Winter 2018

Winter 2018

Reflecting on the year...... we had two trips to NB, one in March, one in October...family focus and very memorable.

Camping with grandchildren was a highlight of the summer as well as four trips camping with friends. We do get a lot of use out of our trailer!

Our six pack managed three getaways together, one to Whistler in June for Fathers Day, one to Kelowna for a biking experience on the Kettle Valley Railway in Myra Canyon and one to Royston in November. What an honour to have such great friends!

The Fall brought our group activities... Rose with Community choir, cards, quilting and study groups.
She bought an e bike this summer so the wonky knee didn't hold her back, love doing the two hills on our street.
Dave found either the pickle ball court or hockey arena five of the seven days in the week. He dabbled in odd jobs and painting for friends so continues to be our 'ever ready bunny" with his garden and yard work filling in any spare moments!

We had a lovely Victoria getaway weekend in November to see Celtic Thunder and then theatre on the way home in Chemanius. Special.

Company from our Melaque circle of friends was a pleasant treat in the summer and fall. They seemed to be impressed with our Port Alberni and what it has to offer. Now we are together here with our Saturday evening games night and beach time together.

Now back to our winter home, warm and friendly with a few changes. There are always changes... restaurants move or close, our laundry personnel changes, the price of fruit and gasoline increased,
a new pastor and his wife at our church and a rumour of a four story, twenty four unit condo building going up between us and the beach.  That will be the most serious change for us, view compromised and many more folks on our quiet little street.

I have been attempting to get photos on my blog but there seems to be a glitch. The only one that comes through has nothing to do with 2018 but I did receive it in 2018.


This photo is from a memory bank. My brother just sent it, taken in his summer home on PEI.
I had no idea that the furniture still existed!
 At the age of sixteen, my folks were away for a weekend and I decided the antique furniture needed some colour so went to Kent's Hardware in Bathurst and bought four little tins of pastel colours and had a pleasant surprise ready when my parents got home!! HMMMMM! I have blocked out the initial reaction!

so, until I get get the photo issue sorted, will sign off and produce a 2018 photo album at a later date.

cheers, Feliz  Navidad y Feliz Ano Nuevo!!

Zamora and Chilchota with the Nanas

Zamora trip  Feb, 2018           Unfortunately I cannot upload photos at present, will work on it.

7 hours bus to Zamora, arrived by 8
El Hotel

Day 2
Breakfast at 7
Bus left at 9
Chilchota at 10
Needed to do a bus test, so Ramon and Salvador went ahead to check the road.
Need an offering , something natural. So fruit and water bought.
The bus could not do the road to the hilltop so three taxis took is to the base of the hill. Those who have mobility issues were taken to the top. The rest Got out and were greeted by the nanas, covered in confetti and given banners to wave. Then the dance began up the mountain. The music was not loud enough so Salvador ran ahead and returned with a big speaker on his shoulder. Then the dance began.
At the top we found it all set up for us, the tent top with all the tables and chairs, the ladies kitchen and the sweat lodge with the fire ready to go.

Salvador did a welcome speech, followed by a representative of the mayor of the area . The nanas, with their beautiful embroidered blouses and aprons and skirts with a thousand pleats. were introduced. Then Tata Shaman did a welcome a d explained the ceremony for the fire lighting and our healing by burning the pine stick after it had been swooped over the part of the body that requires healing.
The fire needed to burn for an hour and a half before we enter the sweat lodge.
Line up to get smudged then enter .
The offering was collected, blessed and taken away to be cut up

The lodge had four stages, some stayed for one, others for two or three or the hardy ones stayed for four.

The ladies cooked all afternoon. Grinding blue corn, pumpkin seeds
Making fish balls.

When the last folks emerged from the lodge we had our nopale soup and fish balls.
Then had a talking circle where we asked Tata and Salvador questions about their Culture and their dreams for the future. Meanwhile tamal bread was steaming for 90 minutes, then served with atoll.

Day 3
Bus left hotel at 9, met by four taxis and a truck to take us up the hill, greeted by the nanas .
Birthday ceremony for Salvador, song sung in English then Spanish then Tata gave the blessing, smudging happened. Traditional hand ahaking and best wishes.

Demonstrations and encouraged participation in curunda making, pottery making, wheat grinding, needlepoint and cross stitch.
My curunda was a square shape instead of a star as all the nanas were.
Dave ground some wheat but found it a bit of a challenge. Lots of folks made pottery bowls and received a kiln finished one as a gift.
Dinner was the curunda.
More participants from the locals today.
and then one surprise after another!!

The dance of the viejos (old Men)

Gift giving dance

Dance on the field after being presented a pottery candy dish on a yellow ribbon as well as an embroidered square

Fireball hockey game. Black versus white

bus back to hotel at 8 after the back of the truck ride down the hill

Day 4
Little sleep in. Breakfast at 8;30 then a walkabout. Found the huge market, bought congola and some cookies made right in the passageway, flipped by the daughter of the baker.
Bus left at 11 and arrived back in Barra at 6:30.

An amazing unforgettable experience to be repeated by Linda next year with two bus loads instead of one. I recommend folks to sign up early.

Copper Canyon

Copper Canyon

Day 1, Feb 9, 2018 

leave Melaque at 7:58 in a van with 8 Melaque folks. Verna, John, Tom, Barb, Ruth, Mary, Dave and Rosemary

An earthquake at 8:  05 but we didn’t feel it. Picked up Patricia and Stewart in Manzanillo. They were noticeably shaken, the worst quake they ever felt.

Arrived in Guadalajara at three, met the other 24 travellers from the PV group who were an hour late because of a flat tire on their bus.

Walking tour.

Dave and I branched off and did a revisit of the Frances hotel. The cathedral and the jardins.

Day 2

Boarded the bus at 4:40. Apparently there had been a memo to say the bus was leaving at 4:30. Nobody from the Melaque group got that memo.

Airport, crazy at 5 am, flew to Mexico City, plane one hour late to Los Mochis.

Lunch at the Mexican market, birria for Dave. Queso soup for me with the three vegetables of the area, potato, tomato and onion. 

Arrived in El Fuerta later than planned so boat tour was cancelled.

Zorro show at 6 then a walking tour. Early to bed.

Day 3

Up at 6 for 6:30 breakfast and 7:30 bus to train station! 8:15 departure.

Sesame seed fields before the worlds longest bridge.

All the sesame plants are hand cut and four months later, another crop is ready.

The seeds are hand beaten unto tarps.

Lost a train engine before the bridge so went backwards to drop the dead engine.. and a first class car and a second class car in order to reduce the weight for the one remaining engine.

But we had to wait an hour for permission from the office in Guadalajara to make that decision. That put us behind schedule by two hours and everyone was wondering if we would make it through the switch back mountain tunnels.

Armed guards boarded the train. Only when were safely finished with train rides did we learn that Noel was concerned as banditos can Board the train as well, not to hurt the passengers but yo steal the cargo, Happy that it wAs not mentioned at the time.

Saw the new modern train that will replace this one in April. So glad we did the trip this year, sure can’t afford the new price!

Off the train at Bahuichivo then a 25 bus ride

Arrived at 4 o’clock for lunch! At Hotel Mision in Cerochui. Another wow accommodation! And awesome food.

Walking tour of town and a visit to the girl’s boarding school, bought two of their grass baskets.

Lecture at 6:30 all about the Tarahumara then dinner at 8. Chicken cordon blue

Day 4

Bus ride to Urique Canyon, off road driving. Guess who-sat on the inside seat?

What views ! And the paths for the Tarahumara runners who run 160 kms. 

Pancho told jokes and told stories all the way up and back, to distract us I think.

And then he shares recipes.

Carne. Asada

Lime juice

Minced onion

Beer

Black pepper

Marinate 10 minutes

Throw on recipe

Pollo asado

Marinate

Beer 

lime

Adobe seasoning

Ladies at the top sold pashminas, tshirts, hoodies etc ! Necklaces, fridge magnets. Etc. I bought a lovely expandable bead braclet for 50 pesos, a hoodie for 300 and a magnet for 20

They had removed the toilets from the washrooms so that stop was interesting! Noel picked up one toilet and set it on one of the holes!

Return to hotel, bus to the train at Bahuichivo . Noel put his ear on the track, tells us we have an overnight here.

Surprise! Train on time!

Over the highest bridge and through two tunnels to San Rafael where ladies lined the tracks with their baskets. Pancho jumped off, brought baskets on board and sold them for the ladies. We were not allowed off the train so Pancho was busy!

I bought a beautiful woven grass basket with highlights of burgundy and navy pine needles. 30 pesos.

Arrived at Barranacas at 2, bus to El Mirador. WOW!

Every room has a balcony and an excellent view into the canyon. Zip line and cable car in operation, tomorrow’s activity.

Lunch was a delicious vegetable soup followed by a huge fillet of white fish with calabash then coffee flan for dessert.

Two hikes set out at 4, a 30 minute one or a more strenuous 90 minute. I chose the short one but learned that the 90 minute one as easier for the return.

Pashmina purchase 150 pesos outside hotel door.

This hike took us down into the Tarahumara world. Homes built against the side of the rock and a few sheets of metal for a roof, most of them by a water source, a spring . There are lots of woven baskets for sale along the path. These folks are very private and prefer no outside influence. Children are sharing the chores and weaving at a very early age.

A must read” Born to Run”.

They are the runners. Homes are quite a distance apart with only foot paths joining them.

Our dinner setting was at 7:30, another very filling meal: cream of tomato soup, Salisbury steak with spiced rice and chocolate cake for dessert.

Day 5

As it turned out, we had one of the best rooms, heat worked and there were lots of blankets. A few couples had no heat and no blankets. When they told a staff member at 10:30, he jumped in a truck and went to the next hotel, returning with the super heavy weight type. They were warm but couldn’t move!

This morning, breakfast at 8. A real possibility for a sleep in except Dave set his alarm to see daybreak and sunrise. However, he had not changed his clock for the time zone so his quacking duck alarm went off at 5:15 instead of 6:15!!

Great breakfast then a 9 o’clock show of the Tarahuma dancing.... the deer, the sheep and the burro. Then game demo.. men with the ball and women with the ring.

Off to Barranacas Park. Lots of choices.. the world’s longest zip line giving you a 3 minute rush at 100 km per hour; the seven line zip with platforms with views and hikes, suspension bridges; cable car across the canyon; mountain climbing with serious rappelling; bike rentals; quad rentals; mini golf! And of course lots of shopping!

Dave chose the 90 minute zip line experience. I took the cable car and waited for him to go back on the cable car.

Bus back to the Mirador for lunch. Spiced cauliflower soup, chipolte chicken and raspberry/ blueberry mousse. 

Basket weaving class at 5. Dinner at 7. Happy birthday Barb, same tradition as Mary yesterday. Face pushed into cake.

Day 6 Happy Valetines Day

Breakfast at 7. Photo shoot and purchase of nesting baskets.

Bus left at 8. First stop Divisedero, huge market beside the oldest canyon hotel. Bought a blue shawl.

Pancho told us all about the state of Chihuahua,the largest state with the second smallest population.

The most varied geography with the canyons pine forest, then grasslands, then jungles and the largest desert in the Americas.

Also biggest range of temperature. 54 degrees C for 4 days straight last summer and minus 38 in some places in the winter.

Biggest producers of apples, 7 varieties of pecan, peanuts, papaya, guavas, onions, jalepenos

Today we laugh about all the incidents... flat tire on bus, late flight in Mexico City, failed train engine, lunches at 4 pm, toilets outside the bathroom at Urique, four rooms with no blankets at Barranacas, Daves Cpap falling from above, hitting Suzanne and busting the beer can. Nice smell but mop and rags need to dry off the floor and all the components of the machine.

Crossed the Contiental Divide. Airport on top f mountain, finished three years ago, not still opened. The companies with the pipeline had not honored the agreement with the locals. Cattle country.

Simiilar to the train station at Dividsedaro, beautiful building finished ten years ago but no possible access to the tracks for passengers!

Creel with 1200 people. Old industry was lumber, now tourism. Accom runs from 100 to 3000 pesos a night. New train comes only to here, not Chihuahua.

So the new route is El Fuerte to Creel. 

Longest river of Mexico, 900 kms is all within this state. Concha River. Good wine producing area.

Pine trees, all reforestation.

San Juanito, 12000 pop. Always cold here, even in the summer. Lovely schools with murals on the walls. 

Small town 15 km to Creel and 15 km to San Juanito is the municipal for the area.

Now on the prairies with two breeds of cattle: brangus, a cross between brahma  and angus, bred to adapt to the weather here and the carablanca which is partially Hereford. Both breeds were bred in this state.

Lunch at the Mennonite campo 2 for homemade buns, butter, their famous cheese, sausage, pickles, jams and 30 kinds of cookies.

Stopped at a cheese factory that produces 1 ton of cheese per day and pasteurizes 10,000 litres of milk per day.

Chihuahua 950thousand people.

2.2% unemployment. Electronic capital. All cars have some parts manufactured or assembled here.

Museum of Pancho Villa.

Checked in to hotel Quality Inn then a walking tour of El Palicio Goberino, the cathedral and the pedestrian three block mall.

Early to bed for a 5 am start. 

Last day. Bus to Chihuahua airport, flew to Guadalajara and bus to Melaque. Home at 7. Great trip!

Rosemary 

RANT

Aug 22

Arrive at ferry terminal at 2:30, one sailing wait. Ok, not the 3:15 , the 5:45 then.
Only one line left over to wait.We are the fourth car to be boarded.

5:45 loads every line but ours, the first ones there!

When asked, they told us everyone had a reservation. We understood only a certain percentage could reserve, they said, Yes, 60%. We were well within the 40 % who could board, being number 4 in the line up. Now they tell us,no guarantee for the 8:15. Or 10:45 due to the high number of reservations and suggest we go to Victoria instead.

REALLY!!

This is our highway system! And we sit in line for 8 hours with frozen food, a very patient grandson and a cooperative dog!

Guess we will just go and give BC Ferries more money as we buy a late dinner!!

But this isn't the last they will hear from me!

The last leg of our Yukon journey. Fort Nelson, Fort St John, Dawson Creek, Grand prairie, peace River, Slave lake, Morinville and home

Aug 11

Fresh start after a farewell dinner last night. The special at the campground restaurant was Ukrainian...perogies, sausage and cabbage rolls.

Our friends head north to Yellowknife and we head south.

First stop, Pink Mountain and a lovely visit with Ron Tyreman, who Dave worked with in the 80's.

Arrived at Dan and Rosemarie's at 4. Lovely catch up to family news and medical update. Dinner on the patio, a ride in the side by side all over the family property, picked Saskatoon berries, then dessert. Early to bed for everyone at 10.

Aug 12

A very sad day! Dan passed away shortly after 9 this morning from a heart attack. He had delivered a latte to our trailer and then he and Dave had attended to the bee hives, showered and about to start breakfast. The rest of the day was surreal but this extended family is amazing.

Word got out quickly and our pastor from the church in Melaque will be on his way from North Dakota as well as some board members from that church.

Support is so important in a time like this.

Aug 16
After a quick run to Morinville to pick up our grandson. We went through Peace River and lots of smoke from the BC wildfires. By the time we got to Slave Lake, visibility was only  half a km so we stopped for the night. 
On our return to Fort St John, we took the Whitecourt route, stopping in Dawson Creek to show Garrett the Alaska Hwy story

Next five days were spent in Fort St John  then the 18 hour ride to Vancouver, spent one night in Prince George and one in Kamloops , where he left our trailer at the Hecks to be picked up Sept 11 for the BC Senior Games in Vernon.

Aug 22

At the ferry terminal waiting for Kenai to be delivered.

It has been an incredible week, leading up to a very large memorable funeral on Saturday then our journey south

In total, 11,500 kms for the last 42 days. A never to be forgotten trip north.

Aug 24 

Dave's birthday, a cake made by Garrett with hand picked blueberries and blackberries.

An ongoing conversation with BC Ferries for not allowing us on the 3:15, 5:45, 8:15 and possibly the 10:45 ferry because they were fully booked with reservations, even though they advertise 60 % reservation policy!

They sent us to Victoria instead for and extra 2 hour drive home. 

Tired and frustrated after such a wonderful Yukon experience, will focus on the silent paddles on Yukon lakes and those good memories.

Aug 5-10 Whitehorse, Teslin, Watson Lake, Liard River Hot Springs and Muncho Lake

Saturday, Aug 5, day in Whitehorse

Started the day at Mc Bride Museum followed by a Walking Tour of Historical buildings.

Canada Games Centre,

All aboard the SS Klondike ,

 Museum of Natural Science

  then the World's Largest Weather Vane,

 a 2 pm tour of Yukon Brewery. Sampled seven of their product, and yes, we have some in our fridge now.

Big grocery shop and the rest of the afternoon at Miles Canyon 

and the world's longest wooden fish ladder. The fish are just getting here now after a 2000 km swim from the Bering Strait , a count of 26 through the ladder today and a total of 90 so far this week.

Play a tune by the falls!

Met a group of H4H folks, shared stories and as I was peering into the fish ladder, a lady from Toronto said, " I saw a hatchery in Port Alberni where they were collecting the eggs from the fish". Really! Turns out to be the sister-in-law of Anne Flemming

Shared fond memories of this lovely lady who always called me "Paderno Queen"!

Sunday, Aug 6

Attended Whitehorse United Church to hear Rev Bev Brazier who had been my sister's minister in Mirimichi and who had travelled with her to Guatemala on a mission trip.

Great service, just so happened to be the Blessing of the Animals Sunday. Those animals were so well behaved! About 20 dogs sat through the service then lined up quietly to receive their blessing. Some of my favourite camp songs were sung:

All Gods Critters have a Place in the Choir

If I Were a Butterfly

Explorers theme song, This is Our Makers World etc

Drove to Teslin and when I went to the drop box with our camping registration, Dave's cousin, Bruce Wiseman drove in. I could tell from the side of his head he was definitely a Wiseman so I hollered at him and he told me later that he was wondering who this tourist lady was!

Long story short, great visit at our campsite then a dinner invitation. Met his son Robert, wife Danielle and grandchildren Leighton and Laughlin then grand daughter Amber at the store. Dave was able to fill in many missing spots on his family tree as we chuckled over childhood memories. Wonderful evening.

Monday, Aug 7-Wed, Aug 9

A stop at the Wiseman's to drop off a book. Pleasantly surprised to receive Bruce's carving of a dog sled and moose, some burls, a walking stick of sweet willow and a whole tub of fresh produce--- onions, kale, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes. Thank you Bruce and Patty!

First stop, Rancheria Falls , a ten minute boardwalk to a double set of falls

then on to Watson Lake and its Signpost Forest

 and Borealis Science Centre.

Enjoyed the three hour paddle on Watson Lake after dinner so much, we decided to stay an extra day at this campground.

Biked and kayaked on Tuesday, Dave was so well rested on Wednesday morning, I heard him loading the bikes at 7 am, then get into the storage under my head for the tow kit, pack away the propane tank and grill but when he started cranking up the hitch!!! Enough already!!  It is only 7:20 and departure time is 9!

First stop today was Contact Creek for the last cheap Yukon gas, shortly thereafter, a herd of 23 wood buffalo grazing by the side of the road.

Very small communities of Fireside, now closed down,  and Coal River.

Liard River Hot Springs Campground by noon. What a treat! Soaked in the natural springs for some time, then were entertained by the park rangers who used bear cannons to move the bear out of our campsite but the little guy climbed a tree so the whole campground was asked to be quiet so he would come down! Eventually he did and was herded off into the forest. There are too many bears in this area and they all have their own territory so some are homeless, get attacked by the bigger bears in the bush who are guarding their territory.

After dinner, a Kings Cribbage challenge and Bugger Bridge, we head back to the hot pools until 10:30. Everyone will sleep well tonight.

By the way, the Kings Cribbage challenge is tied after 26 days! Tomorrow the tie breaker as it is the last night before we go our separate ways; the Pattersons leave us at Fort Nelson heading to Yellowknife and we continue on to Fort St John to spend some time with the Wuthrich's before heading to Gunn to pick up our grandson

Thurs, Aug 10   Muncho Lake

First stop Salt Lick viewing. Too late or too early, the sheep are there at dawn or dusk. Nice 1.5 km loop however and then 4 sheep right on the side of the road within miles of the official lookout spot.

Lunch at Summit Lake. Young caribou on the highway. 

Stop for the night in Fort Nelson at Triple G campground, the most expensive to date at a whopping $47.12 per night! And a warm 29 degrees.