Going west - A North American photo blog

Duluth- Lester trail park

2008-10-14T08:02:00.008+02:00

Duluth- 8 September,2008.

Our first touring day in Duluth after arriving from Paris ( via Toronto) on the evening of the 7 September.

Just a few shots of Lester park. This park is just minutes from downtown and residential areas in Duluth. It has some lovely hiking trails and quiet spots.

Duluth - Enger Tower

2008-10-14T07:37:00.011+02:00

Duluth- 8 September,2008.

Enger tower is a 80 or 24 meter high observation tower on Enger Hill. The tower & it's hill are named after a Norwegian immigrant named Bert Enger who became a successful businessman in the community. He donated the land for the surrounding Enger Park.

Enger tower.

Some of the views of Duluth and the Lake Superior. taken from the tower...

You can see the aerial lift bridge...

It looks like rain coming from the other side of the sky... we did get a few drops of rain.

A Japanese bell in Enger park.

Duluth - Leif Erikson Park

2008-10-13T08:34:00.011+02:00

Duluth- 8 September,2008

A quiet place along Lake Superior to take a walk.

View of the park.

A quaint music stand.

A view of the roses on Lake Superior.

Beautiful roses in the park.

Duluth- A visit with my cousin at the lab

2008-10-13T08:14:00.013+02:00

Duluth- 8 September,2008.

We visited my cousin Tim at the Dental practice where he works.Tim's Dad, Jim also works in this same lab.

Future dentures that are being formed.

The final step in making dentures; into the centrifruge & the heat that will fix the porcelain.

Look at it burn... we all wore safety goggles "just in case".

It's always fascinating to see how things are made !

Duluth - On the road to Gooseberry Falls

2008-10-11T08:15:00.015+02:00

9 September,2008 .

Pat drove us on the scenic route that goes up to Gooseberry Falls.

Some homes seen as we were going to Gooseberry Falls. They are along the Lake Superior.

Port facilities for the big boats at Two Harbors.

Lake Superior at Two harbors.

The lighthouse at Two harbors.

Gooseberry Falls scenery...

Just breathtaking.

Duluth - Aerial Lift bridge & Minnesota Point

2008-10-10T08:18:00.018+02:00

Duluth-10, September, 2008

The aerial lift bridge is one of the curiosities for visitors to Duluth.The lower level, is used for regular traffic & pedestrians, and the top level rises up to let boats come in & out of the harbor.

We had witnessed this twice as cousin Pat & other drivers were stopped. The barriers go down,the bells ring and you watch as the bridge "splits" it two to let boats through.

The port is a busy center for boats bringing out taconite( a rock that contains iron),coal or wheat.

The Aerial lift bridge

A tugboat passing through.

Townhouses along the port side.

Under the bridge on the pedestrian trails.

Pleasure craft taking tourists under towards the aerial bridge.

Aerial bridge seen from the Maritime park area.

This sandy area is Minnesota point ( Also called Park point).It is a sandbar that separates Lake Superior from Superior bay. You can also see the boats pass through.

Philadelphia- Mural art

2008-10-08T09:32:00.012+02:00

Just a few examples of mural art in Philadelphia.
Do click on each photo to see more detail !

I loved this one which is dedicated to women.

I'm not quite sure what the theme is here...

Mural that you can see on the Cold Case opening trailer... Across Fairmount Park.

A South street Black heritage mural which is continued below...

Autumn colors on this one.

Philadelphia- Beautiful homes

2008-10-08T07:35:00.021+02:00

Just a few pics of some lovely homes seen in Philadelphia...

Our B & B , in S Philadelphia.

I just loved this tiny street, with the flags in front of the homes...

Not historic at all... we called this one the "Purple house".It was several streets behind our B&B;

Erin Go Bragh !! - Ireland forever ; Tis a blessing to be Irish...

Philadekphia - The many colors of South street

2008-10-06T10:00:00.015+02:00

Philadelphia - 13,September,2006

Just some examples of mosaics and other creations on South street ...

Wall to wall...
This wall says " Art is the center of the real world " .

Mosaics cover these buildings.

Dreamer mosaic; I really like it...

All the visitors look at this house ( inclusing myself, in the corner). You can even go on a tour inside;we just opted for an outside look...

All sorts of objects set in morter; lots of bottles,broken mirrors or ceramic...

The artist says :

More of this & that...

Philadelphia- Visiting a graveyard

2008-10-03T12:19:00.002+02:00

15,September,2008

My cousin took the day off to spend with us !
"Where would you like to go ?"

We really didn't want to make her drive a long ways out of the city... Like around all big cities, getting in & out can be horrendous.So, I thought of something nearby.
Before leaving, we were planning on taking a taxi up to the cemetery where our Great-grandparents are buried.
It turns out the place was not too far away from Gerry's home, so welcomed the oppurtunity.We took the train Phila & met her nearby.

It might sound strange to do a cemtery when you are on vacation? Not if you are genealogists, like Gerry,Didier & myself are.

A peaceful spot to rest for eternity.

Huge, though... The secretery found a plot number for our great-grandmother. But, maybe the spot has changed hands; we could'nt find her ! But, official papers have said that our Great-Grandparents are buried here.

I'll let Gerry continue the quest, since she lives closer to the spot than we do !

Philadelphia - Historical Center

2008-10-02T08:06:00.013+02:00

16 September,2008

Just a few highlight's of what is called " Americas's most historical square mile " :

Independence Hall.

The building where the final draft of the Declaration of Independence from England was signed in 1776.

The old courtroom which is inside Independence Hall.

The room where the signing of the Declaration of Independence took place.

There it is; the real McCoy; THE chair where George Washington sat during the writing of & signing of the document. It was said that is was really the only piece of furniture that really dates from this period.

That round black chair represents Benjamin Franklin's spot. By the time the Declaration of Independence was been drafted, Franklin was very old. According to the Park ranger, he was carried in & out each time there was a meeting at the Hall.

Let freedom ring; the Liberty Bell.

Christ Church burial ground.This cemetery is where Benjamin Franklin,his wife & family are buried.

This was just so typical of Franklin's wit...

Benjamin & Deborah Franklin's gravestone.
Notice the pennies on the grave ; people have remembered Franklin's old adage :" A penny saved is a penny earned ".

Philadelphia- Going from Broad St to the Museum of Art

2008-10-01T05:25:00.018+02:00

17 September,2008.

Dance classes during the lunch break at Fairmont park.

Going from City Hall up towards Parkway. All the way up to the museum, the avenues are lined with flags of all nations.

An "active" Civil war monument that reminds one of the "Arc de Triomphe ".

Huge statue in front of the Museum of Arts.

General Washington.

The best view of Philly and the place that all film fans recognize from "Rocky".

" Yo Rock ! " There he is ; the statue is really on the side of the museum, and not on the front steps.

Philadelphia- Washington square park

2008-09-30T08:12:00.009+02:00

18 September,2008.

The memorial to the Unknown Revolutionary war soldier. Actually, there are many unknowns buried underneath this calm park.

Some of the flags representing the original States of the then young nation.

A haven of peace in a bustling city.

Click on the image for a closer view. These critters were having such a grand time in the square, boxing against each other !

Philadelphia - My Grandad's baptismal church

2008-09-29T15:14:00.009+02:00

18 September,2008.
One of our last treks while in Philly was to see where my Grandad was baptised.
Here it is :

The church was founded 2 years before Grandad was born. He was baptised here on the 24 March,1887.

The church was locked shut, so we rang the office doorbell twice. No answer...

For you movie buffs, this is also the church where Rock married his Adrienne in Rocky II.

View of the church coming down 17th street.

Modest rowhouses shadowded against downtown Philly's riches.

Scroll down for more photos....

Philadelphia- Rittenhouse square

2008-09-29T15:10:00.013+02:00

18 September,2008.

Another lovely square, but this time near financial & shopping areas.

A quaint guard house.

Rittenhouse square history.

Lovely bronze beauty ( notice the bouquet that someone left ! ).

Two young artists beginning a chalk picture.

We found this " French quarter " sign outside the square.

And we found this French café & wine bar ! No, we didn't go in; we don't come to the US to eat French ;)

****************************************

This was our end to our Philadelphia trip.

Goodbye Philadelphia... we will be back one day. We left the city on 19 September and got into Montreal the afternoon of the same day.

Scroll down to the next posts to see some of our Montreal photos.

Montréal- Le vieux Montréal / The old city

2008-09-29T10:43:00.009+02:00

September 20,2008.
Our first real touring day in Montreal.

Montreal townhall.

The Basilica of Notre Dame.

Statue of Paul de Chomedy de Maisoneuve that is in front of the Basilica. He had founded the settlement of what was than called "Ville-Marie"-the future Montréal in 1642.

Details on the same statue. This was one of the young colony's militia men & collaborateurs, Lambert Closse.

It's always nice to see statues dedicated to women. This is Jeanne Mance, who particapted in the founding of the young "Ville-Marie".

A bilingual Historical plaque about Maisoneuve.

Le Marché Bonsecours/ Bonsecours Market.
Today, this is a shopping gallery.

The beautiful silver dome of the Marché Bonsecours by day...

Becomes a shining blue & silver jewel by night.

Montreal - Vive les mariés ! / Long live the bride & groom !

2008-09-29T10:41:00.004+02:00

September 20,2008.

Here we were almost rubbing elbows with bridal groups near the Hôtel de ville ( Town hall)....

Look at that !

It's Saturday and those strech limos make it more "bumper to bumper when you get to townhall.

Posing for a wedding photo.

Classy limo.

Montréal - Le port

2008-09-29T09:49:00.010+02:00

Montreal is actaually on a island,where you can see the river Saint Laurent.
This is just a short trip up to the port and where the city meets the river.

Les quais du Vieux port/ The quais of the old city.

Pleasure craft.

The Sedna 1V. This vessel had been on an Artic expeditions.

The Saint Laurent.

Various ferry that can take you to neighboring islands & back.

Looking out on the city from the riverside.

Montreal- Misc shots of center city

2008-09-28T03:04:00.012+02:00

September 21,2008.

Montreal's Chinatown.

St James Anglican church.
Sylvie told us how the architecture of the tower behind is inspired by the old church.Look at the pointy windows on top that copy the stained glass window shape.

The building is also mirored so the church reflects in the newer building.You can see the church in the mirrors.

A throwback to the old trading post days with the former Hudson's Bay Co...

A quick stop through McGill University.McGill is Montreal's top English speaking Uni.

A quiet campus scene... it takes me back to my college years.

An unusual sculpture across from Mc Gill...

Do you feel enlightened now you know what this is ?!

Montreal- Le Mont Royal/ The Mount Royal

2008-09-28T02:18:00.004+02:00

22 September,2008.

This is a huge park in Northern Montreal that is a treat to discover. This park is open year round to all and is a pleasure to walk through.

Critter alert- the Mount Royal is full of cute and hungry squirrels.

Jacques Cartier- Discoverer of Canada

A page of History which was begun on 2 October, 1535...

Views of Montreal from the Mount Royal.

Le lac aux castors/ Beaver lake.We did not see beavers, but just hundreds of koi ( goldfish) in the lake !

Grassy spaces with geometric statues.

Montreal -The Biodome & The Olympic stadium

2008-09-27T18:14:00.001+02:00

23 September,2008.

The Biodome is a supurb living exhibit that creates the major ecosystems of the Americas. Going from the humid jungles of South America,up to Quebec and finally the Polar regions. Well done and worth a visit if you go by Montreal.

The Olympic stadium was for the 1976 Olympic games.It is located close by the Biodome.

Entrance to Biodome. Behind it is the tower of the Olympic stadium.

A trip through humid South American jungles..

Huge trees with tumbling vines.

Exotic beauty.

A delicate scarlet ibis.

A crocodile.

Piranhas swim in their aquarium.

A short trip through the forest lands of the Laurentides of Quebec.

Do not disturb; sleeping porcupine !

A magestic lynx.

It looks real... a reconstiution of Gaspesie's maritime environment.

In the Arctic environment.

Penguins rule !

In front of the Olympic stadium.

Montreal - Misc. shots

2008-09-27T10:23:00.002+02:00

25 September,2008.
A few scenes on the way to the Marché(market) :

Can't get enough of those critters...

A home with black iron railings & veranda.

The colors were starting to change for Fall. A lovely shade of red.

Montreal- Le Marché Jean Talon/ Jean Talon Market

2008-09-27T10:04:00.001+02:00

25 September,2008.

This was our last visit in Montreal before the leaving for Paris. We highly recommend a visit here if you like markets and would like to buy produce/ just see different produce.

Maple syrup lollypops and other candies. You have to at least try once anything with maple syrup if you come to Canada.

Fall squash .

Strings of hot chillis hanging up there.

Orange tomatoes !

Market stalls full of goodies.

Eggplants come in different colors.