On to Cleveland OH

 

We were raised in Cleveland, left in 1979 to work in Greensboro NC, what a culture shock (but that is another story)

Cleveland home of:

The Cleveland Indians baseball team

The reconstituted Cleveland Browns (the original left to go to Baltimore The Ravens)

Lake effect snow storms

Great food

Friends and Family

West Side Market

The market attracts tourists from all parts of the United States, who tour the market and learn about its history. Guided tours are offered. Its national profile has been boosted in recent years by coverage on various programs produced by the Travel Channel and Food Network.

Many stalls have remained under individual family control for much of the life of the Market, in a few cases dating back to its 1912 opening. The market's tenants and sellers reflect the cultural diversity of the surrounding neighborhood and Cleveland as a whole. The current roster of tenants includes those of Irish, German, Slovene,Italian, Greek, Polish, Russian, and Middle Eastern descents, among others.

In the September 2010 issue of Food Network Magazine, the West Side Market was named America's "Best Food Lovers' Market."

We had a great visit, staying with friends / neighbors in University Hts.  Parked the rig near Akron at a really nice KOA that only charged us a few dollars a night to store it.

On to Niagara Falls

It has been 40 years since our last trip to Niagara.  We are staying in a “motel/campground” on the American side of the falls.

In reading about the Falls it appears that they have receded about 35 feet since our last visit, so if you want to see them be sure do it soon.  In 50,000 years they will be gone!

Going across the rainbow bridge to Canada was a study in slow motion.  Cars were backed up at the border, took us 45 minutes to make it to the Canadian side.

We took a long stroll along the parkway that parallels Canadian Falls.  The landscaping is beautiful, exotic flowers and lots of park space.  We were both pleased that it had not befallen the fate of other attractions we had seen.

The next evening we spent at the “American Falls” stayed to after dark to watch the sunset and the falls lit up .

Finger Lakes New York 08-22-2011

We are staying at a nice campground at exit 41 of the New York thruway.  It is , mostly seasonal, but with large sites and very clean. Our site is well shaded and the price is right, $32 per day.  It is about midpoint (just north) of the lakes.


 

The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York. The lakes are long and thin, each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in America. Both are close to 40 miles  from end to end, and never more than 3.5 miles wide. Cayuga is the longest (38.1 miles, ) and Seneca the largest in total area. Seneca is the deepest (618 feet), followed by Cayuga (435 feet,), with their bottoms well below sea level. These largest lakes resemble the others in shape, which collectively reminded early map-makers of the fingers of a hand.

The Finger Lakes area is New York's largest wine producing region. Over 100 wineries and vineyards are located around Seneca, Cayuga, Canandaigua, Keuka, Conesus and Hemlock lakes. Because of the lakes' great depth, they provide a lake effect to the lush vineyards that flank their shores. Retaining residual summer warmth in the winter, and winter's cold in the spring, the grapes are protected from disastrous spring frost during shoot growth, and early frost before the harvest. The main grape varieties grown are Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc and many Vitis labrusca  varieties or cultivars.  Wineries are a major growth industry of the region, not merely contributing to the economy through production, but increasingly because they attract large numbers of visitors who support other components of tourism.
Our first day out we discovered an amazing country store. Sauder's Store is an authentic Mennonite market, with Pennsylvania Dutch meats and cheeses and hundreds of bulk containers brimming with baking supplies, candies, and spices. The eclectic inventory mix includes fresh produce, children's books, simple toys, and wooden sheds. Young people in traditional Mennonite garb staff the store, which John Sauder's family has run for decades. The prices are lower on most of the items than we have found around home.  They are very customer oriented, Barbara wanted nutmeg, but she did not want the 8 oz that came in the package.  The clerk said no problem, a few minutes later she brought the exact amount Barbara wanted.


 

The bakery items are terrific, this morning we shared some sticky buns made fresh by locals.  They were as good, or better, than any we have every had.  If you are in this area this is a "must stop".
We also hit the 3 Brothers Vineyard and War Horse brewery. Barbara is the beer person, found a great ale and riesling beer.




From the winery we purchased a "Jazz Infusion".  It is equal amounts of Cabernet, pinot noir, merlot, and chambourcin. It has a "bit" to it, but the taste is amazing.
We will be in the region thorough Thursday, time enough to do some serious wine and beer tasting.
The weather here has been terrific, almost forgot what "crisp" weather was like.  70 during the day 50 at night, low humidity (in spite of nightly rain) and a "Carolina blue" sky during the day. 

8-20-2011 On our way to Finger Lakes

It is now 8 PM just got off the road after 10 hours of driving. We are now in  a Super 8 motel in Amsterdam New York.  We left Saco Maine at 10AM this morning, expecting a long but easy trip.  The Mass turnpike was mostly a parking lot for over a hundred miles, no particular reason except very heavy traffic it was start and stop, hard on the brakes.  About half way through the trip I got a warning light from  the brake system, it had overheated. There are no rest stops on the turnpike and service plazas are a joke,  not enough room for the trucks to park.
 
 

We pulled off the highway, turned on our blinkers and waited until the brakes cooled down.

If that was not enough, when we went through the toll booth, it was not wide enough and the passenger side mirror was pushed out of alignment.  Again there was no place to stop, I was blind on the passenger side. I turned on my turn signal to get to the side of the road, but could not tell if there was any traffic.  Mom went back to the window and stuck her head out to see, waving at the drivers to please let us move over.  After several minutes she finally gave up,  so I started to edge over slowly  hoping the cars would get the idea and let me in.  It was not a pretty sight, lots of "hand messages" from the drivers.We made it over and adjusted the mirror as best we could.

The truck stop we were going to stay at for the night was not where google maps said it was, we missed it by several miles.

So, it's good to know that tomorrow will be a better day, it can't get worse!

Change of Plans

Bet you think we are in Quebec, wrong!  We  headed back to the US and stopped for a few days in Maine, Old Orchard Beach.

We discussed the issue on the way to Quebec when we stayed overnight in a Fredericton NB campground.  It was yet another example of what I disliked about the campgrounds in many of the Atlantic Provinces.  Overcrowded, noisy, and difficult to get in a out of.  That night someone decided to park a car and boat in front of our site.  We were stuck that morning, could not leave till it moved.  No one knew who's is was.
I took another looks at the campground situation in Quebec and Montreal, and determined they were just like many of the campgrounds we found difficult.  Too many seasonal, small roads in and out, and lots of kids running around.

I know Barbara was disappointed, but I promised  her we would return someday, perhaps fly up and stay at hotels.

We both love the Maine coastline, and this was a chance to see more of it.  We are staying in Saco at the Silver Springs Campground.  It is an older park, but they have added very large big rig sites with full hookup, easy in and out.  Most of the camp are seasonal, but sites are large and you don't feel crowded in. It is also clean, quiet, and inexpensive.

Saco has a lot of tourist feel, but it is home to General Dynamics Armament Systems (also known by its former name, Saco Defense.

Last night we went to Palace Playground, an amusement park right on the waterfront in Old Orchard.  What a mob scene!  We realized we should not have tried to drive there, will take trolley later today.
 
We will leave here Saturday and travel to the Finger Lakes region of New  York, then back up into Canada to return to Toronto.  It has been over 30 years since we have been there.  We used to camp with the kids, and all of us had a great time.

PEI day 5 08-11-11

Today, The College of Piping is also a premiere cultural tourism destination on Prince Edward Island, attracting a lion’s share of travelers to the summer-long Celtic Festival. A 600-seat outdoor amphitheatre has become an extension of the classroom, giving aspiring performers the opportunity to perform with faculty and other Island talent. In 2002, Attractions Canada named the Festival as the top cultural event on PEI, as well as the “Event of National or International Interest”. The following year, Festival and Events PEI named it the “Top Festival and Event”. In 2008, The College was designated as one of only two Signature Attractions on PEI

.  

This morning, decided to drive to Charlottetown to pick up some bagels and supplies. 
We then proceeded to a fishing town on the eastern coast of PEI, Montague. Established in the late 1700's it is on the Montague River.  With a population of about 5,000 the town still relies on fishing, as well as logging.

That evening we headed back to Summerside for a performance of Scottish dance and music by the students and staff  of the College of Piping.The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada, established in 1990 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada, is an international school teaching Highland bagpiping, Scottish-style snare drumming, Highland Dancing and Step dancing.  Beginning with only 30 students in 1990, The College’s student body has grown to over 350 year-round students and 200 summer school and workshop participants.


The performance was spectacular, with a finale that brought the audience out of their chairs.
Made it back to camp about 10:30 PM tired but with another great day in PEI behind us. 

PEI day 4 08-10-11

The rain had slowed to a drizzle and we were getting cabin fever so, after a breakfast at the local bakery, we headed out to Cavendish to tour the national park on the north coast of PEI. In addition the park contains Green Gables, the circa-19th century farm in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is one of the most notable literary landmarks in Canada. The Green Gables farm and its surroundings are the setting for the popular Anne of Green Gables novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The site is also known as Green Gables Heritage Centre.
 


The Green Gables farm was owned by the Macneill family, who were cousins of author Lucy Maud Montgomery. The farm's name is derived from the rich dark green paint of the gables on the farmhouse. The main exterior walls of the farmhouse are painted white.
Montgomery visited the farm as a young girl and based her best-selling Anne of Green Gables series of books on the Green Gables farm. She drew romantic inspiration from the house, as well as the surrounding area, including the "Haunted Woods", "Lovers Lane", and "Balsam Hollow."
Upon Montgomery's death, her wake was conducted from the living room of the Green Gables farmhouse for several days prior to her funeral at the local Presbyterian church and burial in the nearby Cavendish Community Cemetery
The day we visited cast members from the play "Anna and Gilbert" were performing some song and dance.
 

 
Fronting the Gulf of St. Lawrence, this broad natural sand beach stretches for 5 miles from the entrance to New London Bay in the west, to the red sandstone cliffs at Cavendish East in the east.

 





That afternoon we finally found a decent pizza, turns out in seafood restaurant in Rustico.




The evening we went to another "kay lee" this time at a hall in Stanley Beach. The Ross Family was performing, a brother and two sisters. They performed the music and dancing the island is so famous for, along with a tribute to their cajun "cousins" in Louisiana. The pace and intensity of the show was amazing. Later in the show their mother joined them in a step dance routine.

 

Prince Edward Island Day 3 08-08-2011

It started to rain early this morning.  The light rain became a heavy rain, then a downpour that lasted well into Monday evening. I spent most of the day planning the itinerary for the rest of the trip and making campground reservations, both in English and French. I could not believe when some the reservation personnel laughed at my high school french.  Guess I might of forgotten a few words.

In spite of the rain we have fallen in love with PEI and have extended our stay till Sunday August 14th.  Every night there is music / dance venues on the island, we are planning to hit at least one a night.  Our days will be touring the island.  We are fans of "Ann of Green Gables" and will visit the grounds and museum.

The couple that owns this campground really take pride in the place, and are very helpful.  You can tell this campground is a labor of love for them.

I smell Barbara's chicken curry on the stove, guess it must be time for dinner.

Tonight's music will be in the town of Summerside, amateur blue grass performances at the towns VFW hall.  It will be interesting to find out how the islanders view our Appalachian music.

Rain is supposed to let up Tuesday.

Prince Edward Island Day 2 08/7/2011

Charlottetown

This morning we headed to Charlottetown for some grocery shopping.

Charlottetown  population 58,000. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island. Named after Queen Charlotte, (as was our city of Charlotte NC) the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885. It was most famously the site of the Charlottetown Conference in 1864, the first gathering of Canadian statesmen to debate the proposed Canadian Confederation. From this, the city adopted as its motto  "Birthplace of Confederation".

The first European settlers in the area were French. The city changed hands between the French and the British during the wars for control involving control of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and what is now the Quebec Province.

The Acadian expulsion

On November 17, 1775, the colony's new capital was ransacked by Massachusetts-based privateers, participants in the American Revolutionary War. During the attack, the colonial seal was stolen and several prisoners taken. In the first half of the 18th century, the Acadian population on the island remained small. Once the English started bringing in settlers in 1749, Acadians feeling threatened started moving to Prince Edward Island (which was still French territory known as Isle St. Jean). Acadians flocked to the island in the 1750’s, both before and after the 1755 deportations. By 1758, the Acadian population on the island was about 3400-5000. When Louisbourg fell in that year, the British claimed control of Isle Royale and Isle St. Jean. The decision was made to have another mass exile. Two-thirds of the Acadian population was deported directly to France. Most of the other third escaped to Quebec or fled to St. Pierre and Miquelon. A small contingent managed to hide out in the woods. When the war ended, the British found 30 Acadians that had manage to remain undetected. In 1768, a census was taken that found 203 Acadians on the island. They mainly worked in the fishing industry in the towns of Malpeque, Tracadie, Rustico, and St. Pierre. When the island became a British province the following year, the land titles were taken from the Acadians, and they became tenants. This caused many of them to pack up and leave. 

 

We will return to Charlottetown later this week.

We took a road trip along the Northwestern coast of the island, visiting several coastal towns, planning our activities for the week. We managed to find a gelato shop along the way.

The towns and countryside scenery is amazing. It is green and lush, with some flowers we have never seen before, but more than that it is very well cared for. Many of the homes are several generations old, but are pristine with beautiful lawns and gardens. The countryside has expansive vistas of the water, smalll fishing villages and unique names it is beautiful beyond description.

The lawns were manicured. These "lawns" covered several acres around some of the homes, mile after mile of exquisitely maintained homes,  along with flower and vegetable gardens.

There was no trash along the roads, and only a very few structures that were unkempt.  Even the "trailer parks" were showplaces.

Later that evening we talked to the campground owner and he gave us some suggestions about music venues around the island.  There are "kay lees" going on all over the island, virtually every night.

We may extend our visit here a few more days.

 

On to Prince Edward Island 08-06-2011

We left early Saturday for a long drive to PEI.  There are two ways to get across the bay, by ferry and the Confederate bridge, we chose the latter.

 

 

The Confederation Bridge is a bridge spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait, linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick, Canada. It was commonly referred to as the "Fixed Link" by residents of Prince Edward Island prior to its official naming. Construction took place from the autumn of 1993 to the spring of 1997, costing 1.3 billion. The (8 mi) long bridge opened on 31 May 1997.

Prince Edward Island (PEI or P.E.I.is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population (excluding the territories). The island has a few other names: "Garden of the Gulf" referring to the pastoral scenery and lush agricultural lands throughout the province; and "Birthplace of Confederation", referring to the Charlottetown Conference in 1864, although PEI did not join the confederation itself until 1873 when it became the seventh Canadian province.

According to the 2009 estimates, Prince Edward Island has 141,000 residents.

We are staying in New Glasgow at the Highlands Campground.  We stopped at the visitor center to get directions, maps and advise.

First a warning- do not trust the map or your GPS!  Roads here change names (numbers) with no warning.  I finally turned off the GPS and called the campground. The talked me "into" the location by giving me landmarks.

Without question this is one of the finest campgrounds we have ever stayed at.  Wooded, quiet, and centrally located. Our site is  large enough to fit the motor home, car and have room leftover. The site is surrounded by trees, yet was easy to maneuver into.  It has a separate area  for the fire ring carved out of the woods.

We will begin  our exploration on Sunday.

Last day on New Brunswick Island 08-05-2011

This morning we traveled to Baddeck to tour the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.  It is set on a hilltop overlooking the bay.  The  grounds are beautiful with flower gardens everywhere.
Bell, born in Scotland, moved to the Baddeck because it reminded him of his Scottish home.  It was here he dedicated himself to helping  the deaf. His interest in the telephone, and other communication modes, was as a result of that life long desire to improve the lives of those unable to hear.
He also invented a written a written language that allowed the deaf to visualize how to form words through diagrams;  in addition he developed ways to teach sign language. 
Helen Keller, could not hear, see or talk. She came to Baddeck to work with Bell, it was with him she had her breakthrough in communication.
Not satisfied with his  communication accomplishments, he went on to develop structural engineering designs, hydrofoil boats, and was "first in powered flight for Canada". 
It is an amazing museum, he was an amazing man.

 


That evening we attended a Ceilidh, performance of Scottish music and dancing. It was two hours of tunes, dancing, and discussion of the music and it's history.
Performed with piano, violin, and guitar, you could not help but tap your toes and clap with the beat of the music. 


Performances are every night, performed by an assortment of groups.  These folks are all amateurs who play for the love of the music.
For those of you that have attended bluegrass events you will understand what a treat it is when the audience respects the artists by not talking during the performance. At break time we had a chance to meet the musicians and talk about the differences and similarities to bluegrass.
Hopefully we will be able to find more of this music on PEI.
We returned to our campground about 10:30 PM tired, but happy.

The "South Loop" Cabot Trail

We drove across the island, about mid point and proceeded south to Point Hawksbury.  Along the way we stopped at several towns, including the famous Glenora Inn & Distillery. Known for it's single malt liquor.  It is north of Mabou.  It is smaller than I imagined, but in a beautiful setting.  Unfortunately we arrived after lunch service stopped and the last tour started.

We enjoyed walking the grounds.

The country side is rugged, with a two lane highway running it's length. We stopped in a number of towns to admire the coast, small towns, and unique architecture.  Many of the homes are old but meticulously maintained with absolutely stunning flower gardens.

 

We arrived back at the campground tired but happy, had a campfire and went to bed early.

We did learn a new recipe for moose nose stew.  It is made like brunswick stew, using  the moose's proboscis.  it does not taste like chicken! Has the texture of tongue.  We took their word for it.  

By the way, it appears we did not bring enough warm clothes, it was a two comforter night last evening.  We miss y'all, but not the heat and humidity that seems to be stuck in the south and midwest.