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We had a good long visit, a bake in the car park outside, a look at all the prairie dogs running wild around the car park (so cute!) and then a drive to our last stop of the trip in Alberta (Brooks – again just for food and sleep). The next day we drove out of Alberta (past a lot of cows – they get all that Alberta Beef from somewhere) and into Saskatchewan. Our photos of Drumheller, the Royal Tyrrell Museum and our way out of the province are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627173968900" title="The Badlands and Drumheller"><img alt="The Badlands and Drumheller" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6140/5928601132_c98e55741b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Next time – Saskatchewan.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-44160963773279552602011-07-10T10:50:00.006-05:002023-03-04T04:28:24.267-06:00Alberta part 1 – the Rocky Mountains<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApGtDa8m-mUX_9T9MPYUrDCvel4S-UacOBVg7iXT3f55OcZT_zYk-av8eq_z7VVtQKxXmOJAMtAD9JIjgpQSi1JGzCFWN6rrEkATAhuvR-CH-ax9tYu0J-RTm8kz6IYrSvN7dYq5l-Bo/s1600/IMG_5709.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627752638337385474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApGtDa8m-mUX_9T9MPYUrDCvel4S-UacOBVg7iXT3f55OcZT_zYk-av8eq_z7VVtQKxXmOJAMtAD9JIjgpQSi1JGzCFWN6rrEkATAhuvR-CH-ax9tYu0J-RTm8kz6IYrSvN7dYq5l-Bo/s400/IMG_5709.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Onto the Athabasca glacier</span><br />
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On Wednesday 29th June we crossed into Alberta and entered the Banff National Park. All around us were the Rocky Mountains and you might think the Rockies a fairly unimaginative name for a mountain range until you see them and they really are very … rocky ... and dark and moody and quite different to any other mountains you’ve ever seen before. We took quite a lot of photos.<br />
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Then before we knew it the road had us at the famous blue-green Lake Louise and there we were taking photos of its prettiness too (us and crowds of other tourists). It was a bit late in the day so we didn’t set out on one of the busy local hikes but there was still enough time for Mark and h to get in a canoe and paddle around the not-so-busy blue-green water a few times. The guide book was right – that’s a horrible great Disneyesque hotel they’ve put up alongside the beautiful lake – but at least the hotel organises the canoes well.<br />
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From Lake Louise we drove very slightly south-east to Banff to stay the night. Some people had said that Banff was lovely and others that it was horrible and full of tourists but I would say it was more the former than the latter. We had a nice room at the edge of things with a view of a rocky mountain and whilst there were a lot of people around in the town it seemed to be accommodating the large numbers of incomers in as pleasant a way as possible. We slept.<br />
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On June 30th we drove the short distance to the Banff hot springs and took a dip in the hot waters with the mountains all around. Then we grabbed lunch in town and visited the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies where they had an exhibition about Women Adventurers in the Rockies (very interesting). After this we set off north on the 1 and then the 93 (the ‘Icefields Parkway’).<br />
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Early on the 93 we entered the Jasper National Park. Before long we stopped by Hector Lake and saw a (small) crowd staring in one direction. On the roads in the Rockies this can only mean one thing – wildlife – and in this case it was a grazing black bear just on the other side of the road. We stopped again by Bow Lake for a cup of something and a break and it was very beautiful and peaceful there (in between the coach tours). Then we drove through some very varied weather (even a touch of sleet up high) to our stop for the night. But first here are our photos of Alberta and the Rockies up to this point:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627032694995" title="Canadian rockies part 1"><img alt="Canadian rockies part 1" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6137/5920113945_12b0564ae0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Our hotel for the night of the 30th June was right opposite the Athabasca Glacier (part of the Columbia Icefield). The hotel got bad reviews on Expedia and, perhaps because of this, it wasn’t hugely expensive but it was one of our very favourite overnight choices. We liked it mainly because once the day-tourists had moved off there was really just us and the glacier left up there and it was so still and unusual – like another world. We had a lovely room with a separate little loft bit for h and a stunning view of the glacier. The staff were really friendly too (the staff for the Icefield Centre, hotel and Icefield Experience trips all stay very nearby but not actually in the centre). The food wasn’t cheap (one of the bad reviews’ main grievances) but it was good and brought to us by a very friendly young man from Indonesia who knew an awful lot about Leeds United’s mid-to-late ‘90s soccer team. Plus we shared two meals between three of us so it worked out OK.<br />
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It snowed a little during the night (and it was pretty cold out there) but we woke on July 1st (Canada Day) to the sight of a bright blue sky and a dazzling glacier. Sadly there were no grizzly bears to be seen outside (apparently one was seen a couple of weeks back but this was unusual up there) but apart from that it was perfect. Before the crowds and coach tours arrived we bought our tickets for the Icefield Experience and got on the 10.15 bus over to the ice and to the special red purpose-built vehicles that drive you onto the glacier itself. Our guide for the ice journey was yet another Australian (Whistler, Banff, all full of them!) and very good he was too (as a driver and a tour guide). None of us three had ever seen (or stood on) a glacier before so it was a first for all of us. It was fascinating, exciting and, in the dazzling morning light, really very beautiful.<br />
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After this we looked at the information displays in the Icefield Centre and then drove on up the 93 towards Jasper (seeing mountain goats, sheep and another black bear or two on the way). We stopped at the Athabasca Falls (impressive but, on a national holiday, pretty busy) and then drove on towards Jasper (a small place with a lot of people going through it). We’d missed their Canada Day parade but there were still a lot of flags waving and we did visit their Canada Day activities event a few streets behind the main drag (face-painting, games, music, food etc.). It was all pretty low-key but easy-going and laid-back. Then we got back in the car and pretty soon left the Rockies behind, which was weird (one minute so rocky, next minute so flat). Our photos of the rest of our short Rockies visit are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627035877669" title="Canadian rockies part 2"><img alt="Canadian rockies part 2" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6128/5921593751_7419a27b7f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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Next time Alberta’s big cities – Edmonton and Calgary.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-28066098798007871992011-07-07T20:53:00.007-05:002023-02-28T08:34:12.827-06:00Beautiful British Columbia - part 4 (Chinese Garden and leaving B.C.)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-Xk3_WNRok-gVeSCuyxlfm4WDjErU3m5QXt2UUexX8olIIV6LKX_vwXFpPQt99uR-j7jGZxpvfbpHSiyg0EkQOr79d7u9y3M4Xt0U5dzAVVVRGcNBSDNvbvsHL3MuWCxrHg7XrRZcOE/s1600/DSC02195.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626794423698363170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-Xk3_WNRok-gVeSCuyxlfm4WDjErU3m5QXt2UUexX8olIIV6LKX_vwXFpPQt99uR-j7jGZxpvfbpHSiyg0EkQOr79d7u9y3M4Xt0U5dzAVVVRGcNBSDNvbvsHL3MuWCxrHg7XrRZcOE/s400/DSC02195.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver</span><br />
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And here is a very quick last post about our time in British Columbia (we<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>re in Regina, Saskatchewan already <span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;">–</span> we<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>re getting too behind ourselves now!).<br />
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On Saturday 25th June we headed into Vancouver city with relatives to visit the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. It was something I really wanted to see and it was very beautiful, tranquil, exquisite really (their site is <a href="http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com/" target="new">here</a>). Then on the Sunday, our last day with the Vancouver branch of the family, we spent some time with some of them on one of the city<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>s beaches (Second Beach). And then it was time to say good-bye and thank-you for all the hospitality that had been shown to us by the family over this way. It was as good a place as any to say good-bye to the Pacific Ocean too (for now anyway). It was hard to believe it had been about a month since we first saw the Pacific this trip (back in Venice Beach, California). Our photos from our last Vancouver weekend are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627141963370" title="Chinese Garden plus"><img alt="Chinese Garden plus" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5316/5913326461_47fd606733_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Then on Monday 27th June we set off along Highway 1 (east). Luckily we were 48 hours ahead of the mudslide that hit the same stretch of highway (near Hope, B.C.) on the Wednesday! We stayed the night with more B.C. relatives in Kelowna (a short but very sweet visit - especially for h who made a new friend). Kelowna is alongside (and in fact all around) the huge Lake Okanagan (a lake, like Loch Ness, that is so huge it has a monster, the Ogopogo). Then on Tuesday 28th we drove north past many more lakes and then east back onto highway 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway) until we got to near Revelstoke. There we stayed the night in a lovely lodge kind of a place with beautiful mountain views and total peace and quiet. Then on the Thursday we drove east and east again until we hit the Rockies and, finally, the next province, Alberta.<br />
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Our last photos of British Columbia are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627017461583" title="Leaving BC"><img alt="Leaving BC" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6060/5913354109_ce919582cb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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So, 20 days in British Columbia and 4 blog posts. Next time <span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;">–</span> the Rockies.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-85196267921810300992011-07-05T23:20:00.005-05:002023-02-28T08:36:02.157-06:00Beautiful British Columbia – part 3 (Vancouver Island and more from the young one…)<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/5903345769/" title="Orca, near Mayne Island by m+A+s, on Flickr"><img alt="Orca, near Mayne Island" height="333" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5080/5903345769_b7988d3cf9.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Orca (killer whale), near Mayne Island, off Vancouver Island</span><br />
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In real time we leave Alberta tomorrow for Saskatchewan but in blog time we’re still chasing whales on Vancouver Island (see below).<br />
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Monday 20th June we took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Firstly we met up with someone I knew from blogging and writing – Sandra Leigh (her blog is <a href="http://sandarastraveljournal.blogspot.com/" target="new">here</a>). We had a lovely lunch with Sandra, felt we had known her for years after about 30 minutes and then she showed us some of the local sites (particularly Pipers Lagoon). We then went on to our place for the night – Parksville (a little further north) – where we enjoyed some dramatic views over the water (the Strait of Georgia) at night.<br />
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The next day (21st June) we played mini-golf (well, we are on holiday), spotted bald eagles, met up with Sandra again, said good-bye to her again and then set off south towards Victoria. On the way we stopped at Chemainus – a town filled with striking murals (please find many photos below). We got to Victoria pretty much at bedtime and watched the solstice sun set over the Odeon cinema over the road. Our photos from Nanaimo, Parksville, Chemainus and heading south are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627119028562" title="Vancouver Island part 1"><img alt="Vancouver Island part 1" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6050/5903167995_f4baf3a9f1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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On 22nd June we woke up in Victoria on a lovely sunny day. We booked a place on one of the many whale-watching tours available locally and headed down to the harbour to get aboard. And now here is our youngest correspondent with the rest of that day’s old news:<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">So, on Wednesday 22nd June, we went off to the Prince of Whales whale watching company. Mum, Dad and I got dressed up in big red suits and hats and gloves. We’d been told we’d get wet, but we didn’t know about the suits. When we were getting onto the boat, the Zodiac driver was telling us the water would be rough. He also asked if I was ok with that. We said yes. Well, it was certainly very rough!</span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">The trip started off slowly and we were in the back of the boat. The water was calm in the harbour. I didn’t know if it would get that much bumpier, but it did. When we left the harbour the waves were huge and it was like being in a rollercoaster (and a lot of fun!). We saw harbour seals lying on some rocks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">The Zodiac drivers of other boats told our driver they’d seen a pod of whales, but they were a long way away. There were some bumps, but not many, on the way to the place they had been spotted. It got cooler, so we were glad of our suits. Eventually, after a long boat trip we arrived to see a ton of boats there too. After not too long, the whales (orcas or killer whales) were sticking their heads out. There were loads of them. The driver was very proud and showed us all pictures of the three pods of whales that live in these waters all year. The whales weren’t at all shy, showing themselves a lot. We stayed a long time, ate some crunchy bars, watched some whales through binoculars.</span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">For most of the trip back it was quite smooth. We saw the seals again and then near the harbour the waves got much bumpier again (even bumpier than before!). We were all holding onto each other. Hats, gloves, we wore them all. We talked about the waves, though we didn’t let go of each other much. After a long bumpy bit, it seemed, it was eventually calm again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">We saw lots of different kinds of boats back in the harbour: Taxi-boats, Tour-boats, big boats, small boats. When we got off, we were really hot in our suits. Once the suits were off we got lunch and went shopping. We also went to the cinema. Dad saw “X-Men – First Class”. Mum and I saw “Mr Popper’s Penguins”. It was very funny. We also got popcorn and afterwards ate what should have been Chinese, but was Indian. It tasted good.</span><br />
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And that’s goodnight from her.<br />
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On Thursday 23rd June we went to the Royal B.C. Museum and watched an IMAX film about orang-utans and elephants (excellent) and looked at all the exhibits on show (mainly the top floor – history of BC). Then we made our way to the ferry at Swartz Bay and back to the mainland, pretty much in time for bed.<br />
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Our Victoria, whale-watching and leaving the island photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157627119321068" title="Vancouver Island part 2"><img alt="Vancouver Island part 2" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5231/5903319939_98eabd1563_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We absolutely loved what we saw of Vancouver Island (there is lots, lots more that we didn<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">’</span>t see – the west coast for a start). Friendly locals too. Great place.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-65161683651836948322011-07-03T11:30:00.005-05:002023-03-03T11:11:33.083-06:00Beautiful British Columbia – part two (Whistler and bears and totem poles)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlam5iiGrgpIuWg8ClrXyVcHcD9OtJehugUmWQP6MtkT5oO4v8Zr73SUdwpFe-VGlpTcdi0ucgub37mfJ0_w4eaJWOLS-jC1NbOdffekRfT-x5sxUCHzWooZEte4cB1veThiEOr0y-mQs/s1600/IMG_4268.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625165342080697554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlam5iiGrgpIuWg8ClrXyVcHcD9OtJehugUmWQP6MtkT5oO4v8Zr73SUdwpFe-VGlpTcdi0ucgub37mfJ0_w4eaJWOLS-jC1NbOdffekRfT-x5sxUCHzWooZEte4cB1veThiEOr0y-mQs/s400/IMG_4268.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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On Thursday 16th June we set off for a short trip north from Vancouver to Whistler. Whistler is mainly a skiing resort (and this being June the skiing was pretty much finished) but we went because everyone said it was worth a visit whatever the weather and also because there was a strong chance of seeing bears there. There are black bears all around the Vancouver area (the North Vancouver newspapers are full of <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">“</span>there’s a bear in my back yard<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;">”</span> stories) but you don’t often see them just hanging around and we were keen to try and catch sight of them.<br />
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So, off we drove following the 1 to join highway 99 (the ‘Sea to Sky Highway’). The 99 takes you past Horseshoe Bay and then along the Squamish river inland and it is, on a sunny day, an absolutely beautiful route (luckily we caught a nice day). There are striking mountain backdrops, pretty places to stop (like Shannon Falls) and great water views. Apparently the road was much upgraded for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and it isn’t too far to Whistler so we got there mid afternoon, checked in and went for a little look around.<br />
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Whistler is mainly a very new, purpose-built ski resort with heaps of hotels, restaurants, sportswear shops and so on. It’s all clean and largely staffed by young Australians. With the skiing season over the activities on offer were more along the lines of mountain biking, hiking and general tourism and, with only one day there (and a girl whose least favourite sport is cycling) we took the latter option for the most part. We nosed about, swam in the outdoor pool (view of the mountains – lovely!) and took in the atmosphere.<br />
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Then on the morning of Friday 17th June (sadly a somewhat cloudier day) Mark and h went off to enjoy Whistler’s main tourist attraction – the cable cars that take folks up to the top of Whistler Mountain (and past wild bears if they’re lucky). Also, if they’re really keen, they can go over to the nearby peak of Blackcomb Mountain too (on the Peak to Peak section of the ride). As I’d already done one cable car ride back in California (and being up in a metal box hanging from a string is not really my idea of a good time) I let them do this alone and went and got on with something else (the Washington State blog post, I think it was). Here is our youngest team member with her account of the Peak to Peak and what they saw:<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">So, on Friday 17th June, Dad and I went up Whistler Mountain in a gondola (that’s what they call cable cars here). It was very cold and snowy at the top of the mountain. I spotted a marmot and a chipmunk. We took a quick look around, but we were cold, so we got on a Peak to Peak Gondola to Blackcomb Mountain. We didn’t see much as it was extremely misty, but it was still fun. There were no animal spottings on the first Peak to Peak. At the top of Blackcomb a food place was opening. They were playing music. We couldn’t see it very well because of the mist. We got on a Peak to Peak gondola to take us back to Whistler from Blackcomb. It was very misty, as you can probably tell from the photos. We were starting to worry we wouldn’t see a bear. We didn’t hang around at the top of Whistler for very long. We got on yet another gondola to take us back down. It was less misty this time. We were quite upset at not seeing a bear. When we were near the bottom, I spotted a deer. Just when we were pretty much at the bottom, Dad spotted a mama and baby black bear. There were lots of people cycling around, so they were tough bears, obviously, and not scared by people.</span><br />
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So, success all round and after lunch we set off back down highway 99 to our hosts in North Vancouver – stopping at the various information points on the way, seeing more black bears in a field as we went and then finally calling in for tea and cake in a very British shop in Lions Bay (there are loads of British people all around the area). The photos from our Whistler expedition are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626980832885" title="Whistler mountain and area"><img alt="Whistler mountain and area" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5308/5896816929_33944bc15c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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On Saturday 18th June we went to visit one of Vancouver’s major museums – the Museum of Anthropology (out in the University campus on the other side of the city). It’s a beautiful place in an equally beautiful setting and it’s packed full of First Nation totem poles and other wooden pieces (some old, some new). A lot of the collection comes from what was called Queen Charlotte Islands (but is now back to its former name Haida Gwaii) but there are other items from all around the world plus a huge ceramics section as well. We wandered a bit, ate sandwiches outside and then took one of the hour-long free tours (and though it wasn’t aimed at kids at all it kept h’s attention, which shows how well done it was). A lot of the collection was very striking so we (i.e. Mark) took heaps of photos. Here is our Museum of Anthropology day out (plus some Vancouver shots on the way back to base):<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626981605329" title="Museum of Anthropology and area"><img alt="Museum of Anthropology and area" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5235/5897648578_d4d8c570fc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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We spent the rest of that weekend doing family stuff (well, it was Father’s Day too) and then on Monday 20th June we set off for a few days in Vancouver Island. We took so many photos in V. Island (it was brilliant – we could have stayed for months!) that, although we wanted to add them this time, in fact they will have to have a post all of their own (we could do a post just of whale photos). So Vancouver Island will be the next post.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-12057642988005047222011-06-30T00:20:00.009-05:002023-03-04T04:34:20.061-06:00Beautiful British Columbia* – part one<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhakVKTYk2DExDvLztbhXz9a-ihYd2eLwhC4H3RAgj1yD7HkWdewWHKjcjkgt3wIaL5bOm623g75o6xge3hVeb2JZOj7tcgRLpbUy-m8f4tn79op9KxlnFm7SZ6XIg3fsu2g7p9f4q4wg/s1600/IMG_4038.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623881166356654850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhakVKTYk2DExDvLztbhXz9a-ihYd2eLwhC4H3RAgj1yD7HkWdewWHKjcjkgt3wIaL5bOm623g75o6xge3hVeb2JZOj7tcgRLpbUy-m8f4tn79op9KxlnFm7SZ6XIg3fsu2g7p9f4q4wg/s400/IMG_4038.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Stanley Park, Vancouver</span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">*In North America every province/state has a slogan of sorts and this is the B.C. one. And you might think it smacks of pride to the point of smugness … until you see the sign at the U.S./Canadian border we crossed where B.C. is declared “the best place on earth”.</span><br />
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So, finally we get back to a Canadian blog entry. We left the U.S.A. on 9th June and drove quietly into British Columbia. Mark had been to this province once before (when he was 19) but for h and I it was all new territory. I had always heard about Vancouver in awed tones (a beautiful city, more than a hint of promised land) so I was interested to get to know it and its province and see what all the fuss was about.<br />
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First though we needed a rest – mainly because this was our first long stop in a place since New Jersey back in April. So once we got to Mark’s aunt and uncle’s place (in North Vancouver) we sat down and took a mighty load off (for the rest of the 9th June and most of the 10th). These are very hospitable relatives, mind, so we were wined and dined (and well and truly spoilt) so all the sitting down was not wasted. H was relieved to finally get a room of her own again, I think, and did a lot of reading and internet surfing and such like. Auntie Juanita taught her a mean card trick later in the stay too!<br />
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By Saturday 11th June, however, it was time to get back on the tourist trail so we got ourselves into downtown Vancouver (via the magnificent Seabus that crosses the water between North Vancouver and its southern cousin). There we saw for ourselves the (ice) hockey fever that had a hold of the city thanks to the Stanley Cup. Ice-hockey is Canada’s national sport pretty much and Vancouver’s team, the Canucks, was several matches into a play-off set of finals against the Boston Bruins. We also saw an electric car fair down near the Science Centre, a lot of people on bikes and skates as well as the annual Dragonboats races out on False Creek (Vancouver is surrounded by many different bodies of water). Mark saw straightaway that the city he remembered had grown somewhat (condos, condos, convention centres, giant hotels – a lot of work done for the Winter Olympics in 2010). And it looks like it’s still growing – plenty of cranes on the skyline.<br />
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After our first Vancouver city day we took more of the fine local public transport (including the Skytrain, a metro up high) back to North Van (as it’s called locally). There we met a batch of cousins (old and new) back at base for a lovely evening’s dinner and a movie. Our first set of Vancouver (and around) photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626956904391" title="Arrival in B.C."><img alt="Arrival in B.C." height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5107/5886852224_129fd9d270_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Sunday 12th June some of the cousins took us for a walk/hike to one of the many local areas of beauty (Seymour Valley). We wandered through trees and rocks, paddled in the icy river water and fought our way over the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge (there are several swinging bridges in the area including the rather more famous Capilano one). Then, after much playing for the younger members, it was off to the very pretty nearby Deep Cove for a Japanese meal (delicious – and not something we ever eat at home). Here on the Pacific coast, of course, Japanese food (along with most other Asian foods) is pretty much everyday fodder so it really was time we tried some more of it!<br />
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Monday 13th was the day of the penultimate hockey game (7 matches for one final, I ask you, talk about dragging it out) so we did local stuff and got ready to watch (in the house – not out on the city streets). It was not a victorious night for Vancouver though so it was onto the last match on Wednesday (flags and towels at the ready).<br />
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On Tuesday 14th June we went into Vancouver city again and enjoyed a day of much walking about (good job h likes walking too). We’d done enough city bus tours by this point so though we took a few pictures of tourist buses we didn’t climb aboard any this time. Instead we walked along the Waterfront and Coal Harbour areas – looking at boats and seaplanes and houseboats and public art. Then we wandered into Stanley Park, visited the magnificent totem poles, wandered some more and then took a regular bus (driven by the most helpful driver – he waited for passengers!) back into the downtown area. There we perused the hugely expensive central art gallery (wacky old surrealism exhibition, interesting new work by a guy called Ken Lum), had a cup of tea and waited for a guide.<br />
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We met Andy Coupland in New Mexico (over breakfast, as it happens – he was on holiday and staying in the same hotel as us back in Taos). As we chatted over the Marmite back there he had mentioned that he did Architecture and Walking Tours of Vancouver and might we be interested (link to Andy’s blog is <a href="https://changingvancouver.wordpress.com/author/vancouvercoupland/" target="_blank">here</a>). We were interested so we got in touch once in the area and arranged to meet up. Andy (originally from England) showed us central Vancouver pretty much building by building (and gave us a great, descriptive history of the city’s early days when we were in ‘historic’ Gastown). We would highly recommend this way to see the city. A late night though for h – what with the meal out and the Seabus back. Good job all we had to do on Wednesday was go out to lovely Deep Cove again and then watch the (final) hockey final on TV.<br />
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You probably saw what happened during (and mostly after) the hockey final on the TV news (wherever you are) so I won’t go on about it here. It was a shame though after so much excitement and pride in the city to end up with a load of smashing windows and nicking stuff (nothing political about this demo from what we could see – just good old-fashioned breaking things). Of course anyone of English extraction is used to being associated with sports and bad behaviour (it’s not so long since we were the “shame of Europe” on a regular basis) but it is the kind of thing that gets sport a bad name (and of course the hockey players being so violent on the ice probably doesn’t help in that area). In Vancouver hearts seemed particularly broken because the city prides itself so much on its positives (being greener in every sense as well as being prettier, friendlier, more integrated, more easy-going than other places) and the window-smashing certainly tarnishes that view temporarily. In all honesty I would say it is a city like all others (many good points, but its share of problems too). It has one of the original <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_row" target="new">Skid Rows</a> (still keeping to its original character, from what we could see). Plus we all have our off days – even the best of us. It should be added though that many Vancouver locals were out the next day cleaning up the streets and keen to show the world that this was not all their city was about, not at all.<br />
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Our next set of Vancouver (and surrounding area) photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626957045005" title="More Vancouver and surrounds"><img alt="More Vancouver and surrounds" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6023/5886915746_62c953f868_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Next time Whistler (bears!) and Vancouver Island (eagles! whales!).Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-58017653713661069192011-06-23T12:43:00.000-05:002023-03-04T04:42:55.242-06:00U.S.A Observations<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPTTfrRN7FuU0J3M7GxpRIyfm3kIMfqp0t6_Gq7f9VVIjkIwxDaaeyYhx0DjxgzhXvDvufp954tjSrxEYrCRNDIO3o7eCM7YqMX4k-UkAZkscI5jNsOngdHh5RnDeOWumBu2JaEKQQ0k/s1600/IMG_5665.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621472904527388658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPTTfrRN7FuU0J3M7GxpRIyfm3kIMfqp0t6_Gq7f9VVIjkIwxDaaeyYhx0DjxgzhXvDvufp954tjSrxEYrCRNDIO3o7eCM7YqMX4k-UkAZkscI5jNsOngdHh5RnDeOWumBu2JaEKQQ0k/s400/IMG_5665.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo above from roadside in Delaware.</span> <div><br /></div><div>So, we’ve been back in Canada for a couple of weeks now. We’ve been visiting with family and sightseeing in Vancouver and are currently holed up on Vancouver Island (it’s lovely). Whilst the last post was our ‘last U.S. state’ post we thought we would finish the U.S. section of this trip (we were there for 3 whole months) with a few observations on the state of the union, as it were. (<i>Please note this post was written in 2011</i>).</div><div><br /></div><div>We had a ball in the U.S.A. overall. Mark had been to a couple of states before but h and I had never set foot in the place and we only had movie and TV tips (and lots of British jokes about Americans) to go on. In fact it was not really what I expected from all of those – it wasn’t glossy or too loud or too noisy and no-one got shot. It was, instead, friendly, quite laid-back in many ways and more old-fashioned than I expected (the trains in Boston for a start – they made U.K. trains look like something out of <i>The Fifth Element</i>). I have to admit I liked the country in general much more than I expected to. I liked the size, the space, the food (especially in Louisiana) and most of all, I think, I liked the variety (of countryside and accents and faces and everything really). Britain, for all its good points (and h keeps reminding us of them all), can feel claustrophobic at times and I can see why people like these big countries with their long, spacious roads and their endless places to hide (deserts, swamps, forests – they have it all).
And the rest of the observations below are more specific and a bit of a mixed bag (and don’t take them all too seriously): </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">The post</span>
I remember ages ago reading snidey U.S. satirical right-winger P.J. O’Rourke on how terrible it is to have everything run by the government (because then everything is as badly organised and slow as the Post Office was his argument). Well, I’d have to say that if everything in life was as well run as the U.S. post office then the world would be a very happy place. As we travelled through the States (26 of them) we visited lots of post offices (in tiny places and in huge cities) and I was totally impressed by the reach of their post office, by all the local offices, by how smart and clean they were. In the UK we close more and more of our local post offices (making bigger and bigger queues in the ones that are left) so it was nice to see so many P.O.s all over the place. Plus U.S. postal workers do things like collect mail that you want to send right from your house (imagine that – I couldn’t believe it). They’ll also just take letters from random strangers in the street and add them to the ‘to go’ bag. Amazing service. </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Driving</span>
On average I’d say U.S. drivers are better than U.K. ones (and better than Canadians too). US drivers keep to the speed limits most of the time and, most importantly, they keep their distance from other vehicles really well (of course they do have more distance to go round than us). OK we didn’t travel in much rush hour traffic (and rush hours everywhere are crazy) but we did drive for miles and miles and miles and we didn’t get exasperated with some of the bad driving the way we do at home (though we were amazed by the number of pick-up trucks). However we were also amazed that the driving is better because (a) everyone is on the phone ALL the time in the car (maybe that’s why they drive a bit more slowly – so they don’t drop the phone) and (b) indicator lights (turn signals, they call ’em) are so rarely used that you wonder if most U.S. drivers know they exist.
p.s. Worst U.S. roads (in terms of condition, potholes etc.) – Michigan and California. Best roads – maybe Ohio and Oregon (of the ones we saw). </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Extreme weather and disasters</span>
It’s mad – no wonder they have more weather reports than you could possibly imagine. Tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, giant hailstones … I don’t know how they sleep at night. Maybe that’s why all the ads on TV are for pharmaceuticals (and they are) and there are more drugstores in one state than in the rest of Europe put together (OK, maybe I exaggerate just a little). </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Packaging</span>
There is a slight obsession with hygiene in the U.S. For example everything seems to come in a plastic wrapper (do individual plastic forks and knives really need an individual plastic wrapper each?). And that hand sanitiser stuff – it’s everywhere (not just in movies). </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Crazy Christians</span>
We’d watched many a TV show that mocked some of the U.S. extreme (= stoopid) Christians (the title here is a quote from the TV show<i> Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip</i>) but nothing had prepared us for the high level nonsense of Crazy Christian radio, DVDs of real, actual prophesies and so on. The whole business is funny on one level but on others it’s absolutely terrifying. I can’t help thinking Jesus would be scared (very, very scared) in some parts of, say, Tennessee where there seems to be nothing but houses and churches. C’mon guys, he’d say, let’s have a library or a bar or something at least. There is more than just that one book, you know. </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Electricity</span>
Because of the voltage level in the U.S. simple household appliances work very, very slowly. I’ve never waited so long for a piece of toast. </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">TV</span>
Sometimes there are so many ads on U.S. TV that you forget what programme you’re watching (and then the one time they don’t put any ads on is between separate shows so you don’t get time to switch off before being hooked in to another show/episode). Also the female TV presenters (especially on breakfast TV) wear even more make-up than their counterparts in the U.K. (and that takes some beating). Finally they really should get their own U.S. royal family for the TV stations (or they can have ours). Please. The sucking up to the royals on show around the time of that wedding was just embarrassing. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tipping</span>
British people are not brought up to tip (well, in restaurants maybe – but not all over the place). In fact mostly tipping makes us uncomfortable (“can’t you just be paid properly, don’t you have a union? It would be so much easier for everyone?”). We have done the tipping thing while we’re away (though we noticed some Americans did not – for tour guides and so on) but it feels weird. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Holidays/vacation</span>
People in the U.S. get hardly any holidays from work at all from what we understand (no wonder they used to go in for those whistle-stop tours of Europe - who has time for more than 5 hours in Paris when you only get a handful of days off a century?). When we said how long we were away to Brits or Canadians most of them know someone who’s done such a trip or are thinking about one themselves. When we mentioned it to most Americans they looked stunned (how would a person be off work that long?). From what we hear they get stinking maternity time too. So much for the free world. </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Poverty</span>
Sure there’s a lot of big houses and giant cars (hummers - who needs a car that big?) but you can feel poverty striped right through the country too. A lot of old cars, a lot of pawn shops, a lot of areas “no-one” wants to go to (though some of that is just old racism burning on). But none of this is news really. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Road signs</span>
There is something truly magnificent about the confidence you see on many U.S. roadside ad hoardings (everything is the “best burger in the world”, the “happiest place on earth”, the “tallest tree ever” etc.). Nothing is EVER undersold, underhyped or underplayed. I kind of liked it. If nothing else some of the signs were just very, very funny. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Credit cards</span>
If you listen to U.S. TV and radio you hear a lot of come-on-now-people-panic ads about I-D theft (mostly encouraging you to buy something to protect yourself). However if they do have an ID theft problem then I’m afraid the folks down there only have themselves to blame because security measures are very poor. For example, every café/restaurant we went to in the U.S. expected us to hand over the plastic (debit/credit whichever) whereupon they took it off into the back (we never do this in the UK anymore), brought back a receipt to be signed and then proceeded to never once check that the signature matched the one on the card. You can sign Mickey Mouse, Barack Obama … no-one ever checks it. We were pleased to get back to Canada where (like at home) they bring the card machine to the table and don’t just disappear with your card. </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Politics</span>
We expected to meet a lot of right-wing nutters in the U.S.A. but in fact we only met one (a Californian, in Utah). He told us that Obama had cancelled all the U.S. space programs because he only wanted moslems in space. Anyone know anything about this? And are they there yet? </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spanish</span>
They say that one day Spanish will be the first language in the U.S.A (don’t they?). Well, in many places the change has already happened (and in others the Chinese are making good ground). It’ll be interesting to see how the linguistic change pans out (anyone taking bets for the first State of the Union in Spanish now?). No language ever rules forever. </div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Downtowns</span>
I’d read a lot about U.S. downtowns and their demise (thanks to the surburban malls and plazas) and it’s true that many what we would call small towns really have no downtown at all these days. Many cities (big and small) though are reversing the trend and filling their centres with life and culture and activity again. Someone somewhere has realised that places without centres are just that – a bit empty and lost (though of course you can always find a drugstore when you want one).
I’m sure there’s lots more we could say about the U.S.A but for now this much will have to do as we have big old Canada to get back to. We leave the Vancouver area in a few days and start to work our way east (just a few miles then, though of course it’s kilometres again now). But if in trouble we can always remember this sign that made us both laugh back in Ohio:</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZan_qyLxlO7lY6MWK3iWblaTUBoJuOopiB74TS7_A7KOcQVPi6K7gA3GJEu4MsENRCLVI7K5Np6d78imf0NeYRElRECJj3VDb-f66KT6B-8NFe3VmewxRpSUlVGHfPc4ax6T5NeObvPs/s1600/IMG_3348.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621473624852885106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZan_qyLxlO7lY6MWK3iWblaTUBoJuOopiB74TS7_A7KOcQVPi6K7gA3GJEu4MsENRCLVI7K5Np6d78imf0NeYRElRECJj3VDb-f66KT6B-8NFe3VmewxRpSUlVGHfPc4ax6T5NeObvPs/s400/IMG_3348.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>
Has anyone already done a book of amusing U.S. road signs? If not I may have to think about that.</div>Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-89505869914397532392011-06-18T22:52:00.002-05:002023-03-04T04:46:12.182-06:00Washington – the last state (for us)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyPd3BV6Jk5PylCwpzmkhG7knftQX3LMmDPkhuQyASwa6VRXQyXMcFh1ln1WU0VOJxT6_k0ZGATi3pWMoVcbylXvwj7s1QfxHtn7v0FQ-nUnX5FnSkpOlqz0EuN8GhL3qm5TqyXp8UHo/s1600/IMG_3588.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619799352250862050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyPd3BV6Jk5PylCwpzmkhG7knftQX3LMmDPkhuQyASwa6VRXQyXMcFh1ln1WU0VOJxT6_k0ZGATi3pWMoVcbylXvwj7s1QfxHtn7v0FQ-nUnX5FnSkpOlqz0EuN8GhL3qm5TqyXp8UHo/s400/IMG_3588.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">(above) Seattle</span><br />
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On Monday 6th June we left Oregon at about midday and entered our last U.S. state of this trip (Washington). This was our 26th state (not counting the other Washington – D.C. – because it’s only a district). Some total in 3 months!<br />
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We drove up Interstate 5 a little while – noticing straightaway that this state seemed a little less affluent than the last one (well, from what you can see from a highway anyway) and then we turned off east to take a little look at Mount St. Helens (the volcano that last erupted in only 1980). The scenery was dramatic (as you might expect) – snow-capped peaks, wide river valleys, lots of forest (some planted since the eruption – lots of information on that along the route). We were heading for the Forest Learning Center (the best of the crop of visitor centres so we read and not too far out of our way as really we were heading north to Seattle for the night). Unfortunately it turned out that our information (for once) was not reliable and this visitor centre was still only open at weekends. It was a bit of a disappointment but the lady in the gift shop (yes, that was open – aren’t they always?) was delightful and thrust upon us many pamphlets and bits and pieces to make up for this blip in the itinerary. And then we went and just looked at the views and did our best to imagine what this oh so peaceful scenery would look like in the middle of a volcanic eruption.<br />
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On our way back down the highway (most of it built specially since the eruption – the old road had been destroyed) we stopped for lunch in a friendly place with lovely riverside views and elk burgers on the menu. They hunted the elk themselves so I’m not sure you can get more local meat than that (sorry veggies). Mark ate the elk (after a slow start he is perhaps the most daring eater out of the three of us) and he said it was very tasty, not as heavy as beef. I didn’t try it (I’ve had venison several times in Scotland and always find it overrated – Mark says it was better than venison) and h, still not ready to eat Bambi or anything even remotely along those lines, had yet another grilled cheese (cheese toastie to those at home). Our entering Washington and close-to-Mount St. Helens photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626989961922" title="Washington & Mnt St Helens"><img alt="Washington & Mnt St Helens" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5156/5845717642_6096401f4f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Then we left the countryside and headed north to Seattle. It’s not very far and we got there just before rush hour (just as well as their rush hour is pretty huge from what we saw later). We’d booked a place just out of the main downtown area alongside Lake Union (very pretty, lots of sailing boats) but partly because it was just a really good deal (free breakfast, free parking, free shuttle to downtown – all good for a city place). After a short settle-in however we went out into what was a lovely sunny evening and found the centre of downtown – Pike Place Market. There we soaked up some atmosphere (it seems a lively, watery, very good-humoured city) and got a great fishy dinner in the restaurant that’s right at the market. As we got back to our hotel the sun was setting over the various lakes and coasts that surround this city (cruise ships aplenty docked all around – many heading to Alaska, some to Canada) – it was really very attractive. If we stuck our head out of our hotel window we could even see the famous Space Needle landmark lit up for the night. Though none of the series was ever filmed in the city and there is absolutely zero Frasier-related tourism available we still felt we were close to the great man. Goodnight Seattle indeed.<br />
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On the 7th June we took the free shuttle along to the Seattle Centre (museums, the Space Needle, convention centres etc.). Mark headed straight to the <i>Battlestar Galactica</i> exhibition at the EMP/SFM (Experience Music Project & Science Fiction Museum – huge place aimed fiercely at the teens and evergreens). Meanwhile I took h to the Children’s Museum nearby. It was a small corner of the giant centre (and tiny and creaky compared to the fantastic Play Museum we visited back in Rochester, NY) but it was friendly and gentle and not too busy and she still enjoyed it very much. We learned quite a lot about life in Japan and the Philippines (all things Pacific feature heavily in Seattle) and h had fun playing in a kids’ theatre in one part of the museum with some of the other little visitors. They put on a quick production and she did a very convincing dying dog.<br />
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After that we joined Mark in the EMP for a soupy lunch and then a long look at the Nirvana (and all things even remotely related to Seattle, grunge and the local music scene) exhibit. There was also an <i>Avatar</i> section to the museum, a Jimi Hendrix section (he was born in Seattle), a giant movie screen showing all sorts of clips and then a really fun area where you could try your hand at guitars and electronic drums and recording in a studio and so on. We were in EMP pretty much till it closed at 5pm – lots to do and see. Noisy too.<br />
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From the Seattle Centre we took the monorail (transport of the future – very quick, pretty high, good views) into the centre of downtown and did a bit more wandering. We spent the last of our Starbucks card (thanks Jeanne Iris!) in their first ever store down by the market and then walked along the waterfront (cruise ships, hotels, a not very pretty stretch but still dramatic in its way). We looked at the Olympic Sculpture Park (mixed feelings – nothing very wow), got a not very special pasta meal and then went back to the hotel. We had not seen all of Seattle downtown by far (we didn’t get to the Pioneer Square area – sorry, Seattle) but this was our umpteenth US major city and I guess our tourist energy levels were running on reserve. Even so we had seen enough to know that we liked the city quite a lot – lots to do, effortlessly cool – and that was even taking into account the roads which were pretty bad (busy, mainly tied up in hefty roadworks). There were lots and lots of English people around (some on holiday, some residents) and we could definitely see the attraction. Our Seattle photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626865523755" title="Seattle"><img alt="Seattle" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3207/5845751056_fb8b6347d9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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The visa clock was ticking louder now so on the morning of 8th June we set off north for our last night in the USA. We had thought we might drive by Microsoft for Mark (as we did by Apple and Google in California) but it is slightly east of where we were heading (in Redmond) and we just weren’t in the mood. Instead we headed straight up the (very busy) 5 and north. We stopped for lunch in little Mount Vernon (just a regular little town – nothing touristy) and had our last all-American lunch in an all-American kinda place (the sign said “Bill’s Diner – awesome food, friendly atmosphere” and it was right on both counts). It was quiet and late (on this trip we always seem to eat both breakfast and lunch some time later than our industrious US cousins) and we chatted with yet another pretty, smiling waitress. It all reminded me of a Charles Bukowski poem I posted at my other blog just before we came away (it’s the second youtube poem <i>Nirvana</i> on <a href="http://crowd-pleasers.blogspot.com/2011/01/wandering-away.html" target="new">here</a>). Maybe we could just stay in this diner forever, I pondered, drinking coffee, eating French fries…<br />
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Well, no. We couldn’t. And I’m glad we didn’t because in fact we got back in the car and carried on north, stopped at Fairhaven (“historic Fairhaven” – part of the small city of Bellingham) and had a most splendid afternoon. The sun was shining and we found a haven (good name!) of great bookshops, lovely cafés (we were too full of diner of course to try these but they looked great), a farmers’ market (with music) and the friendliest, funniest people all around. Mark needed a haircut so we entered the local barbershop and there met Diane (and her dogs). I think we were in Diane’s place about 2 hours (and he doesn’t have that much hair) but it was great fun – many stories, chatting locals, tales of Fairhaven’s nightlife and beyond. Many times on the trip we’ve asked ourselves “I wonder what it would be like to live here?” and I should think Fairhaven (and Bellingham) are as good as it gets. The city seemed packed with local businesses doing good things (a veggie drive-thru, co-ops all over the place) and they have the ocean and the greenery and possibly the relief of living in a forgotten little corner of a big country where you can kind of get on and just do your own thing. One of the locals said to me “people in the North West don’t realise how good they have it”. Maybe so. Maybe so. Our Bellingham/Fairhaven photos are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626990449422" title="Bellingham and upstate Washington"><img alt="Bellingham and upstate Washington" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5116/5845934280_cc8301d548_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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After the time in Fairhaven we drove through Bellingham to our hotel on the north-eastern side of the small city (I think we would probably call it a town). We had our last US dinner in a nearby diner-type-place (pie mainly – gotta go out on a pie) and then we just went and slept. The next morning after breakfast we got ready for another slow border crossing (back into Canada) but it was not to be. As it was we were at the border within about 15 minutes and straight over and out of Washington before we could so much as say “see ya later”. It was weird after all this time (3 whole months) to just leave the state and the country so quickly and quietly like that. After so many adventures (the tornadoes! The deserts! The city after city!) I felt like there should be, at the very least, a large crowd to wave us off or something. But no, no such drama. Just a Canadian border sign (once more with the bilingual signs), a quick look at the passports and a there you are, back north once more. Bonjour Canada, au revoir <em></em><em></em><em style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"></em><em style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"></em>Les<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>États-Unis. It felt weird.<br />
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We’ll be back shortly with a “thoughts on the USA” post and then, eventually, with our adventures in British Columbia (just don’t mention the ice hockey). Phew.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-8861919958170425202011-06-13T17:32:00.001-05:002023-03-02T06:10:38.606-06:00Oregon – so much to see, so little time to write about it…<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlx-oFMaVqDvNmrhFLIQc9iAvmZkSwgycdD0TnKenk7Pj6C1ZSGyRhqSstr69stNMdrFzHuZ40WSjk6KThRxWt4XhP3d7n_it8hzODoeSDLNgw7kgAki_KwiNSM160ZQerJr66UNhiF8/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617838717956283074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlx-oFMaVqDvNmrhFLIQc9iAvmZkSwgycdD0TnKenk7Pj6C1ZSGyRhqSstr69stNMdrFzHuZ40WSjk6KThRxWt4XhP3d7n_it8hzODoeSDLNgw7kgAki_KwiNSM160ZQerJr66UNhiF8/s400/IMG_3403.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span><i>Powell’s, Portland</i></span><br />
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On 1st June we drove into Oregon mid-afternoon. We stopped for the night at Grants Pass – a place where everything is about the river (the Rogue). We stayed two very peaceful nights there, ate two very good dinners and went for a lovely trip on the much-mentioned river (we saw bald eagles but only had the snapshot camera so couldn't get a decent picture). Grants Pass is surrounded by mountains – very striking – and we enjoyed the stop very much. Our photos from there are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626830697841" title="Entering Oregon & Grants Pass"><img alt="Entering Oregon & Grants Pass" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3237/5830420730_523096b436_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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On 3rd June we headed north. Another beautiful day and we stopped for a picnic lunch alongside the Umpqua river. We were heading for the Oregon coast and in particular the Oregon Dunes area. When we got there we climbed giant sand dunes, took a walk through fascinating vegetation to the beautiful wide beach (much like an Angus beach from home) and there was hardly a soul about (which made it even more like an Angus beach). We moved north again after that and spent the night just north of Florence in a place on Heceta Beach with gorgeous sea views aplenty. Our pictures from this day on the coast are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626955300396" title="Oregon coast"><img alt="Oregon coast" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3140/5830496434_b1afcf8a10_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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On 4th June we had a crazy busy day. We’d managed to get hold of a local we’d met back in Massachusetts and had arranged to meet up but first we had to visit the Sea Lion Caves and the rock pools of the Oregon coast north of Florence. We managed it all (and grabbed a great sandwich from a fantastic hippy café in Waldport – Oregon does hippy well, leave your neckties at the border, so they say) and then met our contact, more or less on time, up by Mary’s Peak mountain (back inland). Our charming guide for the rest of the day showed us the mountains, his city (Corvallis) and even took us out for a lovely dinner by the Williamette river. And then we had to say a big good-bye (how quickly you can make the best friends) and head to the hotel we’d booked in Portland for that night. It seemed a bit daunting (so late, so tired) but it was a beautiful drive up to that city with a great sunset en route so we enjoyed that too. We got to the Portland Hotel (a totally groovy place in the, don’t laugh, Nob Hill district – also known as Northwest Portland) and then we pretty much collapsed. It was a packed day but a really good one – Oregon is so friendly and green and beautiful. Pics from this day are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626830976519" title="Leaving the Oregon coast"><img alt="Leaving the Oregon coast" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5279/5830553008_bf29a2f4e0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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We’d booked two nights in Portland and had a great time there too. We took the immaculate streetcar from next to the hotel into the centre and stopped first at the enormous Powell’s bookstore. This is possibly one of the best bookstores we’ve ever been in. I loved the mix of new and second-hand books on the shelves (a price for everyone) and it is clean and friendly and just perfect. It was Sunday brunchtime and I stayed mainly with h in the kids section - it was full of kids with parents and grandparents, all talking excitedly about books and related matters. I heard one girl say to her Dad proudly “Look 2 books and I’m still not up to $10!” I wish every town and city had a Powell’s (independent, successful, busy, inspiring) - it really is a marvellous place.<br />
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After time in Powell’s we walked through the old centre/Chinatown (pretty quiet as it was Sunday), got a sandwich in the excellent Peoples’ Sandwich of Portland (all Soviet style décor – very well done) and then reached the Waterfront (very busy with fairs and music and fountains and food – particularly busy as it was the Rose Festival). We soaked up some atmosphere (Mariachi band, bluegrass band, funfairs, a million cyclists etc.) and then walked up to the quieter area known as South Park Blocks. I visited the art gallery whilst h read some of her Powell’s booty and Mark rested his eyes. Then it was back on the streetcar to the hotel and an excellent take-away curry in the room/suite. We really only spent this one day in Portland (visa time was ticking away so we moved into Washington state on 6th June) but it was enough to get an idea of what a busy, friendly, alternative city it is. Good food, good books, good public transport – the first of a trio of great North Western cities (we like Seattle and Vancouver too). But before we get to those two, here are our Portland and leaving-Oregon photos:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626831073325" title="Portland, Oregon"><img alt="Portland, Oregon" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3657/5830046949_613cf32216_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
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So, one more US post and then on to Vancouver, B.C. (where we are now).Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-12627918878631005242011-06-10T23:04:00.003-05:002023-03-04T04:55:51.757-06:00California part four –big screens, giant trees and hidden beaches<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0HgTinVTG2ECzvsO6Bbq_8rZFybdulZ0KH9TLeu57oLUfW6BAc-Ris0TbUYh_K5NEcqaPIL1M9R64b3J8Pq4K3VF2RwHJ6VQ3HUx6a6Wu17RJvatvZVW8mfXJlmID93BIBAOFrAXsfs/s1600/IMG_2970.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616817679787891250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0HgTinVTG2ECzvsO6Bbq_8rZFybdulZ0KH9TLeu57oLUfW6BAc-Ris0TbUYh_K5NEcqaPIL1M9R64b3J8Pq4K3VF2RwHJ6VQ3HUx6a6Wu17RJvatvZVW8mfXJlmID93BIBAOFrAXsfs/s400/IMG_2970.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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So where were we going that Saturday after San Francisco?<br />
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Well, first we were heading for our second Concord (we went to Concord in Massachusetts back in March). And why? Because Concord, California has a drive-in movie theatre and we had promised h, the movie fan, that we’d try and find one to visit. Also we were pretty frazzled after all the San Francisco activity and Concord wasn’t too far away and it looked small and uncomplicated. Before the movie in the evening however we had something else to find, somewhere showing the European Cup/Champions League football/soccer final for Mark (ever the sports fan). He had found a place (‘British pub’) online in Concord and it looked hopeful but when we got to the address there was no ‘pub’ to be found (gone years ago according to locals, damn that internet and its promises). So with the match pretty much underway at this point we had to find an alternative. And we were at the edge of Concord in Clayton (kind of quiet suburbia) – what would we do?<br />
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Over the parking lot I spied a sleepy-looking bowling alley (it was Saturday morning, Memorial Day weekend). I remembered that the bowling place in Barstow, CA had had a lot of screens for sports TV viewing so I suggested we take a look. It wasn’t quite the hi-tech place we’d visited in Barstow and to begin with it seemed hopeless until just on my way out I saw a Budweiser sign and realised that there was a bar in the side of the bowling alley, almost behind a secret door. I went in and a very nice lady was putting on her make-up at the end of the bar (there was only one customer, it was very quiet). They had on the TV with car racing and I asked (in my best English lady voice) if they might possibly, if it wasn’t too much trouble, put on the soccer for the gentleman in our party? “Why sure, honey,” said the lovely lady as she changed the channel, switched it over to a huge screen and gave Mark free popcorn. It was a slightly odd way to watch a major cup final I think but he saw it anyway. And Man United lost (never a disaster for someone from Yorkshire). As Mark watched h and I had another go at bowling (not bad), ate fast food, ate free popcorn. It was all strange, but not unpleasant.<br />
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After this odd start to the day (first the San Francisco British shop, then the British pub incident) we went and found our place for the night in Concord and pretty much lay low for a few hours. The drive-in didn’t start till nearly 9pm so we needed to conserve some strength. H had picked <i>Kung-Fu Panda 2</i> as her movie of choice and so at something between 7 and 8pm there we were, driving in. This drive-in place wasn’t like the old-style one we had passed in San Luis Obispo however – it seemed to be a fairly new operation with two separate screens and all part of a company that has quite a few sites around the States. We parked up (3 rows in – best place so we were told), perused the fast food and observed how others were tackling the event. We were interested to see that some people (with big hatchback boots/trunks in their cars/vans) had parked in backwards and their kids sat in the boot to watch (with the hatch open). Others had brought picnic chairs and were sitting out (it wasn’t that warm as it happened). Some (like us) were just sitting in the car (though I let h have the front seat). In the quite long wait for the movie there was a good atmosphere – kids were playing all around, Dads were chewing the fat (some even smoking cigars). We just sat and waited, our radio tuned in to the correct frequency for the movie sound (that’s the way they do it now – no more little speakers on the side of the car). Finally at something like 9pm when the sky was dark and patience wearing thin the movie started and it was a lot of fun. H really enjoyed the experience and it was kind of amazing to see a screen surrounded by sky like that. I’ve seen outdoor movies before but this is kind of different somehow – Mark had been to a drive-in once in the past (he saw <i>Ghostbusters</i> so that shows you how long ago it was). H especially liked that you could see the movie on the other screen if you turned round and looked over the parking lot (it was the new Pirates one and it was a separate area but we could still make it out fairly clearly). The 9pm start did make it a fairly late night but it was worth it. You really can’t beat the big screen.<br />
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On the Sunday (29th May) we left Concord and drove north towards the Napa Valley. One of h’s very favourite films is partly set in that area (the remake of <i>The Parent Trap</i>) and so, although she has no interest in wine as yet, she was keen to see that part of the world. We probably wouldn’t have driven hundreds of miles out of our way to get there just for that reason but as it was it was pretty much on our route north anyway. By this time, however, it was deep into Memorial Day weekend so we were not the only people heading into the Napa Valley on this sunny Sunday but never mind, I guess you have to hit the crowds some time. It did make for the slightly surreal sight of a road pretty much filled with cars in the middle of a tranquil valley of vineyards but somehow it still managed to be quite picturesque. We stopped, we tried wine (a tiny bit), we ate a meal on a pretty terrace. It was very pleasant.<br />
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After the main Napa Valley (which is pretty packed with vineyards, tasting rooms, tourists on bikes etc.) we turned slightly west and passed a sign for a “petrified forest” just near Calistoga (see <a href="http://www.petrifiedforest.org/index.html" target="new">here</a>). We turned in and took the little hike around a whole load of redwood trees that had literally been turned to stone by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. It doesn’t look much in the photos but it was fascinating. Robert Louis Stevenson was there (some time back) and there is a tree named after him. After this we drove north to Cloverdale on the 101 and had another quiet night – pizza, laundry, all the good stuff. Photos from 28th and 29th (not including pizza or laundry) are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626932393662" title="Northern California days 1 & 2"><img alt="Northern California days 1 & 2" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3282/5819150879_0080a9c237_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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On Monday 30th May (Memorial Day – but most things seemed to be open) we drove north along the 101 towards unpetrified redwood trees and the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. We stopped first at the Chandelier “Drive-thru” tree (it’s simple – you pay $5 and you drive your car through a very big tree, or a hole in the trunk of a very big tree, and then there’s a gift shop). We had a picnic (of sorts) once we’d been through the giant tree and then we moved on.<br />
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After this we stopped at various points along the highway (house made out of a huge felled tree trunk, house made in the trunk of a living redwood etc.) and then we drove along the Avenue of the Giants and looked at lots and lots of redwood trees (they really are amazing to look at and just to be around). We looked at the lovely Eel river that runs through the park too (and a guy tried to sell us meterorites/rocks for $50, uh-huh). It was all just gorgeous – and pretty quiet too considering it was a national holiday. Guess everyone was still in the Napa valley.<br />
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We headed up to Arcata for our overnight stay and noticed changes all around (suddenly everything was about lumber, cars were older, places were smaller, more businesses looked local, lots of eco and organic and so on). In Arcata the weather turned a bit grey but we stayed in another of the original old town centre hotels (lovely old rooms, more like a French hotel than a typical American one) and we were only there for the evening anyway. The hotel was full of noisy hippies (“could you slam that door a bit louder as you go off to buy munchies, please?”) but then the town did seem to have its fair share of hippies (dreads, old Volvos, backpacks) so that was not surprising. And it was a holiday. We had a nice dinner in an old store that had been turned into various shops and restaurants – all in the old plaza – and went to get some sleep (or not) before another day of redwoods. Photos of Monday 30th are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626932973924" title="Cloverdale to Arcata"><img alt="Cloverdale to Arcata" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5150/5819421925_c5b8b0d4cc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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On Tuesday 31st May we dipped slightly south to Eureka (not a place that really lives up to that giant name from what we saw) to show h their small zoo. It was quite a contrast to the bigger zoos we’ve already seen this trip in Toronto and New Orleans (and it was raining) but she still enjoyed it. The ‘stars’ of the zoo (red pandas) didn’t come out of their huts and she still enjoyed it. She loves anything even remotely connected with animals.<br />
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After Eureka Zoo (Sequoia Park Zoo) we drove up to Trinidad (a little place on the coast) to see its lighthouse (and the inside of one of its restaurants). The weather brightened up again and lucky for us because the sea views were pretty spectacular there. Then we went further north and entered the Redwood National Park, went to the visitor centre, looked at lots of lupins, looked at lots more redwoods (super misty views – apparently it’s like that a lot), went for a bit of a walk round redwoods, drove through the Hoopa Valley Reservation and then found our motel for the night (Motel Trees – opposite a redwoods attraction called “Trees of Mystery” on highway 101). From our window we could see a huge mythical lumberjack (Paul Bunyan) and his equally giant blue ox (Babe). That was all pretty unusual.<br />
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The lady at the motel desk said there was a “hidden beach” just half a mile or so down a path that led off near the motel car park so, after a quick DIY sandwich dinner in the room, we set off down that path in search of a good beach. The path was more like a mile long but it was lovely (enchanted forest territory) and there was no-one about and eventually we did indeed come across a really fantastic hidden beach (called “Hidden Beach”). We looked and played and took photos (of course) and watched the sun set (wow, wow, wow!). Then we walked back along the enchanted forest path and went to bed in our suddenly very cold motel room (further north and my, how the temperature had dropped). Photos of Tuesday 31st are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626808527353" title="Arcata to Klamath"><img alt="Arcata to Klamath" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3364/5819473359_cab00cf5bf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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The next day we packed up and went over to visit the “Trees of Mystery” place (how can you sleep opposite a giant lumberjack and not go over to say “hello”? Especially when he talks back, and he does). The “trail” they had was OK – certainly some redwoods to see (one they call the “Cathedral Tree” that apparently frequently serves as a wedding location) but there wasn’t really anything you couldn’t see for free in the state parks and they kept quoting the Joseph B. Strauss <i>Redwoods</i> poem that I … can live without. They do have a cable car (the “sky trail”) that takes you up to the top of the hill (and up to the treetops, as it were) and we did get in and ride. It was pretty high. I could hardly look out of the windows but the ocean views from the hilltop were worth it.<br />
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Back on land we went along their Paul Bunyan story trail too (it has wooden sculptures and recorded pieces to listen to) but it went on a bit and I can’t say it really held our attention (even h who loves stories). They have a collection of Native American artefacts too and we did look at that (heaps of stuff from all over the continent) but you can see that part of the place for free (it’s only the trail that you pay for).<br />
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After this we headed north, got lunch at Crescent City and then took the 199 towards Oregon, crossing the dazzling Smith river as we went. The 199 was another super-bendy through-the-mountains road (a sign said “rocks” and, as if by magic, a little one did hit the car from up above – luckily no damage) but it was beautiful, really beautiful. I think we’d probably agree that the whole Northern California stretch was brilliant (the redwoods, the beaches, the feel of some wildness). Our photos of the end of our California trail are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626808731073" title="Klamath, CA to Oregon Border"><img alt="Klamath, CA to Oregon Border" height="640" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3161/5820131450_d99f9ff5b9_z.jpg" width="427" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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And then there was Oregon … next time (we’ve got some blog catching up to do as we’re in Vancouver already in real time).Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302267142699584060noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-23887422624651188522011-06-07T00:02:00.006-05:002023-07-30T05:42:45.246-05:00California part three - San Francisco<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a_BqC9RrdDN-xUzxqDguIEV_rlkSHlVyUGRNcozWd91KL1qF1qczdW7b9ItsxMQtaw1voDpmW0pxx1XS288O-4LvuKlwC3bbtLOjRdn3KXqrDZxViWv3iZuTBBofLcx_2xQhlm8MCRI/s1600/IMG_2341.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615350972437905106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a_BqC9RrdDN-xUzxqDguIEV_rlkSHlVyUGRNcozWd91KL1qF1qczdW7b9ItsxMQtaw1voDpmW0pxx1XS288O-4LvuKlwC3bbtLOjRdn3KXqrDZxViWv3iZuTBBofLcx_2xQhlm8MCRI/s400/IMG_2341.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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On Wednesday 25th May we left Santa Cruz and pointed ourselves towards one of the cities that comes high on many a visit-wish-list – San Francisco. Would it live up to the expectations? Would it be a highlight or a low?<br />
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We’d been advised to take the 9 north from Santa Cruz and it was a very pretty green route through the hills (super bendy roads though, and in rain some of the time). We passed places with Scottish names like Ben Lomond and then, down at the bottom of the hill, by contrast, vineyards aplenty (and the end of the rain). We’d decided to drive into San Francisco via some of Silicon Valley (what with Mark’s techie interests and so on) so we stopped first in Cupertino (home of Apple). It was pretty bland-looking all round so we grabbed a sandwich and moved on towards Mountain View (home of Google). At G-central there was a bit more to see – Google gets its own road sign (see photos) and their ‘campus’ is huge and fairly sprinkled with young thin men on Google multi-coloured bikes moving from building to building. We found what looked like a visitor centre with giant sculptures of an éclair, a frozen yogurt (froyo), a gingerbread man and a honeycomb (to represent the various versions of the Android operating system apparently) but there was nothing we could visit indoors any more (we think there used to be) so we left. Or should that be logged out..?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">
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After that we drove straight into San Francisco along the 101 and found our hotel in the SoMa district (South of Market – not the fanciest area but cheaper parking than other central places). The hotel had claims to being green’but it seemed a pretty standard mid-market hotel to us. They had a contraption in the bathroom for using the water twice in the toilet cistern (to wash your hands first before it’s used to flush) but it didn’t work terribly well, plus it was cold water of course. Apart from that we couldn’t see anything different about the place (though it was beautifully quiet at night – much more so than our place in Hollywood).<br />
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Once we’d checked in it was a warm afternoon so we walked towards the central area to start to get our bearings. Straightaway we saw that much of central San Francisco had more than a hint of Venice Beach (lots of people begging, quite a few people looking damaged in one way or another). It wasn’t something we’d expected here particularly – don’t know why, perhaps we should have – but it was sad to see, especially in such numbers.<br />
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When we got to Union Square there were lots of people selling city bus tours and one of the offers was very cheap so we ended up on the top deck of an old London red bus (with the roof mostly cut off). The bus took us past Chinatown, through North Beach/Little Italy and then we jumped off at Fisherman’s Wharf (along with Union Square that’s one of the main tourist centres). We wanted to check out the boat tours and such like but in the end we didn’t really bother with that (we’ve been on quite a lot of boats this trip and even though others recommended it none of us really fancied Alcatraz). Instead we wandered along the main drag a bit (souvenir shops aplenty) and then found ourselves in the Musée Mécanique at Pier 45. This place is a fantastic collection of coin-operated antique arcade games (mostly still working – some from our childhood, some from way, way before that) and it was so much fun (and all the machines took just quarters so it didn’t cost much either). We played old fortune telling machines, all kinds of musical contraptions, the arm wrestling machine featured in, of all things, <i>The Princess Diaries</i> (so h says), space invaders, Pong (the old tennis computer game) and much, much more. To be honest we probably could have stayed in that place for all of the 3 days, it was really entertaining.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">
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After this time was getting on so we walked back towards Chinatown (always a bit of walk in San Francisco, what with the hills and so on), stopping at City Lights bookstore in North Beach on the way (run by a poet, full of poetry and beat-related items and photos). In Chinatown we grabbed a meal and then headed back towards the hotel but as we left the area I heard something I recognised – it was Auld Lang Syne! There was an old guy playing the Burns Scottish favourite on an erhu. It was a bit like this, well, it was this (short clip):</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
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And then we went to bed. Our Day One photos of San Francisco (and the road to it) are here:<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626778654067" title="San Francisco day 1"><img alt="San Francisco day 1" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3190/5806696472_b365a34258_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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On Day Two we used the same recycled London bus tour operation to get from the centre out to Golden Gate Park on the west side of the city (via Japantown and a few other areas). It was a lovely sunny day and the park looked gorgeous – not that we saw all of it, far from it, it’s huge! We went into the Japanese Tea Garden (beautiful – lots of photos below), had lunch in the art museum café (expensive, fancy, not really what we were after, interesting people-watching though), walked through the National AIDS Memorial Grove (heart-breaking but heavenly in its way) and then played at the children’s park before leaving the green and walking along Haight Street for the whole hippy history business. These days Haight Ashbury is just another shopping area really from what we could see – though quite a good one with huge music store, some nice cafés and so on – and we wandered a little. Before long though we caught another recycled London bus back into the centre (it was a great deal – 3 days of tourist bus all over the city for a very few dollars). The bus took us past the Seven Sisters houses on Alamo Square (not that outstanding – San Francisco, like parts of New Orleans, is just jam-packed with brightly-coloured, irresistible and no doubt very expensive houses). It also took us past the very striking City Hall. Towards the end of this tour the driver went off on one about beggars in the city and how we tourists mustn’t give any of them money because they’re all drug addicts (it wouldn’t take local knowledge to work that out – one guy at Fisherman’s Wharf was holding a sign that said ‘need money for ganja’). The driver also said he lived in Oakland and that Oakland had a much higher crime rate than San Francisco but no beggars. I’m not quite sure what his point was there.<br />
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After this tour we had a quiet coffee break in one of the many fancy French-style cafés in the centre (it is a city of sharp contrasts – the highest end shops/restaurants one minute, cheapskate fare the next). As we’d only seen Chinatown in the evening the day before (when it’s fairly quiet) we decided to head up again in the daytime for the full experience (shops, local groceries/markets etc.). It really was very lively and interesting for h, I think, who’s quite a fan of all things Chinese. It’s really a very big area and though it does have a long row of tourist shops it has much more besides on the parallel streets. Proper bustling it was!<br />
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After this we headed to a plain looking restaurant in Little Italy that had been recommended to us the day before by a local (the locals were very friendly in San Francisco on the whole – possibly more than in any other city in the US). The food was really very good and then we went off to hunt down that other San Francisco tourist experience – the cable car ride. We got on the Powell/Mason line at the Bay Street starting point and rode the hills to the other end of the line by Market Street. It was GREAT fun and a beautiful day so the views were perfect, none of the much-promised San Francisco rain or fog. We walked back to the hotel from Market St (just a few minutes walk) and saw ourselves all quite sunkissed in the mirror (or might that be red-nosed?). Photos from Day Two are here (and there’s quite a few of them):</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626778896213" title="San Francisco day 2"><img alt="San Francisco day 2" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2748/5806815314_c8e3e37deb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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On our last San Fran day (Friday) we took our final trip with cheapo city tours – to the Golden Gate Bridge. We had a little more time in the morning so we tried to visit one of the hidden-away local coffee shops recommended to us by our super-trendy young male receptionist (big fringe). From what he said it was one of those new-fangled places where every individual cup of coffee is made with love, decaff is outlawed and so on. I say we ‘tried’ to visit it because when we got there there was a queue down the street. We gave up and got some fairly standard coffee in a Vietnamese café round the corner where there was no queue whatsoever. We busy tourists don’t have time to queue.<br />
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Cheapo tours only did a couple of trips a day out to the bridge so the bus, when we got it, was pretty rammed with the usual United Nations of tourism (lots of European tourists in San Francisco particularly and, as we’ve seen in many other places, lots and lots of visitors from India). The tour showed us Pacific Heights (vaguely – something about Leonardo Di Caprio’s Mum living there) but once we got close to the bridge I was surprised how small the famous Golden Gate Bridge actually was. I’d have to say we have seen some much more impressive bridges on our travels (never mind at home) but it was surrounded with some of the atmospheric fog at least so it did look quite ... foggy. We got off the bus on the other side (used the restrooms, took pictures) and then got back on the bus and went back over. It was an interesting phenomenon type experience. I suppose. Maybe we should try this with tourists in Montrose.<br />
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Back on the city side of the bridge we asked the driver to let us off near the Presidio as h had made a request to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum that was in that part of town. We needed lunch first and we found it in a very nice French ‘bistro’ (run by a lady from Haiti via New York) – it was full of locals and the atmosphere was really friendly and summery. Then we went into the Presidio area (it’s a park that used to all be military land and buildings) to find Walt’s museum. We had explained to h that it wasn’t a kids activity necessarily but she’s a wise old thing sometimes and she knows what she wants because she absolutely loved the museum. It had all the details about Walt’s early career and early movies and the successes and the failures. She learned some new things too of course (about unions and un American activities) but really she was there (as always) for the magic and she managed to find plenty of that. We were there till it closed (not many photos, pics not allowed inside) and then found a cab back to the centre (no magic broomsticks were available – shame as the cab was driven as if we were in a scene from <i>Bullitt</i>).<br />
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We quickly visited the ‘crooked street’ – Lombard Street – and then meandered our way the fair distance back to our hotel (stopping for a very tired, last San Fran dinner in a fairly average diner-type thing – we didn’t want anything fancy, we were too worn out). It had ended up being another pretty much sunny day so we were very, very weary – sore feet, sleepy eyes, red noses … high-ho, high-ho...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>
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On Saturday morning we packed up and left San Francisco – stopping a few blocks from the hotel to buy Marmite for h in the local ‘British shop’ (her supply from Niagara was nearly out). The shop was very bizarre (full of Elizabeth II tea towels and shortbread) and suitably enough for the San Fran experience there was a man lying on the pavement/sidewalk just outside – fast asleep, just in his clothes, flat-out in the hot sun with no shelter of any kind. On the other side of the road there was another guy cycling past wearing a crown and there was some graffiti nearby that just said ‘pray for me’. It’s a funny old town, that much for sure. Our photos from Day 3 (and the morning we left) are here:</span></div>
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626780030481" title="San Francisco Day 3"><img alt="San Francisco Day 3" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3359/5806843893_3680be2bfb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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We did enjoy our time in San Francisco (very much – especially the cable car, Musée Mécanique, the park, the friendliness, the beauty on every street, well, almost every street) but it is kind of a sad place too – trading very much on its glory days (whatever they were exactly) and drowning a little in places in all the tourists (and associated others) that this brings in. I’ve had friends live in San Fran and love it and I’m sure it is a city that is very, very lovable (if you can live with the threat of earthquakes). It reminded me of New Orleans (and so many other places here) – exciting and fascinating but also living with the constant underlying threat of giant natural catastrophe. It’s a lot to live with.<br />
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Marmite in hand (expensive and out-of-bloody-date Marmite I noticed several days later), we drove over another bridge out of San Francisco (the Bay bridge) and headed east (temporarily). But where were we going? And why?<br />
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All that next time in the last Californian post. As it is we left Oregon today for our last US state this trip. Is it really 3 months since we entered the Union? It really does seem that it is.</span>Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-83859064178868527232011-06-02T23:14:00.002-05:002023-03-04T07:54:05.419-06:00California part two – in between two cities<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6OLoSyDlYLM7Etj8Kn0exDojJyWQs1v_GRxVseNpHhTXvdTPGzwa9XHv_vCuhio0erZebClWBHZt4s_VuNs3JVboTivab7BO3yy1MZeUMmNBKM-oY5hWIq-q_kh2zeXroowQ2LbK7cI/s1600/IMG_1389.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613846494084909842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6OLoSyDlYLM7Etj8Kn0exDojJyWQs1v_GRxVseNpHhTXvdTPGzwa9XHv_vCuhio0erZebClWBHZt4s_VuNs3JVboTivab7BO3yy1MZeUMmNBKM-oY5hWIq-q_kh2zeXroowQ2LbK7cI/s400/IMG_1389.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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We left the L.A. area on Saturday 21st May and drove north along the coast on highway 1. It was a lovely sunny day but I’m afraid we drove right through Santa Monica again (we can’t stop everywhere). Shame though as it looked very nice (and in fact several older people in Venice said to us pointedly “Santa Monica is much more for families than Venice…”). After Santa Monica we went right past Malibu without stopping too (it didn’t look like we’d imagined somehow – it was a great long stretch of coastline, quite busy, lots of surfers getting changed by the side of the road, kind of messy). At one point just further north there were so many wet-suited surfers bobbing about on the waves that I thought they were a flock of birds of some kind. It was the weekend, I suppose – plenty of action on the water. After this we went past a military base, inland a little past the first signs of the great Californian agricultural industry (strawberries first, cabbages later) and then whole towns that seemed more Mexican than anything else (they have been Mexican before of course).<br />
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We made our first stop for a break at Santa Barbara which is one of those picture-perfect little cities – super clean, quite small, lots of ‘interesting’ places to eat and shop (i.e. also quite expensive). It was very nice though (and evidently tolerant – I saw women holding hands openly in the street without anyone yelling at them – always a good sign). We had an ‘interesting’ cup of coffee and a little snack and then walked through the warm streets enjoying the flowers everywhere and the Spanish revival buildings (well, that’s what the guide book calls them). This was certainly one of the Californias outsiders know – quite wealthy, liberal, sunny, kids skateboarding down the street.</div>
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We were due somewhere further north for dinner so after the break we covered some more miles and went up the 101 as far as San Luis Obispo. There we stopped for another short break (and a few necessities – phone card, restrooms) and saw another small, pleasant city (this one not quite as fancy as Santa Barbara – a few lively bars and students having a good time as we passed through though). Photos of this journey so far are here:</div><div>
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We noticed, on passing through, that San Luis Obispo had a drive-in movie place too – something we hoped to sample while in the U.S. but not tonight because we had to ... visit people we hardly know. That’s right it was time to call in on a blogger friend – Chris from <a href="http://chrisalba-enchantedoak.blogspot.com/" target="new">Enchanted Oak</a>. I know Chris from poetry blogs (the Poetry Bus in particular) but I had never met her before, never even spoken on the phone, and yet somehow I knew we would get on fine (I’ve yet to meet a bad blogger). Chris had invited us all to stay and a little worn from all the hotels and motels we said a resounding “yes, please”. Even better Chris and her husband keep dogs so h was particularly keen.</div>
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We arrived at Chris’ on the Saturday evening, ate a lovely dinner with her and her husband, Joe, and had a relaxing, friendly evening all round – much asking of questions, much telling of stories. Chris had already told me that they were invited to a picnic with friends on the Sunday and would we like to come too and again we’d said “yes, please” so that was what we all did the following day. Chris, because she’s very open about such things on her blog and elsewhere, had also told me that the picnic was for AA members like herself and their families (that’s AA as in Alcoholics Anonymous, British readers, not Automobile Association) and would we be OK with that. We said we absolutely would and I, for one, was fascinated to see what kind of an event it would be.</div>
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As it turned out the AA ‘picnic’ on the Sunday was one of the best parties we’ve been to in ages. It was at a lovely spot – deep in the Californian valleys and miles from any town – and there was stacks of food, loads of people (we’d imagined a small gathering of about 20 but it was more like 100), a good band playing, lots of messing about in boats on the river (see great photo of h and a new friend in a kayak). There was such a mix of folk too – all ages and walks of life – and everyone was so friendly (and of course no-one was drunk and fighting or falling in the river or just being very dull). We can highly recommend AA picnics – a fantastic afternoon out.</div>
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After the party Chris and Joe wanted to show us more of the coast so they took us up to Cambria to walk on the pebbles and get blown about by the wind (just like home!). We all nosied about Cambria’s tourist shopping street too – had a coffee, looked in windows. Then they drove us back through the beautiful green rolling hills to their home just inland from there. A really lovely day all round. Our pics of this couple of days are here:<br />
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On Monday morning we said many warm good-byes (big hugs, especially for the dogs!) and set off north from Chris’ (armed with lots of Joe’s great baking, maps and books from Chris, pebbles from Cambria beach). We drove north along the 101 because the famous coastal highway 1 to Big Sur was blocked due to a landslide just north of Cambria (and had been since April). Our plan was to get to Monterey and visit Big Sur from above, as it were, so we had booked a place in Monterey for Monday night.</div>
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We arrived in Monterey in time for an early check-in and a late lunch. It’s a pretty, sunny little place and we weren’t in the mood for a load more driving so we had a lazy afternoon and then a walk around and a look at the wharf/pier. Whilst walking on the wharf we heard a lot of barking. “Seals” said h straightaway and she was pretty much right as it was in fact a large group of Californian sea lions barking and posing and showing off right in the harbour there (great fun to watch and much cheaper than the aquarium - photo at head of post and in slideshow). After that it was back to the hotel for <i>Dancing with the Stars</i> (humans, not sea lions, first part of the final). And just think – Mark gets a whole month or so free of it before the British version starts again in September when we get home. He’s so lucky.</div>
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On Tuesday we set off south down highway 1 to visit the much acclaimed Big Sur area (seemed odd to be going backwards). The road was up in a few places and there were quite a few people about so it wasn’t quite the idyllic coast experience we’d imagined. Also we have seen more dramatic and more beautiful coast roads (some in Scotland for a start) but still, it was pretty and the sun was shining and we stopped at a beach here and a very nice café with views there (thanks Fi – lovely lunch at Café Kevah). Maybe it was the blocked highway that partly spoiled the full effect, maybe it was the reputation (it’s always hard to live up to these big build-ups – look at the poor old Grand Canyon) but we didn’t get quite the wow factor from Big Sur that we expected. Maybe it’s just that we live near a pretty amazing (and hardly visited) coastline ourselves. It could well be that.</div>
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After our down-and-back-up trip to Big Sur we stopped at Carmel for a little look around (pretty fancy, very busy). Someone drove into our bumper whilst trying to park by the beach but no-one was hurt and it wasn’t much of a drama. After Carmel we headed up to our last stop before San Francisco – Santa Cruz, another place by the ocean.</div>
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We’d booked a motel in Santa Cruz that someone online had said was near the beach. As it turned out it wasn’t that near the beach but luckily we like a walk and even better it was a really nice little place (friendly owner, great complimentary breakfast, warm courtyard pool, good laundry machine, great night’s sleep). Around about the motel there seemed to be quite a lot of people living in what looked like old rooms from motels now out-of-service. Quite a few kicked-in doors and such like too but the area was friendly and we walked about no problem.<br />
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Santa Cruz has quite a famous boardwalk so we headed down to that – once again in lovely sunshine. Things didn’t seem to have really opened for the season (Memorial Day was still a few days away) and most of the amusements were still closed but the beach had quite a few folk scattered on it and there were quite a few young ones (high school or college age) playing volleyball, rushing about, chatting on phones. I can imagine it is quite the place to be once summer comes – like Blackpool with slightly more reliable sunshine perhaps.</div>
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We had our dinner on the pier (it was great - restaurants here are so good!) and wandered back for the excitements that are doing some laundry and part two of the final of <i>Dancing with the Stars</i>. Then we went to sleep – next stop San Francisco. Photos of Monterey, Big Sur, Carmel and Santa Cruz are here:</div>
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We’re in Oregon right now with about a week left in the U.S. Still two more California posts to fit in some time though (San Francisco and then Redwood country!).</div>
Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-55690433737424998172011-05-29T01:14:00.003-05:002023-07-30T05:43:38.625-05:00California part one – Hollywood calling<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXQSyLAGUOzFO78XL3AH9eoTzdctgUX3SOiB5Ml-zjDAO3wwn21xatKeH7y0cBlt5hdbu76ybA_oTV0Epc-h_RAkRXt_uoqtAiCwDzQTLa3jG89tDBqWhsqpw-j2Ccu6eYMN_KEvD99I/s1600/IMG_0589.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612024410580400322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYXQSyLAGUOzFO78XL3AH9eoTzdctgUX3SOiB5Ml-zjDAO3wwn21xatKeH7y0cBlt5hdbu76ybA_oTV0Epc-h_RAkRXt_uoqtAiCwDzQTLa3jG89tDBqWhsqpw-j2Ccu6eYMN_KEvD99I/s400/IMG_0589.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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After Vegas we were pretty quickly into California – the desert end – on May 17th. It was hot, dry – you know how deserts can be. We stopped for a drink in Baker and were thrilled to see the world’s tallest thermometer (see photos). We didn’t manage the largest ball of string though (sorry cousin Isa) – that’s back in Minnesota, or Kansas, or Wisconsin, or Missouri, depending on your definition of largest, apparently.</span></div>
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Anyway, after this giant surprise we drove on down the hot roads in the general direction of Los Angeles. We stopped to look at the Calico ‘ghost town’ marked on our map but it seemed to be mainly shops, and they were shut (it’s mainly a rebuilt late 1800s silver mining town, quite interesting in places, totally bizarre in others, very much for the day-tripper). We took some photos and moved on to our stop for the night – a little town called Barstow.</span></div>
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We’d picked Barstow because our rental car needed its 10,000 km oil change and we thought this might be easier to negotiate in a small town. As it is we stayed pretty much next door to the garage and got the oil change done nice and easy in the morning. Our evening was spent eating in a bowling alley (online reviews said it was the best food in town, it wasn’t bad at all), bowling (well, why not? We haven’t bowled since Canada), laughing at some of the funny shop names (‘Nail House Rock’, one other in the slideshow) and watching <i>Dancing with the Stars</i> back at the hotel (h’s favourite show – semi-final). We even managed to sleep despite the very noisy switching train tracks just behind the hotel too. Imagine that Pink Panther scene with the gauntlet and the blackboard – the hotel handed out earplugs on check-in (for real).</span></div>
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After the oil change we drove down some back roads into Los Angeles (it saved us several miles of crazy cross-town freeway I think). The scenery was mountains to one side, cacti everywhere, some very Mexican little towns, all pretty peaceful and easy. Then we joined the highway and arrived in LA on the San Fernando side. Photos of the first 24 hours in California are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626703774869" title="California desert and Barstow"><img alt="California desert and Barstow" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5106/5769935416_79841fbcdc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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As for Los Angeles, we’d not been sure what we were going to do. We weren’t even sure we were going to call in but in the end nosiness and h’s love for movies persuaded us that it was worth it. We looked at all the options and decided that, although the downtown area is no doubt very interesting (impressive architecture, art galleries, fancy restaurants) this wasn’t really what we were after at all. We’ve been in a lot of cities since we’ve been travelling and what we wanted in LA (as a family, remembering h’s tastes) was the full movie experience thing. We didn’t want tasteful – we wanted to see the Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame etc. After all practically everywhere has a fancy modern art gallery these days but where else would you find Paul Newman’s handprints in the pavement/sidewalk?</span></div>
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So we’d booked two nights in the best deal we could get in Hollywood – a Comfort Inn just a short hop from Hollywood Boulevard and an easy trip to Universal Studios. Of course it meant we didn’t get a lot of sleep. Apparently the first night there was a convention of skateboarders in and they were young and raucous, running around the corridors, yelling at each other (the joy). Still, who needs sleep – this is Hollywood!</span></div>
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We got there early afternoon and straightaway headed down to Hollywood Boulevard. H wanted to go to the Hollywood Museum just off the main drag so we went there first before it closed. Based in the old Max Factor building this museum prides itself on having the best selection of ‘real Hollywood memorabilia’ in town (or something like that) and certainly we saw lots of costumes and posters and all kinds of interesting bits and pieces (Roddy McDowell’s ‘powder room’, the cell from <i>Silence of the Lambs</i>, heaps of Marilyn stuff). It being Max Factor central there was a fair bit about make-up and hair too (how Lucille Ball became a redhead etc.). The guide-book was a bit sniffy about this museum but h really enjoyed it – she is quite the movie nerd.</span></div>
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After this we had a snack in the Mel’s Drive-In next door and then went for a walk along the Walk of Fame to do some star-spotting. H was looking for her favourite actress (Lindsay Lohan – no insults please, we love the Linz) but she doesn’t have a star yet (we checked on the map). h did find one of her very favourite singers though (Eartha Kitt – don’t anybody say our daughter doesn’t have varied taste) and we have photographic evidence of this one. We did also find some L Lohan photos in a movie poster store (movie pics – not mugshots) and I got some bright green trainers in the campest menswear shop I’ve been in in a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were loving Hollywood so far.</span></div>
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We wandered by the Chinese Theatre, the Kodak Theatre, more and more stars and hand and footprints on the pavement/sidewalk and then ate in the quite fancy Rolling Stone restaurant nearby (I guess they got tired of watching Hard Rock and Planet Hollywood making such easy money). Then we went back to the hotel and had our first noisy night. Day one LA photos are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626703869639" title="Hollywood area"><img alt="Hollywood area" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5021/5769985096_09c499b063_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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Day two in LA we got up early (2 hours sleep – it was like having a newborn) and even made it to breakfast. There we met a girl h’s age who was in town from North Carolina with her Dad for a Hollywood movie audition (really). h was kind of amazed that girls like this really do exist (this one had already done some TV and an ad and was very polished and poised). h was a bit jealous too in all honesty (<span style="font-size: 14.7px;">“</span>she’s so lucky<span style="font-size: 14.7px;">”</span>). We suggested that some people might say the same of her, wished the girl in question all the best and headed outside for our ‘shuttle bus’ to Universal Studios.</span></div>
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Well, our shuttle bus to the office down the road where we got our tickets for the Studios anyway. Then the company (Starline) put us on a fab open-top double decker and drove us the mile or so to the Studios. It was a lovely day (bright but not too hot) and the views of the hills and houses were stunning as we sped along. We got to the park before it opened so witnessed the whole ‘people waiting at the entrance to steam in’ business which we’ve never really seen before. It was fun and good for h (her only theme park experience to date is 2 days at the Paris Disney Resort a couple of years ago).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in all we had a great day at Universal too – went on all the rides, went on the very entertaining (and bumpy) studio tour, watched all the shows (special FX, animals etc.), took endless snaps and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like a regular holiday.</span></div>
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At 6pm the bus took us back to the hotel and we collapsed briefly (tired feet, red noses) and though we might have liked to go and visit LA’s Chinatown or downtown or something the truth is we were just too tired (theme park days are hard work) so we walked to a little Chinese restaurant just down the road in Hollywood. It was an unassuming little place and not very busy but the food was really, really good. We ate our fill and wandered back to the hotel. We did even get some sleep this time. Our LA Day 2 pics are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626828592156" title="Universal Studios day"><img alt="Universal Studios day" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2588/5769501619_42d469c090_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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Even before knowing how noisy the hotel would be (“I’m sorry,” said the receptionist, “LA just has a drug problem”) we had booked our third LA night over by the beach to get a look at that side of town too. This meant we packed up the car on Friday morning (20<sup>th</sup> May) and changed lodgings. On our way we called by the Hollywood sign (windy roads to get up there and impatient local drivers), then drove down Sunset Boulevard (kind of scruffy really, lots of ads, lots of bars), into Beverley Hills and then turned into Rodeo Drive. There we parked in the first public parking we saw (hilarious valet parking scenario – British people are just not used to this kind of thing). Then we found a little café for lunch in the Rodeo Drive version of a plaza, I suppose (mainly plastic surgery places, beauty salons and so on). Whilst sitting there eating a croissant stuffed with spinach or some such I SWEAR Julie Andrews walked by with an older lady friend. JA was in movie-star camouflage (baseball cap and sunglasses) but I heard her speak and NO-ONE sounds like Julie, even now. H did see her too but Mark was too busy eating and so you’ll have to take my word for it. But really – it WAS her. Very exciting.</span></div>
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We wandered a little down Rodeo Drive (“can I take a photo of the display in your store?” “Yes, if you stay outside”) and it was all very <i>Pretty Woman </i>(the shopping section). It’s possibly the cleanest place in California – the streets look like someone’s scrubbed them with toothbrushes. Then we got our car back out of the valet parking and drove along to Santa Monica (very pretty, lovely shoreline, h’s first glimpse of the Pacific) and then finally into Venice, where we had booked a place for the night by the Marina. The hotel was a bargain (older than some of its neighbours, less glossy) but it had a lovely outdoor pool and the weather was good so we all went for a swim and lie in the sun.</span></div>
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Still, no time to lose – only one night in Venice so we got dressed again and then walked down to the seafront to really say ‘hello’ to the ocean. H loved it – paddled and scampered about and at that end of Venice beach it was really just joggers and families and it was pretty quiet. After a while though we decided to go in search of the famous boardwalk and wow, what a change that was. I suppose it was Friday evening by then but the place was super-busy – skaters, posers, dog-walkers, cyclists, tourists (lots of us) and lots and lots of people begging in one form or other (young and old, some quite together and some really, really far-out). There was a lot of marijuana promotion, lots of t-shirt shops, a man stapling his chest for some reason, lots of buskers (some very good) – just loads of stuff going on. It was like a festival or something (think Glastonbury late Sunday night) but h was tired and hungry (and gets tired of bugged-out people telling her she’s an angel) and so we found a place to eat (not many on the boardwalk really) and there we had a lovely meal with music playing in the background, some entertaining skating going on and even a beautiful sunset too. After that we got a cab back to the Marina (it was quite a walk for a small, tired girl and by this point some people were looking pretty Friday night crazy). We were all pretty worn out by LA (it’s so lively!) and ready to move on by then too. Our photos from Friday 20<sup>th</sup> are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626704310077" title="Rodeo drive & Venice Beach"><img alt="Rodeo drive & Venice Beach" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2304/5770209586_8744aafd01_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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A couple of days later I asked h what were some of her favourite bits of the trip so far and she said, without hesitation, Hollywood so I guess it was definitely a good decision to go to LA. This is one girl with stars in her eyes.</span></div>
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Next time our visit to poet/blogger Chris of Enchanted Oak and the rest of our central California trip.</span></div>
Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-45833318191958742692011-05-23T19:13:00.011-05:002023-07-30T05:44:28.776-05:00One night in Vegas…<div style="text-align: center;">
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We left Arizona on Monday 16<sup>th</sup> May and drove into Nevada. The very first thing you meet in that state is the Hoover Dam and Mark was interested in taking a look at it so we pulled in and parked up in the shiny new multi-storey car-park for visitors. It was all a bit cramped and busy (smallest parking spaces we’ve encountered in the U.S. so far, for example) and as h and I really weren’t keen to see the generators the two of us found a shady spot near the café (worst visitor centre café we’ve encountered in the U.S. so far too) and did some reading. Mark on the other hand paid his dollars and visited the “truly impressive feat of engineering” (his words). Apparently the tours were split into groups of 150 people at a time (eek) and then sent in the 75-people-at-a-time elevators to the turbine room (double eek – 75 people in an elevator at once). It sounded interesting but I’m mighty glad I didn’t go in. h and I took a look from the top of the dam down to the river – that was plenty!</span></div>
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After this we drove along the highway into Las Vegas (less than an hour away) for our one night there. Everyone’s seen Vegas on TV and in the movies (probably <i>CSI</i> and <i>Showgirls</i> mostly for me) and so in part you know what to expect. Still the first impressions are not quite what the screen allows. These are the Las Vegas features we noticed during our short stay:</span></div>
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1.There are a lot of plazas (rows of shops and restaurants) on the drive in to the centre of town. And when I say a lot I really do mean a lot. It’s a city that has grown a good deal in recent years and there is masses of new-build on the outskirts.</span></div>
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2. There is lots of dust – it is in the desert after all.</span></div>
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3. There are a lot of advertising hoardings (there are a lot everywhere in the U.S. but they sprout particularly busily here). They advertise casinos, dancing girls, dancing boys, lawyers, restaurants – all the things you need in Vegas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are posters for shows you might want to see (Seinfeld was calling in later in the month for a couple of nights, for example) and then there are posters for everything else (unknown magicians, random Vegas dancing shows, stuff you might well need to be drunk to enjoy – put it this way, quite a lot of the shows give away free tickets).</span></div>
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4. A lot of drinking is going on. Even on Monday the parties were well and truly underway all over the strip. We saw a stag do/bachelor party and the groom-to-be looked about 12. Guess we’re getting old.</span></div>
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5. There are a lot of cheap hotels – even the Casino hotels are fairly cheap (well, on a Monday in May) but of course there are always the hidden costs to consider (the ‘resort fee’, for example). After a little research we decided against a Casino and stayed in a place a block behind the main Vegas strip. It was lovely (a whole suite of rooms), just a walk from all the glitz and a real bargain. And it was blissfully quiet.</span></div>
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6. There are a lot of tourists (“tourist capital of the world” one local called the city) and whilst I’m sure London, Paris and New York (and a few others) might have something to say about that it certainly was pretty full of visitors. There were loads of English people about (quiet, tidy couples in particular – not sure why).</span></div>
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7. There are a lot of shops – particularly clothing shops, the fancier end mostly. With that and the whole shows thing Vegas is a bit of a tacky New York in that respect.</span></div>
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8. The sky is very noisy – with constant helicopters up above (people flying off the see Grand Canyon and so on, we imagine). Lots of planes about too.</span></div>
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9. As well as all the busy parts of Vegas there are great empty lots (windswept desolate areas) right in the centre of the city. We’ve stuck a photo or two of those in with the slideshow – just for balance. It is an odd looking place.</span></div>
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10. It is quite fun to witness the interesting competition between the big casinos as to who has the cheesiest, most ridiculous décor out front (“Look at my pyramid!”, “No, see my Eiffel Tower!”, “No, I have a lion the size of a house!”) and yet somehow it is kind of beautiful in its way (well, for a short time anyway). The fountain show at the Bellagio, for example, which we caught on the Monday night was really enchanting. We wandered up the strip to see all the big casino fronts but we only actually went in to the Mirage (for h and M to visit the lions and tigers and dolphins on the Tuesday morning). It was fun to see inside but my goodness it was like a town in there – bars, cafés, shops, even a bit of what looked like artificial grass called a ‘pet relief area’ at the back of one casino. Plus what is on sale is all so expensive (definitely most expensive sandwiches so far in the Mirage coffee place). Free parking though of course. Some you win, some you lose. And that’s Vegas.</span></div>
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Here are our Nevada photos (including Hoover Dam, Vegas and the Siegfried and Roy ‘Secret Garden’ at the Mirage):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626791224406" title="Nevada"><img alt="Nevada" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3522/5753000030_2b9ed66296_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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And here is a video of the Bellagio fountain show:</span></div>
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So, a short and sweet post this time. We’re currently about halfway up California and there’s going to be heaps to write about all this bit of the trip but we’ve no idea when we’ll get round to writing it up (never mind sorting through the photos!).</span></div>
Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-67588659327044284982011-05-18T11:54:00.012-05:002023-07-30T17:08:38.786-05:00Corners and Valleys and Canyons, oh my!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tNRawQ8NDmcfEH7_GRN3PS8Jb8iQ1XWI0r0p6_-Ikc6hzQa2gc_n8PBwUnu3mw4Z9esQ5uU6KTVMbbSSw1V-y9iArZOIi1gS4Hl-bmzyphmpmohQflM0yoZF5NEBTbFTOmo7tebkClE/s1600/IMG_9294.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608104205238620306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6tNRawQ8NDmcfEH7_GRN3PS8Jb8iQ1XWI0r0p6_-Ikc6hzQa2gc_n8PBwUnu3mw4Z9esQ5uU6KTVMbbSSw1V-y9iArZOIi1gS4Hl-bmzyphmpmohQflM0yoZF5NEBTbFTOmo7tebkClE/s400/IMG_9294.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Brace yourselves - it’s a long one!</span></div>
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So, Thursday 12<sup>th</sup> May we left New Mexico and drove into Arizona (all this within the Navajo Nation area, which does have quite a different feel to other parts of the country). In this north-eastern corner of Arizona h posted a birthday card to a teenage cousin at the post office in Teec Nos Pos and then about fifteen minutes later we were back in New Mexico again as we entered the Four Corners Monument site (Four Corners marks the point where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado meet – the entrance gate is just in NM). We paid our few dollars and then entertained ourselves immensely running around and posing for photos (“here’s h in Utah and Colorado”, “here’s Mark playing twister in 4 states at once” etc.). We were not alone – other people were playing similar games. We ate a picnic in the blazing sun, perused the many stalls selling Native American jewellery (we have lots of people to buy gifts for) and generally enjoyed the Four Corners experience. There’s not much to see in some ways but somehow it’s still a lot of fun and impressive in its emptiness. Then we drove for about ten minutes through Colorado (it’s just the way the road bends – no offence Colorado but we haven’t time for everywhere) and finally, that day, we crossed the border (again) into Utah.</span></div>
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Once in Utah proper we drove through some beautiful rocky scenery before arriving at our stop for the night – Bluff. Our first meeting with Bluff was the very impressive Twin Rocks (and great Twin Rocks Café). We had a drink, took photos and then drove on into the little town to find our motel (Kokopelli – a fairly minimal establishment but clean, quiet and friendly, and look up <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokopelli" target="new">Kokopelli</a> – good stories). For such a small place there’s plenty to do in Bluff (even if you’re not going off hiking or river-rafting, as many other visitors were). I visited a great rough’n’ready artist’s place while the others took it easy and rested up. Then later on we all wandered the dusty streets a little, took in Bluff Fort which is a mostly recreated cabin village to commemorate the Mormon settlers who founded the town in 1880 after a pretty amazing (and long) journey that literally took them through the rocks round about. The Fort is free to enter and the whole place is developed and staffed by volunteers from what we could see. There is always an awkwardness in this day and age surrounding places that celebrate the European expansion in North America (well, there is for people who care about such things) but this little place seemed to be doing its best to just remember some history and not blow one band of people’s trumpet too loudly over the sound of another’s (but of course we could be wrong). Bluff’s a bonny place too (close to the San Juan river) and we very much enjoyed the rocky views (those red rocks reminding us of the cliffs of Auchmithie in Angus, Scotland in some ways). As Bluff is quite a stopping point for tourists there were a few places to eat and we ended up in a very entertaining steakhouse/BBQ kind of a place (lots of cowboy décor, free bandana with every meal, huge apple pie). What with all the fresh air we slept well and weren’t even too disturbed next morning by all the archaeologists, hikers and river-rafters as they set off for their various country adventures. A little later than some of these travellers we drove parallel to the San Juan river for a while – stopping along the way to look at petroglyphs and the river and the amazing Goosenecks scenic view (all in Utah still). Our Four Corners and Utah photos are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626622378671" title="4 Corners and Bluff, Utah"><img alt="4 Corners and Bluff, Utah" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2308/5732633512_e4b757bf3d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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At about lunchtime that day we got to the Monument Valley area (pretty much at the Utah/Arizona border). First we visited the Goulding’s Lodge and its small museum – founder Harry Goulding was one of the key figures who got movie directors like John Ford to come and use Monument Valley area as a location for westerns. Though it started small in the 1920s the Goulding development is now pretty big (tours, hotel, shops, restaurant) but we just visited the little (free) museum with all its John Wayne memorabilia (we know a big JW fan). The museum also features Navajo history videos (one had h in tears) and a general celebration of the area and its people. After this we drove down to the shiny new Monument Valley visitor centre (all run by the Navajo Nation) and once again we ate a picnic in what felt to us like strong sunshine (though the locals said it was “just quite a nice day”). We considered our options for visiting the Valley itself (driving it, taking a jeep tour) but in the end we decided to take this opportunity to try an older form of transport. Want to know what we did in the beautiful, beautiful place that is Monument Valley (even with the large numbers of tourists that flock to it it’s still very impressive)? Evidence in the slideshow below (towards the end):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626747407016" title="Monument Valley"><img alt="Monument Valley" height="398" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5021/5732284879_ac376e5236_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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After Monument Valley we were hot and tired and set off down the road south-west. We did stop at Kayenta – just to see how a Burger King can make itself socially useful (the one in Kayenta has a display about Navajo Codetalkers from the Second World War). It plays unusual Burger King background music too but then we were still deep in the Navajo Nation area and why should everywhere be the same even in this corporate world? We had an ice-cream, read the boards and then drove on to our stop for the night in Tuba City.</span></div>
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We’d booked a night in the Moenkopi hotel in Tuba City, Arizona (good reviews online – how much have we been seeking tips and advice from fellow travellers?) and though it was a little more expensive than some of our bargain nights it really was enjoyable. The hotel is run by the local Hopi Nation (a Nation within the Navajo Nation, geographically speaking) and features all kinds of lovely little touches in its design (down to the local products available in the bathrooms). It is basically a good, modern hotel (great pool, helpful staff, slightly surreal breakfast in the connected and brand new Denny’s next door) but there is a little more to it as well – a real sense of pride that it is locally run. It was a good stop.</span></div>
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One surprise at this point though – we were expecting to change time zones as we left Arizona (and Mountain Time) but when we got to the Tuba City hotel they had two clocks up at reception (one with the label ‘Arizona time’ – eh?). Apparently part of Arizona doesn’t put its clocks forward at the summertime change (though the Navajo Nation does) and so part of the state ends up being more like Pacific than Mountain time. Confused? We were (and h is fairly obsessed with the whole time-change thing). It did mean we were up early enough to beat the breakfast queue though as we were still on Mountain time. At least I think we were.</span></div>
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After said breakfast it was time to get on with seeing one of the USA’s tourist jewels so we drove further south and west, left the Navajo Nation and entered the Grand Canyon National Park (see excellent photo of ranger who took our $25 on entry). We drove in from the east so saw the Little Colorado views first and then, once in the Park, went along Desert View Drive, stopping at many of the viewpoints along the way. Our first view of the Grand one was from Desert View with its really striking Watchtower (one of my favourite parts of the Canyon Park – well designed, with great Native American artwork, very attractive).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snack bar nearby was not quite so attractive but we had a good natter with some Wiltshire travellers there (that’s Wiltshire, England) and then got back in the car to seek more views. We stopped at the Tusayan Ruin and Museum (quite a lot of information on the people who lived by the Canyon a couple of thousand years ago) and then we stopped at Grandview Point with all its information on past copper mining in the Canyon and the first hotels there built for early 20<sup>th</sup> Century tourists. We also stopped at the main visitor centre (very chilled – not nearly as much flogging of helicopter tours and so on as we’d expected, in fact none at all really which was quite a relief) and there we looked out at the Mather Point (complete with its marker to all the Native American peoples who “call the Grand Canyon home”). The latter is largely ignored by visitors as they rush to the viewpoints of course – it’s hard to compete with that big view.</span></div>
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By this time it was something like check-in time so we moved on to the area of the Grand Canyon Village where the lodges/hotels are all located. We’d booked fairly last minute but had still managed to get a reasonably priced room in the cheapest lodge (no views and furthest from the Canyon, but still only a five minute walk from the rim so absolutely fine for us). In fact the Maswik Lodge was quiet and spacious and had a really easy-going and not over-priced cafeteria so it suited us really well. It was fascinating talking to all the staff too (people from all over the States and all over the world). Most of the staff seemed to live in employee accommodation close to the lodges and I’m sure that especially for the younger ones this is no end of fun (very reminiscent of Euro-Disney in that regard).</span></div>
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After a quick cafeteria dinner we walked down to the rim to find the obligatory sunset-viewing-spot. The free shuttle buses were busy ferrying people to the favourite places for maximum viewing but it was a pretty cloudy evening and we were really not in the mood for crowded buses and jostling crowds (there were people from every corner of the world). Instead we found a nice friendly spot at the Lookout Studio and sat and watched the rocks and the sky and the people watching the rocks and the sky. We didn’t see the kind of sunsets that makes the postcards but it was pretty atmospheric and enjoyable all the same. We were the last ones to leave the Lookout Spot and it was nice to be alone with the view for a little while.</span></div>
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The next day (Sunday 15<sup>th</sup>) dawned sunny and windy and we checked out and then set off to walk along the rim a little (heading west). Again we decided against the crowded buses and just wandered as far as seemed suitable in the heat. From up on the rim path you get a good view of all the people heading off down into the Canyon on paths like the popular Bright Angel Trail but none of the routes down are suitable for children from what we could see and even if they had been they are all big hikes and not to be taken lightly. Even the mule trips down take ages and we’d had our animal encounter in Monument Valley the day before (without constant slopes) and didn’t feel the need for any more. Really we were more than happy to look down at the Canyon and across it. It’s strange how it looks almost unreal – completely like a painting (and at times a bit of a cheesey one, if you know what I mean). We did really enjoy the visit but I don’t think I’d call it one of the highlights of the trip or anything. It’s almost too much in some ways – beyond appreciation, perhaps. Or maybe we’re just weird.</span></div>
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One thing we didn’t know about Grand Canyon was that uranium had been mined at there (as well as copper) and not that long ago. Our walk passed close to the site of this activity and there was an information board about how they are trying to tidy up and get rid of any potential hazards on this section of the rim. Interesting, very interesting, and not much about it in the guidebooks.</span></div>
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One thing we very much enjoyed was watching the Navajo dancers we saw up by the South Rim Hopi House on Sunday lunchtime after our walk (there are lots of organised, and free, activities all around the park all the time). Despite the hefty gales the family of dancers did a great job (in some fine outfits) and it was a really special experience to watch them. H wanted to go and join in it looked such fun (and, apart from the impossible hoop dance, fairly doable even for newcomers). We had hoped to catch a Park Ranger-led activity too (there are lots of nature/geology/history talks and walks) but that didn’t quite work out (plus it was really hot in the sun) so instead we packed up and set off south. I suppose some people would find it hard to tear themselves away from those great rim views of the Canyon but somehow we didn’t feel that way. It was a good stop but it didn’t outshine the rest of the country for us or anything. Far from it.</span></div>
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On the way down the road we passed the place where they show the National Geographic IMAX movie of the Canyon and as we hadn’t taken the helicopter-over-the-beast option we decided to give this (much cheaper) flyover a try. It was OK but not particularly amazing (plus it was full of hot and slightly grumpy senior coach tours) and it mainly concentrated on people who have explored the Canyon (lots of shots of wild Colorado river activity – not nearly enough flying over the Canyon for my taste). We did however see an elk really close up when we pulled into the IMAX car park (very exciting). After that our GC trip really was over though and photos of this section of the tour are below (Mark took loads of the Canyon of course, as everyone does, and we’ve tried to pick our favourites):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626749807022" title="Tuba City and Grand Canyon"><img alt="Tuba City and Grand Canyon" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5228/5733319511_2d6d6d4e0c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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After Grand Canyon we drove south and then west and then crossed from Interstate 40 to the old Route 66 just east of our stop for the night – Seligman, Arizona. This little stretch of the 66 was everything it should be – we moved at a good speed, there was a huge freight train running along beside us and there was good blues music playing on the radio (finally – something other than Phil Collins and Bon Jovi!). Seligman was a treat too – small and full of old car art and smart bikers and friendly waitresses. We had a great dinner (at Westside Lilo’s) and even managed to sleep well (despite our old-school motel being practically alongside the railtracks). We liked Lilo’s so much we went back for breakfast (one of our best breakfasts on the road). Funny how it’s often the unassuming little stops that are the most fun.</span></div>
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On Monday 16<sup>th</sup> it was time to leave Arizona (not far from that west coast now). We drove back on the Interstate as far as Kingman and then up the quiet, moody 93 towards Nevada (some of the time we could even see the Silver State on the other side of the Colorado river). We left Arizona at something like lunchtime and we were a little sad about it as we’d had a really great series of adventures there (and that with not even seeing the southern sections). Arizona is much more than just the Grand Canyon state, it really is, more a grand state all round.</span></div>
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Photos of Seligman and the rest of our Arizona ride are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626750037110" title="Leaving Arizona"><img alt="Leaving Arizona" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5062/5733872590_1e7219a141_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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That was a long post. Next time Nevada (though of course we’ve left there already and are heading for LA today..).</span></div>
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Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-72305381726792201572011-05-13T22:21:00.008-05:002023-03-05T03:10:29.347-06:00New Mexico - Land of Enchantment? Part Two.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2a77YcLCsljTTTQgVJQuoxm_H3eAoCpZEYpz5K9WS8aXm3RNtGcXEi_BujC5r6zSVqZfxhKWbclZ1RpVGU-2DrAjmal7vl3sIKpcQjrDoLrAJttSeeHs1lHd08JY0pDrjL_OvhqKXNI/s1600/IMG_8895.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606412024900925314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2a77YcLCsljTTTQgVJQuoxm_H3eAoCpZEYpz5K9WS8aXm3RNtGcXEi_BujC5r6zSVqZfxhKWbclZ1RpVGU-2DrAjmal7vl3sIKpcQjrDoLrAJttSeeHs1lHd08JY0pDrjL_OvhqKXNI/s400/IMG_8895.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><br />
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So, it turns out yesterday was a bad day to post a blog update. The whole system was on the blink, our first New Mexico post came and went (and then came back again), comments disappeared – very confusing! Right now we’re deep into Arizona and lots of great photo days coming up soon so we want to make sure New Mexico doesn’t get lost altogether (or our reports of it at least) so here is the second part of this short series. And we’ll be back with Arizona, some time next week.<br />
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So after Bandelier (see last post) we spent the rest of Sunday driving north east to Taos. The drive took us through a reservation, along the edge of the Rio Grande (we stopped, h paddled, we enjoyed listening to the bilingual Spanish/English kids jumping in and out of languages) and then we passed through more and more beautiful mountain scenery (at one point we caught sight of the Rio Grande Gorge and it is spectacular). Then we got to Taos – sleepy little Taos is a smaller, quirkier Santa Fe and it’s at the foot of even higher mountains. The keep-to-the-adobe-look restrictions seem to be well enforced here too – even McDonald’s has no high arch in Taos (see photos).<br />
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We’d booked two nights in Taos (at the very reasonable and very lovely Taos Pueblo Lodge) but after our first evening out on the Sunday (lovely food and drink, really relaxed atmosphere, great music in a bar/restaurant – the excellent Taos Inn, hippies aplenty etc.) we booked another night and determined to have a little rest and catch our breath in this special wee place. The next day (Monday 9th) we really did rest (siesta!) and apart from that we just wandered a bit around the centre of the town (a lot of tourist shops but good bookshops, eco-friendly shops and so on too). It’s so beautiful with the mountains all around and the trees and the general air of calm that we really did wind down a little. Then on Tuesday 10th we resumed tourist/travelling duties and visited:<br />
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The Taos Pueblo – this is the area next to modern (i.e. Spanish colonial and beyond) Taos where the local Tiwa Native Americans still keep their houses pretty much as they have been for hundreds of years (i.e. no electricity or mains water – you can read about it <a href="http://www.taospueblo.com/about.php" target="new">here</a>). Their leaflet says the Tao Pueblo is “considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in the USA”) and visitors pay to enter (not very much) and pay to take in a camera (though you are asked to take photos only for “personal use” hence no photos of the Pueblo will be in this blog). No-one pretends that the locals live only and always here (they have other more modern houses outside the Pueblo walls for the most part) but the area is still very much in use and has a large church (many of the Tiwa are now Catholic as well as keeping to other older beliefs – kind of blended together from what we could understand) and a cemetery within its borders (as well as a lot of other activity going on just outside). We were a little surprised how many of the buildings in the Pueblo were used as shops of some kind just now (selling jewellery, ceramics, clothes, art, very tasty ‘fry bread’) but then tourist destinations are tourist destinations and people have to make a living so there was no reason to be surprised really. I think we just wanted a break from gift shops but evidently there is no such thing (and then we went mad anyway and ended up buying a necklace, a painting and some fry bread, which is like a light naan bread with icing sugar on. We’ll need a trailer for the car soon. And some new, bigger clothes.<br />
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After the Pueblo (and lunch in the hotel picnic area and a game of horseshoes there too) we visited some much newer houses – the Earthships that are out on the 64 highway, over on the other side of the amazing, and very gusty, Rio Grande Gorge bridge. The Earthships are eco-friendly buildings first built in New Mexico (about 40 years ago) but now appearing all over the world – their website is <a href="http://earthship.com/" target="new">here</a>. They concentrate on using renewable energy, using rain/snow water for the building’s water supply and using some recycled materials for construction (mainly car tyres packed with earth and cans and bottles in cement – see the photos and you’ll get the idea). The visitor centre has some information (though we had a few more questions than could be answered by the very friendly, young intern) and it’s undeniable that the buildings are very, very striking (green does not have to be dull or ugly). You can even rent an earthship for a night to try one out for size (but we already had our names down elsewhere). Interesting to visit – though we would have liked a proper tour rather than the self-guided business. It is a fascinating subject (how to make housing, and indeed all construction, less of a drain on resources) and we are very interested in it. Our Taos photos (including the town, the earthships but not, as I said, the Pueblo) are here:<br />
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On Wednesday 11th it was time to leave Taos and set off down the 64 and past the Earthships again (but this time we kept on going west). Bizarrely the weather had completely changed and on this day, instead of the warm (or downright boiling) weather we’d experienced in New Mexico so far (35C back near Roswell on the Friday), it started to snow. The 64 is a pretty high road (it goes through the San Juan mountains) and at some points we could hardly see the road and the temperature went as low as -6C (and our snowboots and shovel safely back in Ontario). Compare this photo from this stretch of the drive to the picture at the top of this post!<br />
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Luckily though it was only a temporary phase and by the time we got to Chama for lunch it was slowing down and the snow turning to rain. Then by the time we drove further west (through the Jicarilla Apache Nation, more Carson National Forest, more dramatic rocky scenery) the temperature was rising again and it was off with the heating and the fleeces and back to “where did you put the flip-flops?” again. At one point a very small sign showed that the map was right and we were crossing the Great Divide (or Continental Divide of the Americas – see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_of_the_Americas" target="new">here</a>). Quite exciting and we’ll cross it again some time in Canada on our way back east of course.<br />
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We looked for an overnight place in Bloomfield but they appeared to be digging up all the roads so we ploughed (or plowed) on to Farmington and one of those roads with all the hotels and lots and lots of pick-up trucks full of oil industry guys (from what we could see). The next section of our journey will be grand valleys and canyons and all kinds of wonderful but this New Mexico section has certainly been something special (there is so much history, so much colour and art and beautiful scenery here). No-one here (especially in Taos) has been very surprised by our ‘off for six months with the kid’ travels – it’s like they get all sorts of people and all sorts of travellers here and we are nothing unusual or strange (and that hasn’t been the case everywhere). And then someone we met at breakfast on Wednesday said they liked the state so much that they were coming back next year for a whole month’s visit and we could completely understand. So as we leave we’d say “New Mexico – enchanting? Yes, most definitely”. We loved it.Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-36752655736311844472011-05-09T13:11:00.002-05:002023-07-30T17:07:47.134-05:00New Mexico - Land of Enchantment..? Part One.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZpHgAwMtp51zlxzPzeOnWGPSZlMoPiJMaF2Sx_KgXiTDTY6j0Iv9d4LtOaMVZ7IqJHzb4KDHDjeSK4D7ddpazmmLiAh1nIcgg4a38GwqTU2wuzotofKKck1jEDl25o7pkt5k2kglehc/s1600/IMG_8656.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605842576029036178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZpHgAwMtp51zlxzPzeOnWGPSZlMoPiJMaF2Sx_KgXiTDTY6j0Iv9d4LtOaMVZ7IqJHzb4KDHDjeSK4D7ddpazmmLiAh1nIcgg4a38GwqTU2wuzotofKKck1jEDl25o7pkt5k2kglehc/s400/IMG_8656.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><br />
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Somewhere in Texas we saw a car with a New Mexico licence plate. Every state’s plate carries a slogan but New Mexico’s is especially intriguing –<span style="font-style: italic;"> Land of Enchantment</span>. Could it really live up to that introduction? Well, one clue might be that we have taken so many photos in this state that we need to split them into two separate posts. Here are our first few days.</span></div>
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We drove into New Mexico on Friday 6<sup>th</sup> May – along highway 285 and straight into a place called Loving (a good start, you’d have to admit). We stopped for lunch (but not the famous caves) at Carlsbad and then proceeded through the tough, dry, so un-Scottish landscape as far as Roswell. Roswell is famous for the was-there-wasn’t-there-a UFO crash in 1947 and as Mark is a keen sci-fi fan (and it was on our route anyway) we stopped there for the night. We visited the UFO museum in the town centre (it’s a bit like a kid’s school project but cheap to get in), took lots of photos of all the amusing alien art around the town, ate again and went to bed to listen to Texans slamming doors in a La Quinta Inn on the edge of town. Ah well, they can’t all be quiet nights.</span></div>
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On Saturday the 7<sup>th</sup> we drove through more dry landscape north towards Santa Fe. We stopped for lunch at tiny Vaughn (more great photo ops – old motels etc.) and then drove until we saw mountains. The first set of New Mexico photos (the border till look-we’re-nearly in-Santa Fe) are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626687056634" title="New Mexico incl Roswell"><img alt="New Mexico incl Roswell" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2760/5705347939_8ec366a349_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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Then we got to Santa Fe and what a lovely place – one of the prettiest cities we’ve seen possibly. All the buildings in the city have the distinctive New Mexican look (low and brown – keeping strictly to the look of buildings built with adobe bricks from years gone by) and so it means that even downtown car-parks (that’s ‘parking garages’ here) are attractive. To prove this we have included a couple of downtown car-park photos in the Santa Fe set and I bet you can hardly tell which they are. We got to the city early afternoon on a sunny day and so resisted the urge to hide in the hotel and got straight out and on with tourist business. We visited:</span></div>
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The Georgia O’Keeffe museum/gallery – we looked at paintings, watched the really interesting documentary films about O’Keeffe and her New Mexico houses and h enjoyed the kids book about the artist that young visitors are loaned for the duration of their visit. It is a really well-organised museum, I’d have to say. Great security guards – really helpful.</span></div>
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The plaza – which features lots of artists selling their arts and crafts (photo of one – ceramics artist Lynda Feman is included in the next slideshow), lots of people doing serious Saturday evening posing and just generally lots of very friendly folk out and about. Santa Fe reminded us of Asheville, North Carolina (and you might remember how much we liked Asheville – a lot).</span></div>
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The downtown ‘points of interest’ (well, at least their outsides as it was after 5pm when we got to most of them) – the St.Francis Cathedral, the Loretto Chapel, the San Miguel Mission (very old church, well, bits of it), the “oldest house in the USA” (hmm, not so sure about that one – depends on your definition of house maybe, what about all the Native American places in the area that are significantly older?).</span></div>
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Santa Fe is full of art and artists and galleries and museums and we probably could have spent a week wandering its pretty streets – eating and drinking, taking it easy and looking at the mountains – but we didn’t. Before we move on though here are our Santa Fe photos:</span></div>
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Next! On Sunday 8<sup>th</sup> May we set off slightly north to the Bandelier National Monument. The drive there passed some great highway art, a casino or two, a place called Camel Rock with the most camel-looking rock we’ve ever seen (“which is the Camel Ro … oh, it’s that one!”) and some gorgeous mountain views and windy roads. Once in the National Park we visited the museum about the Pueblo (Native American) people who lived in the area (and who still live in other parts of New Mexico) and then we went out into the beautiful Frijoles Canyon to see some of the homes they made in the rock here around 1100AD (‘cavates’ – fascinating, lots of them accessible to visitors by ladder), the ruins of the other homes and buildings they built nearby in later years (up to about 1400) and the nature trail. It was all really interesting (if very, very hot out there). There were several other trails we could have tried (as well as the ‘Main Loop trail’ we completed) but really, it was sweltering and we had a few miles to go yet before bed. Highly recommended though, the Bandelier site, and our photos of the road north from Santa Fe and the place itself are here:</span></div>
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We’ll post photos of Taos and the rest of our time in Northern New Mexico soon. Today we leave New Mexico and head west.</span></div>
Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-49357888153970565292011-05-06T22:06:00.007-05:002023-07-30T17:06:31.056-05:00Texas - sure is a lot of it...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxruPATosVHrFaM0wuRjtNOuPcniMjCPnLYP0RJ5GIIAp5INKo-F5bP8-sbQEjVjrlorYLlFaKscbTWkuPCmo_8YorqX1W6K7SDT81xgVv_Gv9sh1aklB68gPqliSGi0mAbbwLoHTk07o/s1600/IMG_8015.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603811653099201330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxruPATosVHrFaM0wuRjtNOuPcniMjCPnLYP0RJ5GIIAp5INKo-F5bP8-sbQEjVjrlorYLlFaKscbTWkuPCmo_8YorqX1W6K7SDT81xgVv_Gv9sh1aklB68gPqliSGi0mAbbwLoHTk07o/s400/IMG_8015.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 398px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Last Monday (on what is now National Bin Laden is Dead Day apparently) we left Louisiana and drove into its huge western neighbour. Straightaway things changed – we saw huge signs reading ‘Guns’ and ‘Ammo’ for a start, never mind a store that seemed to be selling second-hand surface-to-air missiles on the side of a road near Beaumont. Plus there were miles of refineries and more industrial activity than we’ve seen anywhere in the US so far. Was Texas really going to be all the clichés – big, bad and dangerous to know?</span></div>
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We had no burning desire to go into the nearest big Texan city (Houston) so we kept north of it and had a quiet recover-from-all the fun-of-Louisiana-and-do-some-laundry night in a hotel in Dayton (near Liberty), TX. There was nothing much to see there beyond the biggest cargo trains we’ve ever witnessed but the next day we called in on a friend-of–a-friend in a nearby pretty leafy area north of Houston called, suitably, the Woodlands. There we had a good cup of (hot) tea (Scottish friend of Scottish friend – knows how to make hot tea), a sit in the sun and a good chinwag.</span></div>
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Back on the road we drove west to Austin on the 290 (lovely – hardly any traffic) and got there late afternoon. Austin is a big place for music and laid-back nightlife but obviously a lot of that (as elsewhere in the States) is for over 21s so there’s only so much of it we can see and hear with the small one on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead we drove through the downtown, past the Capitol building (little old Austin has been the state capital since 1839 when someone decided it would make a better capital than “swampy and disease-ridden” Houston, so it says in the Rough Guide) and then down Congress Avenue. At its lower end Congress turns into the very laidback South Congress Ave with its hip motels, vintage clothes shops, bars and music venues and we nosed about there for a bit, found the hip motels were full of music tourists (like ourselves), had a delicious Italian meal in a courtyard out back somewhere and then left the childless adults to enjoy the nightlife as we sloped off to a motel further down the road (where h could catch her favourite show <i>Dancing with the Stars</i>). It’s not rock’n’roll exactly but that’s family travel for you. Here are our photos of the first couple of Texas days:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626539144907" title="Texas border to Austin"><img alt="Texas border to Austin" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2757/5694462965_98aff11a9b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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Tuesday we headed just south to San Antonio – not somewhere we’d planned on going but another friend (and former Texas resident) had suggested that we call in there (though her actual phrase was <span style="font-size: 14.7px;">“</span>get your asses down there<span style="font-size: 14.7px;">”</span>). San Antonio is only an hour or so from Austin so it was a short driving day which left us loads of time to enjoy the very ample downtown area in San A (and the fantastic old hotel where we’d managed to score a cheap, and giant, room). First we visited the Riverwalk area (a phenomenal development – like a modern Venice really, endless little bridges, a serious flood prevention system, heaps of restaurants, many tourists/visitors). The Riverwalk (along with the Alamo and the large university to the north) draws in a lot of visitors to the city and our feelings about this late twentieth century development were mostly good (there are some lovely details in the design, a lot of shade, a lot of variety) but I couldn’t help feeling that it was a little sanitised and corporate in places too (and the big modern hotels can be so ugly and so … unnecessarily dominating). Still it’s early days for it really – maybe the area will look a bit more natural in a few years time. We picked one of the many restaurants (an Irish one – can’t go wrong with the Irish pub) and had lunch (yes, we are always eating) though inside for me as the Riverwalk is a little too infested with dastardly pigeons (they were on the tables in places – ugh!) and then we took a ride with the riverboat tour people (pretty if very un-Venice in places – “and this is the mall …”). After that we visited the Alamo briefly (downright strange – visiting a monument to a battle against the Mexicans in a place so full of, well, Mexicans) and then escaped from the powerful heat of the afternoon to the rooftop pool of our once-swanky-but-now-reduced-to-Travelodge-conferences-and-skinflints-off-the-internet hotel. Easily the nicest pool experience we’ve had so far – just bliss.</span></div>
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In the evening we walked down to La Villita a small area in downtown San Antonio that is one of the oldest parts of the city. These days it is craft shops (and again just a touch over-renovated for me – it didn’t look real somehow) but the shops had all closed for the day anyway. Instead we found a really good Mexican restaurant and all of us (even h – quite the adventurous eater these days!) ate and drank well. Mojitos? Oh if you insist (that was just us though, obviously). Texas is full of Mexican restaurants – we were told to expect a lot of BBQ but it is Mexican, Mexican all the way from what we’ve seen this trip. Here are our San Antonio photos:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626539193441" title="San Antonio"><img alt="San Antonio" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3627/5694486713_9b0b0678ca_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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The next day we got back on our planned route and set off north west (along Interstate 10). Not long out of San Antonio the traffic and advertising hoardings petered out and we found ourselves on a pretty long, fairly quiet road through dry, dry land. We stopped anywhere there was a stop really (to break up the journey) – lunch in Sonora (very clean and tidy, very active local history society, rodeo), a look for WiFi in Ozona (good photo opportunities, amusing shopfronts, rodeo) and then finally a stop for the night in Fort Stockton (home of the giant roadrunner, Pepe Paisano, oh and a rodeo). We didn’t visit ‘historic Fort Stockton’ I’m afraid (we just can’t visit everything – we haven’t visited any of the local caves either) but we were out and about in the town a bit (looking for this and that, as you do on the road) and it was busy and hot and very much one of those little towns where Walmart (and a crappy one at that) pretty much is the town’s shopping centre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a fair selection of restaurants though and about a hundred petrol/gas stations. And was everyone in town except us driving a big shiny pick-up truck or did it just feel that way?</span></div>
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Usually the ‘complimentary’ motel breakfasts in the mid-range establishments feature the same characters <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>around the cramped tables (harassed families, cheap work travellers, retired folk in heavy make-up and/or crisply pressed slacks) but this morning we met a lovely biker (biker as in riding Harleys) who, with two friends, is touring the US and Canada in exactly the opposite direction to us. These three solid and very dapper guys had started in Seattle and were working their way towards Florida and we did that whole <span style="font-size: 14.7px;">“</span>hey, you’re on the road – we’re on the road<span style="font-size: 14.7px;">”</span> thing and it was really nice (plus they obviously have a Scottish friend who’s told them a lot of nonsense about Scotland, they seemed to think we all carried guns over there). We see a lot of bikers (especially on this recent southern stretch of the road) but these three were different most notably because they were all three very black (black as in skin not as in leathers). I wish I’d asked to take their photo – one of them was so smart he looked like he was going nightclubbing with Sinatra or something instead of out onto the dusty Texas highway.</span></div>
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We, not so smart in shorts and t-shirts and, by now, one slightly bashed-up off-white cowboy hat, packed up once more and drove up the 285 towards Pecos and out of Texas. We passed what’s left of the local oilfield production, some little ghost towns (oil ones) and a lot more flat land. And then at something like midday today we passed into a new timezone (Mountain time!) and a new state (New Mexico). Here are our West Texas photos:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626539315563" title="West Texas to border"><img alt="West Texas to border" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5261/5694546625_468e6e5d77_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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So, Texas – a varied place with a lot going on here and plenty of great big empty spaces there. How was it for you?</span>Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-1272217412230043862011-05-02T21:29:00.015-05:002023-07-30T17:03:25.338-05:00Following the Mississippi to New Orleans (and beyond)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbFsM6GlwYYnuj0WISCeK-TRaYq4h7gXqFMZ50-gBv9W3TDriCbYPIUHsn7wZ3T_GvKaasgcAicbsUvP1L5yj4h86nj2iZpgwBVIryWZqAg2m9bf5hoQSuIRai-IovvlimZTffXjPohY/s1600/IMG_7429.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602331190076958498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbFsM6GlwYYnuj0WISCeK-TRaYq4h7gXqFMZ50-gBv9W3TDriCbYPIUHsn7wZ3T_GvKaasgcAicbsUvP1L5yj4h86nj2iZpgwBVIryWZqAg2m9bf5hoQSuIRai-IovvlimZTffXjPohY/s400/IMG_7429.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Last Wednesday we woke to find the weather still moody in Memphis. We checked all the forecasts and endless tornado warnings before packing up the car to head south (and it can be tricky for outsiders because locally they do the warnings by county name and often you don’t really know which county you’re in). The forecast seemed to be OK for south of Memphis from what we could see (nothing terrifying anyway) so we set off down Highway 61 (the ‘Blues Highway’ – the road blues musicians from Mississippi used in the past to get north to Memphis and beyond). Pretty quickly we were in Mississippi state and driving past an outbreak of casino resorts as well as some very flooded fields, thanks to the recent heavy storms. At one point the highway heading north was flooded but going south it was all passable at least. We did experience some pretty ferocious rain on some of that morning’s drive but luckily there wasn’t much other traffic (it’s not a main highway any more – outranked by the Interstate 55 these days) and, as the song says, we made it through the rain … to Clarksdale, MS where suddenly the sun came out and it was very, very hot again.</span></div>
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Clarksdale is a small place in the Mississippi Delta that feels more than a bit forgotten. Its fortunes are clearly on the turn though as its status as one of the homes of blues music means that music fans, at least, are coming to call more and more. Also it’s obvious that many folk are doing everything they can to get visitors into the town on the back of this (and none less than actor Morgan Freeman who spent some of his childhood in Mississippi and who has now opened a club and restaurant in Clarksdale). We visited the Delta Blues Museum (small, charming, someone has rebuilt Muddy Water’s actual former cabin home inside) and they are currently building an extension to the building so it's obviously doing something right. There are lots of cafés and blues clubs too (including Freeman’s very cool Ground Zero Blues Club – the staff were very friendly and invited us in to take pictures even though we’d already had lunch and were too early for dinner). It was while we were in Ground Zero (signing our names on the wall as instructed) that we saw on the news that a big tornado had just hit Alabama causing much destruction and killing hundreds – quite sobering to see what the storms really can do at their worst.</span></div>
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On the way out of Clarksdale we passed one of the suggested sites for the musician Robert Johnson selling-his-soul myth (where Highway 61 crosses the 49) and then we drove into nearby Tutwiler to see the mural commemorating where W.C.Handy supposedly first heard and named Blues music in 1903. Then we drove on through sunny Mississippi to the capital Jackson where we ate, did laundry and slept (sorry, Jackson, not much else). Here are our Mississippi photos:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626509321519" title="Mississippi"><img alt="Mississippi" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5065/5681370463_4427c329dc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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On Thursday we left Jackson, MS pretty promptly and set off for Louisiana, getting to New Orleans late in the afternoon. We’d booked three nights in the city and here are a few of the things we got up to:</span></div>
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We wandered the streets of the central French Quarter. Really you could walk round this part of the city forever – it has so many beautiful buildings, so many buskers and other entertainers to watch, so many lovely cafés and places to stop, so much lovely food and drink to try, so many interesting people to watch and meet. The weather was just gorgeous too. It is pretty full of tourists but somehow it’s still irresistible, though a few glances at some of the out-and-out drunken mayhem of Bourbon Street was enough (especially with a little one in tow – it was almost like being back in Britain).</span></div>
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We went to an exhibition about Hurricane Katrina at the Presbytere Museum in Jackson Square. The exhibition covered the history of storms and floods in the area and then what happened in 2005 from lots of different angles. It was very moving – overpowering really.</span></div>
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We went on a trip along the Mississippi on ‘the last real paddle steamer’ on the river. It was sunny and the calliope (whistle) played a tune as we boarded – see below.</span></div>
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We saw the Preservation Hall Jazz Masters featuring Leroy Jones at a great little venue in the French Quarter. We drank cocktails (in plastic glasses) waiting in the queue – it was all very summer holiday. There was so much other music we could have gone to see (not to mention the whole Jazz Fest that was going on elsewhere in the city during the daytime) but we really enjoyed the one event we picked. Plus there was all the street music of course.</span></div>
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On the second full day we decided h should get first choice of activity (and she always picks animal-related things) so we took the lovely streetcar along St Charles Avenue, through the beautiful Garden District and to Audubon Park where we made our way (in blistering heat) to the Audubon Zoo. We had a great afternoon there – it is said to be one of the best zoos in the USA and it really was a hit with her, lots of hands-on stuff to do, lots of kids being volunteers around the whole zoo.</span></div>
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We spent our last evening in the French Quarter again (it really is special). We ate at the Napoleon House, watched a magician, shared some ‘beignets’ (lovely little French doughnuts) in the Café du Monde and then finally saw a wedding procession dance by (complete with jazz band). It looked a little like this:</span></div>
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New Orleans photos are here (there’s quite a lot but this is only a fraction of what we took):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626510013219" title="New Orleans"><img alt="New Orleans" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5143/5681702767_8738b5dd53_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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We were so tired after the busy, busy New Orleans days that we slept like logs on the last night and then packed up the car and set off to Cajun Country on the Sunday morning. We drove over Lake Pontchartrain (that is one long bridge/causeway – over 20 miles long) and then we turned west as far as Breaux Bridge where we:</span></div>
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Ate a fantastic meal at the Café des Amis in that little town.</span></div>
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Went on a swamp boat tour where we saw egrets, a lot of water and then a real live alligator in the wild.</span></div>
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Found our lodgings for the night – a 1950s/Elvis themed shack with a giant lobster (or, considering all the signs for them, a crawfish) outside. It was a metal sculpture, I should point out.</span></div>
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Ate Cajun food and danced to a Cajun band at Mulate’s just near the shack place in the evening.</span></div>
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Our rest-of-Louisiana photos are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626634878282" title="Louisiana"><img alt="Louisiana" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5066/5681839661_61459959e2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>></span></div>
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We absolutely loved our time in Louisiana. What a fantastic place – the accents, the flavours, the sights, the sounds. And now we’re in Texas and heading west, west, west.</span></div>
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Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5597622137998377255.post-35002127880544074242011-04-28T10:40:00.011-05:002023-07-30T17:02:42.811-05:00Never a dull moment in Tennessee…<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnt03ujvC60iEt24ydqmiSEUft2gwcT3VW-9sn1sXD6EeifOoIm0YI6Qe-eY9lHQDmUetI7w3KHVUOSXCtqITmzoc8ybn4oS6ax0sLhskMGRlTIH8NqMI6zSP77HDydUg-cty4Je2mcs/s1600/IMG_7236.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600668755500549362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnt03ujvC60iEt24ydqmiSEUft2gwcT3VW-9sn1sXD6EeifOoIm0YI6Qe-eY9lHQDmUetI7w3KHVUOSXCtqITmzoc8ybn4oS6ax0sLhskMGRlTIH8NqMI6zSP77HDydUg-cty4Je2mcs/s400/IMG_7236.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a><br />
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We left North Carolina last Friday and drove into Tennessee. We resisted the Great Smoky Mountains and Dollywood (because we just can’t do everything) and instead ploughed on down the main highway (for a change). The weather turned really warm and sunny and we had an overnight stop in a little place called Cookeville (where we had our first dip of the trip in an outdoor pool – fantastic) and then the next day we drove on to Nashville via a smaller road (the 70). The 70 went through places with names like Carthage and Lebanon and at some points it seemed to show us so many churches that I wondered if this was the actual Bible Belt you hear so much about.</span></div>
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Anyway, we got to Nashville on the Saturday and went straight to the downtown area. We realised straight away that it was one of those weird American downtowns that have very little in them in some ways – a few big office buildings, a clearly defined tourist area, the odd big entertainment and/or sports venue but besides that quite a lot of emptiness (so different to most British cities). It was scorching hot (luckily we’d got h a cowboy hat for shade the day before) but we did our best to see the tourist sites (largely in this case the shops and sights in the Broadway area – a lot of fun, a lot of record shops, a whole lotta cowboy boots). We looked at the Country Music Hall of Fame but didn’t go in because really it would have been wasted on us – we like the odd song but we’re not mega country fans or anything. Instead we hit one of the only bars on Broadway that would let under 21s in and had a beer/water and heard some music. It wasn’t bad at all – very friendly, very easy-going.</span></div>
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We stayed out in the area near the (new) Grand Ole Opry (it’s a few miles from downtown) and so the next morning, Easter Day, we went to the Opry and did the backstage tour first thing on (it was nice and quiet – we assume everyone else was in church). The tour was really interesting (h loves theatres and everything to do with them) and maybe especially so because the building had been badly flooded last year (along with much else in the city) and there were lots of stories related to that. The whole Opry area is large and in fact a bit like Disneyland for Country Music (shops, hotels, carparks – the hotel is even called Opryland) and I’m sure it’s fun if that kind of thing floats your cowboy boat. For us, a few hours one quiet Easter morning was plenty though so we got back in the car and headed west for Memphis. As we left there was a tornado warning (for just east of Nashville) up on the highway sign. Never seen one of those before. Here are the first set of Tennessee photos (including Nashville):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626470967857" title="Nashville"><img alt="Nashville" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5022/5663312532_9e52e2e4d2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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We drove pretty much straight to Memphis after Nashville – we had booked three nights in the western Tennessee city because there was so much we wanted to see there and we wanted to get on with it all. The cheapest way to do this was to stay in one of the Graceland hotels so we stayed in the Days Inn Graceland (which has a guitar-shaped pool and endless Elvis memorabilia all over the place) and photos of all that are in with our Graceland shots in the final slideshow further down. The first selection of Memphis shots however includes mainly what we saw downtown in the city (again Graceland is almost on the edge of the city – 8 miles or so from the centre). The first set includes pictures of:</span></div>
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The National Civil Rights Museum (the outside of it at least – you can’t take photos inside). It is based in and around the Lorraine motel where Martin Luther King was shot and it is all very powerful and informative (some stuff we’d heard of already but also there was much that was new to us – we’d never heard of James Meredith and the whole University of Mississippi business before, for example). There was another tornado warning while we were there too so all visitors had to go and sit in the theatre for the best part of an hour. Luckily they gave us a really good film to watch (‘Witness’ about <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: " "times new roman";">the Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles</span> who was there with King when he died).</span></div>
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The downtown area – which is obviously in the middle of a serious ‘get people to come into Memphis’ regeneration effort. It’s working too – we saw bustling, buzzing crowds going into a basketball game, a shiny new baseball stadium open for business, the whole Beale Street music/bars area (similar to Nashville’s Broadway – touristy but still good music and lively), a trolley car system, lots of music festival information and parks and developments. The city still has work to do of course (which city doesn’t?) but it is doing everything it can to make Memphis a healthy, vibrant place. We liked it very much.</span></div>
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Some other tourists mentioned that one of the downtown hotels had a parade of ducks every afternoon so we took h along to see the Peabody ducks waddle down their red carpet at 5pm one day. She loved it of course – apparently it’s a long-running tradition.</span></div>
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The Mississippi river – we got our first glance of this big ol’river in Memphis. With all the rain that was coming down at night (there were huge storms every night we were there) a trip on the river didn’t seem too attractive so we gave that a miss this time. As it were.</span></div>
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Music museums – as well as Elvis, Memphis has heaps of music-related stuff to see and hear. We went to the Stax museum (just outside downtown and well worth the trip if you like soul music or even just local history). It’s a great development with a music academy building next door (all pretty new and all part of the great regeneration work that’s going on). We also called in at Sun Studio and Mark did the tour (very interesting he reports – the birth of rock ‘n’roll, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis) whilst h and I sat in the very friendly café and chatted with the staff. We had one more meal in Beale Street (at BB King’s place – Blind Mississippi Morris performing as we ate) and then left downtown. As we left there was another tornado alarm going off. If you want video evidence (with sound) you can go <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kl8NB6TweQ" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Memphis photos are here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626474078931" title="Memphis"><img alt="Memphis" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5221/5664789234_32cc2f9d89_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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Graceland photos and Days Inn Graceland photos are here (it’s Elvis Presley central of course but it’s all still really enjoyable even if you’re only a mild Elvis fan – he had some amazing stuff!):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/m-a-s/albums/72157626595894070" title="Graceland"><img alt="Graceland" height="427" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5028/5663486528_3d3684a69c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></span></div>
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And then yesterday we left Tennessee (on Highway 61 no less) and made our way into Mississippi and the whole world of Delta Blues. And the storms continued too – more of that next time.</span></div>
Rachel Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.com9