Peggy's Cove

Peggy's Cove is basically a small working fishing and lobster town that has a landmark lighthouse out on the rocks that make up the cove. It is somewhat like the Point Loma Lighthouse except the rocks are really round and smooth, not craggy.

In many ways this reminded me of the small fishing villages we saw in Norway up by the North Cape.

After our tour we went and had a "lobster wrap" for lunch. It was a little spicy for me, but Dan loved it. Don't let the concept of a wrap fool you-there was nothing diet about the meal.

Mussel Tasting

On Saturday we went to the city of Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. It is similar in historic value to our Williamsburg, VA. As we were docking we had a beautiful view of this sleepy little town with small wooden homes. It reminded me a bit of Norway. We took a nice scenic bus tour around the eastern section of the island before getting onto a small vessel that took tour groups out to see the mussel and lobster traps. It was a cold, overcast day, but the trip was fun anyway. Luckily the windows on this tiny boat had plastic roll down coverings or we would have returned as popsicles! Once on board we headed out to see where the traps are kept- and there are thousands of them! The crew cooked us some mussels and passed large plates of them around to everyone. Dan had two plates and I passed completely! YUCK.

After eating the mussels we motored on to

see the lobster traps. The gal pulled one out for us to see and showed us 2 of the lobsters inside. They reminded me of the crayfish we study in 3rd grade science. Did you know that lobster are related to the cockroach family? Lobster are really sea insects. Think about that next time you spend $55 on a lobster dinner! Guess that McLobster for $5 from McDonald's is sounding better all the time, huh?!

From here we went on to a seal rookery. It was a fun 2 hour excursion, but good to get back onto the warm ship.

Coal Mine Experience

In this tiny little town of Glace Bay, a part of Sydney Nova Scotia, we headed down into an inactive coal mine. Before going down we had to put on hard hats and these black capes to keep all the soot from getting on us. Then we learned that while the ceiling tunnels start out at 7 feet high, they eventually go to only 4 feet 2 inches in height. That is a lot of stooped over walking! So, down we go into the cold, wet, low ceiling mine. This is not a place to go if you are claustrophobic!

Our guide actually worked the mine beginning at age 9 until 1980 when the mine shut down. His father and grandfather worked the mine as well. You worked from age 18 until 65. If you lived in a company house and were injured on the job, then your oldest son had to go into the mine and take your place until you could return to work.

They took kids as old as 9.

Remember those old movies where they would take a canary down into the mines and if it died, then you knew there was toxic gas and you need to

get out fast? Well, they really did that and he showed us the canary cages they used.Near the end of the tour the ceiling got down to 4 feet. We walked it for about 50 feet. I am very glad that Brandon, the trainer, had me do so many lunges and squats, because I needed those quad muscles to get though without the back pain other's were experiencing.

The experience was interesting and made you appreciate the hard work and danger these men and their families went though to provide heat that came from coal! Being a teacher was so much easier!

McLobster

When in Nova Scotia, Sydney to be exact you have a few fast food restaurants to choose from. McDonald's is one. However, there is a twist on the menu...a McLobster sandwich!

It is available May through July. It consists of a hamburger bun, shredded lettuce, a dab of mayo, and fresh lobster! All that for $5.50. Make it a meal deal and for $8 you are out the door. This sandwich is not Weight Watcher approved :( so I passed on it. We will not discuss the cruise ship food I am attacking!

A Bell with Feet

Check out this Liberty Bell photo! Doesn't it look like the bell is walking?

There were hoards of folks wanting to be photographed in

front of the bell, so I got what I could. This was a cool piece of history. Did you know that the crack was made wider - like you see today- so that it would sound better? With the original crack the metal vibrated against itself and the tone was apparently awful, so they drilled it out to what you see today.

Everything we saw including the grave site of Benjamin Franklin shown below, was really neat to see, but our little 200 years of history does not compare with the 2,000 years of history we just saw in Israel!

History is Made

After today, I REALLY wish I had paid more attention to my high school history as well as what I was teaching my 5th graders. Seeing Independence Hall and where the Constitution of the United States was written, debated, re-written, and signed was amazing. The only remaining real piece of furniture is the chair that Gen. George Washington sat in. The other pieces are from the time period and match what is seen in historical paintings. Notice the gray paint? They have stripped the paint down to its original color (15 layers)!

The outside of the building is going through general maintenance and restoration, so we had to look around a good deal of scaffolding. What was kind of cool was that the covering over the scaffolding was imprinted with a picture of what the outside looked like. But what a bummer to come all this way not to see Independence Hall or the Reflecting Pond in Washington D.C. I doubt I will be back, so that was kind of sad.

Philly Cheese Steak

When in Philly one must have a Philadelphia Cheese Steak Sandwich. So we went to the Borse House which is an old building filled with shops and a food court. I have to say, I was very disappointed. The meat was a shaved beef and then the sandwich had cheddar cheese and grilled onions on it. I nixed the peppers. It was OK, but my neighbor Christa makes a far better Toby sandwich which is thicker strips of beef, a provolone cheese with grilled onion. Oh, to die for!

All of us were disappointed, but we were glad to have had the chance to get out of the heat and eat a bit before heading for the Liberty Bell.

Hard Core History

After today in Gettysburg I wish I had paid better attention to high school history. I was so lost when the guide boarded our bus at Gettysburg National Park and began his 2 hour talk. Dan was fascinated and loved it while I was having trouble with the "moving in from the south" or moving around the hill to the west." I think the guide knew I didn't remember my history and that I did not have the directional chip. So you might think I was bored. NOT AT ALL! This guide was so fascinating and was actually brought up in the town of Gettysburg. He vividly remembers seeing Eisenhower on numerous occasions as well as Jimmy Carter. He took the then PM of Israel(Began) and Yassir Arrafat (?) along with Jimmy Carter to the battlefield while they were at a peace summit at Camp David. They guy had stories you wouldn't believe.

One cool thing is that over the past 35 years or so the parks department has been buying back land from the city and private owners so that they could restore the battlefield area to its original look. They use old maps, photographs, diary entries etc. to help with the re-

creation. What we saw today was a close replica of the battlefields with the exception of some monuments and tombstones that have been added. Many of the old buildings are still in place. It was suggested that we watch the movie Gettysburg with Sam Elliott because while some of it was fiction the battle fields, battle events, and buildings were accurate. Guess we will rent it when we get home and maybe I can pull this together.

This was Dan's favorite day and while much of it was over my head, I still enjoyed it. The bummer was that much of the day was on the bus, so we had to walk after dinner and I didn't make my 10,000 step goal. I could only get in 8,300 steps. I think that is around 3.5 miles. Well, I guess I could look at that as a 5K fun-run walk!

Steps and More Steps

Well, since I am not working out this vacation, I decided I should track my "steps." Remember that 10,000 is your goal and that is equal to 4.5 miles.

June 16- 16,000 steps

June 17- 13,000 steps

June 18- 13,000 steps

June 19, 8,500 steps

Since I met the goal daily (except tonight) I decided dessert was in order - chocolate cake anyone??? No, how about apple crisp or just plain ole MM's??

There is another gal on this trip that has her Jenny Craig pedometer on so we are trying to challenge one another. Her daughter is getting married in August and our Jay in July, so we want to survive the cruise without taking too much extra weight home.

Fried Chicken and Thomas Jefferson

Today we drove through some of the most beautiful county I have ever seen. Nestled back in the woods was our first stop ~ Mickie's Tavern ~ for an authentic southern lunch. We were served a family style buffet of fried chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes (and yes with those yummy lumps), green beans, black-eyed peas, stewed tomatoes, biscuits, apple cobbler, and cornbread. Every 3 minutes a server came around to see if you were ready for more! I'm telling you this is no place for a Weight Watcher or Jenny Craig client! Boy was it yummy and the best part is that my stove is not all grease splattered!

After lunch we drove a short way into Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. When compared to Washington's estate in the same time period it seems so magnificent. Washington's home seemed rather common although he had a view to die for. Jefferson had many pillars and of course a dome which he loved so much. He also had many of the latest and greatest inventions of the time and so many books.

The estate is HUGE and the grounds have been kept up nicely. It really took you back in time as you strolled down mulberry row. You could see where many structures had once been and thanks to detailed notes left behind, we know what many were used for. It seems like he was a bit OCD.

The docent tour was very well done. Like Washington, Jefferson entertained many dignitaries and guests after his retirement from public service.

It seemed like he too never really got to retire.

Colonial Williamsburg

It has been 13 years since I was last here and amazingly enough, time has stood still. The only difference was that I wasn't busy writing down facts and shopping for artifacts to take back to my 5th grade classroom. It is indeed odd to not be thinking, "What could I bring back that would help the kids understand history better?" I actually found myself looking for kindergarten things for another teacher on the trip! Sick, sick, sick.

The old homes really demonstrated how hard life was in terms of heating and cooling, cooking and cleaning and all the other things that went into just surviving. Williamsburg was the capital for a long time after moving from Jamestown. Eventually it was moved to Richmond

where it remains today.

This circular shaped building was the magazine. It is where all the guns were stored along with the ammunition. There were well over a hundred guns of all shapes and sizes inside. I am sure that in the 1700's there were hundreds of guns.

Throughout the day there were several reenactments of local life back on this date in 1774. We heard a wonderful speech by Patrick Henry. The bad part about this stop was the heat! It was just awful as was the humidity. It made the 8 hour day feel like 12!

America's First Settlement-Jamestown

So how did you get to this new world from England? Well, on this tiny ship. No thanks, I'll stay with Princess Cruises!! It was so hot and stuffy inside and it held a crew and 56 passengers. The beds were so tiny and people had to sleep in shifts.

Once they arrived only 38 of the original 104 survived the first year because they ran out of food and supplies. I cannot imagine who would want to make this journey and what motivation would be so strong to face the perils of ocean travel in this tiny boat.

A small fort was built to protect the people (from what?) They got along with with native Powhatan tribe and there were no other people there, so what they needed protection from I am not sure. Animals?? Anyway, the house seen here is a replica of a typical building and is very realistic. It must have been an extremely hard life and it is no wonder many did not survive the cold winters. There was a tiny church and a few buildings for the blacksmith, tanner, and other trades of necessity. There were garden areas as well.

George Washington-Here We Come!

We left DC and headed for Mt. Vernon and the home of George and Martha Washington. It is a typical home/estate of the time with a spectacular view of the Potomac River. Washington thought this river would be the main waterway highway in the area. Wonder what he would think of our freeways?! The home hosted many events and meetings where important people like Jefferson, Adams, Hancock and many more came to have a meal and discuss issues of the colonies. His actual chair is on display where he made so many important decisions as the first President.

There is also a wonderful museum on the property that really gives a better idea of life during his time as well as the lives of Washington and his family. Very educational and well done. Wouldn't you love to have this view to sit and stare at every afternoon and evening!

The Eternal Flame and Unknown Soldier Monument

Where were you when JFK was assassinated? I think we all remember what we were doing that afternoon. Never did I think I would be able to see the eternal flame that was lit in our President's honor. Well, today I saw it and while very simple and unremarkable, it was quite moving and beautiful. Along side it were simple markers identifying where he was buried along with Jackie O beside him, and two children of theirs. I don't remember them having two other children who died. Patrick died at birth or soon after and there was a stillborn child (whose grave there, but is left unnamed).

Just down the hill are two simple crosses each with a marble marker for JFK's brothers, Robert and Edward. When the remains of JFK Jr. were found, they were cremated and scattered at sea.

This is an amazing place to visit. It is nothing like the Riverside National Cemetery where mom and dad are buried. It made me proud to have a parent who served in the Navy and how the service has made arrangements for both my parents to be buried together.

We also went to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and happened to get there at the time when they were changing the guard. The tomb itself is quite large and overlooks much of DC.

From that location you could also view many white grave markers that we see so often in National Cemeteries. It was very hushed there although we saw no current funeral taking place.

The Red-Eye

There is no question in my mind why they call airline flights that leave at 10:30 p.m. and arrive at some early hour the next day "The Red-Eye." Not only do your eyes kill you, but your whole body feels thrashed. We boarded a nice airbus headed for Charlotte, NC at 10:10 last night and arrived at 6:30 NC time...or really 3:30 according to my internal clock today. So, not only do you not sleep well (if at all), but they get you up in the middle of the night and shoo you off the plane!

We got off the plane into the terminal, eat an airport breakfast, and get on another flight that will take us to Baltimore. Still no sleep...

We are at an old historic hotel called The Melrose. At some point I will try to insert pictures. Dan and I just crashed after grabbing a quick bite for lunch. We really wanted to walk around the city, but sleep was just unavoidable. We will be ready to go bright and early tomorrow morning (7 a.m.). Gosh, that reminds me of my teaching days!

The Hat

Yes, the "hat" was bought at Nordstrom's at a cost no person should pay for a hat, but dang, it is so cute! So why by a 50 SPF sun hat - cute or otherwise? Well, the curse of white skin is upon me. A week ago I had 5 pre-cancer spots burned from the back of my hand, one early cancer spot from a finger and another from my lip. Lastly, the dermatologist biopsied a spot from my cheek. The news is all good in that the suspected squamis cells on my cheek were not cancerous after all. My hand looks like %^&*, but will heal. The bottom line is-sunscreen and a hat at all times. It seems as if I just went through this a few months ago, but this time was the worst.

And of course this is just before the wedding and our vacation. So, I bought a hat. I look awful in hats-especially ball caps. So of course, where do I find a hat that looks okay? An expensive store! I will not reveal the outrageous price tag, but I AM trying to rationalize it as a medical expense in my head on my head. LOL. My sister, Beth, called me and asks if I wanted to borrow her $20 SPF 50 hat? What a twit!!

So we are leaving for the historic sites of America on Tuesday and I will take the hat. I had better not forget it somewhere or have it blown off the ship as we sail up to Canada. The picture was taken at La Jolla Shores at a wedding for one of Dan's employees. Doesn't he dress up nicely?? :)

Shower Time!

Yes, it is shower time- not bath time-but wedding shower time. We had a super-great time at Heidi's Bridal Shower. Invited were many of her girlfriends, her mom and other family relatives, and my family with 2 of my neighbors, Christa and Vanessa. I think there were about 20 of us in all.

Even Heidi's dad got in the action as he came and did some video work during the party along with helping haul stuff to and from the cars. The event was held at a condo complex clubhouse and was really nice. The day was sunny and

could not have been more perfect.

Yes, we played silly games- I won none, of course. Mostly

we ate and watched Heidi open gifts. And like an amazing young woman,

the thank you notes were received within a week

of the shower. I love this gal!!

She got lots of things from her registry including a huge Kitchen Aid mixer that will last her a lifetime. He mom is a quilter and made her a beautiful blanket. It is really a piece of art. She got the usual kitchen stuff and a nice cake server for the wedding cake and wedding toasting flutes by Vera Wang. I know she loved it all and has proudly displayed it in their tiny apartment just waiting to use it!

One of the best parts of the day was a tribute to Danny Boy. I kid you not, her bridesmaids

wrote up this little poem in honor of Danny the wiener dog, added pictures to it and framed it. Then they made sugar cookies in the shape of dogs, bones, dog houses and paws. They went with little clear cellophane bags so we had actual "doggie bags" to take home. It was so very cute :). The cookies were good too! Did you know that they even had engagement pictures taken with Danny in them!

It was nice to have the family and friends come out and support her big day. I think Jay said we have about 50 some days left till the big event and we can't wait!

Wandering through the Jewish Quarter

WOW is all I can say. This was such a change from the historical and spiritual pilgrimage we had spent the last 9 days on. We were about to mingle with the people as they shopped for the week. Now I am assuming there were grocery stores, but I never saw any other than what we saw at the Kibbutz. This place was wall to wall people, and you were bombarded with noise that was a cacophony of unfamiliar sounds and amazing colors. People were going about their daily lives; many pulling small collapsible carts behind them loaded with fresh meats, produce, bread, and desserts. I have never been to a place like this in my life! This is not like our USA farmer's market-well at least those found on the west coast.

When we arrived, Ido told us we had 2 1/2 hours on our own to shop, eat lunch, and take in the sites. And that is just what we did. Everyone was hungry, so we all scattered in hopes of finding the perfect lunch. Now Dan and I were smart...we asked Ido what he recommended

and since it was a cold day, he said he was off to get some stew. We of course joined him and what a great move that was! It was our favorite meal of the entire trip!! We went to this little tent building at the end of one of the rows of vendors and sat down for soup/stew.

I had a chicken and bean stew and as I recall, Dan had some sort of a beef dish. It was served with warm pita bread and of course hummus. I am telling you, it was amazing!

After lunch Dan and I left to explore the food stalls. Meats were hung from poles, stacked on crushed ice, or in cooler bins, but all of it was out in the open and unpackaged. So different than here. You and I would never consider buying meat this way!

The produce and dried fruits were displayed in layers and bowls. I have never seen such beautiful produce. And don't get me started on the pastries and bread. Oh, to die for! This was a great way to end our day.

From here we head back toward Joppa and then to Tel Aviv and the airport. Our plane left in the evening, but as expected, leaving the country was time-consuming as officials checked our documents and luggage. It is not easy getting a group of 19 onto a plane. Keep in mind, except for 4 kids in their 20's and one 34 year old, Dan and I were the youngest of the group! And there were a lot of women on the trip and you know what happens every time we see a restroom sign! The Israeli security is very thorough, but we made it with time to spare.

God surely blessed this trip. With all that we read in the papers today about Israel, we are so glad we went when we did and had faith that what was unfolding in Egypt at that time would not effect our trip. Our lives are forever changed and our faith is forever strengthened. If you ever get the chance to head toward Israel, please go. There just aren't words to describe how deeply being there affects you.

Feeding the Less Fortunate

On our last day we were able to spend three hours in the morning serving the less fortunate by working in a soup kitchen. Our task was to prepare the oranges. Easy and simple huh? NO!

All 19 of us put on aprons and gloves and were give a dull paring knife and a makeshift cutting board. By that I mean, a cutting board that was really the back side of a plastic storage container lid! We had to peel the oranges leaving as much pith on as possible so the guests could take advantage of the vitamins. After peeling hundreds (yes, hundreds-that is no typo) of oranges we began to chop them into squares. For many of the people who would attend for lunch this would be their only meal of the day.

We worked in rows of tables in a small room that served as an eating hall, cook prep area, and in the afternoon a sewing classroom. We found several small sewing needs on the floor. After all the or

anges were done, we wiped down the tables, shoved them aside and

literally hosed down the floor and then dried it. We reset the tables with chairs and it was ready to serve the first wave of guest. Meanwhile, in another area, the actual kitchen was bustling with other volunteers and paid workers in preparing the rest of the meal. If I recall they had a bean/protein dish, rice, vegetable soup, fruit salad and a bread. People could eat there or bring a small container from home and have it filled up and take it with them. No money is exchanged. Some of us filled trays to be served while others passed out food or served tables. I was a food tray preparer.

One of the facts we learned is that in the poorest sections of Israel, many of the folks were immigrants from Russia and elsewhere when no other country wanted them after the war. These people have limited Hebrew or English, and limited or no skills that could be used for a job. Many are quite old now, but we served many younger people as well. Statistically speaking, the poverty level in Israel is greater than that of Mexico! That is a fact that is very hard to comprehend. Living as close to the border as we do, it is hard to think about areas that suffer even greater poverty.

It was a blessing to have this opportunity and a wonderful way to spend our last day. But as our guide, Ido, would tell us daily, "Folks, you ain't seen nothing yet!" And he was right. We were off to spend our last afternoon milling about in the Jewish and Muslin Quarters of Jerusalem. So hold on, you are in for some amazing photos.