Hi.



I am starting this portion of the trip on July 6th in the area of Mackinac City and Mackinac Island. Both are interesting but the island has an interesting bit of trivia. You either bike, walk or use a horse so there is no history of vehicular accidents. When you arrive by ferry, you and your luggage are delivered by a horse driven carriage to your destination. The island is covered with floral displays. One hotel has a very obvious lilac theme. The governor has a summer mansion that can be toured. Pictures are not allowed inside the mansion so I can only mention that it is lovely with a combination of modern and period pieces of furniture and pictures.



We spent a short time in the Butterfly House and Insect World. The butterflies were beautiful but it was very hot and humid in the structure. The butterflies were housed behind Saint Anne's Church. It is a humble building compared to many of the churches that we have visited but it was quietly appealing. The front steps overlook a harbor of great beauty.



Our next stop was very necessary. Our refrigerator had died and we needed a new one. By Thursday the 15th we had one installed. In the meantime we explored the area. In Frankenmuth we toured a microbrewery, sampled divine fudge, wandered around the most extensive Christmas decoration shop imaginable and generally enjoyed ourselves. Flint had a nice farmers market and a health fair. They had a blood drive and Mitch donated. I can't donate any more because of medication I take.



Flint had 2 buildings of interest. The Sloan Museum had an unusual collection of miniatures. It included Hollywood stars, Civil War scenes, Oriental dolls and many more. The other building housed the most interesting cars built by Buick. A few were never put into production. Others were like samples & one of a kind. I am not a huge car fan but these were unique and eye catching.



We went to Crossroads Village, a reconstruction village. The buildings were from different towns and had been moved to the village. One had every brick numbered to ensure that it was returned to the original structure. While we were there we went on a 40 minute ride on the Huckleberry Railroad and then a cruise on the Genesee Belle, a replica of a paddlewheel riverboat.



If you happen to drive through Saginaw stop at the Castle Museum. We found it by accident. It is not advertised by the tourist bureau. It has an eclectic collection that will please most anyone. The building had been used as a post office. It was scheduled to be razed and the community chose to create a museum. It really does resemble a castle on the outside.



On July 16th we drove to Port Huron. A couple that we know from Ponderosa RV Park in Kissimmee lives there. Larry drove us all around the city and took us to the power plant he retired from. This included a spin in his Mustang convertible. Roberta was recuperating from a recent illness but we did get in 2 short visits. We left with cherry tomatoes, lettuce and chives from their garden.



On the 18th we headed north through Ontario, Canada with 1000 Islands, New York as our destination. We really like finding out what local entertainment is available and this area has quite a few venues. One evening we went to the Clayton Opera House to listen to Mamma Mia Meets Duke Ellington. They put on a toe tapping, hand clapping show. Two evenings later we went to a park by the water and listened to a guitar player and singer on a portable stage. This is wine country and we toured 2 vineyards.



Mother Nature provided a show of a different sort. We came back from a day of sightseeing and left the screen door open to get some fresh air. Less than 3 minutes later the clouds that had moved in opened up and the torrents came down. The wind swirled with incredible force and speed. Mitch went outside to close the door and was immediately drenched. The wind tore green leaves and branches and launched them inside in that short period of time. The lightning and thunder was spectacular. After the storm passed we walked through the campground. Several RVs lost awnings and 8 by 12 foot mats disappeared in the wind. One awning tore a hole in the roof and the owners were using beach towels to try and dry their flooded rig. Two huge trees on the property snapped like proverbial twigs. One car was hit by the falling tree. Thankfully, no person was injured. By bedtime the power company had restored electricity in our area but part of the town had no power until the next morning.



One of the primary attractions is Boldt Castle on Heart Island. George Boldt fell in love and married Louise. Mr. Boldt , a millionaire and proprietor of the NYC Waldorf Astoria, started construction of a Rhineland castle for Louise in 1900. When she died of consumption in 1904 he stopped construction and never returned to the island. The 1000 Islands Bridge Authority assumed ownership in 1977 and has worked on and preserved most of the structures. There is no intention to ever complete the castle compound. It will always be a work in progress.



The only way to get to the island is by boat. There are several companies that go over. We used Uncle Sam boat tours and were content. They have a pretty well informed and entertaining guide on the way over. If you have a hankering for ice cream the shop on the island has a small but very good selection and they are generous portions.



Mr. Boldt had many boats and yachts. The most interesting is an unbelievably beautiful houseboat. La Duchesse was sold to Mr. McNally of map making fame. He and his family used it for about 50 summers before donating it to the Antique Boat Museum. The boats at the museum were built for beauty or leisure boating or for speed. They have a great variety in top condition. One of the huge buildings is strictly for restoration of these classics.



On the 23rd went crossed back into Canada. Our destination was the town of Saint Tite about 80 miles south of Quebec City. Another couple that winters at Ponderosa RV Park have a home in Saint Tite. Jean and Claire were wonderful hosts including letting us park beside their home. They have a lovely old house that they have renovated and modernized without destroying the integrity of the original architecture.



In between delicious meals they took us to National Parks along the rivers of the area where they have done extensive canoeing in the past. We also toured Trois-Rivieres and Shawinigan with them. Before we left I picked zucchini and quarts of ripe, scrumptious blueberries.



On the 27th we drove to a town outside of Quebec City called Saint Nicolas. The next day we drove around Isle of Orleans. The farmlands and dairies are dominant on the island. Many produce stands advertised fresh raspberries but we were still enjoying the blueberries. We stopped at several churches. The exterior of one was composed of gray rock. It looked old and imposing. When I stepped inside I was very surprised to see white painted walls and simple wooden beams. Even the alter was extremely simple. When I asked, it was explained that a fire in the 1980s destroyed the interior and it was too expensive to replace stained glass and other original features. The contrast was really pleasant. The Café Resto will please any fancy you might have for ice cream ...absolutely delicious.



Two other must sees in the area are the impressive Montmorency Falls and the Saint Anne De Beaupre Church. At the falls you can take a cable car up to the top or trek up innumerable stairs. We opted for the cable car up and walking across the falls to take the stairs down. It still gives you a nice hike. There is also a museum and restaurant at the top. We have been to Old Quebec City on an earlier trip but it is very worthwhile mentioning as a place to see.



The next stop will be the Gaspe peninsula. Bye for now.

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