MERRY OLD NEW ENGLAND

A LOT OF NATIONAL PARKS WERE ONCE BIG ESTATES THIS IS IN ACADIA NP MAINE

WE GORGED ON THE FRUITS DE MER CLAMS,LOBSTERS AND FISH

BAR HARBOUR MAINE THE COAST AND ISLANDS OF NEW ENGLAND STREWN WITH FISHING AND OLD WHALING TOWNS

TYPICAL NEW ENGLAND FARMHOUSE WITH WHAT WOULD HAVE N\BEEN LIVESTOCK BARNS ATTACHED TO HOUSE

THIS LIGHTHOUSE TYPICAL OF MANY AROUND THE COAST INSPIRED LOGFELLOW'S SONNET THE LIGHTHOUSE PORTLAND HEAD MAINE

TYPICAL COASTLINE PORTLAND

THE FAST FLOWING RIVERS ENABLED COTTON MILLS TO SPRING UP OVER NEW ENGLAND AND CHEAP IMMIGRANT LABOUR LED TO THE LATE 1800'S INDUSTRIAL BOOM.NOW THE TOWNS ARE LITTERD WITH OLD FACTORIES SLOWLY DECAYING OR AWAITING CONVERSION INTO BOUTIQUE SHOPS AND RETAURANTS

WHEN WE GOT A NEW SET OF FEET FOUND THAT THE SECOND SPARE WE GOT FOR OUR ALASKA TRIP DIDN'T FIT. SO ABOUT 37000KM WITHOUT A SPARE!!WE JETTISONED THE OTHER ONE WHEN WE HAD A BLOWOUT IN ALASKA

SITE OF THE FIRST BATTLE THAT SATRTED THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION NEAR CONCORDE

SALEM THE WITCHHUNT MONUMENT

THE MONUMENT 18 WERE HUNG AND ONE POOR FELLOW CRUSHED TO DEATH WITH ROCKS.NOT NICE CHAPS THOSE PURITANS

MARBLEHEAD A BEAUTIFUL OLD WHALING PORT NORTH OF BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS

PLYMOUTH ROCK PROTECTOR

BIT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT.WHERE THE FIRST PURITANS MADE SHORE.NOT TRUE ACTUALLY THEY LANDED FIRST NEAR PRINCETOWN CAPE COD BUT NOT SUITABLE.THEY WERE ACTUALLY MEANT TO GO TO NEW YORK.

WALL TO WALL HOLIDAY COTTAGES NEAR THE END OF CAPE COD.

DUNES CAPE COD

THIS IS WHERE HERMAN MELVILLE STAYED ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD .THE WHALING CAPTAIN HIS HOST WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR CAPT AHAB IN MOBY DICK

NEWPORT (AMERICA'S CUP) MANSION ROW. ALL THE WEALTHY NEW YORK BANKERS HAD THEIR SUMMER MANSIONS HERE AND TRIED TO OUT DO EACH OTHER. MANY ARE STILL HOMES TO THE RICH AND FAMOUS BUT A LOT ARE PART OF THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AND FACULTIES.

YALE UNIVERSITY NEW HAVEN ADMIN BLOCK .LOTS OF HISPANIC AND ASIAN STUDENTSPATRONISE THE HORDES OF ETHNIC FOOD STALLS SET UP AROUND THE INTERSECTION.

NEW HAVEN SUPPOSEDLY WHERE THE HAMBURGER WAS INVENTED.

DETROIT TO NIAGARA

SPENT THREE DAYS VISITING HOUSES,FACTORIES AND MUSEUMS OF THE FORDS.THIS IS EDSELL AND ELEANOR FORD HOME ART MASTERPECES DRIP FROM THE WALLS AND MOSTLY BUILT FROM BITS OF STATELY ENGLISH HOMES SOLD TO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP MAINTENACE COSTS AND DODGE TAXES.

EDSELL DESIGNED THE FIRST LINCOLN CONTINENTAL CLAIMED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TO BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAR EVER PRODUCED.

WEINERMOBILE AT THE HENRY FORD.THE COMPLEX AT DEARBORN THE SITE OF THE FORD ORIGINAL FARM INCLUDES AN ENTIRE VILLAGE WITH HOMES CHURCHES FACTORIES TRADESHOPS FROM ALL OVER USA. HIGHLIGHTS THE WRIGHT BROS BIKESHOP AND EDDISON'S ORIGINAL LABORATORIES.

JFK'S LINCOLN THAT HE HAD HIS LAST RIDE IN.

BOATS IN HIBERNATION FOR WINTER.

NIAGARA FALLS FROM THE LADY OF THE MIST BOAT.THE DOLOMITE ROCK IS ERODING AT 6 FT A YEAR SO HAS RETREATED 78 FT SINCE WE WERE HERE LAST!!

FALL HARVEST AND HALLOWEEN

AUTUMN SPLENDOUR KINGSTON ,ONTARIO

I THINK THE SIGN SHOULD READ DODGY!

MONTREAL RESTAURANT

A LOT OF PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES GO TO A LOT OF TROUBLE AND ARE VERY CREATIVE WITH THEIR DISPLAYS.

OOH LA LA CANADIEN

THIS IS THE MOST FASCINATING, ALMOST MORBID BUT EXTREMELY TASTEFULLY DONE.PLASTICISED,SKINNED HUMAN CADAVERS-SLICED DICED BALANCED IN ALL SORTS OF POSITIONS TO SHOW ORGANS ,MUSCLE GROUPS ETC.MY PHYSICIAN SON THINKS THEY MAY HAVE BEEN EXECUTED CHINESE.YOU CAN SIGN UP TO HAVE YOUR BODY TREATED THIS WAY . CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE BODY WORLDS. WE SAW AT THE SCIENCE CENTRE IN TORONTO.

WE WERE BLOWN AWAY BY THE BEAUTY OF OTTAWA,OLD MONTREAL BUT THE ICING ON THE CAKE IS OLD QUEBEC.THIS IS GOVERNMENT HOUSE OTTAWA.

ST LAWRENCE FROM GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

OLYMPIC STADIUM MONTREAL.THE TOWER WAS ADDED LATER WITH A FUNICULAR TO THE TOP. CABLES FROM THE TOWER HOLD UP THE KEVLAR ROOF TO MAKE IT USABLE IN ALL WEATHERS.(IT COLLAPSED UNDER WEIGHT OF SNOW A FEW YEARS AGO) .ALTHOUGH A GREAT FACILITY IT RUNS AT A HUGE LOSS AND IT'S FUTURE IS DEBATABLE.

THIS IS THE CHATEAU FRONTENAC THAT DOMINATES THE AREA BELOW THE FORT OLD QUEBEC.

OLD QUEBEC.THE CITY IS WALLED AND YOU CAN WALK THE WALLS.

OLD QUEBEC FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ST LAWRENCE.A BEAUTIFUL CITY WHICH THE FRENCH THOUGHT IMPREGNABLE. THE ENGLISH SNEEKED UP THE CLIFFS JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE PICTURE ON TO A FARM OWNED BY MR ABRAHAM.THE BATTLE THAT ENSUED ON THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM LED TO THE DEFEAT OF FRANCE AND BRITAIN TAKING CHARGE.

THE MARITIMES

GASPE PENINSULA QUEBEC

NORTH CAPE CAPE BRETON NOVA SCOTIA

PORT AUX BASQUES HARBOUR WHERE THE FERRY TO NOVA SCOTIA ARIVES AND LEAVES.AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR NO FERRIES TO ST JOHNS IT IS A 890KM HAUL EACH WAY!!

MILE 0 ST JOHN'S NEW FOUNDLAND. WE STARTED AT MILE 0 VICTORIA VANCOUVER ISLAND.IT IS 7353KM AWAY. 6 MONTHS LATER AND 33000KM ON THE CLOCK -I THINK WE HAVE MADE SOME WRONG TURNS!!

BEAUTIFUL AND VITALLY IMPORTANT ST JOHN'S HARBOUR NEW FOUNDLAND.

THANK GOD IT WAS SCREWED DOWN AS SHE WOULD HAVE RE-ARRANGED IT!!THIS IS A REPLICA BUT THE REAL THING WAS IN A CABINET. TITANIC MUSEUM HALIFAX.

THE HISTORY OF THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE INDIGENOUS,THE ACADIANS (FIRST FRENCH),ENGLISH,LOYALISTS (THOSE WHO LEFT US DURING REVOLUTION ) AND THE US IS FASCINATING .WE VISITED MANY FORTS,TOWERS.CITADELS AND BATTLEFIELDS.THIS IS THE CITADEL HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA ,STILL OCCUPIED BY THE SAME REGIMENT SINCE THE 1750'S.

FLOWER POT ROCKS BAY OF FUNDY NEW BRUNSWICK .THE RIVER THAT RUNS INTO THE BAY IS THE APTLY NAMED CHOCOLATE. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE THE HIGHEST TIDAL RISE AND FALL.SEVERAL PLACES HAVE REVERSING WATERFALLS AS THE WATER FLOWS IN AND OUT!

Y

MANITOBA TO MICHIGAN

THE HOODOOS.VARIABLE EROSION FEATURES. THE SOFT LIGHTER SILTSTONE THAT IS THE DINOSAUR FOSSIL LAYER CAPPED BY A HARDER SANDSTONE .

THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES ARE DOTTED WITH GHOST TOWNS. MAINLY COALTOWNS AS OIL AND GAS WERE DISCOVERED AND BECAME MORE PC.THIS CHURCH HAS A BUNDLE OF WOOD STILL IN IT'S WRAPPER ALONGSIDE. IT APPEARS AS IF THEY WERE GOING TO REPAIR IT JUST AS THE TOWN GAVE UP THE (HOLY) GHOST!!

CENTOSAURUS DINOSAUR DIG!!

EVERY STATE OR PROVINCIAL CAPITAL IN NORTH AMERICA HAS AN ELABORATE CAPITOL.I LIKED THIS ONE IN REGINA SASKATCHEWAN BECAUSE THERE WAS A STATUE OF THE QUEEN RIDING HER FAVOURITE HORSE!!

QUEING FOR KEILOR ST PAUL. GREAT WAY TO SIT IN THE SUN,READ AND WATCH LIFE GO BY!!

START OF THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI -LAKE ITASCA MINNESOTA

PITCHER PLANTS IN THE WILD-SWAMPLAND MINNESOTA

AMAZING WHO YOU CAN MEET IN HANNIBAL MISSOURI!!

MISSISSIPPI AT HANNIBAL LOCATION OF HUCK FINN AND TOM SAWYER -MARK TWAIN'S BIRTHPLACE

THE ABE LINCOLN FAMILY HOME WHEN HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT.SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS.

THEIR CURRENT HOME! IN THE SAME TOWN.

ROUTE 66 (1926-) THE MOTHER ROAD.FRAGMENTS EXIST FROM CHICAGO TO LA.STREWN WITH THE REMAINS OF MA AND PA SHOPS,GARAGES,RESTAURANTS,MOTELS .NOSTALGIA OF AN ERA BEFORE AMERICA BECAME GENERIC.YOU BABY-BOOMERS WILL REMEMBER THE 60'S TV SERIES-THE NELSON RIDDLE THEMESONG STILL ROLLS ON IN MY BRAIN-DO-DO-DO-DO-DOOO!!

AN OLD ROUTE 66 ICON WITH THE BUNYON GIANT ORGINALLY OUTSIDE A RESTAURANT IN CICERO CHICAGO. IT MANIFESTED ITSELF IN MANY FORMS HOLDING AN AXE,MUFFLER ETC

SURE BEATS A BOY NAMED SUE!! WALDHEIM JEWISH CEMETERY CHICAGO.WE SPENT TWO NIGHTS OPPOSITE IN THE WALMART CARPARK.

AMAZING CHICAGO IS CERTAINLY MY KIND OF TOWN-VIEW FROM WILLIS(FORMERLY SEARS ) TOWER ACROSS TO LAKE MICHIGAN. HOWEVER I THINK THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE INSPECTED THE ROADS AND DECIDED AGAINST THEM FOR 2012 THEY ARE AS BAD AS THE DALTON HIGHWAY!

AS THE LEAVES CHANGE THE NON-HIBERNATORS ARE IN A FRENZY STORING AND STEALING FOOD AND JOINING THE NATIONAL OBESITY EPIDEMIC!!

HARD TO BELIEVE THIS BEACH SCENE IS LAKE MICHIGAN ON THE EAST DUNE SIDE. LOOK HARD YOU CAN SEE CHICAGO ON THE HORIZON

WITH UNEMPLOYMENT IN DOUBLE DIGIT % AND RISING I THINK THIS SCENE IS LIKELY TO GET WORSE. CAPITALISM-IF YOU CAN'T BEAT THEM JOIN THEM FIRST THEN BEAT THEM!!