MAY 30 - MY 68TH BIRTHDAY

Thanks for all the lovely greetings reminding me to be thankful to be here today! Emails, Facebook, phone. We are blessed with all manner of keeping in touch around the world now.

  Today my calendar says:

"I have not been everywhere but it's on my list." (Susan Sontag - wish I'd said that...)

  How appropriate! 

BEIJING - BLOCKED - BUT EXCITING TO BE BACK

I tried to post from Beijing but as Google and Facebook are not acceptable there, it was blocked. Michael and I had a wonderful time, if suer busy, there. After the 

  Since coming back I've taken a long time to get over jet lag. they say a day for every hour removed, so I'm allowed two weeks officially and I seem to be taking that.

  Beijing is an amaing city, moving at a fast pace towards being not a third world country. Theirdevelopment  proceeds apace, a stunning change from 8 years ago when I was last there. It is a vital, happening place, but parts of old history, wandering the hutongs )traditional living spaces built around communal courtyards, remain. Michael and I enjoyed a morning Saturday walking thorugh a very old one, due for dismantling juding b the posters pasted on doors, etc. Great photograph opportunities. 

  Saturdays are a huge draw for the ordinary peole and families to visit the parks. The Temple of Heaven park is no exception. Gorgeous temples and marble edifices repainted and decorated for the Olympics are a marvel to see. Surrounded by trees, grassy paths and meandering small roads lead to new vistas everywhere. Apart from the constant traffic hum, you don't think you are in a city at all! Groups of choirs dancers, young taichi groups abound. One of my favourite places in Beijing for sure.

  Michael is the composite tourist, enquiring, chatting, talking to everyone in his minimum Mandarin and our broken pidginl! We make many new friends. Both at the conference and on the street. We observe bike lockups for pick up and use and drop off somewhere else. The weekend is less polluted on the city roads, and the smell of roses everywhere is intoxicating, something you don't expect in Beijing. Along all the main highways, e.g. to the airport, huge varegated roses bloom. Also tree blossoms this time of year, my favourite time to be in China.

  Just outside the east gate is shoppers paradise, the Hong Shu? Peal Market. the lower floor is fruit and veg and regular food items. the main floor electronics and touris trinkets galore, bargaining is king. We resist. Next floor up, clothing, luggage, bags, etc. I bargain ahrd for a new suitase, so durabhle the girl stands on top of it! It has built in locks, and I pay a lot less than in Calgary. We have accumulated gifts to bring back, including the new China Encyclopedia. I weight it on my bathroom scale. 3.3kilos. Also Consul Deng's wedding souvenirs from his wedding for his fellow consular staff back in Calgary - probably another 3 lbs. Having brought a large, well-packed Eskimo carving as our 60th Anniversary gift, I have capacity. Also traveling in busienss I can take 2 suitcases back. 

  Of course, no visit to the park market is complete without a visit to the classy 4th floors, home of the top end icons and Cathie's Jewelry, where a new string of black pearls joins my collection. I haven't been there for 8 years but Cathie remembers me! And we do a good deal. I know I've not udnerpaid when she throws in a pearl bracelet gift!

MAY 13 - MEET THE PARTY

   My fellow delegate, Mchael Copeland, Toronto president and long-time official of our federation, arranged  a meeting with the Communist Party Central Committee's International Division and the North American bureau. What was supposed to be a meeting of a couple of them with us and Michael's fellow prof emeritus from YorkU Bernie Frolic. It turns out to be a big table with about 10 of them and 3 of us. Bernie is writing another book this one about 5 years of Canada/China relations, coming out in the Fall, so they were interested in his opinions too.  It is gorgeous weather here in Beijing and no problem with pollution. A beautiful full moon last night.  I am finally getting over my jet lag a bit. Our plane came in late Monday and we had to be up and out at 8am yesterday for the 10:30 meeting across town in the busy traffic! It was very interesting and their DG hosted us for lunch at the fancy new headquarters in the north part of the city! You would be envious of their social area for staff - gym, bikes, weights, table tennis and shuffleboard tables! Back  to the hotel, I had great ideas of a walk through the hutons  behind us, but in the end after sorting some stuff and geting my wifi , etc running, my bed summoned and my one hour nap from 3pm took me to 5pm, groggy and up to meet Michael at 6pm and walk around the neighborhood to aother differnet restaurant. We thought we ordered a plate of dimsum, it was a huge bowl of mostly tofu and winter melon soup, but good and lots of liquid. No English spoken but we are managing fine.

  Beijing is a lively, vibrant plae, lots of busy young people      

GOODBYE TO SNOWY CALGARY, HELLO BEIJING MAY 11-12

It's up early Sunday and Mark rode me to the airport for a 10am flight to Vancouver then a delayed flight to Beijing. In Vancouver I meet up with my colleague Michael Copeland, Toronto chapter president and long-time federation of Canada-China Friendship organization member. He's a great colleague to travel with with a deep knowledge of China. The plane is packed in the back. I note they have 3-3-3 seating instead of the 2-4-2 we have on the overnight to UK. In the front I have a cosy pod wih a window and am well looked after on the flight, with two meals, really too much food, and good service. We land on time after a fairly uneventful flight, only a couple of bumpy patches over Russia, and glorious views over the Rockies, then N. China.

It's no hassle passsing through visa control and baggage area at this very efficient airport. Much different from in the past when they bused you in from the outposts of the airport. Now a fast underground train whisks you to the baggage terminal, where our bags are waiting when we get there. Calgary, take note, it can be done.

  Beijing Capital Hotel is a government owned hotel where most of the delegates for this event will be housed. Probably not Princess of Tonga, but who knows.

  After the long journey, Michael and  I find our comfortable rooms in different towers but all linked on the main level, we freshen up and take a walk round the block to a small friendly, bustling restaurant. No English spoken here but food is good and cheap. Michael's mandarin is passable. We run into the hotel receptionist who recommended it. Probably that's why our bill for 2 half litre beers, huge plate of made on the spot dumplings, s/sour pork,  comes to 83 yuan (no tipping please) which divided by about 5 is $16, or $8 each!

BIONIC TED - NOT HEAVY METAL NOW

Thursday May 8 - off to hospital to get the staples removed. Nice day for Ted to go out so I got his shorts on him and it was sunny and warm enough from car to clinic and back. This weekend 23cm of rain forecast so no more short just yet I think. Typical of the system, the surgeon is in surgery and fits patients in (5) between surgeries, probably missing lunch! We sat from just before 12 to just before 2 to see him. Talk about mis-management. Of course, there are people from the hospital being wheeled in and out of the cast clinic and emergencies too. 

  One woman broke her shoulder on a cruise May 1 but could not get into a clinic until yesterday. I guess you can't do much for a broken shoulder anyway except a sling.

  Anyway, Ted sat patiently for 2 hours then said goodbye to his staples. He saw the doc for about 60 seconds - the guy took a look, said it looks good, don't drive for 8 weeks, or fly for 3 months, and listen to the physio on when to ditch the crutches, get on a cane, etc. I guess he's a good carpenter with the saw and all, but charm school he missed. Ted has to see him at the 6 weeks point, another sit in his waiting room no doubt. I guess I'll be chauffering for a while yet.

  Ted does bear it all very amicably (mostly) and is doing his exercises faithfully. Serious physio starts Friday. After his hospital trip, we walked to the end of our road and back in the sun. A first for us.

  Wednesday night was a red letter evening. Ted finally got clothes on after 2 weeks in his jogging outfit!

  The occasion was the German Wine Society's last restaurant dinner. We are winding up our club which I've been a member of for about 20 years. I got involved through our German friends Ushi and Dieter Cosandier, so it was fitting that they came to pick us up and take us to the dinner in their SUV, bigger and easier for bionic man to get in and out. Also I could drink with impunity. Sadly, Ted is still on a few painkillers so for the first time ever, he was a non-drinker at the event. He had picked out some lovely wines for us to enjoy with the 6 course dinner at Cravings, who will cater our windup event at our home one afternoon in July.

EASTER PHOTOS...A BIT LATE

We had the pleasure of the whole Petrovich family here for Easter Sunday. Justin & Michelle now have Cohen (4) and Saxon (2), Steve and Taryn have Bronte (nearly 2) and another pink pump due in August!I cooked up a Moroccan storm and they all tucked in very well and played nicely together. I took some amazing photos. Now if I can jut get them from my iPhoto files...

Below: Saxon, Michelle, Justin, Cohen

Above: Steve, Bronte and Taryn

Below: Proud grandparents Mark & Mary and the kids

The first of May, the first of May...

But no - outdoor screwing starts today.....Myrle you will remember the day, I'm sure. 

  But seriously, today was supposed to be a red letter day as my nephew James and wife Terri were expecting their second daughter. She actually obliged and came early on Sunday, so we can now enjoy seeing two wee girls on Fecesbook. Below: Pepper and her new sister Sloane. Awwwwwwww sweet

It was almost a year (May 4) to the day when we went to their lovely wedding in Chelsea. They will have a lot to celebrate on their first anniversary, that's for sure.

  Also this time last year we were celebrating Ted's Aunt Vera's 90th birthday in Devon April 29. Good thing we did it then, he called her yesterday and has a hard time making any conversation at all now, her hearing loss and dementia has really progressed very fast. But she seems happy in her new home.

  Here it is finally Spring, 21 and sunny, but by the weekend we are to have a high of 3 for about 4 days and snow Saturday and Sunday. Will this never end?

  The good news, Ted took his first outdoor jaunt. Mark came by and took him for a walk round the block, tiring but at least fresh air and sun at last. Now he's beat, back icing the knee and dozing off after his exercises. He won't be watching any two hour movies yet. 

Hello staples..Apr 30

It's a week after surgery so time to take off the waterproof dressing and it doesn't look all that bad, with a big row of staples but healthy looking tissue (if chopping your leg up was ever healthy) and lots of awful bruising.

  Everyone is being very kind to the patient patient. Mark, Ted's best buddy, has been in to see him regularly to cheer him on and will perform yeoman service in my absence in China from May 11-19 too. Margit has given him all sorts of useful tips from her 4 knee surgeries in 3 years! Kevin Thorvaldson has lent him an ice machine, which seems to involve a lot of carrying of water, ice, etc. but gretly helps get the swelling down. I won't put any photos here...Bonnie has made him two jugs of chicken soup (and she's not even Jewish) but Jackcie, who is, brought him inedible but beautiful flowers. Offers to drive him around aboound. We are so blessed with all our friends.

  Wednesday the blood work looked to be coming back to normal, only to shoot up into the no-gozone Thursday. Oh well, try something else.

  After trying to add the physio's exercises to his routine, Ted was totally shot on Wednesday, sore and tired and wondering if he could up the dosage of painkillers. At first he thought he wasn't going to need all those meds, now he's talking of extending it if he has to after seeing the surgeon next Thursday! 

  Because of past blood clot history, he has to wear a full elastic stocking for 6 weeks. Do you know how hard it is to put a really tight stocking on a big fat leg and misshapen foot? I'm getting better, but only with strong rubber gloves to the rescue. Ok, Ok, don't whine....

FIRST PHYSIO..April 28

The Mobile Vampire was called to the Foster household Monday morning so we had to be up bright and early ready for a blood(y) test from 7:30-2pm. A large span with lots of room for error, or Starbucks or whatever. Fortunately, the guy came early so we could get on with life. 

  In order to have surgery, Ted's blood thinness had to be severely reduced, by means of stomach injections daily and laying off the rat poison AKA coumadin for a few days before and after. Normal reading between 2-3. Reading at surgery: 1. Following surgery, they upped his coumadin and the anti-coagulant to bring it up fast. Once home, he continues to inject the anti-coag until the coumadin catches up. So this week it has been a roller coaster of Calgary Blood Services taking a reading and Ted taking a reading with his own device, a much handier gadget than finding a doctor to call for the test, getting the test, then waiting for the doctor to tell you the results. Ted can call that evening for his test results. Then his own GP weighs in and tells him how to vary his dose. Of course, if he consumes cruciferous vegetables or anything else high in Vitamin K, this messes with the results too. A fine line. 

  On a more positive note, it was off to his first physio appointment Monday afternoon. Getting him in the front seat of his car isn't that bad, as long as the seat is almost flat back! Eli took him in hand, measured his flex and announced he was already at 90 degrees which is great for one week. Until the staples come out, he doesn't want to do any any more sessions so we will return next Friday.

HOME AFTER TWO NGHTS...

Ted has done really well in hospital so they let him out of jail free after 2 nights. As I was getting ready to pick him up yesterday, he phoned to say the doc and physio were happy for him to leave, but staff  needed to get his blood thinners on track. He will still inject a blood thinner in his stomach (ouch!) for 5 days at home and get his usual cooumadin (rat poison) up to the right level at the same time. The mobile lab will visit Monday to take his blood, which is a whole lot better than me shoveling him into the car to take him to line up at a lab.

 I didn't need Mark to accompany me to drive him home in the back seat of his SUV. I got him in the front seat of our Honda Accord, which is great, as he won't be able to drive for 6 weeks. I guess I am going to be Driving Mr. Daisy..

  Liz called this mornign nd s pleasantly surprised to tak to her brother in law in person. Clive is also now waiting to get a new knee, but it in a lot more pain than Ted evidently was.

  This enforced home stay has its benefits. The guy called this morning to come by and check what needs to be done to wall up our side door and replace it with a big window. Hopefully that can be done soon now the snow has stopped - we hope.

  Or feathered pal is pleased he has company and just sits there saying "hello hello" all the time.

Note the kangaroo pocket pinny - he can bring things back and forth in the pocket without calling for Maria all the time...hahaha

  A friend dropped by last week with an ice machine. Quite simple really. You put in freeze packs (less messy than ice) and fill with water, plug in and it circulates cold water around the knee. Everyone who's used one swears by its efficiency at getting the swelling down. So we will use it 4 times a day after he does his exercises.

  Note deformed feet in foreground, good thing we didn't reproduce and replicate them! I

  'm glad its shorts weather now.

DAY TWO, PAINFUL..

Ted did get up last night after his surgery, just to stand by the bed apparently. He did not think he would use the painkillers as he has a high pain threshod. I guess today he found out otherwise. This morning the physio visited to show him some exercises and he said it was excruciating pain. After that he ate what purports to be real food (soup and an egg salad sandwich!) then fell asleep. when I arrived he woke up as the nurse was removing some of the tubes attached to various part of his anatomy too.

  At 1pm he was taken to the real chamber of horrors, the physio room with all manner of implements similar to the Spanish inquisition tools - I guess that's how it looks to people who have had their knee removed and put back together again.

 Young Joe grinned the whole way through the session, showing Ted how to do all the things that will make the leg bend again, but it all looked incredibly agononizing to me. By the time the almost hour was up he had done floor exercises, walked with a walker, learned how to use his crutches properly, walked the parallel bars and climbed over a small obstacle - no mean feat. 

  Returning to his bed, we got him propped up with ice and supports and he accepted the painkiller with alacrity! 

  I took him a bag of real roughage, pea pods, oranges and a big carrot so hopefuly he will get them all down as well as the mushy food he gets there.

  I remember a German guy having his second knee repaced when Ted was in for his hip replacement 15 years ago. Back then when he had the first one done in Germany, he woke up with his leg in a machine that gently lowered and bent it from the get-go. I think that's what's needed here. The theory  must be that if you don't let the leg stop moving, it won't be so hard to get it to 70 degrees within 4 days, to go home. I guess in Germany they come out of surgery and shortly thereafter go to convalescence for 6 weeks of intensive physio and exercise. What a gret way to do it.

  Now I anticipate him home Friday (that's the plan...) so I am out looking for a nursie outfit, but perhaps not in the love shop! Hahaha

BIONIC TED - NEW KNEE TODAY!

We returned to Alberta in plenty of time for Ted to do all the taxes and get in shape for his surgery today. He has lost about 20lbs and feeling better to undertake the grueling physio required in getting the knee back to working order.

  He will be way up NE in the Peter Lougheed Hospital which is where the ortho surgeons from his clinic all operate. So I will get used to driving across the city for a few days and hope 3 nights in hospital will be enough. 

  This morning, before the crack of dawn (a time we are not familiar with..) we were up and heading north on the Deerfoot in the dark, as admitting opens at 6am. By 7:30 he was all suited up, line in, and both surgeon and aneastheologist had visited. They determined he would have an epidural, rather than regular anesthetic, as recovery is usually far better. He's been off the rat poison (blood thinner) for nearly a week, injecting a substitute for the last 4 days, so his INR (indication of thinness of blood) is 1 and they are happy to do the epidural.

  So I will return later to see how the patiet has fared, take him a pair of crutches and no doubt he will be up and walking this evening.

BACK TO THE SWAMP...AND HOME

On our return to the Six Mile Swamp, what a difference! Spring had arrived, the cedar trees were in full leaf, flowers were blooming, baby alligators were sunning on logs, the rarer green heron (actually several colors) was lying in wait for the tiny critters stirring everywhere. I spotted a dangerous moccasin snake curled up peacefully on a log. But sadly it was time to head north again.

  Florida is definitely being loved to death, with very crowded beaches full of beached whales, coated in oil and about the color our the turtles! No sign of skin cancer fear here. It was spring break so beaches, malls, etc. were swimming with people. Even our return to the idyllic Sanibel and Captiva Islands was a huge shock. But we did find by driving off the beaten path some lovely wildlife areas preserved by far-seeing planners.

EDISON/FORD ESTATES - MARCH 22

Now that spring is officially here, at least in  Florida, we are enjoying the flowers that bloom in the spring trala. And of course remembering godson Steve & Taryn's wedding on that day 4 years ago.

  On a sunny and warm day with a little breeeze (84 but not too hot in the trees) we visited the fascinating but data-heavy Edison/Ford Estates. You take a self-paced audio tour of the lovely reserve of 3 homes, gardens, laboratory and museum on the Caloosahatchee River. 

This is where Thomas Edison spent his winters from 1885-1931, and Henry Ford lived next door from 1916-1934. The two men were the best of friends and built winter homes for them, their families, and important colleagues to visit in winter. It is amazing the sheer number of patents the two men were reponsible for, and Edison is famously remembered for invention of the lightbulb, electrical installations, but also the phonograph, Xray machines, botanical research, with nearly 500 patents to his name. A drop-out from school, described as "addled" by his teachers, Edison became a giant in the world of inventions before age 40.

  Likewise Henry Ford (whose company was my original employer for 7 years in the UK!) was a giant in his field too, and the two men shared many ideas and inventions together. They created an alternative botanical source of latex for rubber from goldenrod plants. Henry Ford once made a car whose body was made from soy! A photo in the museum shows him hitting it with an axe to prove its strength!

  They recommend 4 hours to see the whole place, we ducked out before that, but it's a beautiful setting on the river with pools, fountains, a swimming pool (unheard of in its day), a moonlight garden, orchids planted into a mango tree lane. A vast banyan tree, an acre in diameter, was donated by Henry Firestone in 1925, the largest on the continent. Edison, Ford and Firestone worked on finding a home-grown source of rubber and banyan produces a latex sap.

  Photo: View from the Edison home, Seminole Lodge.

  Ted especially enjoyed the collection of Model Ts and records of all the famous Ford race cars and drivers. A recreation of the botanical records lab and heritage plants were interesting too. 

Photo: the Moonlight garden

  Still a beautiful site on the river, the estate was preparing for a wedding as we visited. Great to see so many people still enjoying this beautiful and interesting privtely-owned estate.

Photo: Couldn't resist this shot of a Model T chuckwagon, used for camping trips to the Everglades!

SOUTH TO BEACHES, BUT NO ENTRY! - MARCH 21

We thought to follow up on one of Brent's suggestions of a visit to lovely Vanderburg beach area. It is indeed a beautiful area but again, with parking at a total premium anywhere near beaches, we had to give it a miss. High-rises line the beach area and although they can't rope their beach area off for resident only, there are few entry points for the public. During school break, even more so.

  But we returned to the lovely bay entering Lovers Key and the good little Big Hickory Seafood Grille overlooking the harbour. 

the sighseeing boats looked inviting but we were happy to sit under an umbrella, enjoying mussels/clams steamed in Chardonnay and tons of garlic, and mahimahi griled to perfection.

    While waiting for a table, we crossed the road to the public beach, which was wall-to-wall people some who already looked like turtles!, spraying themselves and the peope nearby with oil and lying out by the surf for more rays! Not a pleasant prospect for us I'm afraid.

  We were hosted for drinks that evening here at the condo by Brent's two lively octogenarian aunts in the house nearby, where we learned lots more about the area from these two regular winter snowbirds.

CAPTIVA - STILL CAPTIVATING - MARCH 19

Despite all the development, and the $6 charge to cross the causeway for entry to Sanibel then Captiva Islands, Captiva still retains a tropical charm. Many of the huge private homes are largely unseen from the one road, only the lush tropical gardens and palmed driveways give one a glimpse into these special places. Parking is difficult and at a premium, so limits the number of visitors. The shell beaches are legend but at this time of year, virtually unavailable for any but the early risers who must get to the island just after dawn to get parking at the few public beach areas. Many families and visitors bike everywhere, with bike paths the whole way across both islands.

  We had a lovely late lunch overlooking a marina with two ospreys guarding the entry.

Later, trying to get off the island, we ran into what looked like a one-hour traffic jam, so retreated to walk for another hour around Bailey Tract, a lovely wildlife area, befoe tackling the traffic jam again. For people holidaying on these islands, you are basically stuck there for the duration, becuse driving on and off must be a lot more frustrating than getting on and off Vancouver Island, unless you go by boat.

SANIBEL AND CAPTIVA ISLANDS - A MEMORY - MARCH 19

When we lived in Toronto, we took a trip to Florida one year and remembered fondly camping in our VW on Sanibel Island. Those days are gone! Although it is still one of the most important turtle egg-laying areas in the US, it is a sad reminder of the memories we have. Wall to wall high rises, marinas, holiday homes shops, more shops, restaurants, line the whole beach area.

  One good thing is the J. Ding Darling National Wildlife preserve and we spent a few hours enjoying the 4 mile drive through with lots of stops for photo opportunities. It i a haven for bird life, and we are learning there is more to egrets and herons than little white and blue birds. 

  It is also wonderful that it's osprey season. They are thriving in this part of the world, and the angry looking wee faces peeping out of the nests or starting to furl their wings are great to watch. Also the pair of parents tenderly caring for their young. 

The anhingas, spreading their black and white plumes to dry, are a beautiful sight.

The tricolored heron was a new species for us.

And the rare green heron sitting silently for its prey was a special sighting.

BIG CITY ATTRACTIONS - MARCH 18

It's always great to be in another big city. We are certainly not over them yet! One plus, when my 2-year-old keyboard decided to stop communicating with my iPad, I headed to the local Apple store. A few minutes talking to what looked like a teenager, she tried all the things I'd already tried, got out a new keyboard, tried it on both her iPad and mine and when it worked, simply gave it to me to replace the dead one. That's why I love Apple! Ted is still complaining often that "it doesn't...(do whatever he was trying to do) but at least he uses it now, and we don't have to haul along a netbook too!

  We've had good wifi everywhere down here. Especially here at the house, a great connection all the time. I bought Telus 30 day US connection for $25 for my iPhone and hardly used it. What irks me is I can't turn off the home Telus service while I am away $80 a month for nothing. Frustrating! One of these days somebody will think of a better way...

  Eating out down here is mostly very reasonable compared to home. There is one restaurant nearby where seniors eat for about US$8. It's a lovely fresh salad bar, about 7 soups, fresh breads, 3 pastas, frozen yogurt/toppings - unbelievable. Everything fresh and home made at the restaurant. You can't buy produce at the store for that. I can see a return to Sweet Tomatoes this week...No wonder there's a lineup all the time there. You do have to carry a tray so it's for families and the able-bodied.

  There are also lots of interesting parks close to us here for walking and enjoying the flora, fauna and avifauna! One in particular is developed with lovely facilities for kids and people, but also wilder parts too at Lakes Park.

  Another is Six Mile Cypress Slough, a gorgeous lake preserve where we spotted a wild boar this week, along with the flowers just coming out.

  Below: Dinner with friends and family in our 'courtyard'

BACK TO FT.MYERS - MARCH 12

We were glad to pull in back to our home in Ft.Myers, with Ted's cousin Margaret and husband Brent. They are just the most graciouos hosts and we love their home here. The plaque in the dining room overlooking their lovely garden patio (lovingly planted with flowers and trees that the birds and littel critters love) says "Another day in Paradise" and we smile as we pass it a million times a day...

  One thing we miss here is news. You can switch on CNN which is supposed to be world news. Despite a revolution in the ex-Russian states, revolts in Turkey, a new premier in Alberta, it is non-stop talking heads surmising what might have happened to the missing Malaysian Air jet with almost 300 people on board. Lost without trace.  WE do get the weekend newspaper wherever we are and it's a tad better, but we basically  have to go to the Toronto Globe & Mail site to get anything worthwhile. We can get BBC newshouse on PBS here too.

  Naples is also a super city south of here, beautiful homes, multi-million mansions with their multi-million boats parked right outside on your personal canal. No sign of recession in this part of the US. 

Margaret and I on their boat! Hahaha

   We went down there one day to take a boat trip out to the Gulf, vaguely spotted two dolphins, lots of seabirds. then stroll the ritzy shopping area, 5th Avenue South, to check out the high-end restaurants and one-of-a-kind shops, where Margaret and I did a wee bit of retail therapy while the boys sat watching the passing scene.

Photo: Homes on Port Royal, seen from our boat trip

  There are several very high end shopping malls - did I mention the shopping down here? Bealls is a dept store (also with an outlet store) where if you wait long enough, they practically give stuff to you. Ted has invested in several nice cotton shirts, shorts, belts, sun glasses, so it's not just me. Meanwhile I've found all sorts of bargains, nice Columbia gear (wish I'd had the rain jacket before we headed north!) Banana Republic seems to be overstocked so we've helped them out a bit there too. A big outlet mall south of here is jammed with ther kids on school break right now, but you can still shop easily in adult stores, like Merrill (2 pairs of sandals) and Rockport (two pairs of flats.) So much choice compared with Canada, and of course, running into all sorts of Canadians (mainly from Ontario and Quebec) who are busy cramming before going home after their winter breaks.

  There are good Mexican restaurants down here as many of the housekeeping and labour down here are Hispanic.

  But we are finding food fairly expensive, same as in Calgary, which is considered higher than Ontario. But it could be where we have been shopping, haven't gone to Walmart much!

  One thing that is lovely is eating outside, especially when it's full moon. But Ted has been bitten by something in the evenings. It must be pretty bad in sumer when the rains come as it's mosquito time then. The love bugs are merely a nuisance here.

  M&B invited friends and the two aunts who also have a place in this complex for dinner and we really enjoyed the camaraderie then.

OCALA - CENTRAL FLORIDA MARCH 11

Deciding to break our journey back south to Ft.Myers, we stopped in the middle of Florida, literally, which is an agricultural and big horse centre. Large white fenced horse farms attest to the fact of they money up here. It's all limestone underlying this area, so good grassland for horses bones and teeth apparently. 

  One interesting thing we found. There are huge retirement towns (The Villages!!) being created up there, like summer camp for seniors really, little self-contained towns on golf courses with seniors riding around on golf carts and bi- and tri-cycles! I guess a good way to put in 'God's waiting room' years if you like that. Happy hours rule, small plates and tons of takeout of the over-huge meals too. 

  One thing about the road system here, it is usually huge and good. But one accident on the interstate and you are stopped for half an hour. I was glad I brought my RV portable GPS unit with me, it at least tells us where and how long the delay is expected to be.

MORE SAVANNAH..MARCH 10

Savannah is obviously a very sophisticated town, although we didn't catch much of the action ourselves. Saturday night we made the mistake of going to the Pink House jazz bar for dinner. After waiting over an hour for a table, we were tucked into a teeny corner of a busy throughway so it wasn't relaxed dining by any means. The restaurant itself had many dining rooms, and looked lovely, with an outstanding menu and wine list but a reservation or long wait would have been the thing on Saturday night. Just the wrong time I guess. 

  By the time we ate, my appetitie had waned but the presentation was beautiful and Ted really enjoyed his crab-stuffed grouper. As an offset, the jazz was super, a pianist who sang accompanied by a young lady on double bass. But a group of women by the fireside decided it was karaoke night so it was rather drowned out by their squeals until they left. 

  One thing that is totally charming is the riverside walk. The old cotton warehouses have been cleaned up, also I suspect the red light district, and it's now shops, restaurants and boats. Huge old stone buildings and cobbled streets line the waterfront. You can take the free ferry across the river to the ritzy Westin hotel, and up the river, with 3 dropoffs. 

We skipped the one-hour paddlewheel tour after we'd done that. Savannah celebrates the second largest (after NYC) St.Patrick's day celebration. It starts a week before and we were into that window. You can also drink on the streets, carrying your drinks around in red mugs! What a zoo. Guys in green drag everywhere, gaggles of drunken women, glad we were out of there before 17th! But there was live music everywhere you went on the streets, in the restaurants, on the patios, and often good jazz so a big plus there.

  Of course like St.Augustine and Charleston, horse & carriage is a typical way to view the town but we did well on our feet. 

  Definitely a place we would consider coming back to in a quieter time of year.

GEORGIA COAST MARCH 10

One thing that we loved was the Georgia coast and islands near Savannah. It's a busy port centre, huger liners from China full of 2 and 3-level containers go right up the narrow channel. Also we saw European car ships coming up to Jacksonville in N.florida the same way. Both places are planning major expenditures to allow bigger cargo ships up their port rivers. I guess the Chinese love North America, everyone wants to buy cheap, ships return empty! 

  A big drawback is that Georgia has been the largest producer of pulp and paper in the US for years. As a result, you can smell it all the time, that sort of BC air smell which permeates everything. We had not expected that.

  One day we took a drive to the Savannah seaside, small Tybee Island, where parkign was again at a premium, but lovely long beaches and seabirds, and a historic fort and lighthouse, the tallest in the US. We strolled the beach and boardwalk area (shades of Brighton?) of the quaint downtown, and found a busy sidewalk seafood restaurant boasting the best crabs in town. It's blue crab season, you eat them slightly breaded, deep fried and eati absolutely everything, I love them!  But Ted sticks to mahimahi fish tacos! These places are cheap and cheerful, plastic everything, but often very fresh delicious seafood. And we are finding lots of good local beers, many special brews, everywhere we go.

  This time the temps were around 78 and sunny days, and the nice Hamptons Inn on the edge of town proved a good home base for our stay in Savannah. (Thanks Colin & Nancy for that suggestions.)   

  Ted often walked from there all around  town when I had had enough of sightseeing. We could walk to dinner every night too, so no driving for him, a bonus.

  

SAVANNAH BEACH?

What is surprising, apart from the fact that this city is home to one of the largest art schools in the USA (evidenced by the many lovely buildings housing different parts of the college) is that Savanah has beach too!

  A mere half hour drive east is sleepy Tybee Island where turtles come to lay eggs and hatch, and home to many seabirds, dolphins and sharks. There are other more sophisticated islands easily accessible from the city too, but we decided to check this one out.

  Disappointed with the choice of eating establishments, we nevertheless found an outdoor bar there with great blue crabs (soft shell crab) and mahimahi tacos on the menu for lunch. One beach was great for families, as long as you stayed well clear of the man-made seawall protecting it from rip tides, with bird nesting reserves, some unusual gulls, and the usual pelicans. The other side was like Brighton Beach without the funfair. The school breaks are starting this week, so there are lots of kids and families on the beaches, beach volleyball nets galore, and the ever-invasive smell of burgers.

SAVANNAH'S MANY CHARMS

Spared by General Sherman - nobody knows excatly why but there are several suggestions - Savannah remained much as it was before the American Civil war.

  Wandering through the quiet squares, beautiful streets of 18th and 19th century homes, you can quite imagine life back then before the automobile took over.

  However, one of the more interesting areas is the Riverfront of what was once King Cotton's busy port. Huge container ships from China pass right by you as you sit quaffing a beer at one of the many riverside bars. The huge warehouses were rescued from disrepair and are now a tourist magnet, with all the usual kitchy stores, restaurant and bars. You can take a triangular free ferry trip over to the ritzy Westin hotel, then west to a park, and back to the east end of Riverside without doing the paddlesteamer touristy sail down the river. 

SAVANNAH; SPARED AND PRESERVED

This area is suffused with memories of the American Civil War, the British history here and the civil rights movement. Its history is deep and people flock here to take it all in. Savannah's founder, General Oglethorpe, was a far-seeing British planner who laid out the city as it currently survived. It is is a charming place to walk through, around every corner is a new surprise, and it's small enough to see in a few days on foot. Of cousre, there are tours galore, horse and carriage rides, etc. that you'd expect from a tourist centre. 

Also many restaurants, from hole in the wall to ritzy places like The Pink House, with its 3 foot walls used for defensive purposes originally. Saturday night wasn't the time to visit the downstairs jazz bar, an hour wait and then eating at a tiny table in a quasi-hallway. I am sure if we'd made a reservation we'd have had a nice experience there, because the eclectic menu showed they have some exciting chefs in these parts.

  Savannah is also the home to the second largest US St. Patrick's Day celebration (second to NY) and its cranking up this week. It's the only US city where you can walk around with your drink in plastic beakers on the street, so I am sure it will be a huge drunk by the end of the week, shades of Stampede?? Everyone goes green for the occasion, they expect 400,000 guests and the catholic and Irish societies are already laying wreaths, attending masses, and attending lalvish parties at their Savannah headquarters. 

  One interesting sight on the street Saturday - a Sprinter van for a beer maker, with spigots along the side where they can dispense beer right out of the van!

DAYTONA WITHOUT THE CARS..

We hit Daytona area just in time for the big Bike Show which starts this weekend. Good thing we are now leaving, the wee town is awash with big noisy bikes. We found a couple of small local restaurants with very fresh fish and seafood. We thought we were getting to the only 3 star restaurant in town early but it was already full and big waiting list. That seems to be our experience here this winter. Very busy restaurants even though the snowbirds are supposed to be heading home by now. So we were pleased that the food was some of the best we have tasted on this trip, despite the busyness of the restaurant and the early bird special prices. Local fresh grouper stuffed with crab and seafood stew were just excellent, washed down with nice sauvignon blancs (a three-wine tasting flight no less!)

  With weather improving, Ted has decided to drive back north to visit Savannah so that's our plan

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BACK TO GEORGIA - MARCH 7

Ted was so disappointed at skipping Charleston and Savannah, after all the planning we had put ito this part of our trip, that he was willig to drive back up Florida and across Georgia to spend 4 days in Savannah. The temperatures were still pretty glacial for this part of the world, 45 overnight, and only 58 as high for the first day. But spring-like weather is now here, helped by DST starting. So it's 78 here at 6pm this evening in the sun.

  Savannah is a beautiful historic city, developed on a master plan laying out wide avanues and green squares of live oak trees hanging with Spanish moss. 22 of the original 24 squares remain, surrounded often by lovely old historic homes. Sadly the annual home tour begins March 27, the day we return to Calgary, so no chance of enjoying that. However, a few houses are open for tours and we went around a couple of them. But they are not the antebellum homes we remembered from previous visits to Charleston and also Natches on the Mississippi. 

TORNADO WARNING AGAIN!

I guess it's just our luck that this is the year Florida is having a very different winter with lots of storms and record low temperatures! Another serious storm is sweeping the country. The cold front from the north today meets the warm front from S.Florida right about Daytona Beach, near where we are today. We are on the 7th floor of a high rise hotel overlooking the Atlantic in New  Smyrna Beach, so we expect to see the storm with its 60mph winds soon! Ted will move our rental car away from under a palm tree.

  Yesterday, after our 7 hour drive south to escape the 30 degree weather in S.Carolina (and our 30 degree increase in temps that day), we had a lovely afternoon in Melbourne. This is a big resort area  an hour's drive south. It also happens to be where Ted's mum's cousin Peggy Kelly now lives in a delightful assisted living facility.

 Born in the UK, Peggy lived in Potters Bar (near by own birthplace in Herts) but took a trip to Montreal in her 20s to stay with an uncle there. On a trip to NY she met Al, dated long distance for a year, later married him and moved to Miami, where he worked for years for American Airlines.  When we lived in Toronto 40 yers ago, we took a trip down here and visited them in their canalside home in Homestead. Peggy raised 4 kids, 3 daughters and a son. 

  We have been in touch with daughter Margaret, now in the oilpatch in Houston, to arrange our visit. The fog lifted, the sun came out and we signed her out for the afternoon and took a trip to the beach, with drinks and photos on the deck at the scenic Coast Plaza hotel. It's a beautiful retirement area. 

  Although her memory is now failing, Peggy is a wonderful lively lady at 85, remembering many things from her early life, the family and her busy life now, very grateful to be living in Florida and surrounded by caring family and staff. What we would all like to be doing in our latter years, I'm sure.

  We had no problem recognizing the fiesty Peggy from 40 years ago. She also shows a strong resemblance to Ted's grandma, her aunt Maggie, as her mother Nelly was Maggie's sister.

(Below: Ted and Peggy)

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CENTRAL FLORIDA, IDEAL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY..

What's surprisig about this area is the lack of high rises all along the coast as in the south. There is a certain small-town quality to life up here, cows grazing in fields along the freeway, farmer's markets, and two days ago, a local Mardis Gras Parade (for 15,000 residents). Although we were tired and missed the night parade, we got beads in the bar where we had dinner!

  Everyone in this parto of the world is super friendsly and we are used to replying when y'all merely means the two of us. We've tried the local gourmet delights and declared them not a repeatable performance - ShrimpNGrits, Hush Puppies, grits with breakfast, PoBoy sandwiches, huge servings we can't cope with. However, the local fresh fish and seafood steamed and grilled can't be beat. Normally a big oyster area, oysters we order here are from Virginia as the local shellfish are off limits now due to pollution and red tide. And I wish we were here for the bourbon peach cobbler season! Even the bourbon pecan pie is worth the calories. And the pralines, did I mention pralines? Huge mounds of caramel studded with nuts, sometimes with more gooey caramel in the middle?

  Sadly one thing in the news here is the damage still being experienced in the Florida panhandle from the huge BP oil spills years back. Some of these areas seem they will never recover and families whose livelihood has been destroyed are at the mercy of Mother Nature desprately trying to repair the damage. 

  There are vast stretches of beautiful fine sandy beaches many places in Florida, Georgia and S.Carolina.  It will be inundated in the next 2 weeks with all the Spring Break refugees from the north.

  

  The other interesting thing is the prevalence of those dastardly English in the history of this area - the royalist eras, the battles, the sieges, those pirates like Francis Drake. We had hoped to see some of the antebellum mansions, richly furnished with all the spoils imported from around the world by the fabulously wealthy plantation owners. The historic house tours don't begin until the end of March, when we will be back in Calgary. Maybe another year!

  Stalwart people are out there on the beach, taking a walk before the big storm blows in so we should join them.

CHARLESTON - SHORT AND SWEET...

We returned to Charleston after a 40 year absence, looking forward to southern style living, hospitality, food and antebellum mansions. Well, it wasn't to be this time around.

  An expensive city (like Savannah) we had made bookings well in advance to avoid weekends, when prices double, but suffering its coldest winter on record, mainly on our first day there! It hit a frustrating 30 degrees overnight last night! On top of that our expensive hotel, which was well situated for walking tours around the many interesting downtown sights, turned out to be next door to a deafening building site where machines pounded from 8am to 6pm every day. Not the wake-up call we had imagined. 

  Determined to enjoy the one day that was sunny and warm, we drove out to famed Magnolia plantation yesterday before the rain started and the winds blew in from this terrible winter storm which is causing havoc across the US. A rich rice plantation, still owned by the original owner family from 300 years ago, it was an interesting look into the economy and life of the times. The  rice paddy area is now a preserved wildlife area, with many ducks, birds, gators, turtles. The gardens are probably gorgeous in season but a bit disappointing for colour and blooms, of which they appreantly have 350 varieties of magnolias.

  Wrapping up in 5 layers (we didn't bring clothes for cold weather like this!) we packed and left. Stopping only at the famed market for 3 lbs of pralines which are famous around here. Some may even reach home! 

  We decided to cut our losses, and drive as far and fast as we could south for the day, missing Savannah and all the other Georgia places en route!

  The temperature rose through the day from 34 to 65, a 30 degree increase! Fog built up so we could not see the tops of buildings in Jacksonville, back in Florida. I finally peeled off my merino wool hoodie (my XC ski layer!) and took off my socks. I am going to have to buy more black pants and socks if this keeps up! It's starting to look a lot like our UK trip last spring when I had to do the same.

  Now south of Daytona Beach, this is the area where you can pay a toll and drive the long sandy beaches. I guess people like that.

  Tonight we can hear the Atlantic waves roaring outside our window so all is not lost. We hope for sun tomorrow so we can actually see out to sea.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

After a very quiet day when Ted had a sort of flu bug, spent our last day here catching up on St.A's history at the Castillo, built to fortify the town by the Spanish against those dastardly English pirates like Francis Drake!

  En route out of town to Georgia,we found not one but two outlet shopping malls - so a bit of retail therapy for me in the Merrill sandal store, but nothing for Ted that he could not live without.

  On advice from a colleague, we stopped for 2 days over the border in Georgia at Brunswick. The first day we visited St. Simons Island, a beautiful island community where we found the tony Coastal Kitchen restaurant overlooking a marina for a fancy dinner. 

  The second day we visit Jekyll island, the famed private island of the rich and famous magnates of the day - JP Moragn, Rockafeller, etc. Lunch of freshest seafood (she-cab soup, shrimp, mussels, crayfish)  at another marina restaurant overlooking the bay where dolphins and manatees romp. then catch sunset at another outdoor marine restaurant with happy hour $4 cocktails to whet the appetite. HH is big around these parts, but we haven't found much time to take advantage of it.

  Walking the long sandy beach and dunes, we read about the turtles who come here to lay their eggs every year. It's beauitfully preserved for walking and biking around this area.

  Georgia's Golden Isle coast was a surprise to us, and we really enjoyed every minute of our 2 days there, to avoid the doubling cost of hotels in Charleston and Savannah on weekends.

OLDEST CITY IN THE USA - ST.AUGUSTINE

To get here - We had to battle huge storms, driving off the freeway twice to escape zero viz, and hearing the tornado warning on the radio as we went! Daytona 500 was postponed til 8:30 that night and people in tents were drowned out as we passed. It's a fast route from Miami north on the Turnpike, and we appreciate the car sticker that automatically charges the toll fee to our credit card.

  Before that we spent two good days in the Everglades, a haven for bird watchers, walking the boardwalk trails, finding lots of wildlife and exotic birds especially the beauitful dark red feathered roseate spoonbills, and swooping kites.

   St. Augustine is a very interesting historic city, which has flown 6 major flags in its history - Spanish, French, English (briefly!), Spanish, Confederate and US. The massive fort, the most northerly point of the Spanish empire, guards the harbor. Later came the robber barons, railway moguls and glitterati to establish the town as a haven for vacationing northerners. It's all here along with lots of tourist kitsch now, but also lovely old neighborhoods and mansions and gardens. Sadly it's the start of rainy season too. A river runs down the cobbled street outside our patio today.

  We're holed up in the annex of a graceful old B&B inn, where mimosas come with breakfast and free martinis in the Tini Martini bar overlooking the harbour at night. Everyone is very gracious and friendly, the tourist trade is the only game in town, even if it's unraveling a bit at the edges these days.

  Southern food, fish and seafood restaurants abound. Last night sunset dinner over a river harbor with the pelicans, and flounder on the plate that was swimming earlier. I don't think I'll ever get to like hush puppies, like most things here, deep fried corn bread balls.

  Many old houses are refurbished and open for tours, and the recreated Colonial District tracks the many colonial eras in an active manned historic park setting, rather like Calgary's Heritage Park.

  With this heavy rain, we're not inclined to stroll around one of the 5 major walking tours today and may give in to find a launderette and get the clothes clean instead.

  

  

La Florida - and no snow...

We've been in Florida for a week now and although everyone says it has been very cold we don't agree. However, we have had to wear our heavier gear and have not been sitting outdoors for 3 meals a day as we usually do in Hawaii in November.

  Soon I'll figure out how to upload my photos on the ipad so for now it's just words...maybe not.

  En route from Miami airport we stopped off in Naples for lunch on the bayou with friends Jackie & Ian from Oakridge, a good way to wind down to the laid back style around the Gulf coast.

  We spent a lovely week in Fort Myers (FM) with cousins Margaret and Brent, great hosts, who trundled us all over the place, claiming they were enjoying it all too! They found it's much busier in February than April, actually hitting a beach jam for an hour one day. We attended the annual Edison Light Parade and nearly lost our eardrums with the deafening military and band entries, but a fun event for sure.

  We checked out the local restaurants and shopping, I replaced my lost sunglasses with 2 pairs of prescription ones for about $200, and we visited an Outlet mall already. 

  Off south toward the Keys, we had some lovely walks in the magnificent Big Cypress and Everglades parks, havens for wildlife and beautiful birds. A highlight - mother anhinga feerding her 4 chicks which I captured on video. Loads of sleepy gators, haven't eaten any yet.

  Tonight we had a first. Dinner at the famous Cracker Barrel restaurants spread throughout Florida, down home style food, no booze!! After complaining his catfish was tough to eat, Ted was informed he had been served chicken tenders instead! All servings here are mammoth, so the server proceeded to provide a complete duplicate of his meal, which he virtually polished off again! This time it was fish and blackened - he declared it a success.

  En route to Florida City, just north of the Florida Keys, we stopped off at a great harbour restaurant and fish market, where I finally got into the freshest stone crab claws and soft shell crabs, delicious! Last night it was an oslaught on my cholesterol level with she-crab soup - again delicious. The grouper and mahimahi are usualy fresh here, but lots of other local fish and giant shrimps too.

  Today a return to our diving alma mater, John Pennekamp National Reef Preserve. We enjoyed the visitor centre and aquarium displays, strolling the short nature walks, and trying to remember where we camped  40 years ago when we took our first diving course here. Weather and winds did not oblige today so all boat trips were cancelled. We are here for 2 more days and hope to take a snorkel trip out to the reef if we can.
  

  We will also spend a day in the  Everglades National park and hope to see the magnificent roseate spoonbills, which are local birds here.

2014 FLORIDA TRIP

It is -27 and new snow out there so we will fly to Miami Feb 11 to spend 6+ weeks traveling in Florida, Georgia and S/Carolina. We will leave the glacial temperatures behind and smell the sea air again. Don't follow us on F'book!