Berlin

A few weeks ago I was in Berlin and was fortunate to be invited by Christian Boros to visit his museum which located in a bunker from WWII which was a civilian bunker that could hold up to 2000 people.

It's one of the most amazing buildings I have seen lately .

We first wondered around in the museum which has 5 floor and an amazing art collection on display, and then afterwards we went up to his penthouse that is build on top of that bunker.

Which is also full of art & some amazing furniture.

A truly wonderful experience, thank you Christian for your hospitality.

Check out more here: http://www.sammlung-boros.de/index.php?id=1&L=1&id=1

Living room with a Damien Hurst

Kitchen

Terras

Another living room

Some of the art pieces off his collection

Anselm reyle

Some random shots in Berlin

Is Canada Really a Better Name Brand than the U.S.A.?

A story came out today about how Canada has edged out the USA for top spot in a tourist brand survey. I'm sure that gets all us Canadians feeling good about ourselves. But let's look into this a little further, and find out why we got to first place before we take a victory lap.

Apparently the people who responded to the survey had not heard of some of the juiciest stories in the Canadian news recently. The story of the Ku Klux Klan guy at the Canadian Legion stayed home in Canada. So in the end it was a good strategy not to charge him with a crime.

Another story that didn't get out was the cross burning on the lawn of an interracial couple. Apparently the perpetrator was not in the KKK and he meant nothing by it, he just thought it was a funny thing to do. That's good for him, it'll give him a lot to laugh about while serving time in prison.

Colonel Russell Williams, of the Canadian Forces, raping and killing women near his home base, in Ontario Canada. That story didn't get out either.

We were lucky that the Canadian stories which did make it big world wide were the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, polar bear watching expeditions, and wine tasting tours. (free wine is very appealing). The polar bear story was so viral that any web sites featuring polar bear videos crashed from heavy traffic.

But all the free wine and polars bears together cannot explain how we ousted the USA from the number one spot. Americans are in shock, how could they lose such an important competition? According to USA today, it has nothing to do with people getting strip searched and X-ray photographed as they board planes to the USA. No, that couldn't be it. So according to Jayne Clarke, of USA Today, it's because "Obama has not delivered on his promises".

Daniel Rosentreter, FutureBrand's chief strategy office is quoted as saying "What we've seen this year is the shine may be off. Obama hasn't delivered what the world expected."

Excuse me, what was the world expecting again? OK I remember now. 1. "Don't bomb Iran", and Obama delivered. 2. "Save the world from total economic meltdown caused by the Republicans". Obama delivered. 3. Don't be an as*h*le. Obama delivered.

So, Jayne and Daniel, I don't think the USA brand is sinking because of Obama. It is more likely sinking because even with Obama as president, the rest of the word knows that the people of the USA are still pretty much the same as they were under Bush. And far from looking better under Obama, the Conservatives in the USA look like they are borderline insane. Not very appealing, and not surprising that the USA brand slipped to fourth place.

Biker's Guide to Long Point

Several weeks ago I was in Port Dover, talking to another biker I met about nice roads in the local area. He said that he never missed going down to the end of the road at Long Point. In a previous blog, I mentioned that I always skipped that section of road as it is a dead end. So last week I decided to take a look for myself.

I first drove to Port Dover, that's because I usually need a lunch stop by the time I get there. And I correctly assumed that Long Point would not have a Tim's, and actually not much of anything else open either, in the middle of the week. The road to Long Point does not actually go to the end of the point, which is about 30 km long starting from the bridge. The road only goes about 4 km down the peninsula, and stops when you get to the provincial park gate. I suppose that some kind of road continues inside the park, but I didn't check it out. But most of the peninsula seems to be accessed by boat only. Long Point Provincial Park has a boat launch and docking area.

Starting from the gas station at the intersection of 59 (Long Point Road) and 42 (Front Road), you can drive about 8 km to the gate of the Provincial Park. At first, you travel straight south, passing the Big Creek National Wildlife Area on the right, and some marinas on the left. Then you get to a sharp bend in the road with a restaurant or convenience store (not sure which), and soon you are on Erie Blvd, the narrower part of the peninsula. There is a bridge here, so Long Point itself may be an island as much as it is a peninsula. I guess this is typical of these points of land that are constantly built up and eroded by wave action.

Once on Erie Blvd, you pass through the village of Long Point, which is mostly cottages. I made a short turn off to 4th Ave, went down to Boathouse Lane and returned to the main road by 1st Ave. Then back on Erie Ave, I noticed there were many signposted "Public Access" points to the wide beach on the Lake Erie side. Unfortunately, most of those access points are marked "NO PARKING Pick-up and drop off only" The only public parking nearby would be the sections of shoulder of Erie Blvd, that are marked Parking and widened with gravel. The parking is a bit removed from the beach, but at least it is free. One public access point had it's own parking lot, on Abigail Becker road, across from Buddy's snack shop. I couldn't find Abigail Becker road on Google maps, so maybe it's a new road. But I did find a mention of the historical Abigail Becker in Wikipedia

I parked my bike in the lot on Abigail Becker's. It's a sandy lot, but my bike has a big enough pad on the sidestand to prevent it from sinking in. Too bad Buddy's was was not open, but it had a sign promising "Open Weekends". The wind was kicking up sand, and making ripples on the beach trail, and several parachute surfers were having fun skimming and jumping the whitecaps along the brown water of Lake Erie. This part of the point has some moderate sized dunes built up, and covered with vegetation in places.

Recently, I got a comment about ownership of beaches, so in light of that I will digress to that controversial topic. The beach at Long Point appeared to be public property despite the row of cottages right along the water. However my research on the Internet indicated that in Ontario, Canada, in the Great Lakes region, waterfront property usually goes down to the "Low Water" mark. This is quite different from normal world wide standards for tidal ocean property, where the High Water mark is the normal boundary. In Canada the ocean beaches are crown land. There is still a controversy about the ownership of the beaches in Ontario, because the general public (and even most cottagers) like to be able to at least walk along the beach without encountering "Private Property Keep Off" signs everywhere, with fences running down to the water. But I think I see a good aspect of this custom. On tidal ocean beaches, the beach is cleaned twice a day when the tide comes in, and washes away all litter, dog crap etc., and not only that, will destroy any tent sites, barbecue pits, and float away any parked cars, motor homes or or trailers. Not so on the great lakes beaches, where there is no regular tide. So it may be better that the cottagers own the beaches, and take some responsibility for keeping them clean. Most cottagers are reasonable about the use of the beach (i.e. no fences, no threats, no Doberman dogs), and most beach goers are similarly well behaved. But obviously there are exceptions on both sides, and it is a very different situation from ocean front beaches.

Picture: From this website http://www.out-there.com/lands/lg_pt.htm

Dealing with Language Barriers

Language barriers are really not that bad when travelling. Maybe for me it is second nature, as I grew up with language barriers, and after that, I also spent three years in Africa. Many North Americans have almost no experience dealing with language barriers, as this part of the world has adopted unilingual English to a remarkable degree. But there are strategies to help get through language barriers, just as there are some approaches that seem to make things worse.

It is useful to be aware that some languages are relatively similar. Many Americans and English Canadians tend to lump all foreign languages together, as if it was just as difficult for us to understand French as Chinese. No, that is not true, and with experience, you would find that some languages are really different, others are closer to English and therefore easier to figure out. Also some places are more touristy, and therefore you will have less trouble with a foreign language. As my African high school students remarked to me, (who spoke about 4 languages minimum) they did not really consider French and English different enough to count as two languages. There were 14 native languages in Sierra Leone, a country the size of Southern Ontario, and most of them were not from the same linguistic origin.

I am not trying to suggest you need to be fluent in a language to travel. There are several tips and techniques that work very well, especially in relatively close languages, where tourism is normal.

At the very least, try to learn a few words. Language instructors may not like me letting you in on this secret, but "Hello", and "thank you" are the top two words to know. Probably followed by "Excuse me", "sorry" and "where is the bathroom". If I'm in a language course where I'm being taught "Bellboy, take my bags up to the room, and hurry" then I'm in the wrong course.

Think. All too often, people take their brain offline because they are not confident they will ever figure it out. Consider it like a game, a mystery, a puzzle to solve. Look at all the clues, pay attention to gestures, facial expressions, if possible try to recognize words. Even in Pashtun, I'll bet you hear the occasional English expression. In Timne, the local tribal language in Sierra Leone, one phrase that popped up often enough at school was "Waste time". Anyway, you do need to think more clearly then usual when you are faced with a language barrier.

Try to talk to the right people. With some experience, you will eventually know how to find people who can answer questions, and who it may be best to stay away from. I'm not sure I can help specifically, but I know choosing the right person can make or break the communications. Here is an example. An Internet Cafe in Baja, California. There is no @ sign on your keyboard, because it is a Spanish keyboard. You need help, who to ask, and what do you say? Well don't do what I did and go up to the guy at the front desk and say "Hoy!" thinking it means the same as "Hi!". Hoy actually means "Right now!". "Ola" is hello. A mental lapse on my part. But at least the guy at the desk is going to be a little more understanding than if you blurt this out to someone hard at work typing on another computer somewhere across the room.

Even with a skeleton vocabulary, try to be mindful of what you are saying. If you don't understand the language, it works better to say "Ola" rather than "Como esta", because although both are basically a greeting, "como esta?" is a question (How are you?) that kind of asks for a response, and since you may not be able to understand the response, why ask it in the first place. Of course in real life the interchange usually works itself out, as the other person can usually figure out that you are just a tourist, and you really don't want to know the details of his latest hernia operation. It also might be nice to know the ritual response to "Como esta", which (I think) "Muy bien", because sometimes people may greet you this way.

At any rate, it is obviously not always possible to learn an entire language from scratch for a two-week vacation.

Now here in Canada, the main language "problem" is English and French. Neither the English nor the French see any compelling reason why they must learn the other language, unless they are forced to to get a job (like Prime Minister of the country). But because of our history, a large number of Canadians can speak or understand to some degree the other official language. And, typically, people who are not perfectly bilingual, can understand the other language much better than they speak it. I don't have a full physiological explanation of why this might be, but it is easy to temporarily lose your speaking ability within a year, while your comprehension will last dozens of years without practice.

Up to now I have been considering mainly someone who truly does not understand the language, like me and Spanish.
How are things different when you can understand, but are a bit shy or too tongue tied to speak the other language? Well obviously one problem might be that the other people may think you are just being rude by not speaking when you can obviously understand. I know for sure many English Canadians think this way about French Canadians. I'm sure it is also true in reverse. And in either case, it seems quite easy for, say a French person to be offended when and English person who understands French will not speak in French, and yet at the same time this same French person may have a perfectly good reason why he himself does not need to speak speak English, even though he may understand it pretty well. This double standard is exhibited frequently with both English and French speakers.

When you actually understand the other language, you really must make an extra effort to speak at least the basic words. Again, you don't have to be perfect, but use common sense at all times, pay attention, and keep thinking.

Try to be brief. Reduce what you are saying to what is needed, and no more. Don't bother to launch into an explanation of why you do not speak the language so well, or how slowly they must speak for you to understand them. It wastes time, it causes more misunderstandings. Just say what you need to say, in the other language if you can, if not switch to plain English. I assure you, they will figure out that you do not speak the language, and eventually they will also figure out how slowly they need to speak to you.

Communicate with the aid of hand gestures, or props. For example, buying a fuse for the motorcycle, take the burnt out fuse with you. If your gear shift lever is broken off, take the broken bit with you if at all possible. Pointing helps if you are asking or giving directions. Hand signs are pretty universal, for example, pretending to write on your palm is the international hand sign for "give me the check, please".

Be aware of what emotions are showing on your face. Smile. It works in all languages. Sometimes other facial expressions are called for. This may be important when you are unable to say things like "I am sorry that I'm dripping water all over your new hardwood floor". And even more important when you obviously understand the language, and yet for some reason cannot articulate the word "sorry".

Try to not harbour any negative stereotypes. For example, when a policeman in Mexico asks you how expensive your motorcycle was, don't immediately jump to the conclusion that he is fishing for a bribe. Maybe it is just a natural thing to be fascinated by expensive stuff that would cost them five years salary to buy.

Do not use shouting as a way to overcome a language barrier. And, of course no fist shaking or gun waving.

Do not bother to tell people that you are Canadian. It is irrelevant information, for one thing. I memorized the phrase "Soy Canadense" for when I went to Mexico, and used it on the first waitress I encountered at a restaurant. She gave me a blank stare, so I assumed she could not understand either Spanish or English. Actually, it turned out she understood both, but apparently didn't have a good response to this statement, although maybe she was thinking up some. And in another vein, do not say "Me Canadian, you ????" in a typical Tarzan and Jane movie dialogue.

Get your brain in gear, think of the context, predict what is going to happen. For example, you and two friends walk into a restaurant, a waitress meets you at the door, she probably will ask you "table for three?", it does not matter what the language is. Just nod and follow her to the table, or hold up three fingers. Much better than asking her if she speaks English, or asking her to get an English speaking person for you. Same thing at a military checkpoint. They usually ask the same question, "where are you coming from and where are you heading?" I give them the name of the place I stayed last night, and where I think I may stay tonight. I don't get into anything more complicated, I don't worry too much about exactly what they are saying. One time I got "going to" and "coming from" backwards, and the soldier at the gate looked puzzled and motioned to his commanding officer. He just called back "Inglese?" the soldier nodded, and the officer waved me on. Yes, they can figure stuff out pretty fast. Much much better (and less waiting) than asking people to either speak English or find someone else who can speak English.

Learn the road signs! In Mexico "Curva Peligroso" (hey I still remember that after four years!) means dangerous curve. So then logically, pretty much anything followed by peligroso means "stop text messaging right now!". While it would be helpful to really know what that other peligroso thing might be, don't be looking it up in the phrase book while driving. I might as well mention Vado Peligroso, because it officially means a "dip" in the road, but in Mexico it really means you are crossing a dry river bed. The first five times, you may not even know what the danger is supposed to be, but here are some you will eventually see: Donkey/Cow in the road, hidden in the dip. Road completely under water. Road recently under water, and masses of melon sized rocks are strewn right over the pavement.

http://www.ontheroadin.com/mexican_road_sign_translations_f.htm

And just as importantly, learn that there are no signs at all for some really horrendous stuff, such as half the road was washed way three days ago, or a truck is lying upside down across the entire road (that would probably be in the last five minutes, just judging from how fast the tires are still spinning.)

Sometimes a considerable language barrier exists even in English. Both these incidents happened at the same McDonald's breakfast stop during a motorcycle trip through rural Kentucky (i.e. off the interstate). I went to the counter to order the big breakfast. I really could not understand a word the girl at the cash register said. But she understood "big breakfast and coffee" just fine. When it came out she said "That'll be three thousand dollars". Those were the first words I actually understood! And they were not good. I must have gone blank. Then she laughed and said "I'm joking!" and told me the right price. Actually quite funny, if I had not just got off my motorcycle, and my brain had been given its first coffee yet. Then, sitting down to eat my breakfast a young man came over to my table and launched into a monologue, of which I did not understand one single word. He paused for a bit, while I looked at him. He said "You're not from around here are you?" Finally something I understood. I said "No." He went away, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

In the end, the thing I miss most when there is no language barrier is all the fun you can have when both speak the same language, like I can in Southern Ontario. My two favourites, one when a person is walking a dog, I ask "does your dog bite?" They say "No she's real friendly etc. etc." Then just as I reach down, I stop and say "Is this your dog?" Cracks me up every time. Next, when ordering a "foot long hot dog", (Canada has been a metric country since the early seventies), I ask "how big is is it?". The younger cashiers really struggle with that. I bet some of them don't even know how long a "foot" is, or that it used to be a unit of measure, and not something at the end of your leg

Picture: a military checkpoint. What can you figure out without knowing the words?

Thinking about "Idiots Abroad"

I found a series of videos on Youtube produced by comedian Ricky Gervais, where he sends his friend, and possible moron, Karl Pilkington around the world to see if travel really can broaden the mind. I find it a little bit funny, but I'm not sure why. Karl is not an idiot. He is actually way better than many travellers and tourists I have seen. He does make a few funny remarks on the strange things he sees. Ricky really puts Karl through the mill, experiencing all the "native" stuff like eating cockroaches, and getting massaged by flaming gloves. It only proves that all humans have their limits as to what they can tolerate. What is normal in one society can seem disgusting, gross, cruel, evil or whatever in another society. Once you learn that lesson, move on. It is not really necessary to make yourself sick eating scorpions just to get a laugh from your home TV audience.

Pt 1 of wall of china
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4ZyNGLFMP0

Best bits Wall of China
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPA6-E0b15k
Jordan: The Best Bits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1AqPrscLEA

Karl Pilkington's Seven Wonders Preview.wmv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp46UUrtfts

Karl meets Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. Jesus rides a motorbike somewhat disguised as a donkey. I don't know why this was in "deleted scenes" except maybe pressure from religious extremists to keep it off the air.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhrgwUNpVQk

Yes there is an expression "travel broadens the mind". But as far as I'm concerned, you do not broaden the mind by plunging yourself into a completely foreign culture. In many cases that would simply be too much, it messes your head up, as Karl rightly remarks. If there is something about a foreign culture that you find appealing, that's great. If you think it's sickening, or repulsive, well don't do it. You probably need to be raised from birth in a given society to appreciate many things.

There is another expression "to see things through the eyes of another". You are not seeing things through the eyes of another just by doing the same things. While one person may see something appealing, you are seeing something horrifying.

Yes it may be broadminded to try some of the food, or accommodations. But more realistically, you should be able to at least talk to people from other cultures. Many of them speak your language even if you do not speak theirs. That is where I think travel is most likely to broaden the mind, not in doing things that make you throw up. That's just for the benefit of TV audiences, and I don't think it does anything to broaden their minds either.

At one point, Karl is watching a Chinese woman devouring several scorpions for a snack. She is eyeing the rest of her scorpions hungrily as she gobbles down the first. Karl is obviously disgusted, and would never be able to enjoy eating those scorpions. But it takes a lifetime of living in that environment to develop the love for eating scorpions, Karl obviously will never achieve that. He may eat one, but because of his culture, he will likely throw up. But is there anything we do that Chinese people may look at with equal disgust? What sickening stuff do we eat? I don't know. But I do know I have a 10 year old grandson who hates almost any food as if it was live scorpions. Over the years he has had virtual barfing fits over cherries, pizza, any kind of vegetable or fruit, bread crusts, and almost all meats. When I take him out for lunch he only wants caffeine and sugar, so Tim Hortons is obviously the place to go. Apparently those are the only things that are universally loved and need no cultural acclimatization.

I think no traveller is successful in broadening their mind until they begin to question all the chauvinist propaganda that they absorbed in a lifetime at home. Many American love watching "Fox News" and listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio. I can do that too, but to me it is much like swallowing live cockroaches. I don't even know why I do it. Maybe it is broadening my mind, maybe it is making me more narrow minded in my disgust for right wing propaganda. I suppose I would have to have been raised in a right wing racist southern family to really love that stuff.

Many of my blogs deal with motorcycles, with travel or with breaking down prejudices. I think it is worth while to be able to travel by motorcycle, and not to think, act or talk like an idiot while doing it. How does a traveller go about not being an idiot? Well it starts with clearing your mind of a lot garbage. You should at least know that just because people speak a different language does not mean it is gibberish. Just because they worship a different God does not mean they are going to hell. Just because people are not rich does not mean they are lazy bums who need to get a job.

Picture: This is a book apparently: http://textpublishing.com.au/books-and-authors/book/an-idiot-abroad/

Bikers Guide: Comparing Niagara Falls to the Grand Canyon

Does Niagara Falls Compare to the The Grand Canyon?

There are only two natural wonders I have ever seen that I would call "awe inspiring". First is the Grand Canyon. Not far behind is the "Maid of the Mist" boat tour at Niagara Falls. So if you didn't think much of the Grand Canyon, there's probably not much for you at Niagara Falls, although there is a gift shop, a casino, a Hard Rock Cafe, and a Tim Hortons.

Although there is no clear walking view from the US side, you can view the Falls on the Canadian side, if you just park nearby (If you want free parking you will have to look much further away.) and then cross the road to the sidewalk that follows the edge of the gorge. The sidewalk view is free, and very pretty too. As you look down, you should be able to see the various Maid of the Mist boats approaching the bottom of the waterfall, and admittedly they look kind of silly. I used to think "why are those tourists wasting their money when you can see the falls perfectly well from up here?". But the one time I actually took the boat tour, I finally understood why it is one of the most famous scenic wonder rides in the world. The experience of being surrounded by that massive roaring wall of water is totally unlike what you see standing at the top. If the spectacular view of the Grand canyon is from the top, then the spectacular view of the falls is surely looking up from the bottom. It may have something to do with fear I suppose. At the Grand Canyon, the instinctive fear of death is from the top. That can happen at the falls too, but you feel safe at the top, and besides, it's not a very big drop compared to the Grand Canyon. However, you have probably never seen or heard anything like it when you are at the bottom and all that water coming down at you on three sides.

I have only been on the Maid of the Mist once, so it's possible that there was just the right combination of sunlight, warmth, clear air, wind from the right direction etc etc. Also I have been to the Grand Canyon four times, and two times were awe inspiring, once was more scary than awe inspiring, and once it was a complete dud, where fog completely filled the canyon and you could not see anything. I guess with natural wonders you always take your chances. I was on the Maid of the Mist on a warm, sunny July day at about noon time, and there was no fog other than the usual mist coming off the falls. Also, I suppose for anyone who is afraid of boats and water, this might not be so pleasant, but then I'm afraid of heights, but I was still able to appreciate the Grand Canyon from the top view.

For the rest of the tour, the Niagara Parkway is a very nice road to ride on a motorcycle, following the Niagara River on the Canadian side, from Lake Erie, past the falls to Lake Ontario. Also, a short side trip up Clifton Hill will give you a good view of enough tackiness to rival Las Vegas.

Note: You may want to put away your expensive camera when the boat comes near to the falls, it will not really capture the feeling, and it will get soaked.

Picture: The Maid of the Mist heading for the falls, taken from the Canadian side.

Belt Drive Betty Visits Quebec

I have just read a blog entry from Belt Dive Betty, where she writes about getting a rude reception upon entering Quebec. Hopefully, Betty is exaggerating a bit, but I can imagine how it could happen.

I live in Ontario, a mostly English speaking province. But I grew up in Quebec, where the language is mostly French. I am aware that there is a certain tension caused by the language differences, and in the past I have tried to explain that traveling in Quebec is not all that bad, for English speaking people.

To give an idea of some of the prejudices I sometimes see, here is a blog entry by a Canadian explaining his feelings, called "French are Classified world's rudest tourists", and of course drawing a conclusion that the French in Quebec or France are all alike.

I feel that I have to give two explanations before returning to Betty's problem. French Canadians are included as Canadians for purposes of this survey, where Canadian tourists rank third. That means an average of English Canadians and French Canadians, so you decide who is pulling up the average. Also, one of the key categories in the "rudeness" poll was generous tipping. In France, unlike most Western countries, tips are included in the bill. So there may be a reason that French people are called bad tippers. Maybe it's not as much rudeness as it is a cultural difference. The French (in France, not Quebec, there's actually a big difference in tipping) expect the waitresses to be paid a decent wage, not to have to depend on tips for her living.

Now back to Betty's encounter. While I am sorry that this happened, the reason why tourism is dropping off in Quebec, is not because of widespread rudeness, it is actually because of the increasing value of the Canadian dollar compared to the US. Not to say everything has always been nice. But in my experience, travelling in Quebec is far more friendly now than it used to be 40 years ago, and most people I have spoken to agree.

I see Betty's situation as a "worst case scenario". Betty was looking for the tourist information office, where she could have expected a better reception, but accidentally barged into the local office of the "Bloc Quebecois", which is a political party that wants to separate Quebec from the rest of Canada, and set up a French-only independent country. But I don't think this was the main issue that may have led to rudeness. The fact is that lately, separatist feelings have cooled quite bit, so in spite of the original mission of this political party, not all the supporters are actively in the separatist movement. However, just a week ago on a TV discussion (The Michael Coren Show), I heard calls for all Bloc Quebecois members to be hanged for treason, so rudeness goes both ways. Hopefully, nobody got as rude as Michael Coren in the Bloc office, though.

(Read an article "Traitors in our Midst" by Michael Coren to get an idea of what he thinks of Bloc Quebecois)

If Betty had gone into the Tourist Information place first, none of my comments below would matter. The Quebec Tourist Info people speak English, and are friendly and used to dealing with tourists, even dripping wet bikers. I have never deliberately tested the staff to see their breaking point, and I'm sure it is quite high. But even in the "Bloc Quebecois" office, the encounter could have gone much better.

Betty understood French, but I am not sure she tried speaking it. Sometimes French people get annoyed when an English speaking person who happens to understand French, will not speak French. English people feel the same. I have often said that an attempt to speak a language goes a long way. Learning how to say "hello", "thank you" in any language is a good start. But for people who actually understand the local language, refusal to speak the language is actually kind of insulting. I will give an innocent example. I understand French, and can speak it to some extent. When we were in a restaurant in a non-touristy area of Quebec, I let Mary Ann do the ordering even though she struggles in French. She just wanted to practice her French on the waitress, who did not understand English much. But when there were complications, and the waitress was not able to communicate, Mary Ann asked me for help, proudly announcing to the waitress that I knew French all along. Mary Ann did not get it that this was not the most diplomatic thing to do.

And I did notice that the first time Betty mentioned using her "broken French", the exchange went much better.

Adding to the impatience at the Bloc Quebecois office, it was raining outside, and she and her husband were dripping water all over the floor while the conversation took place. I am always kind of aware, when I am dripping wet in motorcycle gear, that I may not be greeted joyously everywhere I go. Especially if I am not a paying customer, or in a normal tourist hangout.

I wish I had the exact dialogue to comment on, but even without it, I can say that this type of thing can be avoided with a little care.

Picture: I grabbed a random picture off the internet of a Quebec Tourist Information place.

Bikers Guide: Port Stanley to Port Dover at Sunset

Port Stanley to Port Dover, Ontario is a good motorcycle road, despite some "problems". The first one being, there is no road. Instead, you need to navigate a confusing series of interconnecting roads, following the coastline. And even then you are not usually close to the lake. The problem with this coastline is that in many places it is eroding inland at a rate of about a metre a year, so it is impossible to build a road along the coast, and in places, where old roads have been abandoned, you must detour even further inland. People do not often attempt to build cottages along this stretch, because first the erosion problem, and next, the high clay cliff that overlooks lake Erie makes access to the beach difficult.

Considering the difficult geography, and complicated road layout, the route itself is very good motorcycling. Much of the rest of southern Ontario is fairly flat, and many of the roads are laid out in a square grid through farmland.

So, to us motorcyclists in southern Ontario, the route from Port Stanley to Port Dover has a few very welcome hills and curves. Unfortunately, most of them are in 50 kph zones, due to the geography. Some creeks run out to lake Erie along this shoreline, and each one has eroded a fairly deep valley as it approaches the lake. This is what creates opportunities for the road builders to get creative and throw in a few curves, with rapid changes of elevation. But these creeks are also the places where the various towns and villages are located, because these are also the just about the only places that it is worth while building on the shore of the lake. So most of the curves are in villages and towns. It's a bit frustrating, but the towns are also picturesque, and have beaches, outdoor cafes, and facilities. However, gas stations and Tim Horton's are sparse. But if you can hold on till Port Dover, you can get both.

I suppose a GPS might be useful here, but I don't have one. Although I have done this route many times, it still occasionally has thrown me off. But if I was doing it the first time, and had no GPS, I might just check Google maps first and write up a note card to slip in a map pocket.

This was a sunset ride. I started out from Port Stanley at about 8:00 PM, but because it was July 12th, the sun was still up, and better still, was behind me. With this angle of the sun, the scenery is also more dramatic, and it's a little cooler. Actually this is better than mid-day in many ways, but you end up in Port Dover when a lot of places are closed and people are going home.

In each coastal community, I drive right down to the middle of town, as this is the most interesting part, even though in most places, you need to double back to get on the road to the next place. The road rarely forces you to go through the beach/shopping/cafe areas of these towns. I start off with Port Stanley, driving right down to the beach where there is beach volleyball going on in about four courts, and people sitting around eating hot dogs or sitting at outdoor cafes. A lot of people are still in the water, even at 8:00 PM because of the heat. To get out of Port Stanley, I cross the lift bridge, and go up the hill across from the main traffic light. At the top of the hill is a confusing three-way stop, where I have to figure out that I need to turn left (the road ahead is marked "NO EXIT"), and that I am the only vehicle without a stop sign. There are three stops signs, with a car waiting for me at each one. Then I drive to the base of the Port Stanley water tower and turn right to follow the coast road to the next place, Port Bruce.

In Port Bruce, if you turn right, you can get to the waterfront park, surrounded by beach, canal, and some outdoor eating places. Just make a complete loop counter clockwise around the park and you will return to the main road, where you can take the bridge across the creek, and head for Copenhagen, where you can turn right toward Port Burwell.

The road to Port Burwell has many wind turbines. If you hate the sight of wind turbines, you might find this part of the trip painful. However I think they are about as beautiful as any other man-made structure I have ever seen, and a lot more appealing than some. So it's a plus for me, might be a deal breaker for you.

In Port Burwell after the bridge, I always go straight down to the beach, where there is a turnaround and a hot dog stand (closed at this hour). Then back up the road and turn right on 42, also Wellington Road, at the Lighthouse restaurant. Soon I end up on Lakeshore Road, heading for Long Point.

Long Point is 40 km long, and I do not usually attempt to travel down it. Instead I pass through the towns of Port Royal, and Port Rowan on the mainland. In the shopping section of Port Rowan, if I remember, (but I didn't this time) I make a right turn on Wolven Street, which will keep me near the lake. This time I just keep following 42 to the end, turn right, and I end up right back on Lakeshore Road anyway. Port Rowan does not have a bridge, being built near a sandspit instead of on a creek.

Next is Turkey Point, which is very easy to miss and is far off the road. But for me it's worth while and I do have a shortcut. Turn right at Turkey Point Road, turn left at the beach, and follow the road past the beaches and concessions until it says "No exit". Turn left and follow the road up the hill to the stop sign, turn right, and you are back on Lakeshore Road toward Port Dover again.

The road now goes through Normandale, Fisher's Glen, and Port Ryerse. I don't take any dead end loops in these towns, as the shortest way through is scenic enough for me. But coming out of Normandale, on Spooky Hollow Road after you are back on top of the cliff in farmland, don't forget to make a right on Front Road or you will end up back on 24 and miss the last bits of excitement before Port Dover.

Front Street takes you through Fisher's Glen, and once again, coming out of the village, you need to make a right on Front Road, or it's back to Highway 24. If you have a GPS, you will figure it out even though it seems unmarked by any signs. Otherwise, it's the first right after the top of the hill.

Now the same trick happens a third time at Port Ryerse, which is starting to get tiresome. I suppose that the road builders just don't like to encourage through traffic, but enough is enough. Anyway, leaving Port Ryerse, at the top of the hill, you need to make a right on to Port Ryerse Road, or you will end up back on highway 24. Once on Port Ryerse Road, continue to the stop sign, and turn right on Radical Road, which takes you into Port Dover.

Now it should be 9:30 PM and dark, but Tim Horton's and the nearby BB Gas Bar are both open. If you do get lost, there's always highway 24 to Simcoe. It's easy to find.


Picture: I forgot my camera, so Sunset at Port Stanley is from this website http://www.panoramio.com/photo/21062091

Biker's Guide to Penetanguishene

In this day trip, I visited Barrie, Midland, Penetanguishene and Awenda Provincial Park. But originally, I started out from Kitchener with the idea of taking a much longer day trip than my usual Port Dover run, by visiting Parry Sound instead. That didn't work out. The first plan hit a snag on the outskirts of Barrie. Car drivers like to celebrate reaching Barrie on highway 400 by all applying their brake lights at the same time. So I got off at exit 90, thinking I would go to the MacDonald's for lunch and wait for the brake light celebration to be over. However, the left lane leading to McDonald's was backed up all the way to the ramp, so I took the lane less travelled, and went right. I was sure I would find the city of Barrie, but I did not, and soon pulled over in a remote swampy area to check my 10 year old map of Ontario. A young man in a car stopped and offered advice on how to reach Barrie. Apparently the lane less travelled is less travelled for a good reason, it headed back to Toronto.

So I turned around and decided on french fries at the beach in Barrie. I found it without a GPS, using all the pre-computer reconnaissance tricks: Follow any streets named "Lakeshore" something. Note the direction of any young girls walking in bikinis, and that will point to the beach. Finally, keep heading downhill until you hit water, then park somewhere that you can smell french fries.

After filling up on fries, which by the way were excellent, I scrapped my plan to visit Parry Sound, and decided on a little end-of-the-road place called Sawlog Bay in Tiny Township. On the way, I could visit Midland and Penetanguishene. By the time I got to Midland, I could feel that I was ready for a nap. If I have a short nap when I'm feeling drowsy, I will be awake for the rest of the day, and if not it can be very dangerous. So at the harbourfront in Midland, I parked and found a nearby bench, in the shade, where I used my rolled up jacket for a pillow and fell asleep for maybe ten minutes. On waking up, I needed a coffee and donut, and wondered where I might find one. But this being Canada, I decided to simply stand in one place and turn in a circle, scanning the distance for a Tim Horton's sign. I found one on a heading East by South East.

Back on the road, I was using my sense of direction to find Penetanguishene, which I did but somehow I also ended up in the middle of the compound of the Institute for the Criminally Insane. I was not sure how to get back out, and I wanted to ask someone, but how could I tell the difference between the psychos and the doctors? In a normal asylum, sure, it's easy, the Doctors wear the lab coats and the inmates have strait jackets. But in this place, the inmates are also fiendishly clever criminals, who might pretend to be a doctor. So I just drove around without asking directions until I found a way out.

For my next destination, I wanted to get to Sawlog Bay, but missed Champlain Road and got lost again. This time, while I had the map out, a couple on a three wheeled Bombardier Spyder stopped to help. He got me pointed in the right direction, and I made it to Sawlog Bay. I stopped at a little park with a view of Giant's Tomb Island. Then I discovered that Sawlog Bay was not the end of the road, it kept going and got even more interesting as it wound through Awenda Provincial Park. It's free to ride through if you don't stop and use the facilities, which I didn't.

Then I headed back to Penetanguishene and parked at the dock, where there is also a Tourist Information office. I got a little map of town, and asked about the restaurant on the dock called "Dock Lunch" . The information guy recommended the Greek Salad, but suggested that I get the small, which could feed two normal people. The large would need to be shared among three to four. He was right.

http://www.shopmidland.com/docklunch/

http://www.tugfest.net/2008/01/17/penetanguishene-dock-general-maritime/

I parked right outside "Dock Lunch" and walked in to place my order. I spotted a group of young men watching a tiny TV with excitement. It was Ghana vs. Uruguay in the world cup, I was firmly rooting for Ghana, after living three years in West Africa. The ending of that game has got to go down in World Cup history. The World Cup is popular in Canada, because almost everybody has some country to root for, (or against, in some cases).

I am one of those people becoming concerned about all the warning labels on everything, but up till now I had never seen one like this in a restaurant or bar. The warning sign said "Use the stools at your own risk".

Once the game was over, I managed to finish most of the Greek Salad, which was my "healthy" food for the day, but also tastes good. I noticed two guys on motorcycles, a Kawasaki "Mean Streak" and a BMW K1200GT, and I spent a few minutes talking to them, but apparently I wasn't listening too good, because as usual I forgot their names, although for some reason I always remember the bikes. But this conversation brought up an interesting point. Some motorcyclists these days do not know the engine configuration of their bikes. I think it is not only because they are covered with plastic and you can't see them, but also because they never break down any more and you don't need to look at them. This was unheard of up until the fifties and sixties, when bikes used to have tool kits, and owners manuals that told you important things like where the spark plugs were. Because you would need to know.

By this time it was 6:00 PM, and I had left home at 10:00 AM. Six hours on the road. I decided to take the direct route home, which from Penetanguishene is the highway 93 to 400 south, to 401 west, and Kitchener. By 8:15 I was in my driveway. Such a miracle, these freeways, like being transported through a time warp.

On this longer than usual trip, I went without the windshield or a backrest, and leaning into the wind seemed to reduce the back pain I normally feel after a couple of hours on the road.

One problem that is worse with motorcycles than cars, is riding with the sun in your eyes. Today at 8 PM I had a chance to try out a little trick that seems to work for riding directly into the sun. I put some black electrical tape on bottom edge of the helmet face shield, then flip up the face shield midway, so the tape blocks the sun from my eyes. You only have to move your head a little to cover the sun, and the Scorpion EXO1000 is perfect for this. The face shield holds its middle position well at highways speeds, and the flip down sun screen protects your eyes while the clear screen is up. One strip of tape is enough, you still need to be able to see if you flip down the face shield. When I don't need the black electrical tape, I put it on the chrome headlight shell, where it can help block the sun's reflection at other times.

I posted a picture album here http://picasaweb.google.com/rbezeau/Penetanguishene#

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny,_Ontario

The Long Way Round, Compared to What?

On Sunday, I was talking about the movies "The Long Way Round" and "The Long Way Down". A friend of mine, who has given up motorcycling as his years advanced, said to me that he thought "The Long Way Round" was actually quite easy, with the support vehicles and crew, and all the money. And that he was more impressed with a trip I made back in 2004, where I went alone on my motorcycle, leaving in late February, and going to Loreto, on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico, and back.

In "The Long Way Round", a couple of movie actors, Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor, travel from the U.K. across Europe and Asia through Mongolia, and Siberia to Alaska, Canada, and then across America to return home to the UK. And they made a documentary film of their adventure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Way_Round

And one of several bits on Youtube: Mongolia


I myself was pretty impressed with Ewan and Charley's trip. And although I really enjoyed my own trip to Baja, it was very unstressful compared to Mongolia and Siberia.

The significant differences would be in the amount of experience I had, and in the difficulty of the trip. In my opinion, the amount of money and presence of a support crew and planning staff do not make the trip that much easier. I had experience doing the coast-to-coast North American trip, and all the money I really needed for comfort, and I never missed having a support crew. Ewan and Charley had practically no experience at all travelling long distances by motorcycle, they didn't even have experience in riding motorcycles, and their bikes were also new and unfamiliar.

I was on paved roads virtually all the time. They were in entire countries where they hardly saw a paved road, and often no roads at all. I was in only three countries, and all three were very motorcycle friendly. Ewan and Charley were in Mongolia, and Russia, and a lot of other places where they do not try to make it easy for tourists. And their trip went entirely round the world, while mine stayed on one continent.

I was amazed by the sheer audacity, or recklessness, of just heading out there on motorcycles and going around the world, with their level of experience. (basically none, at the start) It was a few years since I saw it, and honestly I could not remember whether they took support vehicles or not. Must be my memory going on me.

Ewan and Charley ran into a lot of difficulties on their trip, but kept going regardless. Ewan kept falling down, because he was riding a very heavy bike off road. Roads were blocked by rivers. Bad weather. Accidents.

My own trip was like a stroll in the park. I had all good weather, and that was not just dumb luck. I took full advantage of accurate weather tracking, now available to anyone with a TV, all over North America. I was riding with fully tested gear and equipment, including the motorcycle and the clothes. I took advantage of excellent roads, and good facilities all the way down, even in Mexico. I slept comfortably in motels every night, and ate at friendly restaurants with familiar food. My trip required minimal planning, actually none at all, other than an attempt to learn a little Spanish, and reseaching requirements on crossing the Mexican border.

I suppose with enough bad luck, I could have been faced with even worse difficulties than Ewan and Charley. I could have had an accident, I could have frozen in a blizzard, or been robbed at knifepoint, or even killed. Yes, every trip has the potential of turning into a nightmare. But on the other hand, when you have done similar trips dozens of times, you mostly eliminate those random chance problems. There were very few times on the trip when I doing something new that I had no experience at all in.

In one place, half of the road in Mexico had collapsed, washed away, and there were no warning signs posted, or cones or flares. Nothing. A couple of hundred metres of road (again in Mexico) were under water. I avoided both those obstacles by luck or experience. I never got the runs (Montezuma's Revenge) for eating local tacos. I never got hassled by corrupt cops. Only one person even asked for money, I see more panhandling than that in Kitchener.

I encountered a couple of other motorcyclists from Texas whose bikes had both broken down. My bike did not break down, and maybe I can take credit for that, maybe it was just a really good bike (1992 BMW K1100LT) that I had already driven for 90,000 km basically with no reliability issues, or accidents. Another motorcyclist, on a bike similar to mine died in an accident the day I was there and I met some of his companions after the accident. I suppose that could as easily have been me.

Some of the most difficults moments for Ewan and Charley are not only with the obstacles and dangers, but with each other. I never had that problem on the Baja trip, as I was alone, or I was free to leave anytime the other people's agenda didn't suit me. And I didn't have to worry about somebody else crashing and ending the trip for me.

Actually, what Ewan and Charley did was so monumental, that my own trip is kind of unworthy in comparison.

Pics: From My Baja trip. Also in this album, with precise GPS locations if you care to check them out.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/rbezeau/Baja#

Destination Port Dover: Apple Fritters and Tall Ships

I finally got to the Fritter Place in Port Dover for my first half dozen fresh apple fritters of the year. Mary Ann didn't come because I was stopping a couple of times on the way to Port Dover, first for a motorcycle gang meeting at Tim Horton's and next to take a peek at the last day of the Paris Vintage Motorcycle Rally, 2010. Neither of those interest her.

We all showed up at Tim Horton's on time as usual. We are a punctual gang, if nothing else. The main item on the agenda today was verbally bashing Bob's Intruder 1400. As we were getting into it, a Harley rider parked next to us and remarked that we seemed to be picking on Bob, and one of our members (The V.P in Charge of Motorcycle Judging) took the time to point out that our actual favourite object of verbal bashing was the 150 cc Kymco scooter, but that we have grown bored with 6 weeks of steady abuse of the scooter.

After the meeting adjourned, I headed for the Paris rally, but there were only three tents left and they were all being taken down. So I took the opportunity of riding my motorcycle through the show grounds, in order to introduce my Kawasaki Vulcan to the tire tracks of legendary motorcycles such as the Rudge, as featured on the T-shirt commemorating the 38th Annual Paris National Rally of 2010, and the 100th anniversary of Rudge. Check out the top photo on this page of my motorcycle website, with my mother and all her brothers and sisters in 1939 with both my uncles on Rudge motorcycles. (Click it to enlarge)

A quick lap of the rally site, and back on the road this time to Port Dover. Because of the nice Sunday weather it was packed with beachgoers and motorcyclists. I parked my bike near Tim Horton's along with maybe fifty other bikes, and walked over to the Fritter Place. This year the Fritter people are only going to open three days a week in the summer, and they have a new cashier to help out, and a bigger machine for peeling the apples. After looking at this machine in operation, I asked exactly how new is this machine, and I don't remember the exact date, but it was a four digit number and the first two were 18. I commented that Tim Horton's apple fritters were probably being made on a much more modern machine, but then realized that the apples in Tim Horton's "apple fritters" would not need to be peeled, as they were mostly imaginary apples. (That is not a type of apple, it is when you think there is an apple but there is no apple)

Tied up at the dock near the door of the Fritter Place was the "St. Lawrence II", a training ship with square sails. Beautiful to look at. Scary to change the sails.

So to summarize the ingredients of a perfect day: A motorcycle club meeting where my motorcycle is not on the agenda, a ride across the field of motorcycle dreams, a new Rudge T-shirt, a half dozen real apple fritters (I only ate three, three for Mary Ann), a square sailed tall masted ship, 25 degrees C and sunny weather.

Picture: The Dock in Pt Dover, I took this picture today at 3:00 PM.

Bikers Guide to Floradale, Ontario

Floradale is about a 15 minute drive north of Waterloo, and is such a low-key place that I have never even driven through there, and I've lived here for thirty years.

So Mary Ann decided we would ride there for breakfast this morning. She heard that was a small cafe called Bonnie Lou's now opened in the old general store. We took her scooter for a ride to Bonnie Lou's, which was easy to find, even though it is not on Google Maps, it was smack in the middle of town. Just where you might expect an old general store to be located. And the town has a population of only about 500, but looks very well established. We circled around to the back to park, and found there was an outdoor patio and an entrance at the rear.

The waitress was wearing Mennonite dress. Well, maybe I should qualify that. I'm not sure it was Mennonite, because maybe everybody in town dresses that way. And she wasn't really a waitress because you ordered your food at the counter. But she did come over to our table to ask us if we were new and if we had come in on the scooter, which she saw come down the main street then drive to the back of the building. A good guess, I thought, as we left our helmets on the scooter. But in a town this small, and non-touristy, it is very hard to remain incognito. Floradale is in Mennonite country, and many old order Mennonites use horse and buggy to get around, instead of a car. And during breakfast Mary Ann was musing on how she probably wouldn't mind being a Mennonite, and I think she's got that just about right.

Anyhow to get back to our waitress, she told us that we needed to go to the counter to order, which we did. We both got a 2-egg breakfast with bacon and toast. Then I got a coffee and rhubarb torte for dessert. The food all seemed home made and very fresh, and later on I found out why. After breakfast, Mary Ann wanted to take a walk over to the dam, because there is a trail called the Lion's Trail around the dam and reservoir. But just when we got our jackets and helmets locked up, Mary Ann remembered that she needed to ask what day they were open for dinner. Usually they are breakfast and lunch only, but it turns out Friday they have dinner too, which they call supper. On the way back inside, she met a Mennonite looking lady coming out, and as Mary Ann is wont to do they struck up a conversation which led to the Mennonite Lady, who I will simply call ML, leading us through the back yards of Floradale back to her house to show Mary Ann her vegetable garden, which is of huge interest to Mary Ann. Also of some interest to me, as many of the sticks used to tie the row strings are old brushes, spatulas, and even old steel wrenches! As ML said, they don't throw anything out.

I was more interested in ML's garage, where there was a buggy parked, and behind that was a horse. ML also does repairs to soft topped buggies and she took us in to show us her workshop which included a commercial electric sewing machine, and lots of Naugahyde and velour, and what looked like leather. Also she had a buggy body in for restoration, and was showing me the work she had done so far and it was fantastic with the velour cloth inner liner finished already. I got a chance to really appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into the buggies, which rivals that of bikes found at custom bike shows (in some cases). From a distance the buggies all look kind of similar but apparently there are huge differences close up.

ML also showed me several diaper bags she was making out of Naugahyde, and honestly they looked as good or better than any commercial motorcycle luggage, including the standard saddlebags on my Vulcan 900 LT. She also sells those at the market. I would be tempted to buy them to use as motorcycle saddlebags but they were a bit small.

We also looked at the horse, and I was told that this was a new horse they purchased just two years ago, as the other horse was a bit small for this buggy. The way she talked it was almost like listening to a Harley rider discussing why he swapped the motor in his 883 Sportster for a 1200 cc V-twin. She also explained that the bigger horses were very much sought after by the younger men, because they "like to go faster". I guess people are the same everywhere.

Then she gave us a lettuce head from her garden, took us upstairs to see a quilt she was finishing for sale at the market, and gave me a review from the Kitchener Record, by Andrew Coppolino, about Bonnie Lou's Cafe. And she told us that the rhubarb for the torte came from her own garden, and that she made pies for Bonnie Lou, and was starting to make butter tarts as well.

We never did see the Lion's Trail, but that fits in with Mary Ann's travel philosophy of "Go with the flow".

Picture: As usual, I didn't have my camera, which was actually a good thing as I'm sure it would have spoiled the experience completely. Anyhoo, this here is a picture of a Mennonite buggy in West Montrose. Except that ML's horse was black, it's about the same.

Travelling to a Small Town in Ontario, Canada, in 1914

In the last year, Mary Ann and I have made efforts to discover our local area in day trips by car, motorcycle, walking or bicycling. Yesterday, we found one of those places that I would put near the top of the list. It's a place I pass by every time I go to Port Dover, or almost anywhere actually, called Doon Pioneer Village. I did visit the place about 30 years ago, and have not been back since then. In fact I used to enjoy visiting pioneer villages, and have seen several including Drummondville Quebec, Upper Canada Village, and Black Creek Pioneer Village in Ontario. 

But the occasion yesterday was much better than I remember, and possibly hard to match at any time. First of all, it was free for us yesterday. The new Waterloo Region museum will be opening soon on the site of the village, and this is actually quite a big museum, of the size you might normally only find in larger cities. So the museum held an open house for the Historical Society and their guests, and lo and behold it appears that Mary Ann got invited and that was extended to include me. Not only free admission, but free punch and snacks at the museum, and free access to the Pioneer Village.

At some point Mary Ann and her friend were talking shop, and I decided to go outside to check out the steam locomotive parked at the edge of the outdoor cafe patio. I am somewhat interested in trains, I guess part of my mechanical interest that also draws me to motorcycling. When I finished looking over the engine, I noticed a restored train station beside it. It looked like there was no one around, and the door to the main waiting room was unlocked so I decided to poke around. I went in and was looking at some of the posters on the wall when I was startled by a voice behind me asking "Would you like to purchase a ticket to somewhere?" I recovered enough to look around and found that there was actually a woman behind the ticket counter, dressed in an old fashioned costume. I said "Maybe, where does the train go?". Then she showed me a map of the Grand Trunk railway tracks in Canada in about 1914, and a similarly dated schedule of passenger services and fares. It seemed like I could probably get to Vancouver, British Columbia for about $5, which I had in my wallet, and this price was quite a bargain.

After we talked for a while about the history of the Grand Trunk railway, I made my way back to Mary Ann and told her the strange tale of this women trying to sell me a ticket on the train. According to Mary Ann it was nothing supernatural, it was merely one of the tour guides for the pioneer village. I said there is nobody in the village, I think it's closed today. So the three of us decided to go out and stroll about the village, and although we didn't see any other tourists, every building was fully staffed with costumed guides. All we needed to do was walk in to a building and talk to them. All three of us were interested in history so we had lots of questions. For example, I was asking about the unusual electric light bulbs in the general store. Apparently, they were supposed to look like they dated back to about 1914, which was about the time that this area first started getting electricity. I'm pretty sure they were not original pieces, as they were all working, and all turned on.

Another place we visited was "Peter McArthur House". He was apparently quite a famous writer for the Toronto Globe in 1914, and lived in this house near Appin, Ontario. The house was moved to Doon Pioneer Village some time ago. I never heard much of this Canadian writer, but I took a look at some of his work, and I like his style, which was a blend of Stephen Leacock-like humour and serious political commentary. He tried to promote farming as a way of life, and was an informal spokesman for the "back to the land" movement, at a time when farmers were heading for the cities in droves. Looking back from 2010, he was apparently not that successful in his quest to stem the tide.

I found a long article about him here.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3683/is_200704/ai_n19432203/

It was like a trip back to 1914, the target date set by the pioneer village. I'm not sure how much I would like visiting the village again with bus loads of schoolchildren around, but it is a place we will go back to see again, especially if we have some out of town visitors staying with us. Or maybe even some in-town friends or relatives (like my grandchildren maybe, except they keep saying they have already seen everything I take them to - they have been on many class trips).

Picture: The Stanley Steamer club photo, when they visited Doon Pioneer village in 1999.