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Ottawa,
Mont Tremblant & Upper Canada Village - July 2008
 July
1st and July 7th marked the 30th and 35th Anniversaries for Michael and
Charlyne and Sam and Henry. To commemorate the occasions, Sam and I flew
to Plattsburgh, NY and then drove the 200 miles to Ottawa. Upon arrival,
we spent a wonderful week with our Ottawa family.
During
the week, we traveled to Mont Tremblant, a year round ski and resort
location. En route, we stopped by the Montebello Resort and then later
during the trip, we spotted and took photos of a "Henry
Moose". We had a wonderful dinner while enjoying a live jazz
performance near the base lodge.
Sam
and I then traveled 70 miles South of Ottawa to Upper Canada Village.
This attraction recreates life in the 1860's. It is situated on the
Canadian side of the St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg. We saw a fully
functioning lumber mill, a blacksmith, a tin shop, a bakery, a print house and
several farms among many other really neat recreations. Many of the
houses and mills were originals that were restored and moved to the
location. Everything operates as it did over 150 years ago. We
even took a horse drawn barge down a canal.
On
our last night in Ottawa, we drove to our favorite restaurant in Quebec
Province and enjoyed a wonderful dinner with lots of great wine. To
enjoy the photos, click on OTTAWA 2008.
Get-a-way
Weekend to Hollywood, Florida - April 2008
Sam
and I had an opportunity to get-a-way for a weekend in South Florida. We
stayed at a condo that just coincidently was right
next to the hotel where AAA is holding its Annual Meeting. The beautiful
Ocean is on one side and the Inland Waterway on the other side. There
was a strong easterly ocean breeze so the waves were crashing on to
shore. The weather was great, however, with beautiful blue skies and
puffy white clouds.
There
were two problems, though. The strong winds created very dangerous rip
currents and we witnessed one rescue of a man that could not get back to
shore. The strong winds also brought many "Portuguese Man of
War" to shore. These look a little like jelly fish but they have
long tentacles and they can be very dangerous to humans. The stings
usually cause excruciating pain, and have even been the cause of several
deaths. The Man of War have an air bladder, known as the pneumatophore or
sail, that allows it to float on the surface of the ocean. It has no means of
propulsion and is pushed by the winds and the current. The sail is filled with
air, but may build up a high concentration of carbon dioxide (up to 90%). The
bladder must stay wet to ensure survival. Every so often it may roll slightly
to wet the surface of the float. Despite their danger to humans, the purple
and blue hues make them very colorful.
Enough
science on marine life! During our visit, we had a wonderful evening and
dinner with Jan and Hella. They invited us to
their home which is nearby. Later in the weekend the guys played
golf and then we enjoyed a nice dinner out. Enjoy the photos of
the beach, the Inland Waterway, the ocean rescue, and us! Click on HOLLYWOOD
GET-AWAY.
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