CANADA MOTOR-COACH EXPEDITION!

I noticed this year that my passport was nearing its expiration date, and being the frugal person I am, I wanted to get one more "out-of-the-USA-trip" with it, so I would get my "money's worth".   My trips to Canada have always been enjoyable, and since I had never been to Canada's capital (Ottawa), I thought that would be a good destination.  Remembering that Diamond Tours operated tours to that area, I went to their website (www.DiamondTours.com), typed in Ottawa in their search engine, as well as the dates I had available to travel.  The results showed that a group out of Conway, Arkansas, was offering a tour that met my specifications, so I contacted the group leader (Dr. Stan Young, with Stay Young Tours) to get more information.  I learned that he was a retired pastor, and that several people were already signed up from the church where he attended, but there was still room for one more.  So I paid the deposit, and started looking forward to the departure day of September 27, 2024, in Conway, at 7:30 am.  It was reassuring when I saw the motorcoach pull up to the meeting place, with a big USA flag on it, with other folks with luggage, waiting to check in.

The meeting place was Central Baptist Church, in Conway, Arkansas.  Since I did not know what early morning traffic would be like on departure day, I arrived very early, and used the time to start working towards my goal of getting in 10,000 steps per day, (in spite of being on a ten day motorcoach trip.)

After Stan's wife had checked in all of us, and we got settled into our seats, Stan took the microphone to introduce himself and our driver (Mike).  He then sang a melody, put to Psalm 118:24, that says, "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."  He then prayed for our safety, and especially for the well-being of our driver, Mike.  Each morning, thereafter, he led us in that song, gave a brief devotional, then prayed for all to go well on our travels that day.  It was a wonderful way to literally, "start the day on a positive note"!  The singing also serves as both a visual, and auditory, reminder of one of my First Place 4 Health (www.FirstPlace4Health.com) memory verses, also from Psalms, that says, Come, let us sing to the Lord!  Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come to him with thanksgiving.  Let us sing psalms of praise to Him. (Psalms 96:1-3)   By the way, praying before driving my car is a regular habit for me, which I call "The Steering Wheel Prayer".  I grasp the steering wheel with both hands, and pray that God will steer me in HIS path, and put a "hedge of protection" around me, so that I do not harm myself or others.  The older I get, the more I need that prayer!

There was a variety of participants within our group.  Several couples were members of Central Baptist Church.  The wife of one of the couples from the church, had invited her sister that lives in Florida, and another sister that lives in California, to meet up in Conway, so they could have a "sister reunion" during the trip.  They even had matching tee shirts!

Diamond Tours requires a minimum number of participants to make the trip a "go", so our group of about 20, went north to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to meet up with a group of about 10, so that we had the required numbers.  We drove from Michigan into Canada, and stopped at a chain of rest stops along the Canada Interstate highway, called "En route".  They have clean restrooms, souvenir shops, and a variety of fast food choices, as well as this friendly moose mascot, dressed in the familiar black/red "Buffalo plaid" of northern woods attire.  (Originally, this was the official tartan plaid of the Scotland MacGregor clan)

A step-on guide got on the motor-coach in Ottawa, to give us a tour, and tell us about some of the iconic sights in the nation's capitol (www.visitottawa.com).  Our first stop was across from the National Gallery of Canada, and its architecturally-stunning, three-tiered cupola.   The guide then talked about the giant spider art piece (entitled Maman) in front of the museum, and that some Canadians thought its 3.2-million dollar price tag was excessive.  The guide mentioned that there are other Maman sculptures, around the world.   I was happy to share with him, that there is also a Maman sculpture at Crystal Bridges Art Museum (www.crystalbridges.org), in Bentonville, Arkansas!  (A museum started by Walmart heiress, Alice Walton,  where admission is still free, thanks to the support of the Walton Foundation.)  Architect Moshe Safdie designed both Crystal Bridges, and the National Gallery of Canada.  Our group was visiting Canada on a national holiday, called "Day of Truth", and that  is the reason the Canadian flag in the photo, is at half mast.  I will elaborate more on the "Day of Truth" events, in an upcoming blog that gives more details about Ottawa.

After a stroll through the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica at this location, our group walked through the gardens, in front of the Rideau Hall, where the Governor General of Canada resides.  The Governor General is the official representative of King Charles III, to the nation of Canada.  Part of the reason I chose this time and location to travel, was in hopes of seeing some autumn leaf color, and I was not disappointed!  A mapleleaf sculpture (in recognition of their national flag)  at the royal gardens, provided a nice backdrop for some real maple leaves.

Before I left for my trip, I had googled "#ottowa" to get an idea of what I would be seeing, and possibly give me inspiration for photos I wanted to capture.  That hashtag is where I found a photo of the giant letters that spell Ottawa.  I accidentally stumbled upon them, when I was wondering the streets during some free time downtown.   Since my initials are "T.T.", it seemed appropriate to pose for a photo between the two T's! 

 

Another place that was important to me was Parliament Hill, so I made the trek up from the Byway market (www.byway-market.com) where the bus let out our group, to check it out.  It was a Canadian national holiday, called "Day of Truth", so there were some special activities going on, that I will elaborate on, in a future blog. 

 

On my way back down from Parliament Hill, to the motor-coach meet up location, I (thankfully!) went across the Plaza Bridge, that overlooks the Ottawa Locks, of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Rideau Canal.

After getting thoroughly tired out from walking all over Ottawa, I boarded the bus again, to make the drive to a "Sugar Shack", or as it is known to Francophiles--"Sucrerie de la Montagne" , where we would have supper, and get a "class" on how maple syrup is made.  The proprietor was there, (who has his photo on all the products they sell), and so I got a photo of him with our leader, Dr. Stan Young. 

The following morning, we proceeded eastward to tour the city of Montreal, Canada.  (www.mtl,org). We went to the top of the mountain that is the namesake for the city, where there is a scenic overlook, and the former Olympic stadium (with its iconic leaning tower) is visible. 

The next day we took the two hour bus ride to Quebec City, with its story-book-looking cobblestone streets, and historic old town.   I had spent several days in Quebec City on a previous visit, and you can read about that, along with lots of photos, in a blog in the archives, dated November 15, 2010.

Quebec City, is the capitol of the Canadian province of Quebec, and the photo below shows the building that houses its government.  Being a graduate of the University of Arkansas, where the towers of "Old Main" serve as its logo, the first thing I noticed about the building was the similarity of its end towers, to the towers of Old Main in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  Considering that mansard towers are a French architecture staple, and Fayetteville was named after French soldier Lafayette, the design of Old Main makes more sense to me now!

After returning to our Holiday Inn hotel in Longueuil, Quebec, (which is positioned along the St. Lawrence River) from Quebec City, we started the following day, with more touring in Montreal.  No visit to Montreal is complete without seeing the famous St. Joseph's Oratory.  This photo was taken from the bottom of the hill on which it sits. 

Still in Montreal, the bus let out its passengers at Jacques-Cartier Place, where there were a variety of restaurants and shops. Folks could have lunch on their own, and/or walk about the quaint shops along the pedestrian-only streets.

The shopping area is adjacent to where we would board our boat, for a cruise on the St. Lawrence River.  Many in our group were getting a photo on the steps of the boat, including this couple from South Arkansas, who won the prize for tallest man and tallest woman in the group!

After finishing up in the Montreal area, we started our westward drive, back towards Michigan. (I plan to write a more complete story about Montreal sights in a future blog, as this is just a tiny taste of all we saw!)  Along the way, we stopped to take in the views at the Thousand Islands Observation Tower , in Lansdowne, Ontario, for some 360 degree views, of this magnificent area of the St. Lawrence River. (In May, 2010 archives of this blog, you can read three blogs I published about the USA side of the Thousand Islands area).

After we had gone through customs, and shown our passport at the USA reentry location, we had time to make an unplanned stop at Indiana Dunes State Park (wwwindianastateparks.com).  I was thankful for the unseasonably warm weather, so I could stroll around the shores of Lake Michigan, to continue my quest to take photos, while simultaneously getting in my 10,000 steps per day!

On a previous trip, I went to Sand Dunes National Seashore , shortly after it was made a national park.  On the day I visited, it was raining, and there were no easily accessible views of the lake that I found.  However, the state park was a MUCH BETTER experience!

I usually end my blogs with the saying "MILES OF SMILES", so I was delighted to see that phrase painted on the back of one of the tour buses we saw.  Some might think that ten days on a motor-coach (aka, "bus") is not for them.  However, it worked out perfect for me, and I am very thankful I was able to spend that much time on a bus, and STILL get in my 10,000 steps per day, on each of the ten days!  This trip gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!!  Trici

HISTORIC WASHINGTON STATE PARK EXPEDITION!

 Most folks have heard about the tourist attraction called, "Colonial Williamsburg", in Virginia, and Historic Washington State Park has the nickname of the "Williamsburg of Arkansas".  Furthermore, just like in Williamsburg, the horse-drawn surrey seen in this colorful sign, is a reminder that horse-drawn surrey rides can be arranged at Historic Washington State Park!  See their website for more information (www.ArkansasStateParks.com)

Wooden plank sidewalks define the Washington Historic District, which is about 100 acres, and contains about 54 buildings.  Washington was named after George Washington, and was incorporated on his birthday in 1824.  It was originally the county seat of Hempstead County, in southwest Arkansas.  It has been called a museum village, and contains hundreds of pioneer artifacts from the area.  The photo below shows the 1874 Hempstead County Courthouse.

  I was there after the Visitor Center was closed, but thanks to a "relocation" of the passport stations to the outdoors, one can do a rubbing of that particular park's stamp, even if the visitor center.  Then there is a prize, for those people who get a rubbing from all 52 of Arkansas state parks. 

This quilt design was on one of the buildings at Historic Washington State Park.  It is a subtle nod to the famous Bowie knife.  It was blacksmith, James Black of Washington, who claimed to have made a knife for Jim Bowie, who gained fame for his participation in the battle of the Alamo in Texas.  The connection of these knives to Arkansas inspired an alternative term for "Bowie knife", calling it instead the "Arkansas toothpick".  One may ask, what was Jim Bowie doing in historic Washington?  The answer is that it was on the Southwest Trail that ran from St. Louis to the Red River port of Fulton, also in Hempstead County, just 12 miles from Historic Washington.  At the time, the Red river was the border between the United States and Mexico. William B. Travis, Sam Houston, and Davy Crockett also traveled through Washington on their way to Texas.

 

There is an actual Bowie knife, made by Historic Washington famous blacksmith from the 1800's, on display at the Arkansas History Museum in Little Rock. The handle has the same outline of a coffin from the 1800's, hence it is called a "coffin handle knife".  The end of the knife has been crafted to be sharp, on both the top and the bottom, for about three inches.  The long blade makes it a suitable fighting knife, that a frontiersman could carry easier than the long two-edged swords, that official government soldiers of the day carried.   The phrase "two-edged sword" brings to mind this Bible verse:  "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12 KJV

Notice that the Bicentennial marker below, has a Bowie knife outline, separating 1818, from 2018.  It is sitting on an outline in the shape of Hempstead County.  Even two hundred years later, wannabe blacksmiths come to Historic Washington, to participate in "Forged in Fire" workshops. 

The sign above designates that Washington was in the area affected by The Camden Expedition, during the Civil War.  The Camden Expedition (March 23-May 3, 1864) was the final campaign conducted by the Union Army in south Arkansas.  The offensive was designed to cooperate with Major-General N.P. Banks' movement against Shreveport.  However, the Union army suffered terrible losses in a series of battles with Confederate forces.  The Union army goal had been to occupy Camden, a port city on the Ouachita River, to resupply.  These efforts were unsuccessful, and The Camden Expedition is said to have been the greatest Federal military disaster in Arkansas throughout the Civil War. 

After starting at the Visitor Center, one can continue to the Blacksmith Shop, Weapons Museum, Print Museum, and other historic locations that make up the largest collection of 19th-century buildings in the state. 

Greg Butts is a former director of Arkansas State Parks, and his name was beside a newly-planted catalpa tree on the lawn of the Visitor Center.    The catalpa tree is the sole source of food for the catalpa sphinx moth, where the moth's caterpillars eat the leaves.  Because the caterpillars are an excellent live bait for fishing,  some dedicated anglers plant catalpa mini-orchards for their own private source of "catawba-worms".   Clio is a website (www.theclio.com) and mobile application, similar to the apps that help you find a nearby restaurant or repair shop.  Clio picks up your present location and guides you to landmarks, museums, and historical/cultural sites.  (According to Greek mythology, Clio was the muse of history and lyre playing) Clio is free for everyone,, funded by donations  that are tax deductible, as a 501c3 entity. 

The two chimneys on the side of this building hearken back to a time when wood burning was the only source of heat for a domicile.  That is the time period when Washington was the Confederate capitol of Arkansas, because Little Rock had been occupied by Union troops.  This two story Greek revival is called the Woodlawn House, and was built in 1850's.  In the 1980's the Pioneer Washington

Historic Washington benefited from projects taken on in the 1940's, by the WPA --Works Project Administration.  This maker is at the community's gymnasium. 

The gymnasium still hosts functions put on by the state park, and also can be rented for private events.

I saw a shallow pool similar to the one below, when I visited Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, in Virginia.  Jefferson used his to keep live fish, that would later be cooked to serve those living at Monticello.  Remember, there was no refrigeration in those days, so having a ready supply of fresh fish could be a nice amenity!

The bell shown on this post, has probably summoned countless souls, since the days of old.  It makes one wonder "For Whom The Bell Tolls"?

While touring the Historical District in Washington, a man passed on a unicycle---first time I have seen one on a public highway!

I remember a big kettle similar to this one, being used whenever my paternal grandparents slaughtered a hog, and then rendered the fat to make lye soap.  My father would help cup up the hogs into quarters, and after salting, they would be hung in the smoke house, for use later in the year.  I remember we usually brought home "chitlins and "hog souse" after such occasions .  Chitlins are the intestines of a pig that have been cleaned, boiled, and fried.  Hog souse features the various parts of the pig, including the feet, head, ears, and tail, that have been cleaned, cooked, and pressed together to form a loaf, that slices like Spam.   

When I was a youngster, both my maternal and paternal grandparents lived in the country, and they each had a water well similiar to this.  The metal bucket hanging from the rope going over the pulley, was lowered into the deep well, and then carefully pulled up out of the well, hopefully without spilling much water. 

I liked the way the outline of a cross had been cut into the gate, leading to the historic church within the district.  (These buildings can be rented for private events, such as a wedding)

This stone marker beside the church indicates that as early as 1818, the pioneers thought it was important to have a house of worship. 

Williams Tavern Restaurant was originally located 10 miles away just off the Southwest Trail in the community of Marlbrook.  Built in 1832, it was owned by John Williams and during the 19th century, served as a local tavern for travelers.  In the 1980's, the building was moved to Washington.  It continues that tradition of welcoming travelers, serving as the restaurant at the park.  One can phone 870-983-2890 to get updated serving times. 

 

I read that the Crouch House was considered Greek revival architecture, and that Mr. Crouch had been a jeweler.  Notice the boardwalk in front of the fence, which is a defining aspect of the historic district.  

Besides the possibility of staying at a former jail (shown below), groups can also arrange to stay in the 1914 Washington School.  It has been remodeled to accommodate 48 bunk beds. 

There is a video on You Tube where one can see what it would be like to spend the night in the former jail, and the furnishings looked very comfortable.   It would be nice to be a "prisoner" in such a luxurious place.   

You can find links to all that this amazing place has to offer, by visiting their website at www.ArkansasStateParks.com  .
Visiting Historic Washington State Park gave me "MILES OF SMILES"!  Tricia