Cruising

Anyone who has read this far knows that I enjoy a great many things: preparing and eating good food, listening to music composed and written by artists with talent other than screaming or twanging, hiking, etc. But any list of things I like to do, whether arranged alphabetically or by preference, would include cruising near the top.

I'm not fanatic about it, but the fact remains that whenever we schedule a cruise, as the sailing date approaches I get excited. I know that there are minuses as well as pluses attached to cruising, but for me, the pluses far outweigh the minuses. I suppose it's the way I look at them that makes the difference.

For example, many people think cruising is expensive, and I suppose that may be true if you're on a fixed or limited income. I haven't done the math on it, but I'm convinced that if one takes into consideration the meals and lodging, transportation, entertainment, etc., one would find that cruising is not much more costly than a trip of equal length by some other means of transportation.

Another objection some people have to cruising is that you are limited in the number of destinations you can visit. I will agree that it's very difficult to find a cruise to Montana or Arizona, but there are enough ports I have never seen that I doubt I will run out of places to visit in my lifetime.

Many people are afraid they would get seasick, and again that may be true for some. But the modern cruise ship is so huge, and equipped with stabilizers, gyroscopes, radar and storm avoidance techniques, that it takes a very rough sea indeed to cause more than gentle rocking. Besides, since I'm from California, I have felt my house move more than some of the cruise ships I've been on.

A final fear for some people is that they will come home weighing ten pounds more than they weighed when they left. Hopefully one does not leave common sense behind when boarding a ship. It shouldn't be that big a problem for an adult to say "no" to the Escargot In Garlic Butter, or to choose the Fresh Fruit instead of the Cheesecake.

But enough of the minuses; let's look at the pluses. Number one to me is the fact that one doesn't have to pack and unpack every day to get from one destination to another. You can hang up your clothes when you first arrive in your stateroom, and three days later your Sunday suit or party dress is still there when it's time for the captain's party, and all the wrinkles have been hung out.

Every seaport offers something for everyone: at the very least there are interesting people with different customs, colorful artwork, beautiful or unusual scenery, historic monuments, museums . . . you name it. For the slightly adventurous traveler, numerous shore excursions to wondrous places are available. Even if all you do is walk downtown on your own, you will be presented with many opportunities for learning something new.

On days when the ship's newspaper says "at sea" there are always activities of interest. I have been on a ship cruising through wild and beautiful scenery, and there was a naturalist on board who described the ecology of the area, how the forces of nature had shaped the landscape, and all sorts of interesting and wonderful things about what we were seeing. On another occasion the ship carried a native speaker who held informal classes about the culture and history of the area, and even taught a few words and phrases of the native tongue. Often there are classes in vegetable carving, napkin folding, makeup, or my personal favorite, wine tasting, as well as tours of the ship's bridge and galley. And almost always the chef conducts at least one class in which he imparts the recipe for that scrumptious dessert at last night's dinner.

For those less inclined to learning there are both sedentary and active events: games, swimming, fitness groups and a fitness center, old and new music for listening and dancing, people watching (another of my favorites), and if one likes quiet relaxation, there is almost always a small, high quality (usually) library aboard. Of course, for those with a Las Vegas personality, the bars and the casino are always open when the ship is not in port. For the younger set, the disco is open from midnight until the wee hours.

Speaking of Las Vegas, I should mention the excellent on board shows which are presented every night. In addition to those performed by the ship's cast, native entertainers are often brought in to present their styles of music and dancing, thus providing you with another opportunity for learning about the people of the area.

There is always opportunity to leave common sense behind as I discussed above. For early risers, one of the cafes usually starts serving coffee and rolls about 6:00 AM, followed by light breakfast at 6:30. Regular breakfast starts about 7:30, and of course there are hamburgers and hot dogs on deck at 10:00. Lunch is served beginning at noon, then there is teatime about 4:00, possibly coinciding with ice cream and frozen yogurt time on the other side of the ship. Around 5:00 there are hors d'oeuvres in one of the lounges. Between dinner at 6:00 and the midnight buffet (usually about 11:30), it is not unusual for pizza to be served in one of the smaller dining areas. Of course, food is always just a phone call away with 24-hour room service. If one comes home hungry, it is not the fault of the cruise line.

Last but definitely not least, the staff is there to satisfy every whim you may have. In particular, the dining room servers are anxious to please, possibly because a large portion of their income is dependent upon your tip at the end of the week. I recall one instance where my steak was a little overcooked for my taste. "But I'll eat it," I told the server.

"No, you won't," he replied, and whisked it away to be replaced in a few minutes by one cooked to my liking.

In another case, one of the persons at our table could not decide which of the entrees he wished to order. "No problem," said the food server, who then presented both of them to the diner. Two desserts can be the norm if that's the way you like it.

For all these pluses, and many others, cruising makes for a great vacation. In informal surveys which I have conducted, most people who have tried it agree with me.

To The Top

Mexico

The first rule of cruising is that billing a cruise as a three-day or seven-day event means you will be aboard the ship three nights or seven nights. For example, a seven-day cruise usually leaves on, say, Sunday afternoon, and returns the following Sunday morning; seven nights and just over six days. The first cruise Barbara and I took was a three-day one from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico. We left late Friday afternoon and returned early Monday morning.

Barbara had undergone major surgery just a month before we embarked, so we didn't get around too much in Ensenada. My main memory is of a soldier armed with an automatic weapon, and a big dog, at each end of the dock. Mexican nationals seem to have a penchant for smuggling themselves into the United States for reasons which I shall discuss later, and the Mexican government did not take kindly to any of its citizens trying to stow away on ships.

We have returned to Ensenada several times, and I am happy to report that the soldiers and the dogs are gone. In fact, we were there last weekend, August 29, 1998, and the dock now contains a group of shops selling everything that the visiting gringos suddenly discover they cannot do without, from liquor to serapes to cheap knick-knacks of every imaginable variety.

This does not mean that the government has become more lenient; the means of control have just become more subtle and probably more efficient. Before boarding the ship the first time, one is required to present a picture ID, at which point the cruise line issues a plastic boarding card. The card is checked at each end of the gangplank. In addition, one must pass through a metal detector, and packages must undergo an x-ray. At subsequent ports one must get a hand stamp, similar to the one we used to get at dances, before leaving the ship. Upon return, both the hand stamp and the boarding pass are required, and again one must pass through the metal detector and submit packages to the x-ray. The authorities have passed on the cost of stowaway detection to the cruise line.

To me, the most interesting tour out of Ensenada is a visit to La Bufadora, the Blowhole, a phenomenon resulting from the combination of a rocky tunnel and incoming seawater. As the water rushes through the tunnel and crashes against the rocks, it spurts into the air in a spectacular natural fountain, accompanied by a loud rushing sound. It is well worth a visit.

The Ensenada stop also features a tour of a large, modern winery. We bought several bottles, and the wine is excellent. The same tour includes a visit to the city hall, a fine old building decorated with beautiful tiles and carved woodwork. We were told it was a popular watering hole for movie stars of the thirties and forties: Bogart, Gable and others.

While visiting Mexico one should by all means see the cliff divers at Acapulco and other places. These daring men dive off cliffs 60 to 80 feet high into water that is only a foot or two deep until a wave comes in. I am sure that with practice the timing of the dive with the incoming wave becomes natural, but the first few times must be very scary. Of course, diving from a height of six feet into water ten feet deep is scary for me.

In Puerto Vallarta we came upon a gentleman who was finger painting decorative plates. His delicate rendering of the local scene was very impressive to me, who can't eat jelly on bread without unintentionally finger painting the walls. The amazing thing is that he takes only ten to fifteen minutes to complete an entire picture. Of course, we bought one; it was one of those things we had never heard of that we just had to have. It was almost as if we were tourists!

One of the most beautiful areas of western Mexico is the port of Cabo San Lucas. In addition to tourism, Cabo does a thriving business in sport fishing. While we haven't fished there, we have taken a short boat ride along the gorgeous rocky cliffs that jut out into the ocean. Over eons of time the waves have actually created a tunnel and laid down a sandy beach through the cliffs. A sea lion had chosen a solitary small rock several hundred yards from shore as a resting-place, and appeared to be primping and posing for the camera addicts on our boat.

I cannot write about Mexico without mentioning the extreme poverty that exists in many areas. On one of the tours we passed through many miles of shacks built of scrap lumber, tar paper and even piano boxes and other large cartons. Of course, there was neither indoor plumbing nor running water. The homeless in our cities look positively prosperous in comparison; it is a shame that human beings should have to live in such surroundings. The immigration woes of the United States stem from these people trying to escape their terrible situation. I have no solution or recommendation to make for this problem; I simply state it as a fact of life.

On one occasion we toured a small inland community. Here the buildings were somewhat sturdier, although many still lacked sanitary facilities, window screening, etc. The town contained a small tortilla factory, and the unscreened windows and ubiquitous flies made me very glad I was not dependent upon the product for lunch. It was in this town that we also spotted an incongruous ten-foot satellite TV dish! Priorities?

Because I don't wish to leave on a down note, I recommend a visit to Mexico, not only for its beautiful scenery, but also to meet the friendly and outgoing people. The dancing and music are passionate and lively, and the costumes, at least in the tourist area, are very bright and colorful. The cliché fits; it's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

Take a quick tour of Mexico.

To The Top

A Pennsylvania Dutch Tour

Although both Barbara and I were raised in northwestern Lancaster County, Pa., and went to school with many "plain" classmates, neither of us knew very much about the Amish. After having lived in California for almost thirty years, we asked Barbara's mother to arrange for a friend, an experienced tour guide, to take the three of us for a personal tour of the Amish section.

We started from Manheim, where Barbara's mother still lives, and soon arrived at our first stop, the Sturgis pretzel bakery in Lititz. This small, old-fashioned bakery still uses clay ovens, and although we had eaten breakfast shortly before, the wonderful odor of the baking pretzels soon had our mouths watering. We took a quick tour of the premises, and during a hands on lesson on pretzel twisting, we discovered this is a skill which takes more than a few minutes to learn. After sampling, and of course purchasing some of the product, we were off to our next stop, a modern pretzel bakery on route 30, near Lancaster.

After seeing the small output of the Sturgis establishment, the sight of thousands of pretzels passing through automated machinery on wide conveyor belts was somewhat overwhelming. Each stage of manufacturing, from mixing the dough to packaging the finished product in shipping cartons, was accompanied by large signs telling exactly what was happening at that particular point. It was very interesting, but in our opinion the pretzels were not nearly as tasty as the ones which were manufactured with personal tender loving care at the smaller bakery.

Further on down route 30, our next stop was the Amish farmhouse, which is supposedly laid out and furnished in the manner of a real Amish home. I had not realized that these people do not build churches; Sunday meetings are held in the large front room in the home of one of the order's members. Of course there were no electrical appliances, but all furniture and fixtures were both highly functional and beautifully finished. The craftsmanship was wonderful. Later on the tour we did manage to see the inside of an Amish home, and it appeared that the furniture, fixtures and artifacts in the tourist version were indeed authentic.

On the subject of electrical appliances, Gloria, our guide, explained that the Amish believe that wires and pipes connect them to the outside world, therefore they want nothing to do with them. Since propane gas stoves are not connected to the outside by pipes, they do use them. This does not mean that they ignore our modern, worldly attractions. Gloria lived for some time in the Amish area, and she said that her neighboring Amish family came to her house every night to watch TV.

Later as we drove through the area, we asked about the little structures located at intervals along the highways. They reminded me of old fashioned privies, although there was no door on them. We were told that emergencies occur which require the immediate services of someone outside the community, for example, accidents require doctors and fires require fire-fighting equipment. Since telephones are connected by wires to the outside world, there were none in Amish homes. The little buildings were telephone booths, but contained regular phones instead of pay phones. In case of emergency the Amish person goes to the booth and makes his call, then writes his name and address on the pad inside the booth. Periodically the telephone company sends out a bill to whoever has used the phone.

Our next stop was at a replica of an Amish one-room school. The sight of the class reciting on the platform, the other children at their desks, the world map on the wall, and the teacher keeping order brought on a wave of nostalgia for me. As I have written elsewhere, my first six years of schooling were obtained at the old two room school in Sporting Hill, and the whole scene quickly took me back sixty years.

Leaving the main highway, we quickly came to an area of beautiful farms and large barns, complete with hex signs. We passed a cemetery where a funeral was in progress, and buggies were lined up far down the road.

We had never seen the continuous wash lines strung on pulleys between the kitchen window and a post several yards away, but it struck us as a fine labor saving idea, and saving labor becomes important when, as we were told, it is not unusual for a family to contain from eight to twelve children. As if that weren't enough, when an Amish lad marries, he does not necessarily leave home. Instead, an extra room is often added to the house, and he and his bride move in and start their family there. That explained the huge size of some of the homes we passed.

We stopped at one farm where quilts were on display in the front bedroom. There were probably several dozen piled up on the bed, and it appeared that each one was more beautiful than the one above it. The hand stitching was extremely delicate, and the colors were unbelievably bright and varied.

A lady from New York was having a hard time deciding whether or not to buy a quilt, but the Amish lady quickly solved her problem. "Think about it," she said, handing the lady a business card, "and if you decide to buy, call this number. It's our voice mail at the neighbor's house down the road."

The highlight of the trip for me came when our guide stopped at the top of a small rise. As we got out of the car she said, "Now look around. There is not a utility pole, or smoke stack, or anything but beautiful farms as far as you can see in every direction. And notice how quiet it is; no factories or car horns."

She was correct. These friendly, gentle people have apparently solved the problem of living in the world without having their beliefs and ideals overwhelmed by the mundane. But just then a jet aircraft meandered across the dome of the sky. Hopefully it is not a sign of ill winds blowing across the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Find out more about the Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

To The Top

Hearst Castle

Like the legendary city of Brigadoon rising from the swamp after its customary one hundred year hiatus, Hearst's castle appeared gradually as the bright sun burned off the morning mists; first the towers, then the gabled roof, the main building, and finally the guest houses and grounds came into view. As the castle is seen from the visitors' center at the foot of the hill, one can easily imagine it to be the home of kings and queens, princes and princesses, and fine ladies and gentlemen. And at one time the castle was indeed the home of the king of a publishing empire and a queen of the silver screen, (actually the king's consort), and the vacation resort (by invitation only) of choice for fine ladies and gentlemen; the great and famous matinee idols, business tycoons, and world leaders of the period.

Located a few hundred yards from the beautiful coastline of San Simeon in central California, the visitors' center is the first stop for the thousands of tourists who visit the castle each year. There one can follow a pictorial history of the life of William Randolph Hearst, buy a snack, peer through a telescope (for a fee, of course) at the castle and surrounding hills, and select a souvenir from the gift shop. The Hearst family deeded the castle and most of the grounds to the state in the 1950s, primarily because the maintenance was too costly. Judging from the number of people passing through on any given day, it was a win-win situation for everyone.

While a crow would fly about a mile from the visitors' center to the castle, we humans must undergo a six mile, twenty minute bus ride along a narrow winding road. The view of the surrounding coastal hills and canyons is beautiful, and the ocean views are spectacular.

When Hearst lived at the castle, zebras, giraffes, and other exotic non-threatening animals were allowed to run freely over the 60,000-acre estate. Carnivores, such as bears, lions, etc. were kept in cages on the grounds. Descendants of some of the free range animals still roam the castle grounds, and indeed I have seen zebras grazing among the cattle along the highway leading to the visitors' center. The guides tell you there are exotic sheep and goats ranging the hills around the castle, but of course these are rarely seen by tourists.

As the road enters the castle grounds proper, it parallels the mile long bridle path, which was covered by vines so that the guests would be protected from the bright sunshine while riding one of the fine horses from the castle's stables.

Upon disembarking from the bus, one first encounters a huge, authentic Egyptian statue, with a provenance dating from 400 years before the Christian era. From there one ascends a flight of steps to the irregularly shaped outdoor swimming pool, which is inlaid in a pattern of beautiful blue tiles, and is surrounded by a deck of solid marble. Classic Greek columns support a temple-like roof for shade. Both the columns and the roof are pure white marble, and the whole area is decorated with marble replicas of classic Greco-Roman sculpture. From the steps leading upward from the pool to the main grounds, one can gaze out across the gorgeous pool and the beautiful green hills to the ocean; a truly splendid view.

Hearst transplanted exotic plants from throughout the world to the castle grounds, and the result is a riot of bright, brilliant colors and beautiful, aromatic fragrances. Between the lush greenery, statuary, fountains and scenic views, a photographer could keep busy for a week.

Our walking tour next passes through one of the four guest "cottages." These structures were reserved for "special" guests such as heads of state or Hearst's particular friends. Each one is much larger than a normal home; this first and largest one contains eighteen rooms, including several huge bedrooms, bathrooms, and a sitting room. Considering that these cottages were built in the 1920s and 1930s, the inclusion of showers made the bathrooms state of the art. The beds are huge, and so high that steps had to be provided for short persons to get into and out of them.

The rooms, both in the guest houses and the Casa Grande, or main house, are filled with antique furniture, paintings, statuary, etc., much of it from as early as the fifteenth century. The ceilings are very ornate, varying from intricately carved wood to religious figures gilded with pure gold leaf. One of Hearst's pastimes was touring European castles, and it was not unusual for him to find a ceiling he liked, buy it, and have a room built for it at San Simeon.

On leaving the guesthouse, one encounters an overwhelming panorama of carvings, towers, and ornate decorations comprising the front wall of the main house. The doorway was imported from a European monastery, and the 400-year-old tile has been so worn and damaged that one must enter by a side door.

The first room is the huge Assembly Room, where Hearst's guests were required to socialize before dinner. The room is dominated by a nine-foot fireplace capable of holding huge logs. The walls are covered with ancient tapestries and paintings, and the furniture is hundreds of years old. I estimate the room to be at least thirty feet wide by eighty feet long.

From there one passes to the dining room. The table is probably forty feet in length, and is set with fine silver and china, as well as several large candlesticks of solid silver. The French's mustard jar and Heinz's ketchup bottle appear grossly out of place on the expensively appointed table, but that's the way Hearst wanted the condiments served. The sides of the room contain a row of fold down seats, which were purchased from a convent. In this context they were purely decorative; I am sure Hearst would never have required any of his guests to actually sit on these very uncomfortable looking seats. The room is decorated with banners high above the table, just beneath the clerestory windows.

Hearst and Marion Davies, his lady friend of many years, sat facing each other at the midpoint of the table. As new guests arrived, they found their place cards next to the host or hostess. Each day of their visit they would find their place cards moved further away from the center, and when they reached the end, they were expected to leave. Simple but effective.

The billiard room is next on the tour, and it contains both a true billiards table and a pocket billiards table. This room was for men only; billiards was not considered a sport for ladies.

Also on the tour is the movie theater, where Hearst entertained his guests after dinner with the very latest screenings, often before they were released to the public theaters. Of course, many of these films featured Miss Davies.

Leaving the castle one passes the tennis courts, which are actually on the roof of the building housing the magnificent indoor swimming pool. Every square inch of the pool, walls, and ceiling are covered with tiny blue tiles with real gold fused into them. The tiles are laid in gold-colored cement; fifty artisans, whom Hearst had imported from Italy, spent over a year laying the hundreds of thousands of pieces. There is an alcove of shallow water for the non-swimmers, and a diving platform probably about eight feet above the water. As usual, the ubiquitous statuary kept watch over the guests who swam or otherwise frolicked in the dimly lighted structure.

The tour ends at this point; the bus awaits just outside the door of the pool. Someone asked the docent how much Hearst spent on the castle. It was surprisingly little by today's standards; around ten million dollars. Hearst spent probably another ten million on tapestries, furniture and sculpture, but that can't be converted to 1997 dollars. It would be impossible to duplicate the castle today, not because it's too expensive, but because there are limited numbers of 2,400 year old Egyptian statues, medieval tapestries, etc. in the world.

Hearst Castle is a magnificent monument to beauty, as well as excess to the point of obscenity.

More pictures of Hearst Castle.

To The Top

Colonial Williamsburg

Today is November 17, 1775. The Sword Is Drawn. (Monday). This was the banner that greeted us as we entered the Visitors' Center in Williamsburg, Va. on September 21, 1998. Other posters informed us that "Armed conflict has broken out by November 17, 1775. Blood has been shed, lives disrupted and, as 'The Sword Is Drawn,' the British are trying to start a race war to boot."

We had arrived in Williamsburg about 11:00 AM, and since our room would not be ready for occupancy until 3:00, we decided to go directly to the Visitors' Center. There we saw an orientation slide show, a movie about life in the 1770s, and purchased our Patriot's Passes, good for one year, for admission to the colonial section of the city. After a five minute bus trip we were dropped off in Williamsburg, 1775.

It was an extremely hot and humid day, so after a short walking tour along Duke of Gloucester Street (the main street) we boarded a shuttle bus to (modern) Merchants Square and found Seasons Cafe, where we ordered lots of iced tea and lunch.

Leaving the restaurant we found we were across the street from the Williamsburg hospital of 1758, specializing in the treatment of the insane. After a tour of the rooms, a look at the instruments used during that period, and a historic display of treatment of the insane up to today, we were ready for something a little less intense.

We wandered into the DeWitt Museum that was financed by the founders of Readers Digest magazine. Here was a fine exhibition of 18th century furniture, artwork, glassware, dishes, clothing, and much more; one could spend days viewing the thousands of beautiful pieces. Seeing the delicate carving, needlework, ceramic designs, etc., and considering the primitive tools with which those people worked, one cannot help but be amazed.

When we finished that tour, we went back to the motel, where our room was now ready. It was time for dinner and a good night's sleep.

Today is May 15, 1776. Virginia Declares Independence. (Tuesday). Finally, on May 15, 1776, comes the moment when "Virginia Declares Independence;" breaking all ties to the world's greatest power and stepping forward, alone, as Americans.

Instead of going directly into the colonial section, we decided to drive to Carter's Grove, situated about eight miles outside of Williamsburg proper, along the James River. Established by two patents issued in 1620, the plantation features a fine old house built in 1756, to which has been added several sections and many alterations over the years. The furnishings were installed in the 1920s, and represent what the then occupants felt was an idealized version of a Virginia plantation.

As much as one may admire the values and determination of the colonists in opposing the British, such admiration should be tempered by the memory that they were slave holders, and at Carter's Grove that realization is forcefully brought home when viewing the reconstructed Slave Quarters. These consisted of little more than four log walls, a roof of sorts, and a fireplace, with no floor, a pile of rags for a bed, and perhaps a small table. Except for the fireplace, these quarters closely resemble the gaol (jail) which I shall describe later. Modern day pigs have better quarters.

The most interesting part of Carter's Grove, at least to me, was the excavation of Martin's Hundred. In 1619, a group of about 220 settlers left England on the ship Gift of God to settle on the banks of the James river, but far fewer than that actually arrived in Virginia. In a short time they had built a small settlement, and things appeared to be prospering. However, in 1622 an Indian uprising occurred spanning the area between modern Richmond and Newport News. Of the 140 settlers in Martin's Hundred on the morning of March 22, half were massacred. The remaining inhabitants left, and by 1700 the settlement had disappeared, hidden from view until archeological digging began in the area in 1970.

Today a fine archeological museum has been established nearby, featuring not only skeletons and artifacts uncovered at Martin's Hundred, but also explaining in detail the painstaking work that was done in unearthing the site. The actual excavation site is also open, showing in detail the patterns of post holes, building layouts, etc. A scale model of the reconstructed village is also displayed in the museum.

We returned to Colonial Williamsburg via a one way country road reminiscent of the roads which connected plantations during the 18th century, although one could see golf courses and highways if one looked closely enough between the trees.

Back at Williamsburg we toured the Capitol, and sat in at a meeting between Patrick Henry and a few other members of the House of Burgesses, who were discussing the proposed vote on independence, to be held later that day. Logically one knows this is the 20th century, but the reenactment was so realistic that it was easy to imagine oneself back in the 18th.

Back on Duke of Gloucester Street, we viewed the workings of the wig maker, the silver smith and the post office. These craftspeople turn out replicas of the products made during the 1770s, using the same tools that the artisans originally used. On the average, six hundred hours were spent making one of the fancy powdered wigs, made of human hair, which were in vogue at the time. The silver smith was working on a beautiful carved bowl, which, because of the hundreds of hours of skilled handwork involved, would be valued at roughly $30,000 at 1998 prices.

We ended the day with a tour of the powder magazine, which will play an important part in an upcoming day in 1775.

Today is February 26, 1774. Rule Britannia! (Wednesday). On February 16, 1774 most Virginians believed the problems with Britain could be worked out without resorting to war. "Rule Britannia" marks the high point in the colonists' relationship with the Crown. Show your pride in the Empire as we welcome Lady Dunsmore, wife of the royal governor, to Williamsburg.

We opened the day with a tour of the palace, home of the Imperial Governor. He was busy preparing for the arrival of his wife later in the day, and we witnessed a little domestic scene between him and a few of his servants. Again we were back in 1774. As we toured the garden, whom should we run into but Martha Washington, the wife of a well-known Virginia planter and soldier? In answer to questions from tourists about herself and her husband, she spoke very candidly. Another fine reenactment.

We stopped at the print shop to watch the production of the weekly local paper. Of course, type was set by hand, the plate was inked by pounding the type with inked, leather, stuffed bags, which resemble modern boxing gloves, and the press was operated by hand, one sheet at a time. The typeface, the ink, and even the paper are of the same type and formula used in 1774.

We traveled on to the gaol (jail); the same one where Blackbeard's crew was imprisoned while awaiting execution. The cells were small, unheated, and were barely high enough for a man to stand upright. Prisoners were not sentenced to gaol for a long period of punishment as they are today, but were held there only while awaiting trial, public whipping, execution or other punishment.

At the courthouse three trials were being held, with the accused being selected from the audience. One trial was for the misdemeanor of not attending the Church of England at least one Sunday in every four. The lady on trial happened to be a modern day Catholic, a religion that was extremely unpopular with the church in 1774. At first she refused to pay the fine. She was then told that she would be held in gaol for six months, at which time she would be expected to pay the fine. If she still refused, the sentence was forty lashes in public, and she would still be expected to pay the fine. She decided to pay immediately. The judge also suggested that she might be happier in Pennsylvania or one of those other, more liberal colonies. So much for separation of church and state.

Coincidentally with the first day of fall, the weather turned decidedly cooler, and since we were not prepared for that, and needed souvenirs anyway, we returned to the Visitors' Center and bought commemorative sweatshirts.

At five o'clock we witnessed the arrival of Lady Dunsmore in her fancy carriage, with her footmen and all the other trappings. Very impressive.

We had made reservations for a colonial dinner at Christina Campbell's Tavern. Dinner consisted of Cabbage Salad and Spoon Bread, with an entree of Oyster and Scallop Pie for me, and Chicken Imperial (crabmeat rolled inside of chicken fillets) for Barbara. Everything was excellent. While we were eating a fiddler came in and entertained us with several selections of period music.

As we waited for the shuttle bus out of the colonial area, we were treated to the music of a marching fife and drum corps.

Today is April 29, 1775. The Gathering Storm. (Thursday). By April 29, 1775, antagonism between Virginians and British officials has reached the boiling point. In "The Gathering Storm," the residents of Williamsburg protest after British marines have taken the colony's gunpowder from the Magazine and news of Lexington and Concord reaches town.

We visited the Bruton Parish Church where we were fortunate in that the organist was practicing. What a fantastic organ! How I would love to hear a recital there! In the churchyard we spoke to the sexton, who told us about several of the local residents.

Next we toured the Wythe (pronounced "with") house. George Wythe was a prominent attorney and teacher. Since he did not agree with the Church of England, he was one of several local residents who paid his fine annually for not attending church at least one Sunday out of four. While we were touring the house, a flutist came in, pulled up a chair, and proceeded to play several numbers on his ancient wooden flute. He was excellent.

The pastor of the church was holding forth at the Wetherburn Tavern. He was explaining that although there were several other non-established Protestant religions practiced in the area, such as Presbyterian, Congregational, etc., as well as a few "papists," the Church of England was the only true religion. Asked whether the local William and Mary College would ever allow female students, he replied indignantly, "Certainly not. The young men have enough trouble with their studies without being distracted by the ladies with their flirting behind their fans!" (The college is now coed).

He asked where we were from and I told him we were visiting from the Spanish territories in the west. He replied, "I imagine you must be very happy to be back in Christian territory."

We walked on to visit several local businesses: the lumberyard, cabinet shop, brick yard, carpenter shop and the windmill. Seeing the artisans work with the tools of the time, and hearing them explain how they ply their trade and how long it takes to make, say, a replica of a Chippendale cabinet, makes one begin to appreciate the modern conveniences which we take for granted.

On the way back to the shuttle bus, a horseman approached bearing the news that blood had been shed at Lexington and Concord.

This was our last adventure in the 18th century. I recommend that every American spend a few days there in order to more fully appreciate what those first Americans went through to give us what we have today.

See pictures of Colonial Williamsburg.

To The Top

Alaska

To visit Alaska is to journey to a different world. My visits there have been limited to cruising the southern coastline, which can be done only between mid-May and mid-September, but I was unprepared even for that. To see a wall of ice a mile wide and six hundred feet high, and then to be told by the ship's naturalist that it extends another nine hundred feet below the waterline, is almost more than the mind can grasp, especially when you realize that wall extends 15 miles back into the mountains. I have not calculated how many ice cubes that would make, but I am sure it would be enough to cool all the world's iced tea well into the next century.

As the ship passes through Glacier Bay, twelve of these ice age relics appear side by side. As one watches, great chunks of ice break off, a process called calving, forming spectacular icebergs. Smaller pieces become floating ice sheets, and on one occasion we spotted literally thousands of harbor seals, sunning themselves aboard their floating homes.

We also spotted several humpback whales in the area, and at one point the ship actually followed two killer whales for several miles. The humpbacks are the showmen of the whales, breeching so high that their huge bodies are completely out of the water - a most spectacular sight as they splash down.

In Juneau we hired a helicopter to land us on the Mendenhall glacier, where we spent an hour examining at close hand the cracks, crevices and other sights on the surface. This is a rather slow moving glacier, but during the entire time we were there we heard the cracking and groaning of the ice as it slowly flowed to the sea.

From Sitka a bush pilot flew us into the backcountry for a tour of the wilderness area. We flew between mountain ranges that were so close that it appeared as if we could reach out and grab the bushes as we passed by. At one point we landed on a large lake, which was completely surrounded by wilderness. The pilot told us that it was his favorite fishing spot, and the only way to get there was the way we had come. It was gorgeous, and unbelievably quiet. The closest civilization was ninety miles away. I have never seen a more peaceful scene in my life.

We also took a boat trip through some of the inland waterways. Again it was wilderness all around, but one thing became quite clear: the bald eagle is not an endangered species in Alaska. I have seen only one pair of bald eagles in the lower 48 states, but there was no shortage of them in the Alaskan forests.

One cannot write about Alaska without mentioning the wonderful salmon fishing. With another couple we hired a small boat on which the captain guaranteed that we would catch salmon. It was an overcast day, and as we proceeded out into the ocean the drizzle started; a situation not unusual in Alaska. It took some time but we all managed to catch fish. Some we caught had to be returned to the ocean since they were less than 28 inches long. The captain told us that because salmon have a very soft mouth, they would die anyway, but the law says you may not keep them.

When we returned to shore, we arranged to have our fish shipped to us. We could have them processed into filets, steaks or lox. We returned home to California on Sunday, and on Monday I received a call verifying the address I had given for shipment. They arrived the next day, packed in dry ice and still frozen. And they were delicious.

It was our good fortune, at least on one trip, to have a naturalist from the University of Alaska on board our ship. Whenever we passed a particularly interesting area, he came on the ship's speakers and lectured about what we were seeing. In addition, he gave other lectures on the flora and fauna of Alaska. It added immeasurably to the trip.

I have now visited Alaska three times, and am ready to go back again any time. I particularly would like to spend a few days in the Dinali Wildlife Preserve. I have been told the wildlife there is spectacular. Maybe next summer.

To The Top

A Driving Tour Of Yellowstone, Zion and Bryce Canyons, and Las Vegas

We decided to take a somewhat longer trip this year (2000); the itinerary included three national parks: Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, and Zion, with a final stop to see friends in Las Vegas. Since we had last been to Las Vegas in 1976, we anticipated there might be a few changes. We were correct, but more on that later.

We were traveling with friends who wanted to leave at 6:00 AM on June 2nd. so rather than get up at 4:30, Barbara and I went to their house the night before, and slept on an air mattress in order to save a half hour in the morning. It was not the greatest night of my life, but we did manage to get a little sleep.

After a cup of coffee, we finally got going about 6:45. We had breakfast in Baker, California, and lunch in Mesquite, Nevada, where I managed to turn one quarter into six with the help of a slot machine. It was my biggest win for the entire trip.

We arrived in Salt Lake City about 7:00 PM, and had dinner at a Red Lobster. We had not eaten at one of those for a long time, and were delighted to find they still serve those great cheese rolls. If they are not to die for, they may be at least to kill for.

Saturday morning we enjoyed the complimentary breakfast at the Crystal Inn, and got back on the road about 10:00. Had lunch at Elmer's Restaurant in Pocatello, where the bread pudding was excellent, in fact, it was the high point of the day.

The road to Jackson Hole passed through some beautiful scenery along the Snake River, where we saw rafts, kayaks, and other white water craft. However, two problems marred the drive: there was a lot of construction, resulting in delays, single lanes, etc., and one of the brakes on the car was making a bad noise. However, we finally got to Jackson and registered at the Best Western Lodge. We had dinner at the Sweetwater Restaurant.

Unable to get the brake on the car fixed until Monday, we spent a week in Jackson Hole on June 4th. After the complimentary breakfast, we boarded the shuttle to explore the downtown area. Had lunch at the Western Family Restaurant, and then took the shuttle back to the Lodge.

An exciting event occurred late in the afternoon: there was a 1-1/4 hour power blackout of the entire city. At the time I was in our room reading, while the ladies were downstairs enjoying their favorite activity: patrolling the souvenir shop. Of course the elevators were not running, and the emergency lighting extended only to the second floor. Since our room was on the third floor, they had quite an adventure until they finally were able to find our rooms in the dark hallway. Fortunately we had some snacks with us, so we stuffed ourselves on junk food until the power came back on.

Most of the restaurants closed when the power went off, but we were able to find one that was still open: Nani's Italian Restaurant. To me it was adequate, but our friends thought it was wonderful. To each his own.

Returning to the Lodge we called to arrange a bus tour of Yellowstone for Monday, but none were available until Tuesday. After a cup of tea, we went to bed.

After the complimentary breakfast on Monday, we took another walking tour of the area around the Lodge while the brake was being fixed. We finally left for Yellowstone about 11:00, and got a great view of the magnificent Grand Teton Mountains on the way.

After lunch in the park, we set out to see Old Faithful, where we had to wait about 3/4 hour for the action.

Returning to the Lodge about 7:00, we went to the Chili Pepper (obviously Mexican) Restaurant for dinner. Afterwards we confirmed our tour reservations for Tuesday, had a cup of tea, and went to bed.

We boarded the tour bus about 7:30 on Tuesday morning. The guide, Roger Haney, had retired after being a park ranger for 30 years. He was able to give us the history, scientific explanation, etc. of all we saw, and his commentary increased the enjoyment of the tour by at least an order of magnitude.

In the park we saw bison, bison, bison (what we call buffalo) galore, from individual animals to groups of up to 15. One buck was wandering down the highway, stopping traffic in both directions as he meandered from one lane to the other. He finally decided to return to the shoulder.

We could have reached out the window and touched another one walking along the highway, but on the advice of the guide, we kept our hands to ourselves.

We also got to see mule deer, antelopes, and several small groups of elk.

In addition to all the geysers, hot springs and paint pots, the rivers, lakes and waterfalls were gorgeous. Of special beauty was the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Visit the fantastic library of pictures maintained by the National Park Service for a better tour of the park than words could ever describe.

While the others on the bus were enjoying Old Faithful, which we had seen on Monday, we investigated the gift shop and especially the ice cream bar. Delicious.

Returning to Jackson Hole, we had a Cajun dinner at the Acadian restaurant, relaxed with our usual cup of tea, packed our bags, and went to bed.

Wednesday was a travel day. After the usual complimentary breakfast, we left about 10:00 for Bryce Canyon, and were almost at our destination when we passed through the Red Canyon, an area of beautiful sandstone cliffs and formations. It was a very long drive, and immediately after dinner we called it a day.

After breakfast on Thursday we caught a tour bus to the canyon. Most of the tourists on the bus were from Europe, and as the driver pointed out the sights, one of the men translated his comments into French. Since my French vocabulary is exhausted after oui, that didn't help me very much.

The thousands of beautiful sandstone formations, or hoodoos, as the Native Americans called them, were overwhelming. The Indians believed that the hoodoos were their dead ancestors. The tour guides have named some of the formations: five men taking a shower, Queen Victoria, a snake, chicken, etc. The beauty and variety of nature is fantastic. Gorgeous!

After a late lunch, we drove back to the Red Canyon, which we had passed on Wednesday, and took some pictures.

We had dinner at the Bryce Canyon Pines, and I highly recommend their homemade pies.

After breakfast on Friday, we left for Zion National Park. As we drove into the park, the towering cliffs with their accumulated layers of contrasting colors were overwhelming.

We caught the shuttle bus from the visitor's center, and stopped at several places to explore and take pictures. The bus followed the river, and at the end we got off and walked about a mile upstream. Bryce was beautiful, and Zion is awe-inspiring.

We had lunch at the visitor's center, then drove back to the Bryce Canyon Pines for dinner, of course including more pie.

Saturday morning we left about 10:15 for Las Vegas. We ate lunch at the Eureka Casino in Mesquite, where I gave back the quarters I won last Friday, and arrived in Vegas about 3:00 PM.

No one was home when we got to our friends' home, so we stopped for delicious 99 cent Margaritas at Boulder Station. By the time we finished, our friends were home.

After dinner, we went to the Bellagio Hotel, where we saw a beautiful dancing waters show, and the Paris Hotel, which features an almost full size replica of the Eiffel Tower.

Sunday we toured several spectacular hotels: the New York, New York, the MGM, the Venetian, and the Monte Carlo.

We had dinner back at the house, then visited Sam's Town, where I managed to play a nickel machine for about half an hour on one dollar. Even though I finally left the dollar there, I doubt that Sam would consider me the last of the big spenders. Then there was a beautiful water and laser show, and after that we called it a day.

Monday morning we visited with our friends for a while, then took them to lunch at TGI-Friday's.

Before hitting the road, we toured Caesar's Palace, had a drink, and invested(?) a few dollars. It was a very bad investment. We left about 4:00 so that we would miss most of the traffic, and finally arrived home about 10:00 PM.

While I enjoyed the entire trip, I find it shameful that people probably spend more in Las Vegas in a week than they spend on our national parks in a year. In the long run, the parks are worth more than any number of spectacular hotels, dancing waters and laser shows. Where are our priorities?

To The Top

Hawaii

Do not think that the word "aloha" is pronounced the way it is spelled. Almost as soon as you board the plane, you learn that the correct pronunciation is a-loooooooo-ha' (the "o" is pronounced as in throw, not as in gloom), which means hello, goodbye, see you later, etc. The only other word you need is mahalo, which means thank you, an important phrase in almost any language.

Of course, the standing joke is that you get lei'd as soon as you step off the plane, which is true, but it's supposed to sound funny when you tell the folks back on the mainland, which is what the continental United States is called.

Most planes land in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, which is a city just like the one you are trying to get away from. Of course the weather is always warm, sometimes wet, but usually the rain limits itself to brief showers. Unfortunately the humidity is almost always high whichever island you are on - Hawaii is only three degrees north of the Equator.

This is not to say you cannot have a nice vacation on Oahu - Waikiki beach is located there. Because of its reputation it is usually overcrowded, but that is true of nice beaches anywhere.

While there one should visit the Polynesian Cultural Center and, for all Americans, the Pearl Harbor Memorial, which consists of a museum dedicated to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, and to the battleship Arizona, which was sunk during that attack. I can't help but be surprised how the "dastardly, sneak attack" as it was called during the war, has now become a "brilliant naval maneuver."

The Arizona Memorial requires a five minute boat trip, and seeing the names, engraved in marble, of the 1,200 men who went down with the ship, the oil still bubbling up from the wreck after sixty years, and the wreck itself through the clear water, still brings tears to my eyes. Please do not miss it if you go to Hawaii.

On most of our trips to the islands we boarded a ship in Honolulu for a one-week cruise of the other islands. For the first-time visitor I recommend that as the way to go. Each island is different from all the others, and the cruise gives one an opportunity to sample the variety included in the package lumped together under the name "Hawaii."

Kauai, the garden island, is the most lush of the popular islands. I recommend a combined bus and boat trip to the Fern Grotto, a beautiful backdrop of solid rock covered with ferns and tiny waterfalls, reminiscent of the old Dorothy Lamour movies. Of course, the guide tells of the many weddings that have been held in this jungle setting, and the explanation ends with one of the "natives" singing the Hawaiian Wedding Song. If none of the singing locals happens to be present, it is played on tape. Very impressive if sung, less so if taped.

On the trip to the grotto, the bus driver is sure to point out the area where Elvis Presley filmed the movie "Blue Hawaii."

The island of Hawaii, the big island, is worth two stops by the cruise ship. On the east side, Hilo is the base for tours of the volcano area. From the scientific observation station at the summit, one looks into the crater of Mauna Kea, still highly active. The lava flow adds several hundred acres per year to the island, and at night, as the ship steams past the outlet to the sea, one gets a sensational view of the glowing lava.

From Kona on the west side of the island, one can take bus tours to the City Of Refuge National Historical Park, or the coffee plantations high in the hills above the city. Also available are snorkeling tours, including a view of the monument marking the spot where Captain Cook was killed by the natives.

The island of Maui is probably the tourist's favorite, primarily because it includes all the amenities expected of vacation areas, in a lush jungle setting. Some of the world's premier golf courses are located here, as well as many beautiful hotels and fine restaurants. Helicopter tours allow one to see the back country, which is not available any other way.

While the Io (pronounced yow) valley on Maui is beautiful, I highly recommend a van trip along the road to Hana. Do not attempt to drive this road yourself, not because it is dangerous, but because you will miss too much gorgeous scenery. Along its 35+ miles are some six hundred turns, more than 37 tropical waterfalls such as one is used to seeing in airline commercials, and all the tropical scenery one can imagine between sea level and an altitude of several thousand feet. At the end of the highway one can visit the grave of Lindbergh, or the seven mystic pools. There are actually dozens of pools in the area, so I suspect the mystic pools are just a story to attract more tourists.

While on Maui, one can also take an hour and a half boat trip to the island of Molokai, which is still more primitive than the other, more touristy islands. I suggest a visit to the Hao (hay-ow), an ancient worship site. About thirty feet high and the size of a football field, the mound, which is perfectly flat on top, is composed of some 90 million stones, from seven to ten inches in diameter. The stones had to be transported from the opposite side of the island, seven miles away. The natives had no draft animals of any kind, which means all those stones were transported by human muscle power. It almost rivals the great pyramids of Egypt insofar as human effort.

Also located on Molokai is the phallic rock, which the ancients believed would enhance fertility. Shaped like its name implies, it was believed that if a young couple could not conceive children, having the bride sit on the rock overnight would solve the problem. While everyone in our party said they considered that a superstition, none of the ladies would sit on the rock for even a minute.

Also on Molokai is the leper colony founded many years ago by Father Damien. Because leprosy is no longer considered the scourge it once was, one does not realize the bravery required to treat lepers in those days. Father Damien himself eventually fell victim to the disease. Of course, the colony is not open for tours, but one can get a good view of it from the nearby cliffs.

Hawaii remains one of my favorite places to visit. The lush scenery, beautiful beaches and friendly people are attractions that are hard to pass up. If you have been there, you know what I mean. If you have never been there, you are missing another world.

Lots of pictures of Hawaii.

To The Top

The Caribbean

We have cruised the Caribbean three times, covering a different section of this beautiful area on each trip. To say that it is beautiful is an understatement. I loved all of it: the scenery, the people, the food, everything, but a few places stand out in my memory. This is a quick mini-tour of those memories.

As usual, a written description does not do justice to a first person view. I highly recommend a visit to the Caribbean for anyone.

Tulum

For many years I have had an urge to see the pyramids of Mexico, the symbols of the Mayan Indian culture which existed for so many years before Columbus's adventure in 1492. I finally got the opportunity to visit Tulum, on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Located several miles south of the resort city of Cancun, Tulum is easily reached by bus. We were fortunate enough to have a pure Mayan guide, who also happened to be a history lecturer on vacation from the University of Mexico.

The site was everything I expected, with the huge structures, observatories, etc. One of the more interesting items was the open grave of a former Tulum citizen. The guide assured us it was the burial place of a full-grown man. He was just over four feet tall.

It is believed that Tulum was a trading center for pre-Columbian sailors. Located high on a cliff, it overlooks a beautiful beach. For me, Tulum was the highlight of one Caribbean cruise.

Grand Cayman - Hell And The Turtle Farm

You have to go through Hell and the Turtle Farm on Grand Cayman to get to Stingray City, but it's worth it. Hell is a barren, blackened landscape, and also the home of the "Hot Sauce From Hell," which lives up to its name in every way. It's not for hot sauce sissies.

The turtle farm is the source for most of the turtle soup in the western world. From tiny, newly hatched babies to full-grown adults, the farm is the home of tens of thousands of turtles. Very interesting. I do not know any of the people shown in the links, but they do take very good pictures.

Grand Cayman - Stingray City

After passing through the above attractions on the bus, one finally gets to take a boat to Stingray City. Why a large number of rays originally picked this spot to congregate, no one knows, but it's obvious why they stay. Talk about easy living. The divers, apparently servants of the rays, keep shoving food into their mouths. It is not necessary to be a scuba diver in order to see the rays close up; large glass-bottomed boats get one as close as the thickness of the glass, as the giant rays brush against it. It is a thrilling sight.

Labadee

Labadee, possibly the most beautiful beach in the Caribbean, is located on the north shore of the island of Haiti. The only way to get there is to cruise Royal Caribbean, because the line bought the beach in 1987 for the enjoyment of its customers

Labadee was originally discovered by Columbus, and his ship docked there for R and R on his maiden voyage to the new world. Unfortunately, his flagship was wrecked not far from this tropical paradise a short time later.

The problem is that once you get there you hate to leave. RCI employees run back and forth bringing drinks, setting up umbrellas and chaise lounges, and whatever else is required to make one comfortable. The sand is white, the palm trees are gorgeous, and the water is warm. A few hundred yards offshore the magnificent ship floats against a backdrop of clear blue sky. It's like living a Dorothy Lamour movie.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

El Morro Castle in old San Juan was built in the early 1500s in order to protect the city from invaders. Overlooking the beautiful harbor, the Caribbean, and the city itself, it is a walk into the days of swashbucklers, the Spanish Armada, Sir Francis Drake (who tried unsuccessfully to take the port), and other legendary characters and stories of the sixteenth century. No one interested in history should miss it.

Although I was not there long enough to take the tour, I am told that a visit to the Bacardi rum factory is very interesting. I am also told that one is provided with tasting samples to the extent that the island seems to shift under your feet as you leave the factory. It happens all the time in California, even without the tasting.

In traveling the streets of new San Juan, one wonders what happens in the event that emergency equipment has to get through. There is barely enough room for two cars to pass, and in some cases drivers park their cars so as to completely block the street, and apparently walk to their destinations. Possibly I wasn't there long enough to understand the system. I'll take OLD San Juan any time.

Martinique

Mont Pelee had been making threatening noises for the past few days, but a high government commission assured the citizens of Saint Pierre that there was no danger. Saint Pierre was often called the "Paris of the Caribbean" because of its sophistication and its modern outlook. The citizens were happy, well-dressed persons who liked to attend fancy dress balls and other entertainments similar to the ones so popular back in Paris.

Shortly after 7:00 AM on May 8, 1902, the mountain erupted, and a "glowing cloud" swept down the summit and inundated the city. A clock was stopped at 7:52, the time when all but one of the city's approximately 30,000 inhabitants died. The one survivor was in jail at the time.

Today the city is more of a village, but the museum dedicated to that fateful day has pictures and other reminders of that terrible moment in time. Going through the museum is a very sobering experience.

We took a guided tour of Martinique, viewing its wonderful plantations and tropical scenery. At one point we stopped and ate bananas directly from the tree. The pale imitations we get in the supermarket do not even seem like the same species, at least as far as flavor is concerned.

It was a rather humorous tour: the guide spoke only French and we spoke only English. He had an English language tape, which was supposed to help us understand what we were seeing, but of course the guide did not know how to synchronize the tape with the countryside we were passing through. He kept replaying the same parts of the tape over again. The scenery was so beautiful, however, that we really didn't need the tape in order to enjoy the tour.

St. Thomas

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, is justly famous as a major jewelry center. The jewelry is beautiful and the prices are usually well below prices of similar items purchased back in the states. My most outstanding memory of this beautiful island has to do with the jewelry mart.

We cruised to St. Thomas with another couple and Margy, Barbara's mother. Margy and I decided to take a helicopter tour of the area while Barbara went shopping with the our "friends." The scenery was gorgeous: beautiful clear, blue water, lush greenery, white sandy beaches; you know, just what one would expect in a tropical setting such as this. I was feeling wonderful when we landed.

My mood changed when Barbara returned to the ship. She had busted the budget on jewelry she just couldn't resist! It was beautiful, but good grief! We had a long "discussion," and the result was that we came home with the purchases. I felt a little better when I had them appraised at home for twice the amount she had paid for them.

The next time we went back to the island, it was my turn to bust the budget on a ring I couldn't resist. I didn't quite get even, but it was better than nothing. Again it was appraised back in the states for almost twice the purchase price.

Husbands, don't let your wives go shopping without you in St. Thomas.

Jamaica - Dunn's River Falls

The cruise ships stop at Ocho Rios, a city on the island of Jamaica, but since we had time for only one tour, we didn't get to see much of the city. Instead we toured Dunn's River Falls. The falls consist of one large drop at the beginning, and a long series of lower falls separated by shallow pools. The lower falls range in height from six inches to about three feet.

Special sandals are available for those who wish to negotiate the falls and the pools. Supposedly, bathing suits are not necessary but recommended, at least by me, because your are going to get very wet. If you just want to see the falls and the beautiful tropical scenery surrounding them, there is an easy trail paralleling the stream.

The stream flows into the ocean, and there is a beautiful beach where the two meet. Along the way there are rest areas, rest rooms and, of course, souvenir shops. It is a very nice tour.

To The Top

A Driving Tour of the United States

Between September 14 and October 31, 2000, Barbara and I took a driving trip across the United States and back. These are the (edited) notes we made along the way.

September 14. We left home about 9:10 a.m., and after being stuck for approximately an hour in Los Angeles traffic, we finally got on the open highway. After passing through the hills north of Los Angeles, we enjoyed the scenery: corn fields, grapevines, and other crops in California's beautiful Central Valley. We arrived in Manteca, Calif. about 4:15, and called our grandson, Danny. He came to our motel in the evening, and we spent an hour or two talking to him. I hadn't seen him since Heidi's funeral in 1997. He's 23 years old, good looking (like his grandfather), but too shy. If we are going to have any more Grunenbergers, he will have to overcome that.

Danny Is On The Right (32K)

He told us his mother would like to see us; she lives in Grant's Pass, Ore., and since we were planning to pass through there the next day, we decided we would try to see her if possible. Later in the evening Danny called back with her phone number.

September 15. Last night was not the best night's sleep I ever had. The mattress cover kept slipping off the mattress, and when I tried to put it back, I buried my pillow under it. But I managed.

Early this morning Robin (Danny's mother) called and gave us her address. We got on the road again about 9:15, and got a view of a small forest fire in northern California. We learned that our schedule is going to have to be flexible; we were figuring about an hour for lunch, but it actually took about and hour and a half. We are not going to get very far very fast if this keeps up.

The northern California mountains were beautiful, as was the weather for most of the day. In particular, 14,000+ foot high Mount Shasta was lovely with all the snow on the peak. But at the border between California and Oregon it suddenly became overcast and rain began to fall. I had heard that people from California were not particularly welcome in Oregon, but I didn't realize the immigration to Oregon was discouraged by weather control.

Since the weather was not good, and we had decided to try to see Robin anyway, we decided to stop in Grant's Pass for the night. As usual we got lost on our way to Robin's home, but we finally found it, and had a nice time renewing acquaintance with our former daughter-in-law.

She told us a very poignant story about Heidi. When Heidi was seven years old, her maternal grandfather died. At that time she decided to make a will, leaving her allowance to her brother, her cat to her mother, and other bequests of the things a little girl would have. As Robin said, little did anyone realize that ten years later when Heidi was killed, the will would become relevant. Robin still has the cat. It was very touching.

September 16. The rain stopped during the night and the weather this morning is sunny. We got underway about 8:00, and passed through the beautiful evergreen forests between Grant's Pass and Eugene. Between Eugene and Portland we passed through some fine farmland. Turning east from Portland we followed the gorgeous Columbia River basin. As we zipped along at 70 miles per hour, it was hard to imagine the difficulties that faced Lewis and Clark as they followed this same river almost 200 years ago. Turning north into Washington the scenery turned to prairie except for a few farms, and we finally reached Pasco, Wash., where we spent the night.

September 17. This morning we got underway about 9:00, and passed more rolling prairie until we were approaching Spokane, Wash., at which time the scenery changed to evergreen forests. From Spokane the prairies and rolling hills again prevailed. We passed Barbara's favorite place, the outlet mall, but I managed to convince her we would not have room for any stuff from there.

David & Maggie (17K)

We arrived at David (our son) and Maggie's house in Rathdrum, Idaho, around noon, and after a short visit went on to Coeur d'Alene to register at our motel. We returned to their house and while Dave and I wandered around their beautiful garden and had a long talk, Barbara and Maggie were having their own discussion. By 6:00 we were back at our motel.

September 18. We have really made good progress the last two days. I have been able to set the cruise control at 70 mph for an hour or two at a time, and we appear to be averaging about 27 mpg., which is better than I expected.

This morning we left about 8:45 and passed by beautiful Lake Coeur d'Alene. The Chamber Of Commerce says this is one of the ten most beautiful lakes in the world. I don't know if that's true, but it could be, with the blue water and the evergreen forests all around.

The evergreens prevailed until we passed Missoula, Mont., and then the countryside changed to a valley containing farms and grazing cattle - it's similar to the central California area.

When we were about 40 miles from Bozeman, Mont., the road was being repaired and gravel had been laid down. Some dude barreled past me too fast for the conditions and flicked up a stone that put an eight-inch crack in my windshield. I hope I don't have to have that repaired right away.

September 19. We started out for Yellowstone National Park, and of course we got lost, so we had to come back and start over.

The highway passes through gorgeous forests. We soon came to a roadblock, and after we had waited for about twenty minutes, some man came by and told us it would be another fifteen or twenty minutes until it was cleared. When we finally got going again, we passed a bunch of emergency vehicles by the road, but we couldn't see what it was that they were concerned with.

In Yellowstone we stopped to view a group of elk: a bull and a harem of five or six cows, which was browsing beside the road. Of course we also saw several buffalo. We looked around for a few minutes at the Norris Geyser Basin's museum, and as we stepped out to look at the geysers, the rains came. It didn't appear as if they were going to stop any time soon, and since we had been to Yellowstone only three months before, we decided to leave.

When we arrived in West Yellowstone, we decided to visit the Yellowstone Park Museum. The museum detailed the history of the park from the days of the Indians through the development by the railroads. There were videos of the earthquake of 1959 and the fires of 1988. It was very interesting.

On the way to the park we came across something that was new to us Southern Californians, although we found out later that it is fairly common in the rest of the country. Along the road to Yellowstone we saw an occasional cross beside the road. In one spot there was a group of four. Some had wreaths or flags on them, and we finally figured out that they marked places where someone had been killed along the highway. They are put in place by the relatives of the deceased. Although the road does wind a bit, it's not really that difficult, although I suppose if you have been drinking, or hit a patch of ice, or drive too fast, you could have a fatal accident. Anyway, it was new to us. Later in our trip we heard that some states are trying to take over the placement of the crosses, and charge the relatives for the service.

The crack in our windshield had grown from eight inches in length to about 15 inches, so on the way back from the park we stopped at a glass place in Bozeman to see about replacement. I was delighted to find that they could replace it the next morning for $250. It would take only an hour and a half. We were very happy about that.

I thought the day might turn out very badly when Barbara discovered she had lost her sunglasses. Fortunately the sky was overcast so she didn't miss them too much. When we arrived back at our motel, she called the restaurant where we had eaten the night before, and found she had left them there. Saved a lot of trouble.

Tonight we had the best dinner of our trip at Ferraro's Italian Restaurant. The food was excellent - perhaps a little more expensive than some - but we got what we paid for.

September 20. We returned to the glass repair place at 9:00 this morning, and by 10:00 we were back on the road. The scenery was similar to that which we had been seeing before: some farms, grazing land and rolling hills.

When we crossed the Wyoming border the scenery changed to more farming, with some green fields which had apparently been irrigated. Very pretty.

We arrived in Buffalo, Wyo., about 3:15, and upon looking around the town, we discovered the Jim Gatchell Western Museum. There we found dioramas from the Wagon Box Fight, the Johnson County Cattle War, and other scenes from the 1800s. There were many Native American artifacts, antique gun collections, and stories about Calamity Jane, Red Cloud and others. There was also a small memorial to the occupants of a bomber that crashed nearby in 1943. For two dollars each, we received quite an education about the times when America was neither so tame nor so friendly.

September 21. We left Buffalo about 8:30, and headed for the Devil's Tower. After we turned off the interstate at Gillette, the scenery on the drive to the tower lived up to its reputation of being extremely beautiful. An additional bonus was the sighting of two groups of antelopes of four or five animals each, within about 100 feet of the road. They are such beautiful animals.

Several miles from the tower, we saw the huge column of rock thrusting upward from the prairie. Even from this distance it is a majestic sight.

Just before arriving at the tower we came upon the huge "prairie dog town." The little animals came almost to the road, and I spent a few minutes trying to get one of them to stand up for a picture, but he wouldn't cooperate.

An Indian legend says the tower was formed by a low rock which grew rapidly when several little girls took refuge on it in order to escape from an attacking bear. The grooves in the side of the tower were gouged by the bear's claws as he attempted to reach the girls.

Science says the tower was formed by an underground volcanic eruption 60 million years ago. Over the eons the earth has eroded leaving the upright column exposed. That is probably true, but the Indian version is more picturesque. Whichever version one believes, with and altitude of 867 feet and an area of 1.25 acres at the top, it is quite an imposing sight.

I must mention the lunch we had at the Eleventh Hour Grill in Spearfish, S.D. The restaurant doesn't look like much, but the chef prepares gourmet food at fast food prices. The salads are made with several kinds of greens (thankfully, no iceberg lettuce), and several most unusual dressings, and the sandwiches are all unique. I recommend it most highly.

We arrived in Rapid City, S.D., about 2:30, and decided to go on to Mount Rushmore immediately, rather than waiting until the next day. This is certainly an awe inspiring piece of sculpture, especially when you consider the relatively primitive tools which Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, had to use. About 90% of the work was completed by dynamite, and the knowledge the man must have had regarding explosives was fantastic.

We saw movies of Borglum's history, as well as the tools and methods used to complete the work. Several times the work was halted in order for the sculpture to study the effects of light on the rock, and several adjustments were made. For example, Washington's head was turned twenty degrees further south so that the sun would fall on the north side as late as 1:00 p.m. No one was killed during the work, and there were only two minor injuries during the entire time. In my opinion, everyone should get to see this work.

When we returned to our motel, the weather forecast was for snow the next day. We were glad we had gone out to the monument today instead of waiting until the next day as we had originally planned.

September 22. This morning it was raining when we got up, but we decided to leave anyway and go to Mitchell, S.D. We had originally planned to visit the Badlands today, but decided to skip that. During the afternoon we heard on the radio that snow was falling in Rapid City, and between four and eight inches was expected at Mount Rushmore.

After we had traveled about 30 miles, the rain stopped and the road was dry. We arrived in Mitchell about 3:00 p.m., which was a little earlier than we had planned to stop for the night. The people at the motel where we had reserved a room called ahead to Sioux Falls and got us a new reservation for the night. We will have to visit the Badlands and Little Big Horn the next time.

September 23. We headed south from Sioux Falls about 9:00 on Saturday morning, and passed through some very nice farmland, primarily wheat and corn interspersed with some woodland. South of Sioux City, Iowa, we were caught in a cloudburst, which fortunately lasted only a few minutes. However, the rain continued until the next morning.

We arrived in St. Joseph, Missouri, about 3:00 p.m., and after registering at our motel, we visited the home where Jesse James was shot, and then went on to the Pony Express Museum. Both the home and the museum contained many interesting artifacts, pictures and displays illustrating events of the time.

A Red Lobster restaurant was located on the premises of our motel, which was fortunate, because the rain was very heavy all night. And the meal was delicious.

September 24. Sunday morning we left about 9:00, still in heavy rain. The scenery consisted primarily of farms broken up by woodland and rolling hills. We arrived in Hannibal, Mo., about 1:00 p.m. I was especially looking forward to this stop, since Mark Twain, who was born and raised in Hannibal, is one of my favorite authors.

After checking in and getting lunch, we went downtown and took a tour of the city on a trolley, actually a bus which had been converted to a trolley, of the town. We also visited the museum, which included Mark Twain's home, the drugstore where he lived for a while, and an annex, which contained more artifacts and a display of all the Saturday Evening Post covers that Norman Rockwell had illustrated. Rockwell was the illustrator for one of Twain's books.

September 25. The rain continued Monday morning. We left the motel about 8:30, and after breakfast we were guided through the Mark Twain cave which is featured in the story of Tom Sawyer. Although the story is fiction, the cave is not, and it was easy to see here, and in other areas of the city, the scenes that Twain described so well in his early books. After touring the cave, we stopped in a nearby Christmas store. I have seen such stores before, but none to compare to this one. There were three whole floors filled with every conceivable ornament! It was one of Barbara's dreams come true.

We left about 11:00, and although we didn't get to see very much of the river, we followed it to St. Louis, where we crossed over into Illinois. Of course we passed very close to the famous arch, which Barbara had never seen. Just after we crossed the river we thought perhaps we were going to get a change in the weather, as the sun came out. But no, after two minutes the rains came back again, throwing everything at us from light showers to heavy downpours.

We had lunch at Bob Evans restaurant in Fairfield, Ill., and we agreed it was the second best lunch of the trip so far. The scenery between St. Louis and Indiana consisted primarily of large farms with a few small farms here and there. There were also some woodlands, and some of the trees were just beginning to change color. In another week or two the colors should be at their peak.

We arrived at our motel in Dale, Ind., about 6:00, and had to travel another six or seven miles to the Chateau, where we shared the large dining room with one other party. But the food was good, the wine was passable, and the price was right. When we arrived back at our motel, we called our son, Gary, to let him know what time we would arrive on Tuesday.

September 26. Tuesday morning we left around 9:00, and passed through the Hoosier National Forest, which was the same type of forest I was used to tramping through with my dad and the Boy Scouts many years ago. I loved it.

Keeping our record perfect, we got lost once or twice on the way to Gary's place, but we finally arrived just before noon. We had a nice visit - little Gary (aged 9) and Melanie (aged 4) are very energetic. I am so happy that only young people have children, although it would be nice if they lived closer to Grandpa and Grandma.

Little Gary (18K)

Melanie (17K)

Cindy served us a light lunch, and we got back on the road about 2:00. After again getting a little confused we finally got on the right road. The countryside between Cincinnati and Dayton was reminiscent of Pennsylvania. The foliage was showing considerably more color than that we had seen the last few days.

We arrived in Dayton about 6:00, and called Sue, Barbara's sister. We have been trying to call her for the past two days, but the phone company has been rejecting our credit card. We finally solved the problem - we had been trying to call her at a nonexistent area code.

September 27. Wednesday morning we got lost a couple of times on the way to Sue's home in Fairborn, Ohio. Another phone call to her solved the problem - we were in the right neighborhood all along.

Sue is undergoing radiation treatments for cancer in her neck, and today was her treatment day. We went with her and her husband to the hospital, and the technician took Barbara along in to witness the entire procedure.

John, Sue and Barbara (31K)

Afterwards we went to lunch with Sue and her husband, and after returning to their home we had a nice visit. We got back on the road about 2:00 p.m.. We arrived in Washington, Pa., about 6:00 p.m.. It's interesting to see how, each day, the foliage takes on a little more of its fall display of reds, yellows and browns.

We called Margy, Barbara's mother to tell her we would be arriving at her house about 1:00 p.m. the next day. She will probably be working at the hospital gift shop at that time, which is OK with us - it will give us a little time to get unpacked and organized.

September 28. As we traveled through the mountains of western Pennsylvania on Thursday, the foliage, although beautiful, had still not reached its peak display of fall colors. We knew we were almost at our destination when we began passing through the lush farmlands of the south central region of the state.

We arrived at Margy's house in Manheim about 1:30. Although Margy had expected to be working today, the arthritis in her leg had been bothering her, so she stayed home. After bringing her up to date on our trip, we went to the grocery store, had a nice dinner at a local restaurant, watched a little TV, and that ended the day. We had completed the first half of our trip. We planned to stay in Manheim for two weeks, and then start the second half.

Margy (18K)

September 29 to October 12. We did many "family" things during our two weeks in Manheim: went to dinner, visited relatives and friends, etc. Barbara's family, the Dissingers, had the family reunion while we were there, so she got to see several relatives she hadn't seen for many years.

Hannah, Aiden and Meredith Dissinger With Aunt Barb and Uncle Glenn (37K)

In addition, I did some genealogy work. I spent one day at the county courthouse looking up deeds of my ancestors, another day at the Lancaster Mennonite Society looking up census records (the Society has copies of all the public census records of Lancaster County), spent some time at the Manheim Historical Society looking up some early newspaper records of my ancestors (only partially successful). We also visited the Manheim Farm Show on a cold, rainy and generally miserable day. I also got to see some of my high school classmates at a breakfast meeting they have on the first Wednesday of every month.

I also visited the farm at Sporting Hill where I spent eight years of my early life. Although the barn is still there, it is now used only for storage. Some of the land has been sold for housing, and what is left is now leased for raising alfalfa. I walked to the old woods where I had spent so many happy hours, but it is so overgrown with vines and bushes that I couldn't even get in. It was bittersweet.

October 12. We left Manheim about 10:15 and arrived in Alexandria, Va., about 1:15. After signing in at our motel, we toured the nearby Woodlawn Plantation, which George Washington gave as a wedding present to his nephew. Much of the original furniture is still in the house, and it was a very interesting tour.

Adjacent to Woodlawn is the Pope-Leighey house, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. A small house, all the walls are finished in wood, and the furniture, also wood, looks built in, although it is actually movable. It is amazing how Wright could utilize the small space that was available.

October 13. We spent the day at Mount Vernon,taking a couple of tours and wandering all over the plantation. As usual, we got lost on the way back to the motel, but we finally returned safe and sound.

October 14. It was not a very good night. Some guy was out in the courtyard of our motel, playing his guitar and singing along until very late. About three this morning someone started screaming at his girl friend. We had scheduled a bus tour of Washington, D.C. today, and we had to be ready to catch the bus at 6:15 a.m., an ungodly hour.

In spite of the problems, we made it somehow, and had a wonderful time. The wait for the White House tour was two hours, and one and a half hours for the Capitol, so we opted for extra time at the Smithsonian, where we visited the Museum of American History and the Air and Space Museum. In two hours we covered one half of one floor of one building, and there are five buildings with three floors each. Someday we would like to go back and spend more time there.

October 15. We left Alexandria about 10:45 and arrived in Colonial Williamsburg at 12:45. As usual in the Middle Atlantic States, we passed farms and towns, but mostly we were passing through areas of both conifers and deciduous trees. A pretty drive.

After checking in we bought our three day tickets to Colonial Williamsburg. Walked through the town, heard a speech by the governor, and saw how the assembly was set up.

October 16. This morning we heard a wonderful talk by a lady in 18th. century costume. Her subject was Marriage and Morals in the 1770s. She was excellent.

After lunch at Merchants Square, we attended an excellent portrayal of John Ireland, an itinerant minister, or as he called it, a Separate Baptist. Afterward we toured the palace. Then we went to the capitol where a salute to the governor was planned. He deliberately snubbed the people, or the patriots as he called them, by not showing up. As a result, the crowd got a bit rowdy.

October 17. This morning we drove down the beautiful Colonial Parkway, which connects the cities of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. The foliage was gorgeous.

A National Park Ranger gave us a tour of the original Jamestown site, and then we went through the museum. Afterward we sent to Jamestown Settlement where a replica of Powhatan's village was set up. In addition, there were replicas of the three ships that brought the original settlers, and also of the original Jamestown Fort.

While taking a scenic drive around Jamestown island, we came across a beautiful doe standing in the middle of the highway. Later, while driving back to our motel, a buck bounded across the highway in front of our car. We were told that there are more deer on the island now then there were during the settlement days.

Tonight, at the Aberdeen Barn in Williamsburg. we had our best dinner so far. Barbara had a filet mignon that she could cut with a fork, and I had scallops. She is a bit fussy about her steak, but she raved about this one. The scallops were good, but I wish I had ordered the steak.

October 18. This morning we heard a talk by Lord Dunmore, in which he explained his reasons for taking the colonists' gunpowder from the magazine in Williamsburg. Afterward we heard a very stirring speech by Patrick Henry, telling, among other things, why he was extremely upset by Lord Dunmore's act.

After lunch we drove 40 miles to Chesapeake to see Uncle George and Aunt Jackie. The first thing Aunt Jackie told us was that cousin Eloise had died the previous day from breast cancer, which she had apparently been fighting for five years.

Uncle George and Aunt Jackie (25K)

We spent the evening going over pictures in Aunt Jackie's album; pictures of known and unknown (at least to me) relatives. She is always full of family history stories, all of them very interesting. We also finally were able to call our granddaughter, Gretchen, after first calling David to verify her telephone number. We had been calling the wrong one!

October 19. After again talking with my aunt and uncle, we left about 9:00 for points south - we had not made motel arrangements for tonight. Uncle George gave us excellent directions for getting back on the highway, and we only got lost for a couple of blocks. Barbara was right and I was wrong.

The scenery was pretty much what we had been seeing, beautiful foliage just reaching its peak of fall colors. We finally stopped for the night in Walterboro, S.C., where we got a great room at the Holiday Inn for only $39.00. It pays to collect those coupons at the rest stops along the way. And the dinners: fried oysters for me and soft-shelled crabs for Barbara, were delicious. The Eastern Seaboard seafood lived up to its reputation.

October 20. We ran into some very heavy rain today. The scenery changed to primarily evergreens, with the first palm trees showing up in Florida. As we got further into Florida the trees disappeared and we passed some large areas of scrub bushes and water. I assume that was swampland.

We arrived in Orlando about 5:00, and had another delicious seafood dinner directly across the street from the motel. I called Gretchen, and she and her husband and our great granddaughter are coming to have breakfast with us.

October 21. We had breakfast at the IHOP with Gretchen, Randy and Alyssa. It was a nice visit - we had not seen Gretchen for nine years, and of course we had never seen Alyssa. Gretchen told us we will have a great grandson in January. In our unbiased opinion, Alyssa is the cutest little girl ever. And of course, her mother is beautiful (again in our unbiased opinion).

The Legendre Family - Easter, 2001 (6K)

After breakfast we went to the Mennello Museum of American Folk Art. The works of Earl Cunningham are on permanent display, and his seascapes in brilliant colors were beautiful. In addition, the museum was also featuring a display of the Fantasy World of Isabel Baillen, an impressionist artist who had apparently spent much time in France. Each of her works was done by arranging thousands of tiny dots into very colorful scenes. They were gorgeous.

Also on display was the Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly, a sculpture by James Hampton. After his discharge from the army, Hampton worked as a janitor for the General Services Administration until his death in 1964. His sculptures were created from wood furniture, aluminum and gold foils, cardboard, Kraft paper, plastic, and light bulbs. He assembled 180 pieces, using glue, upholstery tacks, straight pins and wrapped foil. While the symbolism of the pieces escaped me, I could not help but admire the skill and ingenuity with which they sere created.

We left Orlando around noon, and arrived in Lake City, Fla., at 3:30. The scenery still consisted of many large swampy areas, but there were also stands of pine. Surprisingly, at least to me, was the lack of underbrush in the wooded areas. There were also a few farms along the way.

We ended the day by watching the first game of the World Series on TV.

October 22. Sunday we left Lake City about 9:00, and after crossing into the Central Time zone, we arrived in Crestview, Fla., around noon, local time. The scenery today consisted primarily of scrub pine, interspersed with some farmland, grazing areas and swampland. After the first hour or two of scrub pine, it began to be somewhat monotonous.

After registering at our motel, we drove to Niceville to see Cynthia, our niece, and her two boys. Her husband was overseas in the Air Force. Keeping our record intact, we got lost on the way, but we finally arrived there and had a nice time visiting with them. In order for us to talk reasonably easily, we took the boys to a playground where they could run and play. On the way back to the motel we stopped at a Mexican restaurant where we had a nice dinner.

October 23. We left Crestview about 9:45, bound for New Orleans. The scenery today was similar to yesterday's: scrub pine, farms, etc.

We stopped in Biloxi, Miss., long enough to visit Beauvoir (pronounced Bov-wah), signifying its "beautiful view," the home of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Of course, we got lost going from the interstate to the museum, but finally arrived and had a most interesting tour.

After a late lunch, we left Biloxi, and arrived in New Orleans around 6:00 p.m.. After dinner we called and made arrangements for two tours the following day.

October 24. This morning we took a bus tour of New Orleans. We saw some interesting sights: the unique architecture, the aboveground cemeteries, Lake Pontchartrain and others. After the tour we wandered around the huge and beautiful Riverwalk Marketplace, where we had lunch.

In the afternoon we took a ride on the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen, down the Mississippi to Chalmette Battlefield, where the decisive Battle of New Orleans was fought during the War of 1812.

Afterward we had some of that great New Orleans food: Barbara had sea bass and I had stuffed shrimp, but it was definitely different from anything we had had previously. It was wonderful.

October 25. Leaving New Orleans, we traveled several miles across Lake Pontchartrain, and then traveled across several long causeways across the Louisiana swamplands. Finally, near Lafayette, La., we started seeing farmland interspersed with woodland. It was very similar to areas we had seen in some of the northern states.

We had made reservations for the night in Beaumont, Tex., but we arrived there at 3:15, which we decided was a bit too early to stop, so we cancelled our reservations there and made new ones in Houston, where we spent the night.

October 26. Upon leaving Houston on Thursday morning, we passed through farm and grazing land, but when we turned north toward Austin, the scenery changed to scattered trees with no underbrush. Since everything is fenced in, I assume this was grazing land, although we saw very few signs of cattle. After several miles we were again passing through ranch and farm land. We also passed through Smithville, where the forgettable movie "Hope Floats" was filmed.

We reached Pflugerville, Tex., about 1:00 p.m.. After arriving at the home of our friends, Rodger and Joyce Karen Claycomb, and their three boys, Rodger, James, and Mark, we spent the rest of the day visiting with them. Joyce Karen's mother, Joyce Callazzo had been visiting with them for a few weeks, and it was our plan to have her travel back to California with us. We spent the rest of the day visiting with them.

October 27. Friday Barbara, Joyce, and I visited the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum in Austin. It is a beautiful place, with pictures from Johnson's life, a 7/8 size replica of the oval office, and all sorts of memorabilia, as well as the papers and documents he accumulated over his lifetime. It was extremely interesting.

In the evening we attended a Mexican dinner and silent auction presented by the PTO where the Claycomb boys attend school. The objects offered for bids were beautiful baskets of items ranging from foods to sports equipment to toys. Since we were just visiting, we didn't bid, so it was a delightful and inexpensive evening.

October 28. Saturday we left with our traveling companion for Fort Stockton, Tex. The scenery as we left Austin was similar to what we had seen on the way in: farms, trees, grazing, etc., but as we got closer to Fort Stockton the landscape changed to what one expects in Texas: prairie and sage brush.

We had one adventure as we neared our destination. The weather had appeared threatening most of the day, and suddenly we were in the midst of a cloudburst. It was impossible to see the highway; it was almost like driving under water. The lightening appeared to be striking all around us, and the thunder was almost deafening!

Naturally I pulled off the road to wait out the storm, but large trucks and other drivers must have had better vision than I had; they kept zooming by as if it were a bright and sunny day. We had also heard flash flood warnings on the radio, so I was concerned that I might have picked a dangerous spot to stop. Fortunately the storm passed after a short time, and we were able to continue. Also we found a gas station shortly thereafter; I had forgotten how far it is between stations in some areas of the country.

October 29. Sunday was rather uneventful. The prairie and sagebrush were again the predominant features of the landscaped until we entered New Mexico, at which point cactus began to appear. We spent the night in Wilcox, Ariz.

October 30. Monday was again relatively uneventful as we drove to Ehrenberg, Ariz., on the border with California. Again we saw a lot of cactus, although there were some areas of irrigated farmland in Arizona. Of course, in the Phoenix/Tucson area the giant saguaro cactus appeared, looking like giant humans with outstretched arms.

October 31. Tuesday, the last day of our odyssey, we stopped to tour the Joshua Tree National Park in California. The exhibits of desert ecology, as well as the strange rock formations and other features are most interesting. At one point a coyote meandered across the road in front of the car. We were forced to stop, and as he approached the side of the car, he sat and looked at us as if he were waiting for us to open the door and invite him in! Of course, we didn't.

Later another one crossed just in front of the car. We had all seen coyotes in the zoo, but none of us had ever seen one in the wild. It was exciting!

We arrived home Tuesday evening about 8:00. We had been gone just two days short of seven weeks, drove over 9,100 miles, and visited 27 states, including the District of Columbia. It was a once in a lifetime trip.

To The Top

Kokopelli Territory

Kokopelli, pictured at right, was the mystical flute player of the Anasazi Indians in the southwestern United States. From June 18 through June 26, 2001 we took a tour of parts of Utah, the Navajo Nation in Utah and Arizona, and the Grand Canyon, all lying well within the borders of Kokopelli Country.

We left home at 6:15 a.m. on Monday, June 18. Previously I had thought that 6:15 came only in the evening, and it was a great shock when the alarm sounded at 5:15.

Anyway, we met Barbara's sister Cathy, and her husband Tom at the Las Vegas airport about 11:00, and after passing through a typical Vegas traffic jam, we arrived in Zion, Utah about 5:30. After checking in at the Bumbleberry Inn, we had dinner and called it a day.

Tuesday morning we caught the shuttle for a one-mile ride to Zion National Park, where we transferred to the in-park shuttle. We rode to the end of the line, then walked about a mile up the river and back. We also followed the trail to the lowest of the three Emerald Pools.

After taking the shuttle back to the Inn, we left for the Bryce Canyon Motel, where each couple had a separate cabin for the night. Following a delicious meal at the adjoining restaurant, we spent the night in the quietest, most peaceful setting we could imagine. The Motel is situated in a remote area.

Wednesday we drove about a mile to the station where we caught the shuttle to Bryce Canyon As with most national parks, the shuttle loops around the park, and tourists may disembark at any of several areas of interest. In addition to the beautiful hoodoos, we got to see a deer and several wild turkeys.

After touring the canyon, we drove to Moab, Utah, near Arches National Park. The park was closed for the night, but we did follow the trail through a nature garden at the visitors' center.

Thursday we toured the park in the morning. At this park there are no shuttle buses, so we were able to follow the loop in the car. It is hard to understand how nature could form those beautiful structures.

After the tour we drove to the Four Corners National Monument. At this point we had entered the Navajo Nation, a 16,000,000-acre reservation covering parts of Utah, Colorado and Arizona.

From Four Corners we drove to Bluff, Utah, where we spent the night in the excellent Desert Rose Inn.

Friday we passed through the Valley of the Gods on the way to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. The monumental rocks were spectacular, but the road was so rough that I resolved to have the car inspected for permanent damage when we arrived home.

After lunch we drove through the Painted Desert on the way to Flagstaff, Arizona. In my opinion Disney vastly overrated the beauty of the Painted Desert. If it had not been shown on the map, we would not have realized it was special.

When we arrived in Flagstaff, we found that our reservation was at a different Hampton Inn from Cathy and Tom's reservation. Between the two inns, however, we were transferred to the correct inn, and all ended happily.

Saturday we caught the van to the Grand Canyon at 8:45 a.m. On the way to the canyon we passed through Williams, Arizona, where a Harley convention was under way. I never saw so many motorcycles in my life.

As always, the canyon was spectacular, and even though we ran into some thunderstorms, we enjoyed the tour. We arrived back in Flagstaff about 6:30.

Sunday we drove to Sedona, Arizona after stopping at the beautiful Oak Creek Canyon on the way. Sedona's Red Rock surrounding was beautiful, and we drove up the road to the airport for a spectacular view of the area.

After touring the area we were again on our way, this time to Las Vegas. On the way we drove across Hoover Dam, which we had never seen. It was an interesting experience.

We checked in to the Carriage House about 5:00 p.m., and wandered around the MGM and New York, New York casinos, stopping at Wolfgang Puck's for dinner.

Monday about 9:15 we caught a bus for a tour of Hoover Dam. The guided tour of the dam gave us a view of the huge generators, and took us through the great tunnels within the dam itself.

Arriving back at the hotel about 3:00, we wandered through the casinos. We also got to see the water show at the Bellagio, and then dropped a few quarters before going back to the hotel.

Tuesday the four of us had breakfast, and then we said goodbye to Cathy and Tom and left for home. They were taking a shuttle from the hotel to the airport. It was a good trip, but it was also nice to be home. Since the temperature had been near 100 degrees every day of the trip, it was also nice to get back to the eighties.

To The Top

Into the Past

During May 2005 we decided to visit the state of Virginia, the location of five presidential homes and museums, as well as numerous civil war battlefields. This is a diary of the trip, followed by a personal review of some of the sites.

May 9: We left home about 9:20, headed for Alexandria. After several stops, detours and other confusions, we arrived about 1:00 p.m. By that time food seemed more important to us than lodging, so we had a very nice lunch at the Southside 815 (coincidentally the door number) restaurant, and then went looking for a room.

Our preferred motel was the Best Western, but it was fully booked, so we went next door to the Holiday Inn, which was very nice, and pricey to match.

We had read about the historic walking tour of the city, but we were very disappointed. There were indeed many old buildings, each marked with a brass plaque with its name and construction date, but nothing in the way of its history, and none were open to the public. In our opinion the walking tour is over-rated. Our trip had roared off to a shaky start.

May 10: After breakfast we left for Mount Vernon, the home of the late George Washington. Since the motel is on the street which leads to the mansion, we arrived with no wrong turns and no backtracking! As they used to say in the 1700s, "Huzzah!"

We toured the house, grounds and out-buildings, enjoyed the fine weather, and had a fine lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn.

Upon returning to our motel we had a drink in the lounge and dinner in the dining room. Today's satisfaction made up for the disappointment of yesterday.

May 11: Today we left our motel about 9:00, and headed for Fredericksburg.

The first stop was the James Monroe museum, which occupies the small building that originally housed his law office. After a guided tour of the building, we were left to examine the numerous artifacts which belonged to our fifth president and his family. Many of the items were purchased in France during the time he served as the U.S. emissary under Thomas Jefferson.

Within the Fredericksburg area are some of the most important and bloodiest battlegrounds of the Civil War, so our next stop was the battlefield visitors' center. After watching the obligatory movie, we decided to drive to Spotsylvania Court House. On the way we reverted to our usual practice of making wrong turns, passing our objective, and backtracking.

But eventually we arrived there, and visited the small but excellent museum, which is located in an old school building near the battlefield. The artifacts date from the period between the Civil War and the beginning of the 20th century. The docent was particularly helpful and knowledgeable.

After eating lunch at a small restaurant nearby, we returned to Fredericksburg, and took a self-guided walking tour of the national battlefield and cemetery. During the battle Lee's troops were situated on a hill overlooking a wide flat area which Grant's forces had to cross. As the Union army attacked, the Confederates were able to fire down on them, and the battle turned into a slaughter.

Today the hill is a national cemetery, and of the 15,000+ graves, less than 2,500 have been identified. Many of the graves contain more than one body; only the plot number and the number of bodies are noted on the markers. Visiting here is a very sobering experience.

May 12: After a brief stop at the visitors' center for the battle of Chancellorsville, we headed for Montpelier, the home of James Madison. In addition to serving as our fourth president, he is perhaps best known as the father of the Constitution.

The home has had several wings added since the Madisons lived there, and the trust which administers the property is in the process of returning it to its original size and appearance. Because of the construction, the tour of the mansion is not very enlightening, and we decided not to complete it. We did see an interesting movie explaining what the trust hopes to accomplish.

The Education Center had re-creations of two Madison rooms from the mansion: the Dining Room and Dolley Madison's Chamber, as well as an exhibit of period furniture presented as a "timeline" of the lives of the Madison family. We also took a walking tour of the nature trail, which leads through one of the few remaining tracts of untouched woodland in the state.

Upon leaving the property, we drove to Orange and had some very unusual and delicious sandwiches at a small, and I think, unique restaurant.

After lunch we descended upon the Madison museum in Orange, which displays a great many artifacts actually owned by the Madisons. It also contains a pictorial history of the city of Orange. It was interesting seeing the pictures from the early 20th century, and noting how the styles, autos, etc. have changed.

Also of interest was a large area devoted to farming and farm implements, ranging from the 1700s to the first third of the 20th century. Many of the tools and equipment were the same as the ones my grandfather used when I lived at Sporting Hill. If they are now antiques, what does that make me?

May 13: We had the Continental Breakfast at the motel, and were on our way to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, by 9:00. After looking around the visitors' center for a short time we drove to the mansion parking lot, where we were taken by bus to the mansion itself.

The mansion and grounds were impressive, and we took several guided tours. Afterwards we walked back to the parking lot - a distance of about half a mile - and drove to the nearby Michie Tavern for lunch. The "Ordinary" of the tavern is a dining area with a colonial motif and menu. It was an interesting experience, and the food was delicious.

We drove on to the Days Inn in Staunton. Perched high atop a hill, the Inn itself is so-so, but the view is excellent. We had dinner at a nearby Cracker Barrel, including a delicious Chocolate cobbler, which we shared. We are looking forward to sharing another at our first opportunity.

May 14: Staunton is the home of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library as well as house in which Wilson was born, although the family moved while he was still an infant. However, much of the furniture in the house was there when he lived there, so it is authentic.

The library depicts his life history, and contains the actual 1919 Pierce-Arrow limousine which he used during his presidency. Of course, it is in A1 condition.

From there we went to the Frontier Cultural Museum. This consists of working farms with the buildings imported from Germany, Ireland and England, and of course, an American farm. All were from the 17th, 18th or 19th century. I was particularly interested in the farm from County Tyrone in Ireland, which is where Grandmom Grunenberger was born. The American farm was from the mid 19th century, although except for the kitchen it was not very different from Grandpa Kauffman's farm at Sporting Hill.

By the time we left the weather was turning threatening, and about 5:00 there was a violent thunderstorm.

May 15: We drove to the town of Appomattox Court House, where Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to U.S. Grant. We watched two movies about the surrounding battlefield, and toured the many Civil War exhibits in the court house.

We had lunch in the nearby town of Appomattox, and returned to take a self guided walking tour of the court house area, which included the McLain house where the actual surrender took place.

About 2:30 it started to rain, so we drove to Farmville, and checked in to the Comfort Inn. It was raining heavily, so we read for a few hours, then walked across the parking lot to a Mexican restaurant for a nice dinner.

May 16: I had reserved a room at Day's Inn in Williamsburg, but when we arrived we discovered that the Inn was no longer part of the Day's chain. It looked a bit run down, so I cancelled our reservation there and got another at a Day's Inn closer to Colonial Williamsburg. We had stayed there on a previous visit, so we knew what to expect.

Actually it was too early to check in, so we drove directly to the Visitors' Center and bought annual tickets to the colonial area. Obviously we hope to get back again within the next year. We had lunch at the nearby Huzzah restaurant.

After taking the bus to the colonial area, we attended a demonstration of music and dancing from the 18th century. We also visited the Bindery, which we had not realized was a separate business from the printing of the time. Printers' output consisted primarily of newspapers, pamphlets and other unbound items, while the binders made ledgers and blank account books for plantation owners and business men. There were bibles and other bound books during the colonial times, but they were not produced by the small printing and bindery shops.

After purchasing sodas from a non-colonial vending machine, we registered at the Inn, and went to dinner at the Seafarer, a restaurant near the motel. It was a bit pricey, but worth it.

May 17: We had breakfast at the Gazebo, a restaurant next to the Inn, and caught the shuttle to the colonial area by 9:00. After a tour of the palace, we went to a scheduled lecture by Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately Mr. Jefferson had a scheduling conflict, so Patrick Henry substituted for him. The Q & A session was particularly interesting, since the speaker was extremely well acquainted with the period. In particular, he was very knowledgeable about the philosophy of Mr. Henry.

After lunch at Season's restaurant we had a talk on sheep raising and a demonstration of shearing. We now know more about it than we ever wanted to know.

Afterward we took an archeological tour in which was demonstrated the painstaking work of digging up, reconstructing and interpreting the many artifacts at Williamsburg. I found it fascinating, but Barbara got a bit bored. I will admit the leader was somewhat underwhelming in his delivery.

We also enjoyed an interesting tour of the cabinet maker's shop. The work done here is an art because it is done using the very basic hand tools of the 18th century.

By then it was time to return to the motel, where we spent a short time before walking a block or two the Mirabella's, a nearby Italian restaurant. Of course, we had to browse the neighboring Christmas Shop after dinner. It was a busy day.

May 18: After breakfast again at the Gazebo, we checked out of the motel and were ready to board the shuttle by 9:00.

This time Thomas Jefferson was able to make it for his talk on horticulture. He was very knowledgeable as he explained much about 18th century garden design as exemplified in the palace grounds.

Our last demonstration was about women's travel problems at the end of the 18th century. The lady was in costume, and was perched in a "riding chair," which was pulled by a single horse. She explained the mode of dress, the highways, overnight facilities, and other inconveniences of the times.

Then the rains came, so we returned to the visitors' center and drove to the Cracker Barrel for lunch.

We were on our way home by 12:45. After making a few rest stops and contending with some very heavy traffic around Washington and Baltimore, we arrived back in Lititz about 6:45. We went directly to the Family Cupboard for dinner.

To The Top

A Witness Tour

Anyone who has toured a major movie studio knows that what one sees on the screen is not reality. Not only are special effects created to give the impression of reality or fantasy, but also creative license is taken with things as they really are. As our guide on the Witness tour stated, "It doesn't have to be true as long as it's exciting." During the tour, she continuously pointed out the movie's discrepancies from real Amish life.

We boarded the tour bus at 1:30 on September 23, 2005. The first stop was at the Lancaster Cultural History Museum in downtown Lancaster. Located in the Old City Hall which was built in 1797, and the old Masonic Hall, the buildings themselves are steeped in history. Barbara and I had not been to the downtown area for almost 40 years; just seeing the many changes which have taken place was interesting to us. I discussed a few of the things I remembered with our guide, and although she concurred with some of them, a few were before her time. Such a young thing - probably only in her mid 60s.

The ground floor is devoted to a display of Amish life, with emphasis on the differences between these gentle people and the surrounding culture. Three samplers are on display, all from Lancaster County in the early 1800s - one each made by girls from Quaker, Amish and Mennonite religions. There is very little difference. At that time, the Amish did not appear to be different from any other rural farmers. The split came in the late 19th century, when the "old order" Amish decided to maintain the very plain appearance and simple way of life that they had been practicing. Other areas of the display focus on the evolution of Amish language, religion, schools and commerce as they were forced to make adaptations to the society around them.

In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the movie Witness, the second floor of the museum is devoted to the people and scenes from the movie. Here we saw Harrison Ford's (John Book in the movie) carpenter's chest from the barn raising scene, and Kelly McGillis' (Rachel Lapp) agateware pot from the kitchen scene. Several costumes were on loan from the studio.

The third floor display consisted of re-creations of scenes from the movie: the bench on which Book rebuilt the purple martin birdhouse damaged by his car, implements, both horse drawn and human drawn, that were used in farming over the years, and a large scale model of a barn's structure. We were not able to devote as much time as we would have liked to viewing the exhibits, and we plan to return for a longer visit.

Our next stop was the farm on which the movie was filmed. At that time it belonged to a Mennonite family - no Amish family would have allowed such an event. It is nestled in a valley and cannot be seen from the nearby road.

Eight weeks were spent in preparing the farm; the actual filming took six more weeks. Only the front of the house was painted; the back and sides did not appear in the film. Electric lights in several of the rooms were removed and the switches were plastered over. After the filming the crew needed location diagrams in order to replace them. The green shutters were removed and painted white. The director didn't like that so they were removed again and painted gray, but finally they were left off entirely.

The silo plays an important part in the film, but the one on the farm could not be used. A special one was built with Plexiglas sides at an iron works in Lancaster, and the scenes were shot there. In the movie one of the bad guys is suffocated with dry corn falling on him in the silo. First of all, silos are filled from the bottom up; there is no way anything could fall on him. And dry corn is never stored in a silo; only ensilage, ground corn stalks used for cattle feed, is stored in a silo. So much for reality!

In one scene in the barn, Book drops through a hole to the cow stable below. We examined the hole - there is a 20 foot drop to the lower floor. A man dropping through there would break at least one leg, perhaps both.

Some other reality problems:

(1) "We've got a barn to build, and only a day to do it." From the shadows cast by the sun, the barn building started about noon instead of the crack of dawn.

(2) In the opening scene there is no sink by the door, however it appears in all the later scenes.

(3) Book's Volkswagen suffered a broken windshield when it collided with the birdhouse. Later it appears with the windshield miraculously restored. Apparently a spare VW windshield was something stocked by every Amish farm.

(4) A hand gun in a cabinet drawer is facing left at one camera angle, and right at the next.

(5) At the confrontation scene in the barn, Book's shirt tail is out; the camera then cuts away, and when it cuts back his shirt is tucked in.

Upon leaving the farm we drove through some of the other areas featured in the movie. When Book asked the location of the nearest public phone, Rachel told him it is in Strasburg. It was actually in Intercourse, and that's where the scene was filmed, but for some unknown reason the director elected to change the name. I wonder why.

One of the scenes was filmed in front of a local store in Intercourse. The proprietor was asked for permission to use his store front as the backdrop, to which he consented. He imagined there would be a small truck and a few actors. Instead there were two tractor-trailer loads of equipment, cars, actors, lighting and sound people as well as a chef, and the street was closed for two days.

As a sidelight, there are several versions of how "Intercourse," originally known as "Cross Keys," got its name. (1) A gentleman planned to sell town lots through a lottery drawing, and it got the name "Intercourse" because that's the name he used in the ads. (2) It was a muddling of the expression "Enter Course" at a local race track. (3) The town was located at the intersection (intercoursing) of two roads. I told Barbara I could think of a fourth one, but she told me not to bother.

The whole tour lasted slightly over three hours, and turned out to be very interesting. Upon arriving back at the Visitors' Center, we bought the DVD.

The Witness Barn (79K)

To The Top

Cruising the California Wine Country

Although Barbara and I had learned to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, and had made a few quick visits to wineries on past trips, we really didn't know much about wine. I would venture a guess that a vast majority of wine drinkers were like us: we knew what we liked but that was the extent of our knowledge. So since cruising is one of our favorite activities, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that a cruise was available which specialized in teaching passengers about wines and wineries. Along with another couple that also indulges in the same things, we met with our travel agent and signed up.

We knew we would be leaving California permanently at the end of October, 2004, and since the cruise was scheduled from October 11th to 15th, the timing was perfect. Also the port of embarkation was San Francisco; accordingly we arrived a couple of days early so that we could have a last visit to the beautiful (expensive) city by the bay.

We received an unexpected bonus. The Italian residents of the city were staging their annual Columbus Day celebration, and the parade formed just outside our hotel window. It was a very colorful affair.

The four of us assembled in the hospitality room of the cruise line about an hour before the scheduled pickup time, which gave us a chance to meet some of the people who would be on the ship with us. Since we were traveling on a "small ship," there were only about 75 fellow travelers to meet.

We were taken by bus to the pier where our ship, the Spirit of Endeavor, was docked. As we boarded we met the entire crew, all 17 individuals. Upon being escorted to our cabins, we were surprised to learn that there were no locks on the doors! Fortunately this was not a problem.

Anyone who has taken a cruise on one of the big liners is accustomed to being inundated day and night with various activities. Even in port there is a library, swimming pool, games - all sorts of things for the person who does not feel like going ashore. At night there are shows, (perhaps I should say extravaganzas), parties, dances, you name it.

Not so on the wine cruise. The philosophy is that the passengers are there because of their interest in wines and wineries, and that is where the activities are concentrated.

All day every day is spent visiting wineries or other interesting places on shore, and if you are going to remain on the ship, you may as well plan on spending the day in bed. (This could be interesting under the right conditions, but what do you do after the first half hour?)

The first morning we woke up to find the ship docked several miles up the Napa River. The captain was spotted loading bottled water on the bus which was waiting to take us to our first destination. Did I mention this was a very informal cruise?

Each day we woke up in a new location. Usually we were bussed to three wineries each day, however, on one day we visited only two wineries; the rest of the day we spent visiting the beautiful and unique city of Sausalito. Even there we were encouraged to visit a wine shop where a tasting session was presented.

The winery tours covered not only the processing plants, but at several stops included a tram tour of the vineyards themselves. Lunch was always served at one of the wineries, and was usually quite extensive. Of course every winery included a wine tasting session. The main buildings at each location were huge, and ranged in design from manor type structures to magnificent Victorian homes to Italian style villas. All were beautiful.

We usually arrived back on board a half hour or so before dinner. Most passengers gathered in the lounge, and just before it was time to go to the dining room, the chef would appear and present the menu for the evening meal. While the selections were not quite as extensive as they are on the big ships, they always featured unusual entrees.

There was also a wine expert on board, and wine tasting was again de rigueur after dinner. He would explain the aroma, bouquet and all that other stuff about the wines he was featuring. I guess I don’t have a very sensitive nose because I could never detect what he was trying to display. Plus we were pretty well "wined out” by this time of day.

In addition to the wines, the scenery was gorgeous. We steamed the length of San Francisco Bay, and were treated to such things as close-up views of Alcatraz and Angel Island, the beautiful skyline of the city, and sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge. We passed an area where the Navy has 50 ships in mothballs, and although it was at night, the captain called it to our attention and illuminated the scene with a powerful spotlight.

Upon debarkation the crew, which we had come to know very well by this time, lined up to extend their best wishes and goodbyes. I still didn't know that much about wine, although I had a greater appreciation of those who do.

Wine Cruise Pictures. This may take a minute or two to load.

To The Top

Cruising New England

From October 7 through October 14, 2006 we were on a cruise from Boston to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with several stops along the way. Before embarking on the actual cruise, we planned to spend two full days exploring Boston with some friends who were coming from Texas to meet us. In addition, we decided to add something a bit different to the mix: travel round trip from Lancaster to Boston on Amtrak. Of course, we had to get to Lancaster on our own, but with parking in the station lot costing only $4.00 per day, that was not a big problem.

We left Lancaster at 9:58 a.m. on October 4 and arrived at Philadelphia's 30th street station about 11:15. During an hour and a half layover we had lunch in the station's food court.

The train ride to Boston was relaxing - it gave us a chance to see some new scenery, catch up on some reading and play a game of scrabble. (Playing scrabble without a dictionary requires that participants eschew obfuscation and prolixity so that the probability of displaying an uncommon linguistic terminology is infinitesimal. As I understand it, both Barbara and I qualify).

We arrived in Boston about 6:15 in the evening. Then the real adventure began! Several days before we left I had called the concierge to ask for directions from the railroad station to the hotel. He told me we could walk from the station to the hotel through a large mall. It was a HUGE understatement! We had to drag and carry our bags about a mile and a half through several malls, up and down steps and escalators. Because of the distance and the fact that we didn't know where we were going, we had to make frequent stops, mostly to rest, but also to ask for directions. While towing one bag and carrying another, I fell on one of the escalators. Fortunately the only damage was to my ego.

By the time we finally arrived at the Sheraton we were not in a very good mood! However, after a rather pricey dinner, including some good wine, our spirits revived somewhat.

Our friends arrived about 9:30, so we accompanied them to dinner. While they ate, we had more wine, which improved our spirits even more. We were now ready for bed. Day one had passed eventfully.

Thursday, October 5: We met our friends for breakfast at 9:00. We all agreed that we wanted to visit the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, which involved taking several subways (Green Line, Red Line) and a bus. Somehow we managed to navigate all this without getting lost.

The Museum is located on Dorchester Bay, and through the multi-story windows one gets a beautiful view of Boston Harbor. The spot was chosen because Kennedy had been a big fan of the ocean.

The museum displays told about JFK's privileged childhood, his service in WWII, his time in Congress and of course, his presidency. Highlights along the way spotlighted his tremendous physical problems, his struggle over the Cuban missile crisis, and his efforts to combat segregation and nuclear proliferation. His major failure, the Bay of Pigs fiasco, was also noted.

We also saw a movie about his mother, Rose Kennedy, and the effect she had on his life, as well as the many public spirited things she has done. Other exhibits illustrated John's relation with Jackie. No mention was made of his relations with other women. We all agreed that our visit to the JFK museum was a day well spent.

By 4:30 we were ready to return to the hotel (bus, Red Line, Green Line) and relax with a glass of wine. On the way we picked up another bit of information: seniors may travel the Boston subways for less than half price. Unfortunately we were unable to get a refund for the full fare we had paid in the morning.

At the suggestion of the concierge, we had dinner at the Legal Seafood Restaurant (If it's not fresh, it's not legal). This must be one of Boston's finest restaurants, because the next day in other parts of the city we were again advised to go there for seafood. One can also tell the food is good because of the long lines and waiting time. We all agreed the suggestion was a good one - the restaurant is excellent.

Friday, October 6: We met at 9:00 for breakfast. Again on the advice of the concierge we walked a few blocks to Charlie's, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. It's apparently a big favorite of the locals - the walls are covered with autographed pictures of customer-celebrities. And the food is excellent.

After breakfast we returned to the hotel, where we caught a tour trolley to follow the Freedom Trail. Marked by a line of red bricks in the sidewalk, the trail begins at Boston Common and ends two and a half miles away at the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). Along the way the trail passes the Granary Burying Ground, where patriots John Hancock, Paul Revere and Samuel Adams are buried; the Old State House, built in 1713; the Paul Revere house, the Old North Church, and the Bunker Hill Monument, as well as other historical sites.

We rode the trolley part of the way, and then walked for a while. After again boarding the trolley, we rode to Old Ironsides and toured the deck area and the nearby museum. We arrived too late in the day to explore below deck.

Saturday, October 7: Boarding day for the ship. Since we had done some unpacking during our stay in Boston, we repacked and then went for breakfast at the food court in the mall. The bus for the pier left at 12:30, and we were at the ship by 1:00. Because we had been on several prior cruises with Royal Caribbean, we could utilize the fast check in; it took about 15 minutes,

After we found our cabin, we went to the Windjammer Cafe for lunch, and then unpacked our bags. A drink in the Schooner Bar, a little shopping, some relaxing, dinner and exploring the ship filled in the rest of the day.

Sunday, October 8: Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts was so named after the mother-in-law and daughter of the explorer who first sailed to the island, and the wild grapevines which grew there. Under the circumstances, we would have been very surprised to see Martha, but neither did we see the grapevines, which I assume are still there.

We took an hour long bus ride to the town of Edgarton, where we were turned loose for two hours to explore the homes of the whaling captains (whaling was the major industry in the 19th century), the shops and the harbor. A short guided tour would have been nice.

After an excellent seafood lunch at a local restaurant, we were bussed back to our starting point.

Along the way we were treated to stories about the island, the towns located there and some of the celebrities who have homes there.

We also got the islanders' view of the Chappaquiddick incident involving Ted Kennedy. We were not surprised to find that this version was tinged with major cynicism. The feeling is that the 40 minutes he spent going for help could have been better spent in trying to free the passenger from the auto.

We had a few minutes before our tender returned to the ship, so we toured several small souvenir shops in the area.

I was not particularly impressed with this tour.

Rating on a 1 - 5 scale: 2. Saved by a good lunch and a humorous bus driver.

Monday, October 9: The Lighthouses of Portland, Maine tour took us to three lighthouses: Spring Point Ledge, Portland Breakwater Lighthouse and Portland Head Light.

The Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse is connected to the shore by a manmade breakwater. We were able to walk out and inspect the light, although we could not go inside. We also got to explore the remnants of Fort Preble, an abandoned fort located on the grounds of the state park.

The Portland Breakwater Light is also known as Bug Light because of its small size. For security reasons the light was turned off in 1942 and remained off until 2002. It's cute.

Also nearby is an artistic tribute to the Liberty ships of WWII.

The Portland Head Light has been shining since 1791. The keeper's quarters have been converted into a first class lighthouse museum, which tells the story of not only the current lighthouse, but also the evolution of lighthouse lenses from the 18th century to today.

The grounds feature hiking trails, picnic areas, beautiful foliage and gorgeous views of the coastline and sea.

This was an excellent tour.

Rating on a 1 - 5 scale: 5.

Tuesday, October 10: Bar Harbor, or as the natives say, "Ba Haba" is located adjacent to Acadia National Park, a premier area for viewing fall foliage. In addition to the beautiful colors, the 27-mile drive along Park Loop Road gave us gorgeous views of ocean swells, granite sea cliffs and a 360 degree panoramic view from the top of Mount Cadillac. The 1,530 foot high summit is the first place in the USA to see the sun rise, but I have to take the word of the Chamber of Commerce on that, because there is no way I am going to get up that early.

A big plus for the tour was the stop for lunch: a Lobster Bake. Fortunately for us, the instructions for dissecting a lobster were quite clear, and the bibs we wore were very protective. The lobster was fantastic, but the mussels which accompanied them were heavenly - not to die for, but at least to kill for! And there were seconds, thirds and more available. Delicious!

A delightful tour.

Rating on a 1 - 5 scale: 5.

Wednesday, October 11: St. John, New Brunswick is located on the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. Twice a day the tide roars in so fast that it causes the water in the St. John River to flow upstream! Regrettably we were there at the wrong time to see all this. I was disappointed.

We did get an extensive tour of the city, including stops at the Old City Market and the Carleton Martello Tower. The large market is similar to the farmers' markets which can be found in most cities.

The Tower was built during the War of 1812 as a protection against American attacks, which never came. Located high atop a hill, it is an excellent spot to get a panoramic view of the city.

In addition we saw various old buildings, forts and city parks. Interesting, but not exciting.

Rating on a 1 - 5 scale: 3.

Thursday, October 12: Halifax, Nova Scotia was rained out for us. Although we took the tour, the wind was blowing so hard that the torrential rain looked like it was falling horizontally. The tour should have been cancelled. We were soaked when we returned.

I will not rate this tour because of the weather.

Friday, October 13: At sea the whole day. It was an unlucky day for one of the crew members, who had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital. For us, it was a day of eating, exploring, gambling, relaxing, shopping and all those things one does on a cruise ship at sea.

Saturday, October 14: We were able to disembark earlier than we had anticipated ,which enabled us to catch an earlier train out of Boston, which gave us an earlier connection in Philadelphia, which got us back to Lancaster at 6:00 p.m. instead of 10:30 p.m. That made it a good day.

To The Top

Cruising The Chesapeake Bay

On Wednesday, 19 September 2007, Barbara and I rode the Amtrak from Lancaster to Baltimore. We planned to spend two full days in the Inner Harbor, and eight days on a small ship cruise around the Chesapeake Bay. Neither of us knew anything about these areas, so this was going to be a real learning experience.

From the National Aquarium at one end to the Maryland Science Center at the other, the harbor area is beautiful. The shore between the two is lined with excursion ship docks, a welcome center, and two double-decked malls filled with many interesting shops and restaurants. Of course, we enjoyed the restaurants; we even found a California Pizza Kitchen, which gave us a long-missed taste of one of our favorite pizzas: wild mushroom.

We spent one day at the Aquarium - a beautiful four-story glass structure. One of the major exhibits is Animal Planet Australia, containing a 35-foot indoor waterfall at the head of a river gorge. Surrounded by a metal screen, the gorge contains over 150 Australian plants and 1,800+ animals, including birds, bats and free-ranging lizards. Very imposing!

Other exhibits include a huge collection of frogs from around the world, usual and unusual fish, invertebrates, birds, and of course, a dolphin show. It is an excellent aquarium, containing nearly 16,500 specimens and 660+ species of animals.

The Science Center is directed toward kids, although Barbara and I were like kids; we operated the hands-on displays, dug for dinosaur bones, explored how the human body works (including a display of icky things it does), and recoiled from the dinosaur attacks on the Imax screen. Another fun day.

The next day marked the start of our cruise - there were only 28 passengers aboard the ship. Eating arrangements were strictly informal, so each time we entered the dining room we looked for a table where we could meet new people. It didn't take many days to get around to everyone!

And imagine our surprise when we learned that ALL beverages were complimentary, including those at lunch, cocktail hour and dinner. We had never run into that on any other cruise. During the cocktail hour, the servers kept wandering through the lounge with plates of hot hors d'ouvres. We also learned that this was a crabfest tour, and that crabs would be a big item on the menu - in fact, we were told there would be 27 items featuring crab during the week. It worked for us.

The first evening we got to see the movie, "The Patriot." We had seen it on one of our trips to Williamsburg, but it's a good movie, and we enjoyed it.

Our first stop was at the Yorktown Victory Center. From the entrance, one follows a timeline, beginning with the first settlements in Virginia, through all the important events occurring in both America and England, and ending with the victory over General Cornwallis. The museum features displays of the colonial lifestyle, battles of the revolution up to and including the battle of Yorktown, and a quarter of the recently recovered ship, "The Betsy," which the British sank in the harbor to enforce their blockade of the city.

Also on the grounds are a soldiers' camp from the period, and a working farm growing the crops and using the methods of the late 1790s. The national museum is also nearby, but the state museum is far superior, at least in our estimation.

After dinner aboard ship, we were treated to a talk by Sheila Williams, a talented local lady, on the customs of the revolutionary war period. She managed to get the audience into the act, and everybody thoroughly enjoyed her presentation. She has written a pamphlet, "Big Wigs, Old Goats and Loose Women," which gives the origins of many expressions we use today, for example: A Lick and a Promise, Dyed in the Wool, Read the Riot Act, and many others. As Arte Johnson would say, "Very interesting."

The next morning we docked at Crisfield, Maryland. During a guided walking tour we visited a crab processing plant, and were lucky enough to get a taste of crab directly from the cooker. It was delicious. One waterman was unloading several bushels of live crabs, and they were crawling all over each other, even jumping out of the baskets onto the ground. They are lively beasts. If I didn't know better, I would think they were aware that they are about to be immersed alive in boiling water! We also learned that soft-shelled crabs and hard-shelled crabs are the same creatures at different stages of their growth.

Also during the tour we visited the J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum. Its exhibits trace the history of the area, the interaction of the early colonists with the Native Americans, the history of early seafood processing, and my favorite, the evolution of decoy carving and painting. This is a skill in which the local Ward brothers excelled. In my opinion, the town is justly proud of their work.

Tuesday we were scheduled to arrive at Cambridge, Maryland, at 2:00 p.m., so to fill the time after breakfast, everyone was invited to try kite flying from the upper deck. Unfortunately, the ship was traveling downwind, so the kites didn't fly very well. However, the complimentary Bloody Marys and Mimosas went a long way toward offsetting the depressing results of the aerial maneuvers.

At Cambridge we took a one hour guided walking tour along streets lined with beautiful old trees. The city was an important trading area during the mid-to-late 1800s, and many of the large homes hail from that era. The tour ended at Christchurch, which has absolutely gorgeous stained glass windows.

From the church, we caught a tour bus to historic Meredith House and Grange Plantation Museum. Built in 1760, the Meredith House was home to six Maryland governors. Among other things, the house contains a child's room complete with dolls and toys from the early period.

The Grange Plantation Museum contains a large collection of agricultural, maritime, industrial, and Native American artifacts. We got to sit on the wrap-around veranda while being served tea and cookies.

Afterwards we took the bus back to the ship, fortunately arriving in time for cocktail hour. Tuesday was bingo night - we played six games and Barbara and I won three of them. It was not - repeat not - fixed, regardless of what some of our fellow passengers claimed.

After breakfast on Wednesday, we attended a talk promoting some of the other cruises offered by American Cruise Lines. We arrived in Oxford, Maryland, at 11:30, and took a walking tour of the city with Leo Nollmeyer as our guide. Again we saw many beautiful, old, overpriced homes. It was a long walk, and I welcomed the chance to snooze for a while upon our return to the ship.

Leo was back again for a talk in the evening. He is a funny man, and I am sure everyone enjoyed his talk about the bay area, and of course, Oxford in particular. I know we did.

Thursday we arrived in St. Michaels at 10:30, and immediately boarded a tour boat for an eco-tour of the area. The onboard speaker was a marine biologist, who brought a turtle and a horseshoe crab on board with her. Except for those, the only wild life we saw was a bald eagle. However, we did learn a lot about the ecology of the bay area, and saw some very expensive homes on the shore. We also got to follow a crabber's boat for a short time. I will write more about that at the end of this essay.

In the afternoon we took the practically obligatory walking tour of the city, and as usual, we were treated to views of tree-lined streets and old homes. A local legend says that during the revolution, the British planned to attack the city. Having been forewarned, the citizens hung lanterns on the masts of ships and on trees in the surrounding hills. The British fired at the lights, thus overshooting the town. Regardless of the truth of the story, only one house in town was struck by a cannon ball, and one can still see where it was hit.

The tour ended at the local museum, which features the history and artifacts of nautical activities in the area.

The day ended with a tour of the bridge on our ship. I thought it was interesting that the captain had affixed arrows just in front of the helm to indicate left and right. Good stuff for the helmsman to know.

Afterwards we sat in the lounge with other passengers and discussed various cruises that had been taken. After hearing reports on some cruises about which we had been interested, we now have second thoughts.

The ship also made a stop at Annapolis, where we took a quick bus tour of the city. Much to our disappointment, there was not enough time to tour the Naval Academy before we sailed back to Baltimore. We disembarked the next morning. Except for almost missing our connection in Philadelphia, the train ride home was the kind I like: uneventful. It was an interesting and educational trip.

Some thoughts about the Chesapeake Bay:

We did indeed learn a lot about the bay. Upon visiting several of the smaller cities in the area, we found that if one is wealthy, it is a relaxing environment; if one labors as a waterman (one who makes his living from the water), it is depressed, probably permanently. The oysters and Maryland crabs that made the bay so prosperous in the past are almost all gone.

For example, the industrial area of Crisfield, Maryland is built - literally - on oyster shells. In the early 1900s these bivalves were so numerous that the entire waterfront area was constructed from their shells. But the oyster beds are gone. As for crabs, at one time there were over 30 crab processing plants; now there are two. As with so many products in the 21st century, approximately 80% of the "Maryland" crabs sold in the USA are purchased from the Philippines and other Southeast Asian areas. Even the bay processing plants buy many of their crabs from the far east!

In an attempt to make Crisfield a more upscale community, a large condominium has been built and several more are under construction. The finished one is about 50% occupied, and one of those under construction has already filed for bankruptcy.

The depressing economic situation of the bay was repeated in every town at which we stopped. During an eco-tour at St. Michaels, the onboard marine biologist pointed out the major problems: over-fishing and pollution. Industrial, agricultural and urban waste from New York and Pennsylvania enters the bay via the Susquehanna River, the bay's primary fresh water source. Plants which at one time were only found many miles south of the bay have migrated northward as a result of the global warming trend, and are choking out the native plants. Fish that in the past were alien to the bay have also been appearing, and are attacking the native species. Of course, competition from other parts of the world, as well as from different food fashions, has also contributed to the problem.

On the eco-tour, we were first-hand witnesses to the plight of the waterman. Our vessel came upon a crabber's boat, and followed alongside it for several minutes. The long nylon trotline had buoys to mark the ends, and the line was anchored to the bottom beneath the buoys. The line between the anchors was baited every five or six feet, and as the boat passed between the buoys, the line was run over a roller attached to the side. Each time a crab had attached itself to the bait, the crabber snatched it off the line with a special tool. The man's wife steered the boat, and rated each crab according to size. During the time we followed the boat, dozens of pieces of bait were pulled up, but only two had crabs attached. It looked like a lot of work for very little return.

However, if one does not depend upon the bay for a livelihood, the area is upscale. In all the towns, street after street is lined with old homes which would be appraised at two or three hundred thousand dollars in most areas. Here they are valued at a million dollars or more; on the eco-tour we passed one home assessed at eighteen million dollars! And we were told that many, perhaps most, of these homes are occupied only on weekends during a few months of the year. For the rich, the bay is a summer retreat.

To The Top