Oh Canada Oh Canada

The Gabester and I along with Grams just returned from a short jaunt up over the border to the Great North West Eh, first along the way was a stop at the Pioneer Village, an nice little " village" museum with some great antiques, and a fairly knowledgeable tour guide, then it was off to check into our motel room at the Best Western Norwester. After getting the room and unpacking it was time for a little rest, some grub then off to do a little sightseeing, we traveled to the entryway of Fort William about a twenty minute drive from where we were staying, since they were closed we then took a spin and checked out a little of the town, and picked up a A& W Root Beer on the way back to our room, we took a nice walk along the trails on the grounds went inside for a relaxing swim and jacuzzi,

July 7th

After a night's rest we had a nice breakfast on site, packed our cooler for the day and headed off in search of the amethyst mines, the mine we visited was about an hour away (including road construction which added about 15- twenty minutes to the trip) We chose Panorama due to being highly recommended, they charge $3.00 per person for the tour and to enter and if you want to pick some amethyst it costs $3.00 per pound, however don't expect to walk out with finding some prize pieces, although I did find a piece of the "blood" amethyst (these you have to buy from the shop at a premium price) as it seems the stuff the " tourists dig" are the tailing's they dump after they pick through the primo material, never the less it is fun times especially for kids, and the scenic beauty alone is worth the drive to this mine. You can also buy pieces already marked laying out on large tables but once again the quality isn't quite what you would find in a museum or gift shop but still make great pieces. I would like to return in the future but to take some time along the way to the mine to do some fishing in some of the breathtaking lakes (part of the problem when going with older family, in a hurry to get there and leave for the next place) Well the Gabster was really hungry and so was Grams Grams, and the only place to stop along the way was a truck stop, personally I didn't want to stop as my experience with such places always has been greasy food that don't really impress ....and to live up to my personal views of truck stop food this place lived up to the reputation, I ordered a taco salad which made me wish I had a hard shell taco from Taco Hell at the very moment but not one to want to ruin the fun I just sat back smiled and pretended to enjoy my food, the service was slow, the waitress got the drinks mixed up, and was stressing big time I actually felt sorry for her as she was the only one working, having a hard day and lost of customers and many seemed to have the " attitude" which made her job even harder, my mother asked her where her mustard was for her order with a bit of a snip tidy tone as she didn't think the girl was getting it , and the girl " mam your mustard is right here in the bowl " now my mother felt like an ass and this was when my thoughts of the girl changed and seen just how much she was stressing . After the grease pit we were off to Kakabeka Falls claiming to be the World's Second Largest Natural Waterfall, however I do agree the falls are breathtaking and the roar of the water hitting the rocks and the mist rising up creating mini rainbows and then drifting on you if you stand in the right position, the mist creating it's own mini ecosystem, Here the Gabster scored a telescope he enjoyed scoping out the park. We took a leisurely drive back on the back roads checking out the beautiful farms and scenery.

July 8th

We awoke and went to Joe's for Breakfast, now the service was slow, and the food was not too impressive for all the hype they get in the publications , then it's off to Fort William it is....the day is beautiful and we arrive and ar fortunate there are not too many people here at this time, we are warned the mosquito's are quite a problem and it is advised to use bug spray, I tend to avoid the stuff myself but Granny and Gabester use some, the Fort was very impressive and it was my third time there although it was almost 30 years ago since I was last there. unfortunately I didn't get a chance to upload my pictures from my video camera and didn't buy another chip so I only got 3/4 way through the Fort and ran out of space and had to use Granny's camera to finish, I was taken back by their garden...or lack of one......I was told by an attractive sexy worker that the rains in June were heavy and they had to replant their garden as everything rotted and or washed away, good thing this in modern times or they would have been doing a lot of gathering,fishing and hunting.... The homemade bread was a nice treat and to roll out and make loaves out of 40 pounds of dough at one time is quite a feat, as we just happen to be there when the bread was taken out from mixing and thrown on the table to be made into individual loaves ...The Gabster enjoyed a ride in the wagon by the Horses as well as the baby piglets. Gabester really Enjoyed the Canoe ride where we got in a " voyager" size canoe that would be used on Lake Superior for several men and their packs and furs, with several other tourists and two " guides" however the wind had dramatically picked up and this made our trip quite the experience, as almost all other compares were not experienced in paddling a canoe and thus the Curran's washed us into the shallow waters along the island, our guide in the back tried to get out and lodge us free but the wind and currants were too much for him to manage alone so the Splinkster hops out and help push, we manage to lodge it free and start to hop in and paddle but a good breeze sends us back into the shallows we hop out and start pushing again and this time another man volunteers and helps us push and walk the canoe around the tip of the island and into deep waters now we are with the current sending us down to where we need to go and we hop in and paddle over to our dock, Now I personally hated their slogan" Romance, Conflict, Adventure" Romance and Adventure I find appealing but the Conflict part just leave out, after all that's why people go on vacation to relax and escape, However the "Conflict" part made me reevaluate my feelings on this slogan and appreciate it, as I faced Conflict....... getting the flipping canoe unlodged and back to the dock safely with my son and the other passengers aboard, and after the job as done and we were standing back on dry land I had a true Fort William experience that my son and I as well as the others will never forget, as for our " Voyagers" I can only imagine how they were heckled in camp especially since they stated they never had that happen to them before.......well first time for everyone,. One last stop and the Anishnawbe Camp for another nibble of the fresh Whitefish being smoked over the fire then off to home. Our last stop in Canada was at Thunder Oak Cheese Farm to pick up some fresh cheese.