Living at Balmoral Drive, we joined the Senior Citizens Club, which offered many opportunities for touring as a group. One of the most enjoyable of these tours was one organized for a one-week's outing to Southern California: it included the famous Ramona Pageant, and I here recount a brief itinerary of the week's activities.
Leaving the Senior Citizens Club in Sacramento on Friday April 28th 1978, we headed south by chartered bus for Apple Valley, where we spent the night. On Saturday 29th, we visited the Roy Rogers Museum, and were individually introduced to Roy Rogers.
Pushing on to Hemet, we attended the celebrated "Ramona Outdoor Play". This dramatic presentation is staged outdoor on the slopes of majestic mount "San Jacinto". The Ramona Bowl displays acoustic qualities which permit the use of this natural setting to make the show realistic. There are troops of mounted horsemen and action sequences which could only be done outdoors. The whole show is an historical love story beautifully portrayed. Following the pageant, we travel to Anaheim by our chartered bus, where we spend the next three nights.
This is a very central spot, and from this base we visit the Ports of Call Village, and cruise around the harbour. We also go on a Treasure Hunt throughout the 75 unique "shops" which in reality are ships anchored in the harbour of Los Angeles. After all this, we proceed to the Universal Studios where we enjoy a tour of the 420 acre back lot. We see familiar sights, and get some idea of make-up, costume design, sound stages, stunts and special effects, like the parting of the Red Sea in the "Ten Commandments". The next day we go to Malibu and visit the J. Paul Getty Museum. The collection here is valued at several million dollars, and represents pieces of Greek and Roman statuary, Louis XV and XVI furniture, rare tapestries, and valuable paintings by Italian and Dutch masters. The museum building itself, a replica of the Villa Papyri, which as a large villa in Herculaneum that was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., cost about 17 million dollars to build.
We afterwards visit Knott’s Berry Farm. On Tuesday May 2nd 1978, we now arrive at Long Beach, and start on a cruise by a 700-passenger ship to Santa Catalina Island. We arrive at the port of Avalon. After settling in at our hotel, we tour the famous Casino, and visit the Casino Ballroom, where many of the great "Big Bands" played. In the afternoon our group enjoyed the scenic beauty of the "Terrace Drive", motoring along the heights of this colourful city, and its sparkling blue bay.
We spent the night on Santa Catalina at the "Pavilion Lodge". Wednesday May 3rd 1978. We are now taken on a glass-bottomed boat to view the spectacular marine habitat surrounding Catalina, following which, we do the mountainous interior of the island on a motor tour, which at one time was only reserved for V.I.P.s.
On our return to Long Beach, we head for North Hollywood, and Beverly Garland's "Resort Lodge". Yes, her of the TV. programme "My Three Sons". She and her husband run the resort as a family project and we were made very welcome indeed while there.
Adjacent is Hollywood; and just six minutes further on is Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Forecourt, famous for its hand and footprints of Hollywood's elite and set in cement flagstones. Sunset Strip and the Brown Derby Restaurant are quite close by.
Thursday May 4th, 1980 our last day on the tour is a relaxed day to ensure a safe return home.
There were many other short tours, one of which involved using the B.A.R.T. (Bay Area Rapid Transport) subway system. This is a highly computerized system, and we did indeed enjoy a long ride which carried us under the San Francisco Bay to its terminus in Concord.
Married as we were in 1930, our Golden Wedding Anniversary was fast approaching, and as a result, in August 1980 we celebrated this important milestone, choosing Marsha's place in Canada, being by far the most suitable location for this event. By a great stoke of luck it was possible to have the entire family present. Advancing the date from September 18th to August, that month being a vacation period for most people and of course all children. This alteration enabled Gordon, Arna and their two children to drive up to Canada from California, and Michael, Joan and their three children to bus it in from Bloomington, Indiana, where he was spending one year on a Fullbright Scholarship. Maureen, Ron and their son Paul flew over from England, and even my only sister Edna came over from Toronto where she lived.
We spent a very happy time, and it was certainly a delightful reunion. We helped to accommodate everyone, setting up a tent in the yard, and using a borrowed trailer which could hold four persons. After a very memorable couple of weeks, we left by Greyhound for our home in Sacramento, passing through Toronto, where we dropped off my sister Edna, spending a couple of days at Niagara Falls, then on to New York, for a short break following which Emma and I crossed the entire width of the U.S.A. back to California.
Life continued at a fairly steady pace for us, but November 3rd 1980 proved to be a real red-letter day. It was the day before election day, and we were all set to go Republican and bring in Reagan as future President of the U.S.A. Emma was showering, and I was preparing some bread for baking, when I heard her call out for her tablets. She took an occasionall nitroglycerine tablet prescribed for her since an EKG had disclosed a slight anginal condition. I got her one of the tablets and she completed dressing. But the pain in her chest did not subside, so I gave her another. After the third tablet, I called her doctor and described her condition. He suggested that I bring her into his office at once. This was about 10:00 a.m. Leaving the half - done bread, I quickly dressed, got her into the car, and drove to the doctor's office, ten miles away in Roseville. After a quick examination he had the ambulance in, and had her admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Roseville Community Hospital just a block away. She was given the whole works at the I.C.U., I.V.'s, Oxygen, EKG, you name it she got it.
After seeing her as settled in as comfortably as possible, I returned home and was able to complete the bread, which fortunately, had not over risen. I phoned Gordon in Yankee Hill, and notified him of what had happened. He came down to Roseville the next day and talked the case over with Doctor Wampold, the cardiologist. Inderol and Isordil tablets were given for her condo t ion and her diet was heavily restricted, no fats, low salt and so on. The Inderol tablets did produce some hallucinations at night and we were a little concerned about this.
Emma's stay in hospital lasted sixteen days, but after the first five days, she was removed from the I.C.U., and given a private room. During her stay in hospital she was advised by the cardiologist as well as her own doctor, Dr. Anthony, to have an Angiogram which would disclose any blockage in the arteries to the heart if any such condition existed. Anyhow, Emma just refused to give her consent to this procedure, mainly I believe, because of the traumatic effect it would have on her, and at her age. We left the decision entirely up to her. So, after sixteen days in hospital, Gordon invited us to come up to his place in Yankee Hill in an effort to help recondition his mother. She took the two-hour drive from Roseville to his home quite easily, going in his car, while I followed them in ours.
Gordon's home was brand new, modern, and set back a couple of miles from #70 Highway, thus being "Away from the Madding Crowd". It sits in the centre of pines, oaks, and sundry shrubs. There was a neighbour on each side of his property, at least a couple of hundred yards away. This sort of semi-isolation really appealed to both Gordon and Arna. Apart from his M.D. degree, Gordon is also an M.P.H. (Master of Public Health) and is strong on re-conditioning, proper food, and exercise being his trump card. So, for the period of time we are with him, he has planned a strict regimen of meals, all vegetarian, and progressive walks along the country roads leading from his home, many of which include hilly terrain and some rough surfaces.
Arna is a great help with the vegetarian meals, and it is truly surprising how well she performs in this particular category. Meals are spread about five hours apart, the heaviest being about 8.30 a.m., the next at 1.30 p.m. and the last one, which will comprise just a hot drink like "Postum or Soy Milk", some cereal or crackers, and some fruit. This will be around 6.30-7.00 p.m. Any undue activity which involved the use of the upper arms and chest muscles would produce anginal pain but fortunately, this is controlled by the nitro-glycerine tablets in a very short time. So, we carefully monitor her activities and after a few days, her condition shows signs of improvement and she is soon able to walk longer distances. During our sojourn at Yankee Hill, Emma is now able to walk a good mile over undulating roads, and reach a high pulse of 112.
Gordon has also cut down on her Isordil and Inderol, and before we departed back to Sacramento, she was no longer taking Inderol and had reduced the dose of Isordil to just one half. She lost approximately ten pounds during her convalescence, and looked a lot better for her stay at Yankee Hill. We then returned to our home in Sacramento.
However, while we were at Gordon's home, he did put the proposition to us that, especially in view of Emma's health, it would be worth considering living with him and Arna permanently, and after thinking a lot about it, we decided to give it a try. So, once again, we rented a "U-Haul" van, and drove back to our son's home. We settled into the newly built apartment constructed below his home, completely self-contained, and did our very best to adapt to a completely new lifestyle. After about six months, however, we decided it was too much to adjust to, and remembering that changing one's way of life in one's golden years was not an easy matter, we resolved to go back to Sacramento and start life once more on our own.
Having decided to return to Sacramento, Gordon volunteered to help us remove our furniture etc., by "U-Haul". We rented an apartment on Laurel Hills Drive in North Sacramento through a friend of ours who was now managing that complex. We settled there for about six months. Sacramento, the capital of the State of California, is a huge city, and our location on Laurel Hills Drive was some distance from the group of friends we had when we lived on Balmoral Drive. Once again, therefore, we looked around for a more suitable place nearer to our friends. Without too much trouble we got a delightful place in El Camino Avenue, definitely the nicest apartment we ever had. The place was well laid-out, two swimming pools, one of which was right close to our door all fenced in with iron rails, and beautifully landscaped with dwarf palm trees. We spent many happy years there, golfing, dancing and playing contract bridge. Once again we were able to accommodate family and friends and on one occasion we had Marsha and family with whom we toured Disneyland, and many of the other sites nearby, like Sutters Fort, the Zoo and the Capital Building.
On another occasion, we entertained Bill and Jackie Peters and Monica Charran for a week, and later on we had Ron, Maureen and Paul to spend a three-week vacation with us, enabling them to visit Yosemite Park, and travel on the San Francisco Delta.
It was while at this apartment, too, that Emma and I seized an offer from Eastern Airlines to visit "EPCOT" in Orlando, Florida. "EPCOT" refers to the Environmental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. This is in reality an extension of "Disney World" in Florida, and an East Coast counterpart of "Disneyland" in California. EPCOT portrays what world improvements should occur in fifty years' time - a sort of imaginative forecast of things to come. On the extensive area at this location, models of several countries of the world were created, such as France, Spain, Germany, England, Mexico etc., with full-sized buildings representing castles, parks, restaurants and important features of each country's habits and lifestyles. There were several sections displaying the idea of farming without soil, called hydroponics, showing life-size produce of vegetables and fruit grown with just nutrient solutions.
On our way back from "EPCOT" we broke the return trip home by stopping off in New York, and spending a little time with our friends the Stobys and Marie Lewis who lived in the Bronx. Here we visited the large Bronx Zoo before returning to our apartment in El Camino Avenue.
Several months later, however, Emma's health deteriorated, and after a series of X-Rays, including a complete Scan, carcinoma of the liver was disclosed. This was a great shock to us all, especially since it was one of those inoperable situations. Back we go to the Roseville Hospital once more, but her doctor did not hold out much hope for recovery. Chemotherapy treatment was suggested by a specialist but with Gordon's advice, we did not think it would be too helpful, since the agony would only have been prolonged. After a short stay in hospital, we took her back home, and Gordon suggested that we move back to his home in Yankee Hill, the better to enable him to take care of his mother.
With the help of some friends and Arna, we packed up as much of our household belongings as we could, hired a large "U-Haul" van, and made the trip to Gordon's home, Arna carried Emma in her car. Thanks to a kindly providence, her suffering did not last too long; and after as much care as we could give her, she passed quietly away on July 11th 1984 with just the vestige of a smile on her face, the kind of smile that so frequently endeared her to us all. Years before, we had both decided that our bodies should be cremated; and, in accordance with our wishes, this was duly done.
Her ashes were scattered over the "Dark Canyon" well within sight of Gordon's back porch and quite a little way in the valley on the bank of Lake Orville. Marsha and her family were all present from Canada, and we held a Memorial Service for Emma at the Golden Feather Adventist Church in Concow, near the Yankee Hill. A dear friend, Marie Hopkins, gave the eulogy. Reverend Baxter officiated.
Following Emma's demise, Michael and Joan suggested that I come over to Barbados and spend some time with them. And so, during the latter part of 1984 I emplaned from California and spent a month with them and two of their children Cathy and Kai. Mark, their eldest child, was at the Bloomington University in Indiana.
Sometime previously I had made applications to the Canadian Government for permission to live in Canada and on my return from Barbados, I found that approval was granted. Many, many years ago, before I was even married, I had plans for living in Canada, and now that it was possible, I decided to give it a try. So, packing my suitcases, I flew into San Francisco, caught an Air Canada flight and took off for Marsha's home. At Calgary, I changed planes, and continued on to Winnipeg where I was met and taken home to Marsha and family in 15th Street, Brandon. It was a cold and wintry day in December 1984 and the ride home took all of two hours. Early the following year, Aubrey and I drove back to California to collect some of my things which I could not carry on the plane when I left for Canada.
During the course of settling down in this new country, one day Marsha took me to the Oasis, a senior citizen's Club in Brandon which enabled me to meet other seniors, and it was not difficult to make friends easily. I attended some of the functions held there including dancing to live music every Friday afternoon. During that winter of 1985, I spent a few months with Gordon and Arna in Yankee Hill, California. In the summer of 1986, at Maureen's invitation, I visited her and Ron in England, accompanied by a Canadian friend of mine, Agnes Parker, whom I met at the Senior's Club in Brandon. Like myself, she was widowed, was a good dancer, a keen golfer, and a whiz at contract bridge. We became quite friendly. Maureen had met her when she and Ron and Paul visited us the previous year. Maureen liked her, hence the invitation to show her Britain.
And now, the flight from Winnipeg to London: part was done on "Air Canada" to Toronto, after which we took a "British Airways" plane into Heathrow Airport, London. We were met in London by Maureen and Ron and were scheduled to leave the following morning to tour the South and South West of Britain during the following week. This one-week tour started from London and we drive through the orchards of Kent by deluxe motor coach to Canterbury, where we visited this important gothic cathedral, which is the mother Church of England. Herein was murdered Thomas a Becket.
We then pass through the seaside resort of Brighton and enjoy the scenery. The tour was headed, for Portsmouth, Britain's historic naval base, where we visited H.M.S. "Victory", Lord Nelson's flagship in which he won the battle of Trafalgar, and on which he was also killed. Nelson had requested that his body be buried in England, and since no other means were available at that time to preserve a corpse for the time it would take to reach England, his body was immersed in a huge cask of wine, and taken to his homeland. The system of operating a battleship at that point in time (1815) was explained to us by members of the navy who conducted us over the entire ship.
By modern standards, the "Victory" would be a huge joke today, but at that time, it certainly established the British as the predominant nation in naval warfare. Many parts of the ship were of the original materials used nearly one hundred and eighty years ago.
Our coach is then driven onto a huge Sealink ferry boat, and we go over to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. We pass through the regatta resort of Cowes, and then onto Osborne House, the impressive home of the late Queen Victoria; she spent a lot of her time here after the death of Prince Albert, her husband, and this place is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. It is unbelievably beautiful, and is kept in a state of good preservation. We visited the entire house, from bathrooms to bedrooms; and the one room that really gripped me was the Wedgwood Room, displaying a collection of that brand of pottery which one has to see to really appreciate.
Crossing back to the mainland, we drive through the New Forest to Broadlands, the Mountbatten family home where Prince Charles and Princess Diana spent part of their honeymoon. This is yet another stately home, and the surrounding grounds quite extensive and well manicured.
We now drive on to Salisbury, the chief attraction here being the 13th century cathedral and its 402 foot spire. The original copy of the Magna Carta is on show here. Stopping at the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge, we walk around it and take pictures, then go through lovely Dorset into Devon. En route, we stop and visit the Fleet Air Arm museum, and see all types of aircraft all the way from the early models; to the prototype of the supersonic Concorde.
Then on to Exeter where we see the imposing castle built by William the Conqueror, called Rougemont Castle. Our coach then skirted along the coast through the fashionable resort of Torquay, which is the centre of the English Riviera. From Torquay we had a long drive through Dartmoor National Park to Plymouth, which was the base of Sir Francis Drake, and his daring expeditions around the world. Plymouth was also the departure point of the Pilgrim Fathers in the Mayflower. We pass Falmouth on the coast and it is ever so beautiful. We also passed "Lone", a former smugglers port, and the cathedral city of Truro. Proceeding on, these important centres were passed: Lynton, St. Michael's Mount, Lands End and St. Ives. Always a spectacular view, St. Michael's Mount rises offshore from the mainland to a height of 230 feet on the scenic ride along the Cornish peninsula.
The coach stops at a cove here, from which a breathtaking view of the Atlantic coast is seen, rugged and awe-inspiring. Going along the coast of this area, our tour director gives us a talk about King Arthur and his knights of the round table and all about the sword "Excalibur". The remains of King Arthur's castle "Tintagel" were pointed out.
Continuing our tour we reached from Lynton to Bristol, via Lynmouth and Cheddar Gorge. At this point the coach takes us to Lynmouth, at sea level, and we ride the antique water powered railway up to the 430-foot cliff, on which is perched the "Valley of the Rocks" hotel, our stay for the night. On the way to Lynton, however, we pass through Somerset and the Cheddar Gorge, see the famous Wells Cathedral and enjoy an orientation drive past "S.S. Great Britain", the world's first oceangoing propeller driven ship. We also pass over Brunel's famous suspension bridge over the Avon Gorge.
Our plan for the following day is - Bristol to London via Bath, Bladon, Oxford, Windsor and Hampton Court. In Georgian Bath this morning a local expert explains the amazing Roman Baths and Pumproom, guides conduct us over the whole area which is truly fantastic. We are shown how the water from the hot springs come into these underground pools, and how the Romans made full use of them. Even at this time, over two thousand years ago, the water is still hot as it flows through the pools. It is reputed to have certain curative properties. Leaving the Baths, we drive leisurely through the Cotswolds Hills and visit the wool town of Burford.
Now on the way back to London, we stop at Churchill's burial place at Bladon, examining the graves and tombstones of the entire Churchill family and take pictures. Following that we stop and spend a long time at Oxford, the University City where the cream of England's elite and many others receive their education. Lastly, we pass by Windsor Castle and stop at Hampton Court Palace where we walk through the manicured gardens, examining the glorious displays and taking photographs before finally returning to London.
On June 25th 1986, we book a one-day tour of London by chartered coach. It was a conducted tour, and starting at 9:00 a.m., we drove through the heart of London and got in position, along with hundreds of other tourists to witness the colourful scene of the "Changing of the Guard". We had to leave the coach and walk quite a little way to get near enough to the gates of Buckingham Palace, where it was possible to see the Trooping of the Colour, and the Changing of the Guard. Walking around a bit, our coach then took us to Westminster Bridge, where a splendid view of the Parliament Buildings, and the famous Big Ben Clock and Tower was clearly visible. Many pictures were taken, and then we proceeded to Westminster Abbey just nearby. Here a grand tour was conducted by our tour guide. There were several other large groups present, and often our party had to wait for space before our guide could start to explain all about the Abbey and what we were viewing. This conducted tour lasted well over an hour, and it was amazing to learn all about the episodes which transpired in the Cathedral during its existence.
Practically all the floor space and wall spaces were filled with bodies buried within them. One unusual corpse was interred in an upright position for lack of space. In this building the kings and queens of England are crowned, and we were able to see the age old Coronation Chair. One corner of the Abbey is called "Poets Corner", and is reserved for the likes of William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, etc., etc.
In a very short time the wedding of Prince Andrew and his fiancée will be celebrated here, and most important events, particularly those concerning the Royal Family are held here. We concluded this tour of one full day with a splendid meal at a posh restaurant in the heart of London, and before its end, a visit was made to the Tower of London, where we were shown around everything there which included the fabulous Crown Jewels, the "Portcullis Gate and Moat" and the special spot on which so many people of great importance were beheaded, including Anne Boleyn, one of the eight wives of Henry VIII. The chopping block was a grim reminder of past days. It was a tiresome day, but a great privilege to have seen so much in a single day.
On June 26th 1986, most of the day was spent arranging for the recovery of the value of Agnes' suitcase which was stolen in its transit from Heathrow Airport to the Novatel Hotel where all the tourists stayed overnight before proceeding on the tour of South and South West England. Agnes and I had travelled from Winnipeg to Toronto by "Air Canada" and changed there to "British Airways". Our luggage, however, did not change in Toronto, but arrived by "Air Canada" some time a little later the same day at Heathrow. Not seeing our luggage when we arrived, we lodged a protest and claim with the authorities, and were given the assurance that our suitcases would be forwarded to, us by special security car. However, late that evening, only one suitcase arrived at our hotel, the other one, Agnes', being reported stolen. So this whole day and the next we spent in arranging with the British Airways office in Piccadilly Circus in collecting the value of her lost property. This involved quite a bit of work since a list of all articles lost and their value had to be prepared and submitted to the Airways office. After a couple of trips, first by taxi, and afterwards by underground trains through the busy heart of this great London metropolis, the full value of her loss was recovered. I must say the people at British Airways office were very helpful, and had no hesitation in paying the full value in cash. Now, burdened with hundreds of pounds of English money, we retraced our steps ever so carefully back home, and had Maureen and Ron take care of the cash, which was really too much to carry around loosely.
On June 28th 1986, Maureen and Ron have arranged to take us to see "Cats", a musical play at Covent Garden, which is the heart of the London entertainment centre. This play is considered quite a top rate show, but unfortunately, it was not Ron's nor Agnes' "cup of tea". There was certainly a great exhibition of exotic dancing and we ended the evening at a restaurant close by.
The following evening, June 29th 1986, we enjoyed a delightful two-hour cruise on the Thames. It was a glorious night as we joined the pleasure craft, and sailed down the river. A nice dinner was served as we travelled slowly down the River Thames, passing the brilliantly lit buildings on both sides. Maureen was able to point out several important edifices, at some of which she had once worked. It was amazing to see how majestic it all looked in the neon lights decorating the buildings which line this important British waterway. We were afforded a running commentary as we cruised along, and it was indeed a very enjoyable evening.
The following day my brother Frankie, who lives in London, took us walking along the Thames Embankment, showing us where he worked and various other sights. We visited St. Paul's Cathedral, and climbed the stairs to the top of the Whispering Gallery, and looked down on all the people below. We also stopped at a little delightful garden near to the "Cleopatra's Needle" and had some refreshments in the shade and took some photographs in the shadow of the statue of the immortal Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet. Our holiday was now rapidly drawing to a close, so we spent some time at Pontius Holiday Camp near Brackelsham Bay on the south coast, after which Maureen and Ron took us to the Lensbury Club which is the club for Shell employees. (Maureen works for Shell as a Word Processor Operator.) While there, we rented an outboard motor boat and cruised for an hour or two on the upper reaches of the River Thames in the area of Teddington Lock.
We also toured Kew Gardens, which contains flowers and plants from all over the world. It is, in fact, the finest and most comprehensive garden in the world. We really enjoyed this weekend at Maureen's club and it certainly was a very fitting climax to our vacation in Britain.
During July in 1986, some time after returning from England, one of my grandsons, Mark, invited me and Marsha, Aubrey to his wedding in Indiana, U.S.A. We therefore decided to drive down in Aubrey's car, put up at a motel, and join the happy group. His fiancée, Barbara Starks, was a classmate at the University of Bloomington. The ride down from Brandon through the busy freeways was quite thrilling and I remember during a turn I took at driving at the peak period just outside the St. Paul's Minneapolis area, with a terrific rainfall pouring down, just how easy it was to be involved in an accident! Luckily, I did not panic, and got through safely. The wedding was a quiet but very pleasant function, and the families were well represented.
I left Brandon in December 1987 in order to be present at my granddaughter's wedding in Paradise, California. She and her fiancé, Jim Tiffany, both Adventists, were planning to go to Mali, French West Africa, to do work for "ADRA", an Adventists organization for assisting people worldwide to help take care of their own country's needs. Jim is a civil engineer, and he plans to set up water catchments to contain rainfall, building dams, etc. with the use of local labour. The wedding was held at the Paradise Adventist Church and it was truly a delightful event. Jim and Lucia took off for the Hawaiian Islands for their honeymoon. It was during this stay of mine in Paradise that one of my friends, Stanley Litwicki and I went over to Reno to see Harrah's Automobile Museum; and among the many cars we saw, here are a few whose names I jotted down: Bugatti, Whippets, Packards, Hudson Terraplane, Ferrari, Nash, Lunar Rover, Semitar Sudan, Fiat, Citroen, Shamrock, Ghia, Baker, Aston Martin, Corvette, Dusenberg, Cadillac,
It was quite a job going round and trying to see all these cars. I was not even half way through them when I became so tired I just gave up and decided to call it a day, and return home.
During May 1988, at the invitation of some friends with whom we were very close when we lived in Guyana, I made a short trip to British Columbia. Our friends lived on Vancouver Island in the city of Nanaimo. We visited the capital of the province - Victoria, and took in all the sights there. With a short bus ride, it was possible to see Butchart Gardens, celebrated for its design and beauty. I took several photographs, and the "Sunken Gardens" was by far the most impressive.
Using a large ferryboat we crossed back to the mainland and toured the city of Vancouver with a chartered bus. We first visited the Sun Yat Sen Gardens in the Chinatown section, after which we toured the Princess Elizabeth Gardens, and all the beautiful countryside en route. The ferry crossing from Nanaimo to the mainland and back was very impressive and thorouhly enjoyed.
Neither Elsa nor her sister Sheila, who were very good friends of both Emma and myself, was in too good health so, after a week I returned home, but was very glad to have seen Butchart Gardens.
The summer of 1988 was a very busy one. First of all, my grandson Richie got married, but let me start from the beginning. I left Brandon on June 14th for Winnipeg, where I caught an "Air Canada" flight to Toronto, then via British Airways to London. Had a seat on the upper deck. Excellent service, good flight. Saw a glorious sunrise in the early morning over the Atlantic. (It was a night flight.) What a sight! A vista of crimson and gold as far as the eye can see. Was met by Ron and Maureen at Heathrow and taken home. No problem at all with customs.
Maureen is in the throes of preparing for Richie's wedding tomorrow, 16th June 1988. Wedding at the registrar's office at 10:00 a.m. All went off quite well. I took some pictures and we went to a pub to celebrate. We afterwards repaired to the Nesbits' home in Wembley. He is the leader of the group to which Richie belongs. Spent the whole day there until late at night. While there a regular ordained minister arrived, blessed the couple in a ceremony on the back lawn. Nice arrangement.
Maureen and Ron are still at work, but will start holidays on July 4th. Called at 56 Longridge Road, Earls Court to see my brother and discovered he is in hospital - the St. Stephens in Fulham Road, so I went to see him. I am told he has to have open-heart surgery the following week. Maureen, Ron and I drive up to see Paul's college exhibit at Leicester. His exhibit was of both a photographic and kinetic nature. His presentation of photographs was really good, and the unusual nature of the kinetic display depicted a couple of cups and saucers, the cups containing what seemed to be some liquid, all of which were set at an angle of about 45 degrees and kept spinning at this angle without spilling the contents of the cups. This was activated by the effect of heat produced by candles at some distance away. It was really very unusual, but so is Paul. His work over the years in college at Leicester earned him a B.A. degree. All the other students exhibited other art forms, including painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.
After the ceremony of exhibition we went to a very exclusive Chinese restaurant for dinner. Following this, Michael, who was also with us, took me home to his house in Warwick. I spent one week with him and Joan, and toured the university there. Also enjoyed a swim in the basement pool of one of their buildings.
While in Warwick I phoned a friend of Frankie in Earls Court to enquire of his condition, and learnt that the surgery was very serious indeed, and that he was on complete life support systems. I therefore cut short my visit with Michael and Joan, and took a train back to London, Euston. There I joined the underground tube system and made my way safely to Maureen's house in Greenford at about 8:30 p.m. The next day I visited my brother in the Brompton Hospital, where the surgery was done, and found him as I just said on life support systems. The breathing tube was in his mouth, oxygen was given via the nostrils, and he received nutrients intravenously. He was continuously monitored. The surgeon, to whom I chatted for some time, explained that he had five grafts to the heart, and that after twelve hours of continuous surgery, they almost lost him.
About every other day I would go to see him, travel, as you probably know, is quite an undertaking in a city like London. Frankie was still all wired up. He could not speak, and was just about able to understand what I said. He remained in intensive care for over three weeks and was then removed to a "High Dependency Unit" in another room. After a couple of weeks there, he was sent to the Westminster Hospital on Horseferry Road for further help including physiotherapy. He was unable to walk unassisted, and certainly received the best care and attention possible. He was of course a retired senior employee of the British Civil Service. His surgery was done by Mr. Lincoln, an F.R.C.S.
During the week I called some of my childhood friends, Sonny and Joyce Barrow, who now live in Lincolnshire, and I was invited to spend a day with them in their new home. Accordingly, I took British Rail from Kings Cross to Lincoln Central (2 hours) and was met by Sonny at the station. We did a short tour of the city and spent the rest of that day with them, renewing a friendship which dates back to when I was just 14 years old, and we were boys together. They now own a lovely home, a two-bedroom bungalow, nice front and back garden, complete with a well made greenhouse. Took several shots of it all. I returned via Kings Cross and the Piccadilly underground to Maureen at about 9:00 p.m.
After visiting Frankie the next day, I met Maureen at her workplace, the mammoth Shell office complex at Waterloo where we had lunch served in one of their several posh restaurants. To get into the building, which is security controlled, Maureen as an employee (of whom there are several thousands) complete with her I.D. containing her photograph, had to vouch for me. Really good meals are served. There is also a 35 metre swimming pool in the basement of this huge complex, nicely arranged with individual changing rooms and lockers, hot and cold showers, and also a foot sterilization wading area before getting into the pool. Obviously, they try to keep the pool just "ool" without any "p" in it. I plan to use this facility as often as I can manage while I am in Britain.
A few days later, Thursday July 14th, I return to Michael and Joan in Warwick to see Cathy, their daughter, graduate as B.A. (Hons.) in Comparative American Studies. Cathy is a lovely girl, and the ceremony was a grand affair. What a delight it was to see 400 graduates arranged in all their splendour with gowns and mortarboards (black and red) parading through the hallowed halls of Coventry Cathedral. The ceremony took 21/2 hours, and appropriate organ music was played. I really enjoyed it and took several pictures and we afterwards lunched at a nearby cafeteria. I returned to London the next day by coach to Victoria Station. It was a completely new and different way to get back to Maureen's place, but the ride was interesting, travelling through a lot of rural England, with scenic views all the way.
A few days later, Cathy was in London for a short time, and she put up for one night at Maureen's place. On the following morning I took her to the Euston rail station for her journey back to her place in Coventry.. On the way there, however, she expressed a desire to see the house in North Wembley where she was born. So I guided her there, and she picked some flowers from one of the trees in the front yard as a little memory of her birthplace which she said we would compress and keep as a souvenir. The following evening, Maureen, Ron and I, along with the Terrill’s (Andrew and Heather), attend a barn dance at the Lensbury Club, in Teddington - the Shell club for its employees. Maureen is an excellent dancer, and she and I did enjoy some good turns on the floor. On Tuesday July 19th 1988, I went to see Frankie who, as I said before, was now at Westminster Hospital in Horseferry Road. The old boy was really looking better and could speak a bit now, but still weak on his legs. Following half an hour visit with him, I wandered my way to Maureen's office, where we enjoyed yet another delightful service. We then had dinner there before going on home.
Since arriving in England, I chose to use "Travelcards", which enable one to ride either the buses or the underground trains during the hours of 9:30 a.m. to midnight of the same day. Each card costs £2.00, the equivalent of $4.00 Canadian. On the next day, July 20th, I retrace my steps to an old acquaintance, the Derry and Tom Roof Top Gardens in Kensington High Street, of which I had taken photographs some fifteen years before (I still have slides of them).
The gardens - a roof-top affair, seven stories high is still there, but now a mere skeleton of its former glory. I was truly disappointed, but I suppose it had to make way for business, especially since the premises which were formerly owned by one company have now been acquired by British Home Stores, a very large and up-to-date concern.
Thursday July 23rd 1988. We go for "High Tea" at the Terrill’s. They live reasonably close in the Wembley area. The next day, Maureen has planned a coach trip to Brecon Beacons in Wales. Delightful scenery. The trip takes four hours each way. We took Shelley along with us. Richie was on tour with the Southlanders at Great Yarmouth. That was the group with which he worked.
The following day a really nice carpet of a maroon shade was expertly laid in the bottom and top hallways, and along the stairs connecting the two floors. The two men who did the job were quite expert, and it made a real difference to the front entrance. Ron had previously decorated the walls, doors, and ceiling, the finished result being extremely pleasant. I took some pictures of the new look.
Thursday July 16th 1988 is the last day of my holiday here, and I am being treated to the ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Festival Hall. This was preceded by dinner at the Shell Restaurant with Ron and Maureen. The show, a very well known one, was brilliantly acted (three acts) and the costumes and lighting effects simply marvellous. Wednesday 27th July 1988. Departure day. Ron and Maureen both take me to the airport. We travel by underground train, several of which run right into Heathrow Airport. At the terminal there was utter confusion. The plane, a "British Airways" one, was hopelessly overbooked, and we were asked to stand by for our boarding passes. After some considerable waiting amid a huge crowd, I was given a seat on a "Club Class" section of the plane, and was also fortunate to have a very pleasant travelling companion in the other seat at my side. As I entered the plane, I was met by a charming hostess and shown to one of two luxurious, well upholstered chairs of a velvety finish.
Each had a double arm rest, so that its twin on the other side had enough room for the other passenger to use the arm rest. We were promptly supplied with little fluffy head cushions, and a soft little blanket in case it was needed. Each chair had a retractable foot-rest, which folded under the chair when not needed. There was not the regular "pull-down" tray from the back of the seat in front of you, but a cleverly designed hinged and folding tray which was concealed in the frame of your seat at the side.
As soon as seated, we were offered a choice of newspapers or magazines, and a headset to listen either to music built into Your seat, or to view and hear the movie which was afterwards shown. As the plane taxied down for the take-off, instead of the usual demonstration by the staff of how to adjust seatbelt, oxygen mask and all the other safety instructions, this was clearly very sensibly shown in colour on the screen.
After being airborne, we were offered a choice of pop, wine, Champagne, Chablis or fruit juices, and shortly after, lunch came on. It was simply a masterpiece, comprising: sliced papaya in a seafood blend of prawns, watercress dressing, and surrounded by layers of delightful pastry of the consistency of croissants, and which folded around it in layers. For the entr6e, there was a choice of chicken breast marinated in wine and herbs, or smoked salmon, or roast beef, all served with baked or grilled potatoes, baby carrots, and assorted greens. The dessert consisted of English summer pudding, ice cream and chocolates. About 4-5 hours later, we were treated once more to a delightful assortment of sandwiches, so very neatly and tenderly cut, you were almost afraid to destroy them by eating, along with more white wine, tea or coffee, cheese and crackers and candy.
Hot wash towels were then served up to freshen the hands and face. Oh! What a meal and treat!! Before finally departing, as a souvenir we were given a little bag of toiletries containing a razor, shaving cream, toothbrush and paste, comb, shoehorn, face cloth, and a tube of moisturizing cream. All this took place for the simple reason that they were overbooked in the tourist section of the plane, and since I had a prepaid tourist return ticket from several months back, they just had to find space for me, which is how I was given a seat in the First Class section of the plane. What a joy it was to travel in such comfort.
I arrived in Toronto without any problem from Immigration or Customs, and continued by Air Canada to Winnipeg, this time with regular tourist class treatment. At Winnipeg, I was met by Marsha and Aubrey at about 10:30 a.m. We spent that night at a nice motel, complete with sauna hot pool and swimming facilities. A free breakfast was provided for each of us in their well appointed dining room.
That day, Thursday July 28th 1988, Marsha had an appointment with a periodontist, two hours in the morning 10:00-12:00 noon and another two hours in the afternoon 2:00-4:00 p.m. We dropped her off at the dentist, parked the car in a multi-storied car park within the confines of the Medical Arts Building, in which the dentist was located. Aubrey and I whiled away the two hours by walking over to the nearby Portage Mall, which is quite extensive, and returned for Marsha at about midday.
We then repaired back to the motel and checked out, after partaking of a delicious Chinese meal which was served right there in the motel's restaurant. Marsha's gums were a bit sore, she thus ate carefully. Having completed our stay in Winnipeg, we drove back home to Brandon, arriving in the twilight hours of Thursday July 28th 1988.
During 1989, I thought I would see how adventurous I could be, so I took advantage of an offer by the Greyhound Bus Company which offered to ride you to any part of the U.S.A. for the small sum of U.S. $68. I therefore joined the bus here in Winnipeg and travelled to Fargo in North Dakota. Changing my bus there, I then continued the 3,000 miles or so across the width of the U.S.A. to Spokane in Washington State on the Pacific Coast. Here I switched buses again and went on south to Portland, in the State of Oregon, where I had to wait for a connexion to California. I finished up at Gordon's home in Yankee Hill, after he had collected me in the City of Paradise where his medical clinic is situated. This sort of wild ride took 2;A days. I slept on the bus, of course, and it was reasonably comfortable. I had to feed myself as well, but by frequent stopping, this was not difficult.
To me it was a sort of picnic, and the experience certainly stood me in good stead. After spending a month or two with Gordon and Arna in California, I booked a return trip by the same bus line, coming back to Canada by a somewhat different-route. On the way back, I broke the journey by stopping off in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and spending that night in a nice comfortable motel. Not too bad when you remember I was now a modest 83 years' old!
July 9th 1990. Once again I go to England and join Ron and Maureen on a 4-day tour going through all of Hampton Court and its wonderful gardens. We did the Roman Baths at Bath, as well as Shakespeare country including the famous Anne Hathaway's Cottage. We went along quite a bit of the south coast, and finished by spending a whole day at Leeds Castle. Maureen and Ron had never done this part of Britain before and rather enjoyed it. They had just bought a new car, a Renault, and it was quite delightful to drive along the English countryside.
There were many improvements in Maureen's house, including a modern kitchen, still unfinished, and a concrete patio with suitable furniture in her back yard. We toured a good bit of London, as both Ron and Maureen were on holiday. Leeds Castle was of special interest. It stands on a little islet near Maidstone in Kent, built in Norman times during the reign of William the Conqueror's son.
It is now fully used and occupied, principally for conferences and meetings of special importance.
The grounds are vast and extensive, containing not only a full sized golf course, but many brooks and waterways in which are bred and maintained numbers of ducks, and the celebrated black swans.
There is a very good restaurant, and an aviary and a resplendent garden called after its founder the "Culpepper Gardens". This was the true highlight of this tour, and as I said, we spent an entire day enjoying it. A complete explanation was given of the various activities held there, by the manyguards and keepers who are stationed at the Castle. Some days later, following our return to London, we had the pleasure of meeting Michael, Joan, Cathy and Kai, who were getting ready for a safari into the jungle of Guyana, a trip sponsored by the University of the West Indies for which Michael works. He is the senior lecturer and head of the English Department there, and has his home in the Island of Barbados. After a successful three weeks, I returned to my home at Marsha's place in Brandon, Canada.
On September 20th, 1990, at Gordon's and Arna's invitation, Agnes and I arranged to spend a two-week holiday visiting as many of California's sights as we could.
We left Brandon by car to Minot in North Dakota, took a plane there, and arrived at Sacramento towards evening. We were picked up by Arna at the airport, arriving at their home on Yankee Hill just before midnight. Although the itinerary was crowded, it was carefully selected. We spent the first day viewing the city of Paradise where Gordon has his medical clinic. The next day we toured the cities of Chico and Oroville, at the latter we were able to view the huge Oroville Dam. On the following morning we made an early start, leaving Gordon's home at 8:00 a.m. with Arna driving her Honda and heading for the Monterey peninsula, a very scenic spot which includes Pebble Beach where some great golf is played. While there, we did the 17 mile scenic drive along the Pacific coastline, taking pictures including the "Lone Cypress", one o the most photographed trees in California.
After spending a couple of hours at this beauty spot, we motored down the picturesque Pacificcoast to Santa Maria, where Arna's mother, Chris, lives. We spent the night there in her very comfortable home, and the next morning Arna, Agnes and I took off to spend the day at Hearst's Castle. Built on the top of a huge hill overlooking the ocean, we took the No. 1 tour, which included the fabulous gardens and grounds, as well as the expansive animal park, the Venus Pool, and the Indoor Pool, as well as a large portion of the main room of the Castle. The furnishings were just elaborate, and consisted of many expensive and irreplaceable antiques. It is said that Winston Churchill once fell into the Venus Pool after a great party he attended there several years ago. The weather was good, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the day there.
On the way back to Santa Maria we visited Riva's home (Riva is Arna's brother). The following day, Saturday, is the Adventist's Sabbath and we all attended church with Chris at Santa Maria. It was a Communion service that day, and for the first time Agnes saw the ceremony of "washing the feet", depicting the act of humility our Lord showed at the Last Supper.
On Sunday September 30th, 1990, we thanked Chris for her hospitality, and left for Loma Linda University and Medical Centre, where I saw at least one of my old co-workers, Alfred Dennis. Many of the others were no longer there (I had retired some 17 years ago). Al Dennis and I chatted about old times before leaving for Los Angeles to meet Arna's sister, Lisa, who is a laboratory technician at the White Memorial Hospital. Lisa took us to the Griffith's Park Planetarium perched on a hill overlooking the city of Los Angeles. Looking down on this huge city from this vantage point, it was a perfect fairyland, stretching out for miles all round. It was already dark and the millions of coloured lights in the city made it appear quite fantastic.
From there, we drove to another of Arna's sisters, Loida, and her husband, Orville, with whom we were about to spend the next three days and four nights at their large home on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Monday October 1st, with Loida as our guide, we did the San Diego Zoo, acknowledged as the best in the world. We culminated a very strenuous day with a cruise on a pleasure ship on the San Diego Bay, all the way to the Coronado Bridge, a two to three hour tour, where we saw quite a number of the U.S.A.'s third fleet moored. Among them was the "Missouri" on which the surrender terms were signed by the Japanese at the end of the Second World War.
The next day we did Disneyland (all day) taking in viewing the "Queen Mary", which is now a museum piece in the Long Beach harbour. We missed seeing the "Spruce Goose" as there was too long a queue. On the following day, Wednesday October 3rd, we enjoyed the celebrated "Universal Studios" where a lot of movies are made. Here we experienced a simulated 8.5 earthquake-on the Richter scale as part of the many thrillers. How can we ever forget the "Revolving Glamour Train" in the tunnel where, upon looking back after driving out of the tunnel, it was the tunnel which was revolving, and not the train we were in. We also saw a version of the well-known "Miami Vice" performance.
Towards the close of this hectic day, we pass through the heart of the Hollywood area and reach the site of the "Chinese Theatre", where the hand and footprints of the stars are set in the cemented flagstones. We also walk along the star studded mile of fame on Hollywood Boulevard.
We now leave early on Thursday October 4th on our way back home in Yankee Hill. It was a long and tiresome drive of not less than ten hours, but, thanks to Arna's expert driving, we got safely back home. On Friday October 5th Agnes and I go with Gordon to shop in Chico. It was one of the few days he could spare. Saturday 6th we dined at the "King's Table" in Chico, with Stan and Maria Litwicki, and took off for Marysville to an "Octoberfest" where we danced. Stan and Marie Litwicki were our hosts.
Sunday October 7th. Dined at the "Cornucopia" restaurant in Paradise, and had a really delightful dance at the "Melody Club", my favourite dance group.
Monday October 8th. We packed and prepared to return to Canada early the following morning. And so, after a very busy but enjoyable fortnight, we finally got back to our homes in Brandon at around 4:00 p.m. on October 9th. Marsha met us at the airport in Minot and safely drove us home.
The winter of 1991 was a very harsh one in Canada, starting in October, and continuing until May of the following year. As a result, in mid-October 1991 I left Canada for Gordon's home in California and remained there until March 1992.
While in the U.S.A., I arranged with Michael and Joan in Barbados to spend a few weeks with them. Emplaning from Sacramento, I flew into Forth Worth, Texas, changed planes there, and went to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where once again I boarded another plane for Bridgetown, Barbados. I am beginning to realize that I must be infected with a disease called "wanderlust", or could it be an inheritance from my father! Michael and Joan met me at the airport, and drove me to their delightful home at Upton Cottage, Upton Park. Here I spent a very comfortable and restful three weeks in this beautiful tropical island, and really enjoyed the life there.
I met quite a number of friends whom I knew well while living in Guyana, and who had migrated to Barbados. We visited many of the sights on the island, like "Harrison’s Caves", the "Sunbury Plantation House", the "Bathsheba Beach", Sam Lord's Castle, and we covered most of the island, viewing the splendid beaches all around it. We made two separate trips to the "Schooner Restaurant" built over the water of the Caribbean Sea, as an extension of the "Grand Beach Resort" Hotel. The food was set up in buffet style, you just helped yourself. The atmosphere was glorious, with the waves flowing gently all around you, and the invigorating tropical breeze fanning you. It was really a treat.
After a splendid holiday of just three weeks, I returned to Gordon in California, and shortly after made my way back to Marsha's home in Brandon, Canada, some time in the spring. I resumed a normal lifestyle for the spring and summer months playing a good bit of golf and swimming, but booked a tour to see the "Maritimes", Canada's eastern regions, during early fall.
So, on September 15th, 1992, I joined a group organized by Fehrways Tour Company, leaving from Winnipeg, and travelling along the Trans Canada Highway. We go to Thunder Bay on Lake Superior and spent the first night at the Valhalla Inn. During that first day of travel, we passed the Terry Fox monument. It was he who walked on one leg (in a cancerous condition) from coast to coast, going from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in an effort to raise funds for the treatment of cancer.
On the following morning we go on to Sault Set Marie, also on Lake Superior, where we overnight at the "Water Tower" Inn. Proceeding next morning we go past Sudbury to Ottawa, the capital of Canada, where we spend two nights, putting up at the Radisson Hotel. This is a very classy place,
26 floors high, with a revolving restaurant on top. My room was on the 22nd floor. On the first day in Ottawa, we took on a tour guide who chaperoned us through the main areas of the capital, like the homes of the Prime Minister, the Governor-General and most of the Embassy homes of which there were scores and scores; many truly beautiful and of course expensive. The guide was able to explain everything we saw, telling us that homes in that area cost somewhere between $800,000 and $4.5 million.
The city was really beautiful, and we were also taken to Parliament Hill where we toured the Legislative Chambers, and had a full explanation of how the Government was run. Our guide explained the importance of the Rideau Canal, and said that in winter it becomes the longest skating rink in the world. On Parliament Hill we viewed the recently erected statue of Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by a gorgeous display of flowers. The Dutch provided a wonderful array of tulips to the area in remembrance of the time during World War II, when Queen Juliana was sheltered here in Canada after the Germans overran Holland.
In Ottawa, we also saw the Notre Dame Basilica, an exact copy of the one in France. By nightfall, on this our second evening in Ottawa, we were completely worn out, so I took a quick swim in the hotel's pool, and an immersion in the hot tub and retired to bed. The following morning we started out on our way to Quebec, taking in a tour of Montreal en route. Built on an island in the St. Lawrence River, Montreal is the largest city in Canada. Its population is about three million people, and is the largest French speaking city in the world after Paris. A very interesting city, it is built around a mountain (Mont Real) and is a major centre of Canadian business, culture, industry and education. Its downtown area includes the world's largest network of underground stores and restaurants. It took 40 years to furnish the inside of its Church of Notre Dame. The organ has 7,000 pipes, the building can accommodate 3,000 people, and there is 22 carat gold trim on some of its more valued pieces.
Montreal has six television stations, three each French and English and there is a very modern underground transport system (the Metro) as well. Expo '67 was held in Montreal (1969) and 900 apartments were constructed from some of the buildings which housed it. We saw extensive gardens in the area, and our guide (this time a French woman) explained it was the second best in the world. I promptly asked her if "Kew" Gardens in London, England was the better, and she readily agreed. To give some idea of the importance of Montreal, each year four million people visit it. The city has 11,000 hotel and motel rooms, and 5,000 restaurants. We were also taken to the top of the mountains around which Montreal was built.
On our way to Quebec City, our coach passed close to the water's edge of the St. Lawrence River. In Quebec, we had another French tour guide, a man this time (the first one being a woman). We passed by Laval University which has 36,000 students and 2,000 teachers. This is subsidized by Government, and has a very complex and complicated curriculum, and is a city all by itself. The tuition fees are very low, I was told. We also visited St. Michael's Church, which Pope John attended when he was in Canada. En route, we were shown the garage of a private family in which there was a turntable because of the wife's inability to reverse her car. We also looked down upon Quebec from the hills and visited the "Plains of Abraham". It was here on these plains that Generals Wolfe and Montcalm fought, and during the ensuing battle they were both mortally wounded.
The "Plains of Abraham" provide excellent downhill skiing and further along, we were told, there was a giant underground parking place where 3,0000 cars could park. In "Old Quebec" the horses are fitted with diapers but our guide said that the horses often "shoot wide", like some hockey players. The dead remains of Champlain, the founder of Quebec, were never found, just like those of my father, Edward Gilkes, who died in Guyana's hinterland. Continuing towards New Brunswick, we stop at the famous woodcarving shop "Robert Jean Incorporated", and saw some of the nicest wood carvings possible, very expensive too. We then reached Hartlands where we saw one of the longest covered wooden bridges in the world. Our stop that night was "Fredricton" before crossing
the ferry the following morning. Before we embark on the ferry, however, we visit the world celebrated "Magnetic Hill" where the rare phenomenon of a defiance of nature's law of gravity is observed.
The coach driver takes us to the bottom of the hill, shuts off the engine and the vehicle coasts up hill without any power. He does this twice to convince those of us that it is real and not just an optical delusion. This is in the area of the "Bay of Fundy" where tides attain a height of 40-50 feet, due to compression of the water coming in from the Atlantic Ocean, and as the bay narrows, the waves just pile up, and the surging water rises to the highest levels in the world. After this, we catch our ferry boat and sail over to "Prince Edward Island". This ferry, I am told, can carry several hundred cars, trucks and buses on each trip. The crossing was smooth, and took just half an hour.
We will spend two nights on Prince Edward Island touring the entire island, visiting the Federation Buildings which displayed on a wide picture screen how the beginning was in respect of the founding of the Canadian nation. The Provincial building in Charlottown (the capital of this tiny province) is called the birthplace of Canada. It was here that the Fathers of Confederation first met and planned the union of Canada. We next visited the home of Lucy Montgomery, and the house which represented the home of "Anne of Green Gables", a famous Canadian series written by L. Montgomery. The house is as it was many, many years ago, and is kept in perfect condition. Our tour guide (now a lady) also gave us a demonstration of lobster life using a live lobster, and explained all about its habits. Prince Edward Island is really a very beautiful province, even if it is the smallest. It is celebrated for its lobster, and we ate quite a few of these while there.
After two nights, we left P.E.I. (P.E.I. is short for Prince Edward Island) and crossed back to Nova Scotia, a huge peninsula bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the East, the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the North-West, and the Bay of Fundy on the South-West. We are heading north to Cape Breton Island, and here we visit Alexander Graham-Bell's Museum. He was, of course, the inventor of the telephone. He was also a pioneer in medicine, agriculture, aeronautics, marine engineering, and teaching of the deaf - a truly amazing personality. We spent many hours here, going through the extensive Museum and grounds.
We are now approaching the Cabot Trail, which is in the northern part of Cape Breton Island; with the St. Lawrence Gulf on the West and the Atlantic Ocean on the East. It is high country and very mountainous. The altitude at the peak is 1,500 feet, with winds of 100 kph. per hour. It was first inhabited by Norsemen, but originally discovered by John Cabot for the British. It is now called "Cape Breton Highlands National Park", and protects 950 km. of wilderness. There we have magnificent scenery, excellent look-outs, beaches, picnic areas and campgrounds, and driving along the trail, there is an automatic recording describing all that we pass by. In winter, 500 centimetres of snow falls here. Some of the world's best fishing is secured here also, particularly trout. Coming to the end of this four hour ride over the trail, we descend 1,200 feet in 5 miles. The driver jokingly asks us to lean to the other side.
Leaving the Cabot Trail, we are now on our way to Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. Halifax is important for shipping, having an ice-free harbour, and is the nearest to Europe. It is also the second largest port in the world after Sydney, Australia. The world famous schooner "Bluenose" is docked here, being the winner of several trophies over the years. Halifax holds the record for the lowest murders this year (1992), just four (4), and this is considered a high. I experienced the even of the firing of the 12:00 o'clock cannon from the fort at the Citadel. This is a daily occurrence.
Now we are on our way to Peggy's Cove for a lobster lunch, after which we travel across Nova Scotia to Digby on the western side. The ride through the Annapolis Valley was delightful. Lovely fall colours are beginning to show up and lots of pumpkins here, and at one lunch stop we see a giant sized one weighting 170.5 lbs. Our coach rides along the coastline of the Bay of Fundy and how exciting it is to know I will soon be on the ferry boat, crossing this celebrated bay of which I had read so much as a small schoolboy. The crossing of the Bay of Fundy took 31/2 hours, and after arriving at St. John in New Brunswick, we had a look at the "Reversing Falls", which was truly a back-up situation occasioned by the waters of Fundy Bay. We spent the night at a hotel there. It was very foggy this night and as a result I was not able to see much of the "Reversing Falls".
Our next stop would be Gorham in New Hampshire, U.S.A. Here we pass through the U.S. customs. No problems. Continuing through the State of Maine, the changing colours of the foliage now begin to show, and it is a splendid sight. On both sides of the highway, for mile upon mile, one sees yellows, greens, reds, pinks and purples in great depth, and I have never seen a more gorgeous display in all my life. The coach stopped at Bangor for our lunch break, and at a large map there I enjoyed broccoli-stuffed chicken with potatoes and coleslaw. We, afterwards, pulled in at Giffords for some of their world famous ice cream.
Tonight, the 29th of September,1992, we spend at the Tourist Village Motel in New Hampshire, and here I enjoyed a good swim in their excellent pool followed by a short stay in the hot tub. After breakfast, we continued to Woodstock for lunch and afterwards visited the exclusive "Woodstock Inn & Resort" a very select place. The fall spectacle of colours has been with us for well over 150 miles, and we spend that night in Albany, the Capital city of New York State.
Today, the 30th September,1992, we are on our way to Niagara Falls. Our tour escort, Mae McGillivary, is a great guide. As we pass new places and sites, she gives us particulars of population, industries, etc. We just passed Utica., a big city, then we bypass Syracuse, and now going towards Amhurst. Near to Seneca Falls, we pass the famous "Finger Lakes", all ten of them. Going past Rochester, we should get into Buffalo by 2:00 p.m. It is a great shipping port. We are now on our way to Niagara Falls. Reaching Grand Island, we are now able to see this wonderful marvel of nature.
Niagara Falls is not only a great industrial centre, but it also has the reputation of being the honeymoon capital of the world. It produces an enormous amount of electrical energy, and is the greatest single natural source of water power in North America. Delightful parks and gardens surround it, and the scenic beauty is quite something to behold. Each year four million people visit it. The "Horseshoe Falls" on the Canadian side is by far more scenic than the American Falls on the U.S. side. There is a flower clock, the "Niagara Floral Clock", in good working condition, and made up of 24,000 flowering plants. The weather was kind, and I shot about a dozen photographs from different angles, including some from the roof of the pavilion which overlooks the Falls.
After checking in at our hotel, we return to view the falls at night, where several vari coloured lights shone on the cascading water, converting the scene into a sort of fairyland. We spent that night in Southern Ontario, and travelling along the Queen Elizabeth highway, we go past some extensive fruit ranches which abound here. Going past London, Ontario (incidentally, London, Ontario is also on the "Thames", like its namesake in England), we cross over from Canada to Michigan, U.S.A. via the "Sarnia" Bridge, a bridge almost comparable to the Golden Gate Bridge in California. Passing through Detroit, the big Auto centre, we are now going towards Frankenmuth. We pass through Flint, Michigan, and see the Buick Chrysler outfit, as well as an enormous junk-yard with hundreds of wrecks of old cars.
On our way to our motel, we first drop off our luggage, and then go to Bronners, the world's largest Christmas store. This store welcomes you in 60 languages. It employs a staff of 300, opens 361 days a year, and gets over two million visitors yearly. The current size of the salesroom is 11/2 acres. The parking lot holds 600 cars and 40 buses. The late John Wayne ordered a Santa suit by phone on December 15th 1976. Very many figures displayed on the shelves, all the way up to the ceiling, were animated, and created quite an atmosphere of reality. Each year, 2,000 motor coach groups visit Bronners; we spent over an hour looking over this giant Christmas shop, and many of us made purchases.
Next, we visited the "Bavarian Inn", where we had supper in the roof garden. I made a note of my supper, and it was as follows: a glass of Heidelberg, Cordon Bleu chicken and ham slices, and baked stuffed potatoes and dumplings. During the meal we were entertained by a Bavarian accordion player with piano accompaniment and singing. The entire cost was $7.00. At 6:00 p.m. sharp, everybody repaired to the garden outside the Bavarian Inn and waited for the pealing of the "Carillon Bells", followed by the animated display of the story of the Pied Piper, which lasted for a good half an hour.
On Friday October 2nd, we set out for Escanaba, and pass by Bay City. It is now getting to the end of our 20-day tour of eastern Canada. We are also seeing a return of some of that glorious colour among the trees as we pass. There is a lunch stop at Mackinaw, and then we approach the famous Mackinac Bridge, all five miles of it. This bridge separates Lake Michigan on the left and Lake Huron on the right. It also has towers of 500 feet, and a foundation base of 200 odd feet.
Having crossed the bridge, we stop at a very convenient location, hand all our cameras to our escort and driver, who then took pictures of us as a group, on each of our cameras. Each of us then took pictures of our escort and driver. We are now riding along the ridges of Lake Michigan and again the trees are loaded with colour. This night we spend at Escanaba, Michigan.
On October 3rd 1992, we start at 8:30 a.m. for the penultimate day of our tour of the "Maritimes" and we will spend the last night at Grand Rapids. Fehrways, the tour organizers, will provide a farewell supper for us all at 7:00 p.m. Informal, just tidy. We leave Michigan and cross into Wisconsin; population over four million, and famous for its beer, cheese and butter. We stop for lunch at Ashland, on Lake Superior, and pass through "Duluth", where there is a large yacht club.
We went shopping at a huge "Wall Mart" Mall' in Grand Rapids and tonight we bed down for our last holiday sleep at the "Best Western Inn", after being entertained at supper by our hosts. We leave for Winnipeg at 6:00 p.m. the following morning. On this, the last day of our tour, we pass "Benidji", Paul Bunyan's country. Stop at this statue, but I've run out of film. Just before lunch, the microphone on the coach was passed around to each of us, to say what we considered the highlight of the tour, and we each expressed our own preferences.
Lunch was taken at the "Royal Forks", a smorgasbord in the Columbia Mall - a solid meal and very good. Arriving near the Canadian border, we stop at the U.S. duty free shop, and many of us purchase stuff at this point (Pembina). From there we proceeded to Canadian customs, and after a long wait, we finally arrived in Winnipeg at 5:00 p.m. I caught a Greyhound Bus and reached home in Brandon by 9:30 p.m. What a wonderful 20 days!
The winter of 1992 commenced rather early in November, and the temperature began falling rather low. The coldest days were registered - 41° Celsius, and lots of heavy snow fall. Our driveway and yard were covered to about four feet deep, and it was quite uncomfortable at the best of times. It was at this point that I was invited by my son, Gordon, and his wife, Arna, to come over to California, where they lived on Yankee Hill in the northern part of the state. In an effort to shovel some of the snow from our driveway, I must have injured by back, and just before I left for my son's home in the sunshine state, this condition really worsened, and I had to be careful indeed. Both California and Arizona are very popular winter resorts for Canadians especially, and so, on January 10th 1993, I flew down from Winnipeg to enjoy the benefits of this wonderful state.
It was while on this winter vacation that I decided to close this addition to my autobiography; and I do hope that this little effort of mine will act as a nucleus from which some of my off-spring will be able to continue the life story of the Gilkes clan, and its various ramifications.
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