Saturday, July 28, 2007
Saturday July 28 Waterbury Conn to Maumee Ohio Day 15
Again after 649.8 miles from Waterbury to Maumee Ohio it has been a long day. Staying at the same Comfort Inn we stayed in when we came back from Florida. jerr
Update Aug 15 Friday July 27 Orleans Cape Cod Day 14
Will update Sunday when we hit Milwaukee. We ended up going from Cape Cod to Waterbury Conn heavy traffic, much worse than our Mankato Friday traffic. jerr
NEW Aug Update
This morning we are headed up the Cape to visit with a mutual relative and the beauty of the Cape. As we head down from Boston and hook northeast I noticed the sign and it said Plymouth. Figured out it was not a car I had Shirleen see if it was where Plymouth Rock was? Right on, so a detour to see it, as we had time to spare, we thought. We parked our cars close to the rock and National Park person. The rock sets inside a granite portico and metal fenced in area. On the rock is chiseled 1620. The park lady said that the rock was used as a drop off area for the pilgrims. They could only do this when the tide was up. The longboats would approach the rock and the pilgrims would step off onto it and then the beach. She also said the rock is now one third the size it was when they landed here. The government okayed the chipping off of the rock for personal uses. That was stopped in the late 1800’s. When one looked around the area, that was the only rock on the beach, supposedly laid down by the glaciers? We then saw a replica of the Mayflower. Another three mast ship, small but made it to the US anyway.
As time drew nearer to the time we were going to the east coast I began to think about Uncle Lew. He was a vague memory of mine. He was another of the relation that died when I was in the service. We had found the obituary when we visited Key West and in it, it reminded me of the fact that he was buried in Orleans Mass. I went on the net to look up the historical sight for the town. Low and behold there was one, no e-mail contact but a telephone number, I called a recorder and the next day a lady called me. She asked who I what I was looking for, I said I know that my Uncle Lew M. was buried around Orleans. She said M., I said yes, she said I know a lady by that name, Sandy. I said in the obit it says that he had a nephew, Bruce; she said I think her husbands name was Bruce. I noticed past tense. She said she would contact her and that she may be calling me. 45 minutes later I get a phone call and it was Sandy and yes she had married Bruce, he died in 2000. She remembered Aunt Vi and said that she had kept in letter writing contact with the M.’s for many years. We then set up a time and place to meet and a contact e-mail address. I do not use last names to protect confidentiality.
Off to Orleans for our meeting. We just about didn’t make it, I pulled into a lane and a pickup narrowly missed us. Had I not taken a wrong turn and it became 30 minutes past meeting time. Needless to say we were glad to see Sandy sitting on the bench with her green top on for recognition. Shirleen had on a matching apple green top on. It was nice to see her waiting for us. Sandy‘s husband, Bruce, was the nephew of my Uncle Lew M.. We went into the restaurant to have coffee and the New Englander her tea along with the dropped r’s in her speech. Can you believe I ordered a roll and no one else did. But de ja vu, she asked did I want it grilled? This is how Mom would do her couple day old rolls. See it was meant to be. We chatted for 15 minutes or so and I had some things I brought along for Sandy, hoping that there was a historical society that would hold the memorabilia? She was not sure where it will go but she will look over her M. materials and if there is something about Aunt Vi in it she will forward.
Sandy had worked as a shellfish biologist, working in the area of mussel and clams, and became the conservation administrator of Orleans’s Massachusetts. She held that position of shellfish biologist for many years; this eventually gave her the right material for her first book, “Rowing Forward Looking Back”. The book was encouraged by people in this area. Here is her books forward in its entirety and demonstrates her character as we saw it. “In memory of Bruce, a master at practical applications of ideas, who taught me many things. Among them, he taught me to love this place in different ways than I already did, enriching my life immeasurably in the process.” Oh what powerful words and memories this meant for her. The cover of the book has a picture of her white 16 foot row boat, reading her book it turned out to be a sailboat that Bruce had bought. Now she asked, do you mind if we all drive in my van and I will take you tour you around and visit Lew’s grave. Sandy is a wealth of information about the M.s but has little written, we tried to recreate some of what she said but missed much. Another item that I noticed and it also showed her environmental concern, her license plate, it had a tail of a whale, two seagulls flying overhead and the words Preserve the Trust.
Off we went. What a neat way to tour the back roads of a busy busy area of tourism. She took us to a number of harbor’s starting at Fort Hill. This area is to the Atlantic Ocean side. President JF Kennedy designated Cape Cod’s Atlantic side as our National Seashore. Where the beauty of the shifting sands of Nauset Harbor, make the outer bank sands move. This causes the opening of the bank to move and it becomes navigable during high tides possible otherwise but not as easy. We could see the Nauset Light, salt ponds, fisherpersons and lobster trap bobbers. What a sight to take in.
We came to another beach area and parked close to the beach. A man came forward to ask us to move, he then noticed who she was and they talked. He walked away and suddenly she jumped out of the car and went to him by his boat and two dogs. The dogs just sat there and would not get out of the boat, even though they wanted to. She talked to Mike, he has fished for lobster, mussels and other shellfish. His van gave his company name: Stony Is. Sea-Farm, Orleans Mass. Mike has fished these shores for many years and she would like to interview him for her next book. He will add insight to the fishing and decline of that industry. Again many fishing boats, some folk’s harvesting clams and another peaceful setting. I took a picture of a Historical Marker at that beach it said “Snow Shore – Stephen Snow 1644 overlooks Champlain’s July 1605 anchorage: first white man killed by Nawsetts on the beach – his carpenter Malouin of St. Malo. Home Port, Nausets early fishing fleets. Cable landing – direct wire, Orleans to Brest, France.” This is where the telephone cable ran from the US to Europe. Off again we went.
We visited Rock Harbor on Cape Cod Bay. Again a spectacular overview of the seashore or is it bay shore, you get the drift. More fishing boats, people enjoying the nature feeling away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Communing with nature, what a deal. Here we go again. It was interesting to hear how the Cape iced in from the North. This makes for a short spring because the winds blow the ice to the seashore on the Capes bay side and keeps the area cooler. The summers are mild with the winds off the water. The falls are just spectacular with the changing colors of the leaves.
During our transit we visited the cemetery where the M.’s are buried. The M. plots were close to the roadside. Lew’s father James and his mother Agnes was buried in the next row. All gravesites were marked with footstones. Sandy really felt close to a couple of the family, she felt a fondness for Ginny (Bruce’s mother) and Ida (Freddies (officially known as Norman – Lew’s brothers) wife these were the ultimate women and held themselves more aristocratically than others. This reminded me of Aunt Vi also. Lew’s marker had moss growing on it. I had brought along a couple hosta plants from his wife’s grave, those were from the family Klink's..... grave, with a white fringe and medium green inside. I had taken off the dirt and wrapped them in damp paper towels, much like I did the ones from the Czech Republic in 1995. I unwrapped the plants and spotted new roots growing even though the plants had been in the trunk and had not seen the light of day since we left Minnesota. I planted the hosta’s and felt I made a connection for the two.
We now went to see Portanimicut Landing to see Pleasant Bay. It had a boat launching area and a scenic overlook of boats, big houses and a channel to an inside bay. A sign said Fragile Marsh – No Crossing.
Many homes were decorated with flowers and shrubs, some just beautiful dark blue hydrangeas were evident, again, all over. The Cape Cod home of double windows on each side of the door, half Cape’s with a set of doors on one side and three quarter with two windows on one side and one on the other. Salt boxes were square and the north facing roofs that went almost to the ground. We drove sandy single lane back roads and made sure if we were to make a turn it was headed right, so as not to go against traffic as I had earlier. Her home is set back from the road and covered by trees. She was given this house from an intricate set of circumstances. Bruce’s Aunt Ruth, my Uncle Lew’s sister, and Uncle had lived in the house, he dies, she marries another man, she then dies and the man one relative removed, not related, gave Sandy her Aunt’s house, and this is the one she now lives in, what a generous man he was. Sandy and her mother and four sisters used to have their summer vacations in their Aunt’s rented cottage on Cape Cod, at that time she said the place had no running water and no inside bathroom. She remembers how they liked getting back home for the conveniences. This cottage is currently the storage shed set back from the highway.
Sandy had to get us back to the cars; she had a memorial service to go to early that afternoon. In this short period of time we grew together because of our commonality, we hugged each other and said Good Bye. She indicated she had wanted to come to Minnesota and the surrounding states. If she does I certainly hope she stays with us so we can return the hospitality she had given us.
We headed north; she said a nice place to look at was Wellfleet Harbor. We decided to eat there; we pulled into a, what looked like a restaurant and a group of people told us to go to the Bookstore restaurant. They said it might be full so we just headed north. We saw a restaurant that looked semi busy and yup it was the Bookstore & Restaurant. Did we luck out, there were no tables open outside on the first floor and were seated on the second floor veranda. A clear look into the harbor, many fishing boats came while we were seated. I ordered a appetizer of Oysters Rockefeller, spinach and a white sauce covering the oyster and shell and baked. Not bad a 7 out of 10. Shirleen ordered, you guessed it a lobster roll, Jim a Clam Strip Special and I sole and chips.
Off to the west, wanted to find the house, Wing fort house, Pat S.’s great??????-grandfather built in Sandwich, Mass. We did not see the house as by the time we realized it, it was long gone and back behind us. We drove through some awful traffic, of course, it was Friday night. We came to many dead stops and it carried on for many miles. We found a motel room advertised and pulled into Waterbury Conn. We decided to get a couple of beers and as it was in an Italian restaurant, Nino’s Trattoria, we ordered a Margareta pizza, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Look at the order of the ingredients, the color is from the Italian flag for Queen Margareta. Our waitress, Laura - an older lady and making a little pin money, gave us the ok to drink beer alone, as she has too. When she brought our second beer over, they were really full, she said she sipped a little out so it wouldn’t spill. Neat lady.
Off for the west in the morning, destination unknown. jerr
NEW Aug Update
This morning we are headed up the Cape to visit with a mutual relative and the beauty of the Cape. As we head down from Boston and hook northeast I noticed the sign and it said Plymouth. Figured out it was not a car I had Shirleen see if it was where Plymouth Rock was? Right on, so a detour to see it, as we had time to spare, we thought. We parked our cars close to the rock and National Park person. The rock sets inside a granite portico and metal fenced in area. On the rock is chiseled 1620. The park lady said that the rock was used as a drop off area for the pilgrims. They could only do this when the tide was up. The longboats would approach the rock and the pilgrims would step off onto it and then the beach. She also said the rock is now one third the size it was when they landed here. The government okayed the chipping off of the rock for personal uses. That was stopped in the late 1800’s. When one looked around the area, that was the only rock on the beach, supposedly laid down by the glaciers? We then saw a replica of the Mayflower. Another three mast ship, small but made it to the US anyway.
As time drew nearer to the time we were going to the east coast I began to think about Uncle Lew. He was a vague memory of mine. He was another of the relation that died when I was in the service. We had found the obituary when we visited Key West and in it, it reminded me of the fact that he was buried in Orleans Mass. I went on the net to look up the historical sight for the town. Low and behold there was one, no e-mail contact but a telephone number, I called a recorder and the next day a lady called me. She asked who I what I was looking for, I said I know that my Uncle Lew M. was buried around Orleans. She said M., I said yes, she said I know a lady by that name, Sandy. I said in the obit it says that he had a nephew, Bruce; she said I think her husbands name was Bruce. I noticed past tense. She said she would contact her and that she may be calling me. 45 minutes later I get a phone call and it was Sandy and yes she had married Bruce, he died in 2000. She remembered Aunt Vi and said that she had kept in letter writing contact with the M.’s for many years. We then set up a time and place to meet and a contact e-mail address. I do not use last names to protect confidentiality.
Off to Orleans for our meeting. We just about didn’t make it, I pulled into a lane and a pickup narrowly missed us. Had I not taken a wrong turn and it became 30 minutes past meeting time. Needless to say we were glad to see Sandy sitting on the bench with her green top on for recognition. Shirleen had on a matching apple green top on. It was nice to see her waiting for us. Sandy‘s husband, Bruce, was the nephew of my Uncle Lew M.. We went into the restaurant to have coffee and the New Englander her tea along with the dropped r’s in her speech. Can you believe I ordered a roll and no one else did. But de ja vu, she asked did I want it grilled? This is how Mom would do her couple day old rolls. See it was meant to be. We chatted for 15 minutes or so and I had some things I brought along for Sandy, hoping that there was a historical society that would hold the memorabilia? She was not sure where it will go but she will look over her M. materials and if there is something about Aunt Vi in it she will forward.
Sandy had worked as a shellfish biologist, working in the area of mussel and clams, and became the conservation administrator of Orleans’s Massachusetts. She held that position of shellfish biologist for many years; this eventually gave her the right material for her first book, “Rowing Forward Looking Back”. The book was encouraged by people in this area. Here is her books forward in its entirety and demonstrates her character as we saw it. “In memory of Bruce, a master at practical applications of ideas, who taught me many things. Among them, he taught me to love this place in different ways than I already did, enriching my life immeasurably in the process.” Oh what powerful words and memories this meant for her. The cover of the book has a picture of her white 16 foot row boat, reading her book it turned out to be a sailboat that Bruce had bought. Now she asked, do you mind if we all drive in my van and I will take you tour you around and visit Lew’s grave. Sandy is a wealth of information about the M.s but has little written, we tried to recreate some of what she said but missed much. Another item that I noticed and it also showed her environmental concern, her license plate, it had a tail of a whale, two seagulls flying overhead and the words Preserve the Trust.
Off we went. What a neat way to tour the back roads of a busy busy area of tourism. She took us to a number of harbor’s starting at Fort Hill. This area is to the Atlantic Ocean side. President JF Kennedy designated Cape Cod’s Atlantic side as our National Seashore. Where the beauty of the shifting sands of Nauset Harbor, make the outer bank sands move. This causes the opening of the bank to move and it becomes navigable during high tides possible otherwise but not as easy. We could see the Nauset Light, salt ponds, fisherpersons and lobster trap bobbers. What a sight to take in.
We came to another beach area and parked close to the beach. A man came forward to ask us to move, he then noticed who she was and they talked. He walked away and suddenly she jumped out of the car and went to him by his boat and two dogs. The dogs just sat there and would not get out of the boat, even though they wanted to. She talked to Mike, he has fished for lobster, mussels and other shellfish. His van gave his company name: Stony Is. Sea-Farm, Orleans Mass. Mike has fished these shores for many years and she would like to interview him for her next book. He will add insight to the fishing and decline of that industry. Again many fishing boats, some folk’s harvesting clams and another peaceful setting. I took a picture of a Historical Marker at that beach it said “Snow Shore – Stephen Snow 1644 overlooks Champlain’s July 1605 anchorage: first white man killed by Nawsetts on the beach – his carpenter Malouin of St. Malo. Home Port, Nausets early fishing fleets. Cable landing – direct wire, Orleans to Brest, France.” This is where the telephone cable ran from the US to Europe. Off again we went.
We visited Rock Harbor on Cape Cod Bay. Again a spectacular overview of the seashore or is it bay shore, you get the drift. More fishing boats, people enjoying the nature feeling away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Communing with nature, what a deal. Here we go again. It was interesting to hear how the Cape iced in from the North. This makes for a short spring because the winds blow the ice to the seashore on the Capes bay side and keeps the area cooler. The summers are mild with the winds off the water. The falls are just spectacular with the changing colors of the leaves.
During our transit we visited the cemetery where the M.’s are buried. The M. plots were close to the roadside. Lew’s father James and his mother Agnes was buried in the next row. All gravesites were marked with footstones. Sandy really felt close to a couple of the family, she felt a fondness for Ginny (Bruce’s mother) and Ida (Freddies (officially known as Norman – Lew’s brothers) wife these were the ultimate women and held themselves more aristocratically than others. This reminded me of Aunt Vi also. Lew’s marker had moss growing on it. I had brought along a couple hosta plants from his wife’s grave, those were from the family Klink's..... grave, with a white fringe and medium green inside. I had taken off the dirt and wrapped them in damp paper towels, much like I did the ones from the Czech Republic in 1995. I unwrapped the plants and spotted new roots growing even though the plants had been in the trunk and had not seen the light of day since we left Minnesota. I planted the hosta’s and felt I made a connection for the two.
We now went to see Portanimicut Landing to see Pleasant Bay. It had a boat launching area and a scenic overlook of boats, big houses and a channel to an inside bay. A sign said Fragile Marsh – No Crossing.
Many homes were decorated with flowers and shrubs, some just beautiful dark blue hydrangeas were evident, again, all over. The Cape Cod home of double windows on each side of the door, half Cape’s with a set of doors on one side and three quarter with two windows on one side and one on the other. Salt boxes were square and the north facing roofs that went almost to the ground. We drove sandy single lane back roads and made sure if we were to make a turn it was headed right, so as not to go against traffic as I had earlier. Her home is set back from the road and covered by trees. She was given this house from an intricate set of circumstances. Bruce’s Aunt Ruth, my Uncle Lew’s sister, and Uncle had lived in the house, he dies, she marries another man, she then dies and the man one relative removed, not related, gave Sandy her Aunt’s house, and this is the one she now lives in, what a generous man he was. Sandy and her mother and four sisters used to have their summer vacations in their Aunt’s rented cottage on Cape Cod, at that time she said the place had no running water and no inside bathroom. She remembers how they liked getting back home for the conveniences. This cottage is currently the storage shed set back from the highway.
Sandy had to get us back to the cars; she had a memorial service to go to early that afternoon. In this short period of time we grew together because of our commonality, we hugged each other and said Good Bye. She indicated she had wanted to come to Minnesota and the surrounding states. If she does I certainly hope she stays with us so we can return the hospitality she had given us.
We headed north; she said a nice place to look at was Wellfleet Harbor. We decided to eat there; we pulled into a, what looked like a restaurant and a group of people told us to go to the Bookstore restaurant. They said it might be full so we just headed north. We saw a restaurant that looked semi busy and yup it was the Bookstore & Restaurant. Did we luck out, there were no tables open outside on the first floor and were seated on the second floor veranda. A clear look into the harbor, many fishing boats came while we were seated. I ordered a appetizer of Oysters Rockefeller, spinach and a white sauce covering the oyster and shell and baked. Not bad a 7 out of 10. Shirleen ordered, you guessed it a lobster roll, Jim a Clam Strip Special and I sole and chips.
Off to the west, wanted to find the house, Wing fort house, Pat S.’s great??????-grandfather built in Sandwich, Mass. We did not see the house as by the time we realized it, it was long gone and back behind us. We drove through some awful traffic, of course, it was Friday night. We came to many dead stops and it carried on for many miles. We found a motel room advertised and pulled into Waterbury Conn. We decided to get a couple of beers and as it was in an Italian restaurant, Nino’s Trattoria, we ordered a Margareta pizza, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Look at the order of the ingredients, the color is from the Italian flag for Queen Margareta. Our waitress, Laura - an older lady and making a little pin money, gave us the ok to drink beer alone, as she has too. When she brought our second beer over, they were really full, she said she sipped a little out so it wouldn’t spill. Neat lady.
Off for the west in the morning, destination unknown. jerr
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thursday July 26 Boston Day 13
So what did we do today? Off to the MBTA – subway- via the van from the Comfort Inn. We take a round trip pass to the trolley. It costs 3.40$ for one. We board the red line at JFK/UofMass, the orange to state and finally the exit at the aquarium where the trolley homeports. We take it to stop 3 to view the ship.
We thought the best thing to do was go to the USS Constitution “Old Iron Sides” for a tour http://www.oldironsides.com/. It is still an active Navy vessel built in 1797. It was built to defend the American shipping interests in the Mediterranean Sea.
A white hat gave the tour, a nice young man whom truly loves his duty. You look at the full three mast vessel. The sides were built with two layers of white oak and one layer from a live oak, the sides were two feet deep and pined every six inches or so. I learned during our southeast trip this winter that a live oak only grows to around South Carolina, the leaves fall during the year not all at once like ours. This growing pattern causes a density to this wood that approaches three to four times the strength of oak alone. The ship can run 13+ knots, highest mast 220 ft., displacement 2,200 tons and a length of 204 ft. I noticed it drew 21 feet of water below line. The masts have rolled canvas sheets that weigh 1,100 pounds and 25 people to roll but 4 to 5 to unroll. We walked around the deck admiring the well polished brass, well coiled rope and cannons. Everything you look at is just plain thick and big. There were two 24-pound “Bow Chasers”, 20 – 32-pounders called “Carronades” crew of 4 to 9 sailors.
We went below deck to the cannon deck. 32 – 24-pounder “Long Guns” each taking a crew of 6 to 14 sailors to man. The shell could travel about a mile, the recoil was about 9 feet; this allowed them to reload the cannon.
The sailor talked about the famous battle the Constitution was involved in. It involved the British frigate HMS Guerriere. The English were firing cannon balls at the Constitution but they we were said to bounce off or embed in the side. When it came alongside, the Captain said ‘hold aim’ it meant not to fire, they asked when do we, it turned out that it was about 25 yards from the ship. The order to fire came and all fired at once, the noise and black powder smoke thick in the air. Some sailors lost there hearing totally, some lost some of it for a while, like I did in the engine room I suspect, and some had blood running from their ears. The cannon balls were delivered to the gun by 8 year old boys, whom ran on watered down sand for better traction, to give the men the 24 pound cannon balls. After the Constitution fired all the masts of the ship were blown off and the US brought the survivors on board. That is when one sailor said ‘is it made of iron?’
Under this deck were the ships quarters. The 30 boys eight year olds slept on the deck, sailors in hammocks, amidships were the marines, aft of that was the officer quarters, private small doors to their bunks. The captain was on the second deck and had two living quarters, as he may have dignitaries on board. Big desk, large bed area and a chart desk.
We went back up to the main deck and the sailor said that the ship was going into dry dock. He also said they are not paid sea pay; they go out one to four times a year but not far from port. It turns out to be the oldest dry dock #1 where it has been before. A civilian told us that they were going to re-plate the copper underside; no one else had mentioned it but later saw a picture of that fact. The ship had in its heyday 500 or so hands, but I noticed only three small life boats, one by the captain’s deck, surprise.
This to me was an exciting tour. We also went through the neat museum. Again like Niagara Falls, the ship was big and powerful, we heard this morning that the river runs 25 miles per hour to the falls.
We decide to board the trolley to go and eat around Faneuil Hall area. As we walked to the front of the Hall we noticed many people coming from the second floor. All were well dressed and carrying a parchment and an American flag in their hand or pocket. I approached a young gal, turns out from Santo Domingo, turns out she has lived in America for 14 years, yes, this was her day to become an American and she couldn't say enough about how people should love this country, saying this with ters in her eyes. Her enthusiasm was catching and we looked at each other and said we take it for granted. The second floor of Faneuil Hall a historic Boston structure fondly called "The Cradle of Liberty," because of its association with American Revolutionary figures Samuel Adams and James Otis.
We ate at the oldest restaurant in America, ye olde UNION OYSTER HOUSE est. 1826. It was rustic and we were seated upstairs, even though we would have liked to sit at the oyster bar, no backs on the chairs. Shirleen ordered a Boston Scrod (a scrod is a young cod) and fries with a Hacienda cabernet, Jim fish cakes with Boston baked beans which we all thought were great with a tangy molasses taste. I had a tough time deciding, ended up ordering the fish platter, with a piece of haddock, shrimp, scallops, deep fried oysters, clams and a choice and tasty Colonial Ale.
We walked around this area and found a monument to the six million Jews whom were annihilated by Hitler. It, like other monuments like this, is inspiring but morbid. It is hard to think that someone could do this as the world looked on.
We took a walk through Quincy Market, many vendors of many types of foods. We boarded the trolley for a return trip and had another good guide. Back to square one, and we decided we wanted to sit and sip. We went to Legal Seafood on the wharf and ordered a drink and were told that we needed to order food, Shirleen quickly said, we will have coconut shrimp then. The gal was from Milwaukee and studying sports law. Our sips were Shirleen a Miller light, Jim a draft Sam Adams and I a real Budweiser. We then went back and decided the route back to home once we leave Cape Cod. Then my writing this up, again I have left many things out of here about the wonderful Boston experience, later perhaps.
Tomorrow I meet up with Sandy M. in Orleans, she will show me my Uncle Lew’s grave site. Then we turn west and are home bound. - jerr
We thought the best thing to do was go to the USS Constitution “Old Iron Sides” for a tour http://www.oldironsides.com/. It is still an active Navy vessel built in 1797. It was built to defend the American shipping interests in the Mediterranean Sea.
A white hat gave the tour, a nice young man whom truly loves his duty. You look at the full three mast vessel. The sides were built with two layers of white oak and one layer from a live oak, the sides were two feet deep and pined every six inches or so. I learned during our southeast trip this winter that a live oak only grows to around South Carolina, the leaves fall during the year not all at once like ours. This growing pattern causes a density to this wood that approaches three to four times the strength of oak alone. The ship can run 13+ knots, highest mast 220 ft., displacement 2,200 tons and a length of 204 ft. I noticed it drew 21 feet of water below line. The masts have rolled canvas sheets that weigh 1,100 pounds and 25 people to roll but 4 to 5 to unroll. We walked around the deck admiring the well polished brass, well coiled rope and cannons. Everything you look at is just plain thick and big. There were two 24-pound “Bow Chasers”, 20 – 32-pounders called “Carronades” crew of 4 to 9 sailors.
We went below deck to the cannon deck. 32 – 24-pounder “Long Guns” each taking a crew of 6 to 14 sailors to man. The shell could travel about a mile, the recoil was about 9 feet; this allowed them to reload the cannon.
The sailor talked about the famous battle the Constitution was involved in. It involved the British frigate HMS Guerriere. The English were firing cannon balls at the Constitution but they we were said to bounce off or embed in the side. When it came alongside, the Captain said ‘hold aim’ it meant not to fire, they asked when do we, it turned out that it was about 25 yards from the ship. The order to fire came and all fired at once, the noise and black powder smoke thick in the air. Some sailors lost there hearing totally, some lost some of it for a while, like I did in the engine room I suspect, and some had blood running from their ears. The cannon balls were delivered to the gun by 8 year old boys, whom ran on watered down sand for better traction, to give the men the 24 pound cannon balls. After the Constitution fired all the masts of the ship were blown off and the US brought the survivors on board. That is when one sailor said ‘is it made of iron?’
Under this deck were the ships quarters. The 30 boys eight year olds slept on the deck, sailors in hammocks, amidships were the marines, aft of that was the officer quarters, private small doors to their bunks. The captain was on the second deck and had two living quarters, as he may have dignitaries on board. Big desk, large bed area and a chart desk.
We went back up to the main deck and the sailor said that the ship was going into dry dock. He also said they are not paid sea pay; they go out one to four times a year but not far from port. It turns out to be the oldest dry dock #1 where it has been before. A civilian told us that they were going to re-plate the copper underside; no one else had mentioned it but later saw a picture of that fact. The ship had in its heyday 500 or so hands, but I noticed only three small life boats, one by the captain’s deck, surprise.
This to me was an exciting tour. We also went through the neat museum. Again like Niagara Falls, the ship was big and powerful, we heard this morning that the river runs 25 miles per hour to the falls.
We decide to board the trolley to go and eat around Faneuil Hall area. As we walked to the front of the Hall we noticed many people coming from the second floor. All were well dressed and carrying a parchment and an American flag in their hand or pocket. I approached a young gal, turns out from Santo Domingo, turns out she has lived in America for 14 years, yes, this was her day to become an American and she couldn't say enough about how people should love this country, saying this with ters in her eyes. Her enthusiasm was catching and we looked at each other and said we take it for granted. The second floor of Faneuil Hall a historic Boston structure fondly called "The Cradle of Liberty," because of its association with American Revolutionary figures Samuel Adams and James Otis.
We ate at the oldest restaurant in America, ye olde UNION OYSTER HOUSE est. 1826. It was rustic and we were seated upstairs, even though we would have liked to sit at the oyster bar, no backs on the chairs. Shirleen ordered a Boston Scrod (a scrod is a young cod) and fries with a Hacienda cabernet, Jim fish cakes with Boston baked beans which we all thought were great with a tangy molasses taste. I had a tough time deciding, ended up ordering the fish platter, with a piece of haddock, shrimp, scallops, deep fried oysters, clams and a choice and tasty Colonial Ale.
We walked around this area and found a monument to the six million Jews whom were annihilated by Hitler. It, like other monuments like this, is inspiring but morbid. It is hard to think that someone could do this as the world looked on.
We took a walk through Quincy Market, many vendors of many types of foods. We boarded the trolley for a return trip and had another good guide. Back to square one, and we decided we wanted to sit and sip. We went to Legal Seafood on the wharf and ordered a drink and were told that we needed to order food, Shirleen quickly said, we will have coconut shrimp then. The gal was from Milwaukee and studying sports law. Our sips were Shirleen a Miller light, Jim a draft Sam Adams and I a real Budweiser. We then went back and decided the route back to home once we leave Cape Cod. Then my writing this up, again I have left many things out of here about the wonderful Boston experience, later perhaps.
Tomorrow I meet up with Sandy M. in Orleans, she will show me my Uncle Lew’s grave site. Then we turn west and are home bound. - jerr
Thursday July 26 Boston Day 13
So what did we do today? Off to the MBTA – subway- via the van from the Comfort Inn. We take a round trip pass to the trolley. It costs 3.40$ for one. We board the red line at JFK/UofMass, the orange to state and finally the exit at the aquarium where the trolley homeports. We take it to stop 3 to view the ship.
We thought the best thing to do was go to the USS Constitution “Old Iron Sides” for a tour www.oldironsides.com. It is still an active Navy vessel built in 1797. It was built to defend the American shipping interests in the Mediterranean Sea.
A white hat gave the tour, a nice young man whom truly loves his duty. You look at the full three mast vessel. The sides were built with two layers of white oak and one layer from a live oak, the sides were two feet deep and pined every six inches or so. I learned during our southeast trip this winter that a live oak only grows to around South Carolina, the leaves fall during the year not all at once like ours. This growing pattern causes a density to this wood that approaches three to four times the strength of oak alone. The ship can run 13+ knots, highest mast 220 ft., displacement 2,200 tons and a length of 204 ft. I noticed it drew 21 feet of water below line. The masts have rolled canvas sheets that weigh 1,100 pounds and 25 people to roll but 4 to 5 to unroll. We walked around the deck admiring the well polished brass, well coiled rope and cannons. Everything you look at is just plain thick and big. There were two 24-pound “Bow Chasers”, 20 – 32-pounders called “Carronades” crew of 4 to 9 sailors.
We went below deck to the cannon deck. 32 – 24-pounder “Long Guns” each taking a crew of 6 to 14 sailors to man. The shell could travel about a mile, the recoil was about 9 feet; this allowed them to reload the cannon.
The sailor talked about the famous battle the Constitution was involved in. It involved the British frigate HMS Guerriere. The English were firing cannon balls at the Constitution but they we were said to bounce off or embed in the side. When it came alongside, the Captain said ‘hold aim’ it meant not to fire, they asked when do we, it turned out that it was about 25 yards from the ship. The order to fire came and all fired at once, the noise and black powder smoke thick in the air. Some sailors lost there hearing totally, some lost some of it for a while, like I did in the engine room I suspect, and some had blood running from their ears. The cannon balls were delivered to the gun by 8 year old boys, whom ran on watered down sand for better traction, to give the men the 24 pound cannon balls. After the Constitution fired all the masts of the ship were blown off and the US brought the survivors on board. That is when one sailor said ‘is it made of iron?’
Under this deck were the ships quarters. The 30 boys eight year olds slept on the deck, sailors in hammocks, amidships were the marines, aft of that was the officer quarters, private small doors to their bunks. The captain was on the second deck and had two living quarters, as he may have dignitaries on board. Big desk, large bed area and a chart desk.
We went back up to the main deck and the sailor said that the ship was going into dry dock. He also said they are not paid sea pay; they go out one to four times a year but not far from port. It turns out to be the oldest dry dock #1 where it has been before. A civilian told us that they were going to re-plate the copper underside; no one else had mentioned it but later saw a picture of that fact. The ship had in its heyday 500 or so hands, but I noticed only three small life boats, one by the captain’s deck, surprise.
This to me was an exciting tour. We also went through the neat museum. Again like Niagara Falls, the ship was big and powerful, we heard this morning that the river runs 25 miles per hour to the falls.
We decide to board the trolley to go and eat around Faneuil Hall area. We ate at the oldest restaurant in America, ye olde UNION OYSTER HOUSE est. 1826. It was rustic and we were seated upstairs, even though we would have liked to sit at the oyster bar, no backs on the chairs. Shirleen ordered a Boston Scrod (a scrod is a young cod) and fries with a Hacienda cabernet, Jim fish cakes with Boston baked beans which we all thought were great with a tangy molasses taste. I had a tough time deciding, ended up ordering the fish platter, with a piece of haddock, shrimp, scallops, deep fried oysters, clams and a choice and tasty Colonial Ale.
We walked around this area and found a monument to the six million Jews whom were annihilated by Hitler. It, like other monuments like this, is inspiring but morbid. It is hard to think that someone could do this as the world looked on.
We took a walk through Quincy Market, many vendors of many types of foods. We boarded the trolley for a return trip and had another good guide. Back to square one, and we decided we wanted to sit and sip. We went to Legal Seafood on the wharf and ordered a drink and were told that we needed to order food, Shirleen quickly said, we will have coconut shrimp then. The gal was from Milwaukee and studying sports law. Our sips were Shirleen a Miller light, Jim a draft Sam Adams and I a real Budweiser. We then went back and decided the route back to home once we leave Cape Cod. Then my writing this up, again I have left many things out of here about the wonderful Boston experience, later perhaps. jerr
We thought the best thing to do was go to the USS Constitution “Old Iron Sides” for a tour www.oldironsides.com. It is still an active Navy vessel built in 1797. It was built to defend the American shipping interests in the Mediterranean Sea.
A white hat gave the tour, a nice young man whom truly loves his duty. You look at the full three mast vessel. The sides were built with two layers of white oak and one layer from a live oak, the sides were two feet deep and pined every six inches or so. I learned during our southeast trip this winter that a live oak only grows to around South Carolina, the leaves fall during the year not all at once like ours. This growing pattern causes a density to this wood that approaches three to four times the strength of oak alone. The ship can run 13+ knots, highest mast 220 ft., displacement 2,200 tons and a length of 204 ft. I noticed it drew 21 feet of water below line. The masts have rolled canvas sheets that weigh 1,100 pounds and 25 people to roll but 4 to 5 to unroll. We walked around the deck admiring the well polished brass, well coiled rope and cannons. Everything you look at is just plain thick and big. There were two 24-pound “Bow Chasers”, 20 – 32-pounders called “Carronades” crew of 4 to 9 sailors.
We went below deck to the cannon deck. 32 – 24-pounder “Long Guns” each taking a crew of 6 to 14 sailors to man. The shell could travel about a mile, the recoil was about 9 feet; this allowed them to reload the cannon.
The sailor talked about the famous battle the Constitution was involved in. It involved the British frigate HMS Guerriere. The English were firing cannon balls at the Constitution but they we were said to bounce off or embed in the side. When it came alongside, the Captain said ‘hold aim’ it meant not to fire, they asked when do we, it turned out that it was about 25 yards from the ship. The order to fire came and all fired at once, the noise and black powder smoke thick in the air. Some sailors lost there hearing totally, some lost some of it for a while, like I did in the engine room I suspect, and some had blood running from their ears. The cannon balls were delivered to the gun by 8 year old boys, whom ran on watered down sand for better traction, to give the men the 24 pound cannon balls. After the Constitution fired all the masts of the ship were blown off and the US brought the survivors on board. That is when one sailor said ‘is it made of iron?’
Under this deck were the ships quarters. The 30 boys eight year olds slept on the deck, sailors in hammocks, amidships were the marines, aft of that was the officer quarters, private small doors to their bunks. The captain was on the second deck and had two living quarters, as he may have dignitaries on board. Big desk, large bed area and a chart desk.
We went back up to the main deck and the sailor said that the ship was going into dry dock. He also said they are not paid sea pay; they go out one to four times a year but not far from port. It turns out to be the oldest dry dock #1 where it has been before. A civilian told us that they were going to re-plate the copper underside; no one else had mentioned it but later saw a picture of that fact. The ship had in its heyday 500 or so hands, but I noticed only three small life boats, one by the captain’s deck, surprise.
This to me was an exciting tour. We also went through the neat museum. Again like Niagara Falls, the ship was big and powerful, we heard this morning that the river runs 25 miles per hour to the falls.
We decide to board the trolley to go and eat around Faneuil Hall area. We ate at the oldest restaurant in America, ye olde UNION OYSTER HOUSE est. 1826. It was rustic and we were seated upstairs, even though we would have liked to sit at the oyster bar, no backs on the chairs. Shirleen ordered a Boston Scrod (a scrod is a young cod) and fries with a Hacienda cabernet, Jim fish cakes with Boston baked beans which we all thought were great with a tangy molasses taste. I had a tough time deciding, ended up ordering the fish platter, with a piece of haddock, shrimp, scallops, deep fried oysters, clams and a choice and tasty Colonial Ale.
We walked around this area and found a monument to the six million Jews whom were annihilated by Hitler. It, like other monuments like this, is inspiring but morbid. It is hard to think that someone could do this as the world looked on.
We took a walk through Quincy Market, many vendors of many types of foods. We boarded the trolley for a return trip and had another good guide. Back to square one, and we decided we wanted to sit and sip. We went to Legal Seafood on the wharf and ordered a drink and were told that we needed to order food, Shirleen quickly said, we will have coconut shrimp then. The gal was from Milwaukee and studying sports law. Our sips were Shirleen a Miller light, Jim a draft Sam Adams and I a real Budweiser. We then went back and decided the route back to home once we leave Cape Cod. Then my writing this up, again I have left many things out of here about the wonderful Boston experience, later perhaps. jerr
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Wednesday July 25 Southborough to Boston Day 12
We left the hotel about 8:30 thinking we would miss a lot of traffic. We may have but it was hard to tell. We got into downtown Boston and went to look for a lace to park. I leaned over to Shirleen’s side and asked a cabbie next to us where a certain street was and he smiled and said next light left. We turned into an underground lot, it was 36$, the attendant said there was another lot for 22$ two blocks down. That was awful nice of him to direct us to a competitor’s lot! We arrived there and it was after 9 so the deal didn’t count, but it was only 32$. It was the International Building. We arrived on street level and we were meet with a floor to ceiling marble look. Just downright beautiful.
We wandered down to the trolley ticket sales. I asked the gal if she had the orange and green trolley tickets, I said we had discount tickets for it and she said go across the street, they are there. Third nice person. Our intention is to ride the route and figure out hat we will do the next day. On stop 15 we ate at Legal Seafood – Park Square, we wanted to judge it against the one Steve and Mary Ann took us to in West Palm Beach. Shirleen ordered a glass of Jekel cabernet with a Lobster roll, freshly shucked native lobster, a light celery mayo on a stuffed brioche bun, a side of fries and orzo for me. It was laced with red pepper and black olives - yummy. Jim had Legal’s Signature Crab Cake. It was piled high with Maryland lump crab, mustard sauce, greens tossed with tomatoes, pine nuts and vinaigrette, lightly breaded. I pursued the fish and chips, three succulent pieces of cod, done to a super moist inside and light breading with a side of cole slaw with a glass of Conundrum – a chardonnay and pinot grigio – sweeter than chardonnay but a pleasant surprise.
We took a walk through the Boston Commons area, people sunbathing, running through sprinklers, eating and some homeless staking out this evenings rest spot. Next door to the Commons is a garden, they were sprinkling the plantings during the mid day sun, but what beautiful flower arrangements. At one of the gates was a bronze statue of George Washington on his horse. We walked up the block and at its end was the opening shot of Cheers, the canopy leading down the stairs, the bar was never in the building but the quaintness of the outside of the building brought Boston’s uniqueness to the sitcom.
We went back on board the trolley and came to the beginning spot. Shirleen mentioned we should have a beer and her, a soda. We obliged her with the request. We sat for a half hour cooling down from the temperature and high humidity. As we walked toward the parking lot we looked at the 5 o’clock traffic and said let’s sit down for awhile, wait it out and maybe eat something. Here was The Times Irish Pub and Restaurant, we sat outside and Jim and I had a bowl of there prestigious clam chowder, as they had won a couple of citywide chowder awards. The traffic was light for the first two miles then tightened up again and became downright difficult to figure out what was going on and where to go.
We went to our cars and headed south. The directions looked straight forward but turned out to be complicated. After driving up and down and back and forth we arrived, Jim 15 minutes later.
It will take some writing to talk about the many sights we saw today and will see tomorrow. Hope to do that tomorrow. jerr
We wandered down to the trolley ticket sales. I asked the gal if she had the orange and green trolley tickets, I said we had discount tickets for it and she said go across the street, they are there. Third nice person. Our intention is to ride the route and figure out hat we will do the next day. On stop 15 we ate at Legal Seafood – Park Square, we wanted to judge it against the one Steve and Mary Ann took us to in West Palm Beach. Shirleen ordered a glass of Jekel cabernet with a Lobster roll, freshly shucked native lobster, a light celery mayo on a stuffed brioche bun, a side of fries and orzo for me. It was laced with red pepper and black olives - yummy. Jim had Legal’s Signature Crab Cake. It was piled high with Maryland lump crab, mustard sauce, greens tossed with tomatoes, pine nuts and vinaigrette, lightly breaded. I pursued the fish and chips, three succulent pieces of cod, done to a super moist inside and light breading with a side of cole slaw with a glass of Conundrum – a chardonnay and pinot grigio – sweeter than chardonnay but a pleasant surprise.
We took a walk through the Boston Commons area, people sunbathing, running through sprinklers, eating and some homeless staking out this evenings rest spot. Next door to the Commons is a garden, they were sprinkling the plantings during the mid day sun, but what beautiful flower arrangements. At one of the gates was a bronze statue of George Washington on his horse. We walked up the block and at its end was the opening shot of Cheers, the canopy leading down the stairs, the bar was never in the building but the quaintness of the outside of the building brought Boston’s uniqueness to the sitcom.
We went back on board the trolley and came to the beginning spot. Shirleen mentioned we should have a beer and her, a soda. We obliged her with the request. We sat for a half hour cooling down from the temperature and high humidity. As we walked toward the parking lot we looked at the 5 o’clock traffic and said let’s sit down for awhile, wait it out and maybe eat something. Here was The Times Irish Pub and Restaurant, we sat outside and Jim and I had a bowl of there prestigious clam chowder, as they had won a couple of citywide chowder awards. The traffic was light for the first two miles then tightened up again and became downright difficult to figure out what was going on and where to go.
We went to our cars and headed south. The directions looked straight forward but turned out to be complicated. After driving up and down and back and forth we arrived, Jim 15 minutes later.
It will take some writing to talk about the many sights we saw today and will see tomorrow. Hope to do that tomorrow. jerr
Tuesday July 24 Houlton Maine to Southborough Mass Day 11
An early start for Pat and Dave, as he is going to visit his brother in PA and maybe dad in Iowa. We traveled down the road at a good speed passing many a beware of moose. Some other animals I forgot to mention was a dead porcupine.
The fun stop was at the Old Town canoe factory. Jim had one of the Old Town canvas canoes with his brother years ago. The canvas is medium green and the inside varnished wood – what a great look. The new canvas canoe’s cost 4,000$. The unfortunate thing about that canoe was that on a cold late November last fishing trip of the year they went broadside and hit a tree stump. The boys could not get out as the ice kept breaking when they tried to get out. As luck would have it they came to an incoming stream and were able to get their way out. They made it to a farmhouse and the people warmed them up.
We got back on the road and stopped hours later for gas and food at a Burger King and Pizza. Not a note worthy lunch. Dave and Pat split off at Marlborough and we proceeded into town. But just as we pulled off the highway a C6, the cure for cancer one pulled ahead and we caught up at a light I asked how do we get there. He said follow me. We pulled up to the area and there was corvette parking we were ushered into. We had to pay 10$ to look at the cars but well worth it. They had cars from 1953 up to 1991’s, all colors and types. A feast for the eye’s.
Off we went to Southborough we went to find the grave of our best man at our wedding and pay respects to his memory. We found the cemetery where my old Navy friend John Lewis Cochrane was buried. He helped mature me, well as much as one could, and helped me become a qualified submariner on the Tecumseh. His grave stone had the same hosta’s as the Klink's.... hosta’s I have in the trunk for Lew’s grave from Aunt Vi’s grave.
We found a place to eat close to the Comfort Inn. The 1790 Colonial Restaurant House was a stately old building. We started with a glass of wine and a crab cake, a 5 on a scale of 0 to 10. The dinners were much better. Shirleen had a filet and sweet potato fries, Jim a scallop casserole, I had quick seared scallops, with crab claws on top of risotto rice and three crossed asparagus with a liberal amount of béarnaise sauce to cover the rice. This brought the meal up to an 8.
Off to Boston tomorrow, hope to miss the traffic by a later start. jerr
The fun stop was at the Old Town canoe factory. Jim had one of the Old Town canvas canoes with his brother years ago. The canvas is medium green and the inside varnished wood – what a great look. The new canvas canoe’s cost 4,000$. The unfortunate thing about that canoe was that on a cold late November last fishing trip of the year they went broadside and hit a tree stump. The boys could not get out as the ice kept breaking when they tried to get out. As luck would have it they came to an incoming stream and were able to get their way out. They made it to a farmhouse and the people warmed them up.
We got back on the road and stopped hours later for gas and food at a Burger King and Pizza. Not a note worthy lunch. Dave and Pat split off at Marlborough and we proceeded into town. But just as we pulled off the highway a C6, the cure for cancer one pulled ahead and we caught up at a light I asked how do we get there. He said follow me. We pulled up to the area and there was corvette parking we were ushered into. We had to pay 10$ to look at the cars but well worth it. They had cars from 1953 up to 1991’s, all colors and types. A feast for the eye’s.
Off we went to Southborough we went to find the grave of our best man at our wedding and pay respects to his memory. We found the cemetery where my old Navy friend John Lewis Cochrane was buried. He helped mature me, well as much as one could, and helped me become a qualified submariner on the Tecumseh. His grave stone had the same hosta’s as the Klink's.... hosta’s I have in the trunk for Lew’s grave from Aunt Vi’s grave.
We found a place to eat close to the Comfort Inn. The 1790 Colonial Restaurant House was a stately old building. We started with a glass of wine and a crab cake, a 5 on a scale of 0 to 10. The dinners were much better. Shirleen had a filet and sweet potato fries, Jim a scallop casserole, I had quick seared scallops, with crab claws on top of risotto rice and three crossed asparagus with a liberal amount of béarnaise sauce to cover the rice. This brought the meal up to an 8.
Off to Boston tomorrow, hope to miss the traffic by a later start. jerr
Monday, July 23, 2007
Monday July 23 Halifax to Houlton Maine Day 10
One thing I forgot two nights ago, after Shirleen’s split lobster she and I split a Belgium chocolate and cream fondue heated by a small flame, we dipped sliced orange, apple, cantaloupe and strawberries into. Of course this reminded us of the two old people we meet in Furth Im Wald Germany 1993/95.
The day was full sunshine all the way. I have not remembered to mention the wildlife we have seen. Not much, many blackbirds, some of the following, a robin, ravens, eagle, possum, and many seagulls. Not much other.
We had filled up the day before and figured we could make it to the USA without another fill. As we cruised down the Trans Canadian highway we looked for a lunch spot. We stopped at McCready’s Restaurant and the main order was the two haddock fillets with fries, Pat had a club sandwich. I ordered the special type fries – poutin fries – they consist of fries, smothered with gravy and topped with mozzarella cheese. This was a well traveled top as many cars and cycles where there, and all tables and the counter where we ate was full with people waiting to be seated anywhere.
Down the pike we went. There were many Moose signs but none spotted. Many parts of the highway was fenced by a high fence with door ways that opened toward the forest, thought maybe it is for animals that get out of the fenced in area and a way to get back?
We approached the boarder and had a great guard. He asked the regular do you have this and that. He then asked if we were traveling with a group, yes the one ahead and the guy (Jim) in the next lane. He said you drove from Minnesota? loaded question. I said we went up to the end of Nova Scotia and headed to Boston. Nice visit with him and off we went.
The motel we are staying at had a bar, we visited for a beer and found a couple living in New Jersey came from Aurora and Hibbing MN. They alo knew about Schell’s beer. Dinner was to be had down the line. Turned out to be Governer’s bakery and restaurant. The food was a 4 on a 10 scale, Shirleen had a grilled cheese sandwich, I a half and half or whole belly clams and haddock. A good coleslaw and I had their poutine fries – theirs were fries covered with gravy no cheese.
Back to the motel, early start tomorrow for Southborough Mass, with a stop at Old Town canoe. jerr
The day was full sunshine all the way. I have not remembered to mention the wildlife we have seen. Not much, many blackbirds, some of the following, a robin, ravens, eagle, possum, and many seagulls. Not much other.
We had filled up the day before and figured we could make it to the USA without another fill. As we cruised down the Trans Canadian highway we looked for a lunch spot. We stopped at McCready’s Restaurant and the main order was the two haddock fillets with fries, Pat had a club sandwich. I ordered the special type fries – poutin fries – they consist of fries, smothered with gravy and topped with mozzarella cheese. This was a well traveled top as many cars and cycles where there, and all tables and the counter where we ate was full with people waiting to be seated anywhere.
Down the pike we went. There were many Moose signs but none spotted. Many parts of the highway was fenced by a high fence with door ways that opened toward the forest, thought maybe it is for animals that get out of the fenced in area and a way to get back?
We approached the boarder and had a great guard. He asked the regular do you have this and that. He then asked if we were traveling with a group, yes the one ahead and the guy (Jim) in the next lane. He said you drove from Minnesota? loaded question. I said we went up to the end of Nova Scotia and headed to Boston. Nice visit with him and off we went.
The motel we are staying at had a bar, we visited for a beer and found a couple living in New Jersey came from Aurora and Hibbing MN. They alo knew about Schell’s beer. Dinner was to be had down the line. Turned out to be Governer’s bakery and restaurant. The food was a 4 on a 10 scale, Shirleen had a grilled cheese sandwich, I a half and half or whole belly clams and haddock. A good coleslaw and I had their poutine fries – theirs were fries covered with gravy no cheese.
Back to the motel, early start tomorrow for Southborough Mass, with a stop at Old Town canoe. jerr
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Sunday July 22 Halifax Day 9
Went over the bridge to Halifax for the beautiful sun lit day. We went to church to the St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica built in 1784. The mass was similar to ours at home in content but, there are parts in Latin, in song and liturgy, standing after the presentation of the Eucharist. Believe it or not all versus of the songs. We lit a vigil light for our parents. Shirleen, Jim and I went down to the wharf to find Pat and Dave. We spotted their Vette in a parking lot and we went there also. We walked around the wharf towards the area they were to meet us. Tied up at the dock was a Canadian Corvette, that is a ship not car. We hung around the area we were to meet them and I looked up to the front of the street and there they were walking past us a block away. We hooked up and went to find a place to eat.
We ate at the wharf at Murphy’s on the Water. Ladies had a lobster wrap and the men had a seafood casserole, it consisted of salmon, shrimp, haddock and lobster with a crust on top. We then split up and Shirleen and I went to some of the stores and looked around. We were headed to the parking lot and sat at a bench by the wharf. Another couple sat down close to us and we started a conversation. They were from a favorite city of ours, Montreal. We chatted and when we mentioned Boston as our next stop they mentioned Legal Seafood as a good restaurant. We had eaten at one in West Palm Beach a couple years ago. We hooked up with the other group and went to the City Garden. It was a four block square area. The weeping elm trees, statues and gazebo were striking. The flowers were sculptured on raised beds, beauty abound.
The other group went back to the motel, we had hours to go. Our first stop was up the clock hill to the Citadel. The Citadel is an old fortress with a dramatic city overview, people in costume and many old cannons. We lucked out because it cost 11,50$ each but seeing it was only 15 minutes left to be open, the lady guard let us park where the buses do and left us in for nothing. I ended up buying a lead 1700’s soldier.
We then headed around the city streets to look at the old houses and character of the city. Well time for dinner, we had heard that the best seafood restaurant is the 5 Fishermen, http://www.fivefishermen.com/. With dinner we have a nice salad bar along with a plate of mussels, some of the best I have had. Shirleen had a cabernet and a nice piece of Slow Roasted Sambro Halibut - $38 leeks vinaigrette, lobster & mascarpone ravioli, lobster oil; I Five Fishermen Bouillabaisse - $36 a celebrated “Provençal” style seafood stew with spicy garlic rouille, packed with salmon, haddock, scallops, shrimp with small red potatoes, green beans, red pepper and mushrooms in a tasty not spicy tomato base, just plain yummy.
Back to the motel, jumped on the bridge and threw our 75 cents into the change hopper, well it didn’t take dimes and nickels?? Threw them in again and off we went. Hope they understood? We took the first right, just like yesterday but everything looked different. Did I tell you there re two bridges, well we recognized the road because it was the one we used going downtown Dartmouth last night. Tomorrow we head to Houlton Maine 326 miles away, got to remember our passports. jerr
We ate at the wharf at Murphy’s on the Water. Ladies had a lobster wrap and the men had a seafood casserole, it consisted of salmon, shrimp, haddock and lobster with a crust on top. We then split up and Shirleen and I went to some of the stores and looked around. We were headed to the parking lot and sat at a bench by the wharf. Another couple sat down close to us and we started a conversation. They were from a favorite city of ours, Montreal. We chatted and when we mentioned Boston as our next stop they mentioned Legal Seafood as a good restaurant. We had eaten at one in West Palm Beach a couple years ago. We hooked up with the other group and went to the City Garden. It was a four block square area. The weeping elm trees, statues and gazebo were striking. The flowers were sculptured on raised beds, beauty abound.
The other group went back to the motel, we had hours to go. Our first stop was up the clock hill to the Citadel. The Citadel is an old fortress with a dramatic city overview, people in costume and many old cannons. We lucked out because it cost 11,50$ each but seeing it was only 15 minutes left to be open, the lady guard let us park where the buses do and left us in for nothing. I ended up buying a lead 1700’s soldier.
We then headed around the city streets to look at the old houses and character of the city. Well time for dinner, we had heard that the best seafood restaurant is the 5 Fishermen, http://www.fivefishermen.com/. With dinner we have a nice salad bar along with a plate of mussels, some of the best I have had. Shirleen had a cabernet and a nice piece of Slow Roasted Sambro Halibut - $38 leeks vinaigrette, lobster & mascarpone ravioli, lobster oil; I Five Fishermen Bouillabaisse - $36 a celebrated “Provençal” style seafood stew with spicy garlic rouille, packed with salmon, haddock, scallops, shrimp with small red potatoes, green beans, red pepper and mushrooms in a tasty not spicy tomato base, just plain yummy.
Back to the motel, jumped on the bridge and threw our 75 cents into the change hopper, well it didn’t take dimes and nickels?? Threw them in again and off we went. Hope they understood? We took the first right, just like yesterday but everything looked different. Did I tell you there re two bridges, well we recognized the road because it was the one we used going downtown Dartmouth last night. Tomorrow we head to Houlton Maine 326 miles away, got to remember our passports. jerr
Saturday July 21 from Hawkesbury NS to Halifax Day 8
Our intention was to eat about a half hour out, well we were still on the main highway. We decided to take a run through the center of the province on highway 7. It is a two lane road, twisty and curvy. Saw a group of 6 C5 Vette’s going north probably for the weekend. Beautiful lakes and rivers were passed. We were still traveling south and found a town, Sherbrooke, there we found the Sherbrooke Village Inn. What a pleasant surprise. Fresh strawberry pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs with sausage and Jerry had a special order lobster scrambled egg plate with deep fried half inch potatoes and she made me take anther meat so I could order the #1 with lobster. It was worth the asking, went back to the lady cooking the meals and thanked her, she was pleasantly surprised and said they try to take all orders.
Down along the southern seacoast, plenty of fog and rain. Just outside Dartmouth we came to a stop and heard sirens. After sitting there for a couple minutes we realized we were being held up by a parade. People with umbrellas some without and rain, did I say rain, plenty. It took at least 25 minutes for us to get going again.
To get to Halifax from Dartmouth we pay a toll of 75 cents each way. We drove through the town looking at what we will tour tomorrow. We then headed to Fairview cemetery that had 122 people from the Titanic buried their. The cemetery was well marked and in just one area. The readings on some of the gravestones where poetic and about the life of the individual. Many were not marked with a name just a body number, spooky just like the movie. We also ran into another parade, gay rights, we didn’t participate.
Back to our side of the river for dinner. We stopped for gas, 67$, seemed like a lot to me. We ate at MacAskills Restaurant. When we went their there was a rock concert going on so we had to park 5 blocks away. We had a nice view of the harbor and the tour boat coming in to take on and off passengers. Appetizers coconut shrimp, scallops wraped in bacon – Jim, Dave’s escargot. Pat and Shirleen ordered a split of lobster, accompanied by three root veggies one with a curry. The boys ordered the seafood treasure, with a piece of salmon, haddock, two scallops, two shrimp. The wine was a Grand Pre Marechal Foch (grape name), Hardy’s Shiraz Cab.
Now the rain has come and we walked back to the cars in a downpour, picked up the ladies and back to the room for the night. Tomorrow we tour Halifax. jerr
Down along the southern seacoast, plenty of fog and rain. Just outside Dartmouth we came to a stop and heard sirens. After sitting there for a couple minutes we realized we were being held up by a parade. People with umbrellas some without and rain, did I say rain, plenty. It took at least 25 minutes for us to get going again.
To get to Halifax from Dartmouth we pay a toll of 75 cents each way. We drove through the town looking at what we will tour tomorrow. We then headed to Fairview cemetery that had 122 people from the Titanic buried their. The cemetery was well marked and in just one area. The readings on some of the gravestones where poetic and about the life of the individual. Many were not marked with a name just a body number, spooky just like the movie. We also ran into another parade, gay rights, we didn’t participate.
Back to our side of the river for dinner. We stopped for gas, 67$, seemed like a lot to me. We ate at MacAskills Restaurant. When we went their there was a rock concert going on so we had to park 5 blocks away. We had a nice view of the harbor and the tour boat coming in to take on and off passengers. Appetizers coconut shrimp, scallops wraped in bacon – Jim, Dave’s escargot. Pat and Shirleen ordered a split of lobster, accompanied by three root veggies one with a curry. The boys ordered the seafood treasure, with a piece of salmon, haddock, two scallops, two shrimp. The wine was a Grand Pre Marechal Foch (grape name), Hardy’s Shiraz Cab.
Now the rain has come and we walked back to the cars in a downpour, picked up the ladies and back to the room for the night. Tomorrow we tour Halifax. jerr
Friday July 20 around Cape Breton from Hawkesbury NS Day 7
This morning Jerry led without having any idea where he was to go, so as always we winged it. We were headed around the south of the bay and took a junket to Isle Madame, (Petit-de-Grat Island) named after the Queen of England mid 1800’s. Arichat is the oldest fishing village in the province, on Cape Breton Island. But wanted to find a place to eat breakfast. We were pulled over at a somewhat open restaurant and Dave asked some young men pulling into the place to look at our cars, where to eat breakfast. We followed them to a restaurant on the bottom road, Gulliver’s Café 226 9680; we would never have found it, as we were on the top road. I asked them to accompany us to breakfast and begrudgingly the tallest one said that’s hard to turn down. Here we met two very nice young men, maybe 19 or so. The talkative one was Kolton and the other Todd. The place was super clean and two friendly wait-staff. We ordered, the breakfasts came with toast, potatoes, some had scrambled, Dave had yes a bright yellow yoke looking at ya, mine were poached the right way in water and swirled, meats ranged with sausages cut and fried on the bias, mine was bologna – fits doesn’t it. Todd had French toast, using ketchup and syrup on it. The conversation then began, Colton worked in a lobster holding farm, and they could keep 1.5 million pounds of lobster. The pay is 11.21$ and up to 12 hour days and work three or so months then they can’t lobster fish for a couple months. He was headed to a commercial college to work heavy machinery in Alberta. Now lives with parents, his dad drives truck his mom works in physical therapy. He is living in a cottage of theirs and is paying rent that becomes part of the purchase price. Todd works as a hand on a fishing boat and fishes for haddock and others. Breakfast done we went outside and took pixs of them sitting in the Vette’s. Off they went and us the other way.
We took an off crinkly road to the fishing villages on the outer drive, didn’t find them as it was so foggy but interesting ride. Stopped at Rita’s Tea House, she is a singer Rita O’Neal. Cute place to take a break as we did, almost all had tea.
Off to Louisbourg, Cape Breton Island, furtherest southeast in the Americas, ate at the Lobster House, a delicious seafood chowder with fried clams and Shirleen had a strawberry rhubarb pie. It was right on the water. I had a glass of Jost vineyard chardonnay wine. jostwine.com on the northern coast above Truro NS.
At the top of the Island at Little Bras d’Or we considered our turning home point. Jim had 2455 miles logged to date.
We stopped at Baddeck (Baudeck) for a rest room break. That turned to a refreshment break. Jim and I had a Guiness; Shirleen a grasshopper and Pat and Dave a brandy Alexander. The last three drinks are typically made with ice cream in the US but ccording to the New York Book of Bartending it is made with crem, I read the passage after the bartender brought the book. We thought because we are from the Midwest they use ice cream in ours – haha.
A McLobster at McDonald’s, theycost 6.23$CN. They are only made in the Maritime Provinces and Maine, because of the cost. The serving was as expected, hot dog bun up and opened faced, filled with lettuce and a generous helping of lobster claw meat with celery and mayo. Better than the ones a couple days ago in Maine. jerr
We took an off crinkly road to the fishing villages on the outer drive, didn’t find them as it was so foggy but interesting ride. Stopped at Rita’s Tea House, she is a singer Rita O’Neal. Cute place to take a break as we did, almost all had tea.
Off to Louisbourg, Cape Breton Island, furtherest southeast in the Americas, ate at the Lobster House, a delicious seafood chowder with fried clams and Shirleen had a strawberry rhubarb pie. It was right on the water. I had a glass of Jost vineyard chardonnay wine. jostwine.com on the northern coast above Truro NS.
At the top of the Island at Little Bras d’Or we considered our turning home point. Jim had 2455 miles logged to date.
We stopped at Baddeck (Baudeck) for a rest room break. That turned to a refreshment break. Jim and I had a Guiness; Shirleen a grasshopper and Pat and Dave a brandy Alexander. The last three drinks are typically made with ice cream in the US but ccording to the New York Book of Bartending it is made with crem, I read the passage after the bartender brought the book. We thought because we are from the Midwest they use ice cream in ours – haha.
A McLobster at McDonald’s, theycost 6.23$CN. They are only made in the Maritime Provinces and Maine, because of the cost. The serving was as expected, hot dog bun up and opened faced, filled with lettuce and a generous helping of lobster claw meat with celery and mayo. Better than the ones a couple days ago in Maine. jerr
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