Newport, Rhode Island

Come visit with the

Vanderbuilts.....

This is one of the smaller mansions in Rhode Island.

Built for one of the "poorer" Vanderbuilts....this is Marble Mansion.

She cost 11 million dollars in the 1800's. Completely built of marble. Floors, walls, window casings...crazy man.

This is just the gate to the other Vanderbuilt mansion....

I wonder what the rich people do with their cash....LOL

More fun with the family

Hello again,


I have to say that it is great to get peoples comments on the blog. I love to know that everyone is keeping up...

So, we arrived back in Enfield, Conneticut for about another week.


We seem so busy here. Not only visiting with family and our new freinds here but sight seeing as well.


And let me tell you, we sure have had some wonderful adventures.


We decided to take a day trip to Newport, Rhode Island. I wanted to see the Vanderbuilt mansions and check out the quaint little seaport.


Luckily enough, Daniel's school chum's son was there as well.

A little history. Kyle is a young man who is a captain of a racing sail yatch. He is very well travelled and has seen alot of the world. A really great guy. Very confident and likable. Good job Al and Joanie.


Anyways, we hook up with him and some of his friends that Daniel had met before (they went on a sailing adventure in the Carribean this past while) and had some lunch.


While Kyles boat was out of the water and under repair, we weren't able to see it. But, Kyle, got on the phone and got ahold of another fellow who said we could check out his boat.....












She is the beautiful wooden gal with the sails.....
122 feet long, wow.







This boat is owned by someone who has something to do with the computer world....


You know those type...tons of extra cash....


She was built in 1940 and has been refit inside. I will attach a few photos so you can see her as well.....

She was being varathaned and made ready for the journey back to the Carribean.



Notice the colors of the wood...











She has the upper deck for steering and navigation







The stairs to the main deck.....



















Where you can dine is style.......

Or enjoy a lovely bath....


by the way... they have a badette (sp) and a regular toliet in both main floor bathrooms




















And then, when you retire, you can enjoy the art work built into the woodwork....















And, if there is no wind to get you to your southern destination, the ship has two english built diesal engines to get you there







I have to tell you that it sure makes you realize that there are some really amazing things that NOTHING BUT MONEY can buy....LOL LOL LOL

It was really great and I am so glad that we got to go on her....

Thanks Kyle



We toured the mansions after that but alas that is another blog!!!!!

Back to the USA

So, after a week in Canada, we headed back south.
I knew it was a sign when we were leaving Nova Scotia and it started to snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bring on the sun.

I know some of you heard about the hassle that I had at the border in Vancouver back in July. And then a little bit at the border coming into Montana at the start of our journey....

Well, when we headed up into Canada, I had to hand the US immigration the ticket that they attacthed to my passport that said I had to leave the US by the 15th of November.
So, when I handed it in the officer asked why they had given it to me. I told him because I am Canadian and Daniel lives in the states. He said that theymust have thought that I was going to try to stay in the US permanatly.

So, to make a long story short they were really nice at the border and we went up to Canada and enjoyed ourselves very much. So beautiful....

On the way back, we waited in the line to go through the border. And once at the gate, they asked if we had a military compass on board???? No, we said. Have either one of you had any medical treatment recently???? No, we said. (Remember that they have my passport and Daniels green card in their hands.)
OK, they said, we need you to pull over there and come inside because we have detected radiation in your rig!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes. I said RADIATION!!!!
So, pull over. They come into the motorhome and ask us to show the officer how to drive the bus so that he can take it back around into Canada and run in through the machine again. To double check......
We are thinking....What the heck???? Radiation?????
The fellow that was taking us into the building showed us the new portable xray machine that they just got and how it worked to scan the big trucks. He was very proud. He was also funny, asking us if we had any money in the bus to go to Tim Hortons!!! lol
So, we go inside and they check us with a gygercounter....thank godness, no radiation.
They ask where we have been in Canada and when we say PEI, Nova Scotia and New Bruinswick. "Oh, that could be it. Radiation in the water in PEI or Nova Scotia"!!!!!!!!!
YIKES
The next thing is that go out to the motorhome and check it with the gygercounter. The thing takes off around the water filter and they figure that must be it.
On the way back into the building the officer asked Daniel if he had parked by the yellow posts while waiting in line? Yes we had. "Well, that could have set it off too"
What the heck is going on????
While I was waiting, the officer asked where we were from and I told him I was from Vancouver Island. He is looking through my passport and asked my about my travels. So as I was explaining things the boys came back in and they took the gygercounter readings for the report they had started.
Then without ceremony....they sent us on our way!!!!!!!!!!!

Not one question about how long Daniel had been in Canada, if we had food, drugs, weapons, booze, what we bought or how long I planned on staying????

NOTHING

Nothing at all....we left quite happy.

So, we are back in Conneticut with Daniels family (Steve took the week off to hang out with us)

We are doing maintenance on the bus, truck and ourselves. (again, thank god for Curves) and then doing couple of day trips.

We are heading off to Newport, Rhode Island on Wedsnday.

I will give you all a update after that

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween

Ah ahahah hahahahhah (crazed laughter)

The season has come....

it's colder.... changing and falling leaves scare you when you are walking as the sun in setting.....

leaves scittering at your feet amidst cold blasts of winds.....

You walk down the long road....no sign of life any where to be seen.

You hope that you will make it around the corner........ you can see the house just around the bend...but oh no.....

Its that house. You know the one....

Please, let me get by the CRAZY ladies house with all those CATS!!!!!!!

I know that if I do make it past them, all those crazy cats and that weird weird weird lady....

I know that I can handle any ghost, goblin, heads on a shelf, or even, really, even THE GRIM REAPER.....

Pumpkins and scarecrows are no match for me

Hahaha ahahaha ahahh

(more crazed laughter)

Can you hear the music now my lovely?????

Listen, listen carefully and you will be ok........

Just walk this way....we are just about..........at...................

THE END!!!!!!!!

Happy Halloween...with the wind at our backs

Nova Scotia

THE LIGHTHOUSE AT PEGGY'S COVE

I think that if you ever get a chance to go to the east coast and see all these amazing places, you will be blessed....

So, from "the gentle island" of PEI to the quaint area of Halifax around Peggy's Cove and Lunnenburg.

I guess that when you wake up in the morning and get to look out at this.............................

As you can see it was a little cloudy this morning but by the time we got to Peggy's Cove (just past the monument for Swiss Air 111) it had burned off enough and was very warm and enjoyable.

This is a gorgeous spot that they say is the most photographed spot in Canada. I think you will see why.

We meet up with a fellow who is a local artist and quite the story teller. (book author as well)

He was very freindly as are most people on the east coast.

This is very rugged country but very quaint as well.......

Our next stop was Lunnenburg (just past Mahone Bay) where the Bluenose and Bluenose II were built. Beautiful wooden schooners.

The town is preserved from as far back at the 1880's and full of quaint homes and docks.

These are just a few of the pics that we got today. Way to many to put on line. I hope you enjoy them and if you can get out here...WOW good for you

PEI to Nova Scotia

You can imagine how hard I was laughing when we arrived at our campsite in PEI and had to go up this loooooooong driveway.

Picture the campsite just to the left of the house at the top of the picture. The house is actually the pro shop for the golf course that was attached to the campground.

The views were stunning though.

From right to left you could see 7 bays from this vantage point......

You sure couldn't beat that view.

We headed out the next day and went up to Brackly Beach on the north side.

Very beautiful long beaches full of super fine red red sand. With dunes and red cliffs on each side.

We also went to Cavendish beach. Just to appese my little gal self. I was there when I was two and had to relive the experience tee hee

From there back to the south side at Summerside and along the coastal route back to Charlottetown. We got to see the Confederation Bridge from the east side.

Amazing bride. 13 km (9 miles) that snakes across the Northumberland Straight. It curves to help with wind and it rises up and down. The highest point being 10 stories. When I crossed it in '97 I couldn't see over the sides because I was on my bike, but this time I got to see all the straight on both sides. Being in the "bus" you have a higher vantage point. I have to admit, my mind knew that I was safe but that little devil inside me that is afraid of hieghts didn't. LOL

I got a chance to go to Anne of Green Gables National Park...cute little place. Another little girl thing I guess.....

So off to Nova Scotia next

Oh, for the love of Lobster

I had to add this one on today.....

We got to PEI today and found a beautiful place for lobster....

DR is the lobster cooking king. I added a little steak for just a a change for the palette.

Fresh PEI lobster, cooked to perfection. Sorry MOM. I had to do it. Love to all

Off exploring the island tomorow. Maybe some golf