Persistence and Optimism II: 2023

It’s Canada Day! Many people here wore their red Canada t shirts and carried small flags. Some cars had flags too. I would have bought a flag if I’d seen where to get one. I wore the reddest shirt I had with me.

After breakfast at the hotel, I walked back to the river walk because there was supposed to be a farmer’s market at 8 am. Alas, probably due to set up for the Canada Day celebrations, no farmers at Bondar park. I had a nice walk anyway.

Welcome gate.

The Gathering, Baawatang.the seven sacred animals.

Not sure if this is an instruction or an advertisement.

Fish sculpture at the marina.

Space Shuttle because Dr. Roberta Bondar was an astronaut.

Strawberries!

At the west end of the river walk, I found the Mill Market which is a farmers market. They were selling jewelry (with embedded metals to intercept harmful radiation), rocks, fish, meat, vegetables, alpaca scarves and hats, honey, maple syrup, and pastries. I bought a box of strawberries. They were delicious.

Next I walked over to the Bushplane Museum and had a look at the planes. There was a film about fighting forest fires from the air that was neat. Inside the museum there is also an insectarium, where they keep live insects.

Mounted butterfly and moth collection.

A set of drawings of airplanes.

Fire fighting equipment.

One of the planes.

A stick insect.

Beetles.

Too early for beer, I went across the street to the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Siteand toured the old stone house (Ermatinger, it’s the oldest remaining house in western Ontario) and the blockhouse (originally ammunition storage, then living quarters for local industrial magnate). There was a poutine festival in the parking lot, so that’s what I had for lunch.

Classic poutine.

Finally had a beer at Northern Superior Brewing.

I watched the freighters go by, on their way through the Soo Locks. I could watch ships all day. But, tourism calls. I saw some of the murals on Queen street, but the SSM museum was closed.

Friday, June 30, 2023

Lake Superior Circle Tour Day 1: Driving North

This is a trip I have wanted to do for a long time. I came back to the idea in February when I had to accept that I didn’t have the time or the money to go anywhere overseas. But 2023 is supposed to be the year for an international trip. We (or I guess it was just me, seeing how things turned out) planned to save for ten years and then go somewhere fantastic: Iceland, Finland, Japan, Egypt…somewhere like that. So Plan B was required. Canada is international and I have never spent significant time there. That checks the box. Let’s go!

This morning I packed the car, took out the trash, forgot to start the dishwasher, and left home about 8 am.

That’s me, standing on the front step of my house in the fog.

There were thunderstorms last night, that actually woke me briefly. This morning there was dense fog most of the day. It made the driving a little less interesting than it usually is, since I couldn’t see much scenery. I stopped for lunch in Mackinaw City, then crossed the Mighty Mac in a cloud. Couldn’t see the bridge, the water, or anything. An hour after that I was driving over the international bridge into Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

My first stop was at the SSM Canal National Historic Park. It was drizzly and the two young women at the visitors center sounded like they hadn’t seen many people all day. There were almost no cars in the lot. I got a map and my first two stamps on the Circle Tour collection. Then I explored the park.

Boardwalk through the wetland with the international bridge behind.

View of the rapids, but they aren’t visible.

Selfie with the bridge in the fog behind

Tour boats passing through the lock.

That’s not a tiny boat, but even this “small” lock is big.

I examined the lock, which is a small one not used by freighters, just recreational boats and the tour boats. I walked all around the island, from which one can normally view the Saint Mary’s rapids, but today it was just foggy water. And anyway the water level is so high right now you can’t see the rapids at all. I got a nice walk in.

Then I went to the Ontario Tourism Office, and the friendly women there loaded me up with maps and brochures. They reminded me that tomorrow is Canada Day! There is a festival all afternoon downtown and fireworks in the evening!

I checked into my hotel, which turned out to be in an excellent location, about one block from the waterfront and on one of the main streets. It even has free parking under the building. While I was unloading my stuff, an actual motorcycle club drove in. There must be fifty bikes parked next to me and there are all these people in matching leather jackets in the hotel lobby! I haven’t yet been able to read the full name of their club but it’s the Canadian chapter of something.

I walked a few blocks to dinner at an Indian restaurant and then I walked along the waterfront. There is a very nice walkway with benches and occasional art pieces. Lots of people were out walking, biking, and picnicking. The sun came out!

Statue of a SSM man who raced dogsleds.

Sculpture with hidden wind chimes that sounded very pretty.

View across the water at SSM, Michigan.

I did a ton of walking today, even though I spent five hours in the car. My step counter says almost 20,000 steps! I got some pretty Canadian money out of an ATM at the casino, and I’m feeling ready for tomorrow’s adventure, right after a good nights rest.