A fine day in Milford

We were all woken by a loud clap of thunder directly overhead at 0630hrs this morning and then it chucked it down.

The video our BBF took was better for you could see the river running down the road. We all went back to bed to sleep a little more.

Our human was the first up at 0800hrs and he put the coffee on and made himself some breakfast. Sandy was next and she braved the now light rain to get the newspapers from outside.  Brec who we thought had already gone to work appeared last. He eventually went to work and would be back sometime around 1400hrs after his dental appointment. It was intended that our BBF hoist him up the mast of OTTER so he could replace his wind vane, like we did in Gibraltar in 2002. We  thought that if it was wet that it was not such a good idea, but then what do we Bears know!

Sandy then spent some time finding suitable flights home for us. She eventually found a good deal with Condor Airlines, a sister of Lufthansa from JFK New York to Düsseldorf via Frankfurt leaving on 2 October and arriving early in the morning on 3 October. Sandy kindly paid for this with her Air-Miles which she had accumulated and believe us she seemed to have lots.

The sun came out and warmed up the land. Alan took a walk along the beach and the tide was in.

He returned to the house for lunch.

Brec had not returned by 1500hrs so our BBF thought he might have a siesta when Brec turned up like a bad penny. The dentist had given him a thick lip and a numb face so going up the mast was off after all allowing Alan to go for a short nap.

When he resurfaced after 40mins Brec was just leaving. Sandy and our human then went into Milford as there was the Weekends Oyster Festival starting. They had a short walk around town and Alan discovered that here when they put up bank of Porta-Loos they also put up a wash stand, there are four in the photo back to back.

They went to Scooby Doos by the Marina for an ice and sat in the sun eating them.

Then it was off to the Cafe Atlantic to meet with some of Sandy’s friends (from the left, Diane, Renee and Rick) for a drink and a bite to eat.

A young woman set herself up to play and sing. Our BBF was worried it might be loud so attempted to turn his hearing aids down and was surprised when he couldn’t and discovered that he had not put them back on after his siesta! Silly old codger!!

Our two humans returned to Orland Street and sat and read till Brec came home. After he had had something to eat they sat and attempted to watch a film but the streaming was poor and eventually failed. Over a small Writer’s Tears they watched the News before going to bed.

On the move again.

After our two week sea side holiday with our Worms Family on Borkum our BBF had just four days to adjust and pack for our next adventure. We are off to visit our BFs Pat and Dan, and Glenn and Gwen in Canada. Some of you readers will remember that Pat made Jamie Bear a Confederate Cap when we first visited in 2015 and Alan had participated with Dan in the re-enactment of the Battle of Cedar Creek in Virginia. 

                                                                           Me in my Confederate Cap

So we Bears are greatly looking forward to this visit too.

Pat had sent Alan a detailed packing list which helped decision making. In Canada we are all going Canoeing and Camping for four days in Algonquin National Park. Pat and Dan have been on at Alan since they first met to come with them on such an adventure. The idea is that Alan will have to help portage the canoe on the various stages of the trip. Now in proper English English, to carry an awkward load is to hump it as every good soldier also knows. However in Canadian and US Speak “to hump” is to engage in sexual intercourse. Well it means that to soldiers too, but we English don’t get mixed up or confused by the definition.

All the kit was laid out on the bed and so that Alan could see what was involved and decide whether it was all needed. 

Later that night he threw it all into the suitcase so he could go to bed. Needless to say it didn’t all fit.

The next day it was laid out again and he finally packed it properly and yes it did all go in. Our BBF weighed it all and said it was 26 kilos, about three more than we are allowed.

On the Monday Alan opened the suitcase and checked he had everything he needed, took out a couple of items and added two shirts, one white one which Brec had forgotten when he and Sandy visited last year! So we were all set now.

On 1 August our day of departure Sigrid had kindly offered to take us to the airport. She has a smart BMW 3 Series Cabriolet. The suitcase would not fit in the boot so she opened up the roof so Alan could heave it onto the back seat and we in the back pack now went in the boot. The reverse happened when we got out at the airport. 

When we eventually found the Aer Lingus Check-in Desk, needless to say it was closed and there was a queue already at around 0730hrs in the morning. We had to wait some 30 minutes till we got to the desk and some Germans behind us were constantly muttering not quite under their breath and finding fault in every thing.

Our check in now took some time too. The attendant did her best to print out the Boarding pass for the flight from Dublin, but she could not and told us to ask in Dublin for one.

Our BBF was hungry now and once we had passed through the Security he started to look for coffee and a sandwich. Here we had to queue again but then we were able to sit quietly and refresh ourselves. The Gate on the Boarding pass was changed and the flight was delayed by at least an hour by the time we took off. All refreshments on this flight had to be paid for so our BBF who had a window seat and was the only occupant of the row shut his eyes and slept most of the way.

The walk from the debarkation gate to the Forwarding Flight Gate was a long one. Now came the shock! All our previous visits to Canada have been by train from New York and going through Canadian Immigration was not a problem. Now we learnt that like travelling to the USA you need to get an online eTA Visa for entry to Canada which we did not have so we could not get on the flight!!! Alan quickly went on line with his phone and did the necessary getting email confirmation that he had paid. Now we had to wait for permission to travel. Unlike applying for the ESTA for the USA it was not instantaneous and the Aer Lingus attendants did not think we would make the flight which was boarding already and had only 20 more passengers to go! Sh..!! This could mean an overnight stay in Dublin and a new flight in the morning. All these things were being considered when the attendant in trying to pass Alan’s passport through the computer found it spewed out a Boarding Pass. We had to hurry she said as they were loaded and ready. He asked them to tell them that he was on his way. He jogged now much of the long way through the Terminal and was met with friendly staff who all thought our delay was due to our flight being delayed! We all breathed a sigh of  relief and a heart attack was avoided though our BBF was a bit out of breath. 

We are in the overhead locker and our BBF is sat in an isle seat next to a nice Irish American young man called Padraig. The two struck up a friendly conversation, which is quite unusual for our reserved BBF, but it helped calm the troubled soul and shorten the time till take off. 

In the air the noise does not really allow conversation. Alan tried the inflight entertainment system and chose the film John Wick 4, but the picture and  sound quality were so poor he gave up in the end. A meal was served which Alan and Padraig preceded with a G+T. Alan tried then to recline the seat so he could doze, but the guy behind complained that he was crushing his knees.  He dozed a bit anyway as he had his neck cushion and so the time passed.

An hour before landing in Toronto the cabin staff served a snack.

A chicken wrap which tasted of nothing and a whole meal biscuit with a bit of white chocolate which was tasty.

Alan said that we could save the planet if we avoided all this packaging and did not fly anymore! 

After landing Alan changed places with Padraig as they were told that there was congestion in the airport and they would only let out 50 passengers every five minutes. Alan couldn’t leave with his row as we were in an overhead locker a bit behind and to get us he would have to go against the flow of the leavers! Eventually we got off the aircraft and walked to the immigration hall. Here it looked like chaos. Queues of passengers snaking round the hall to get to machines where one has to Scan the passport and get your picture taken. It then spews out a receipt which you show at various stages as you progress through the hall. Then it was more chaos in the baggage hall and we began to wonder if our suitcase would arrive. There had been talk in Dublin when it looked as if we wouldn’t make the flight of taking it off! Alan did see a similar suitcase to ours on the carousel as it went past us, but it only had one coloured strap whereas ours had two. When it came round again Alan checked it and it was our suitcase so with the help of another kind passenger  we got it off the carousel and now headed to the exit. More chaos and passengers were headed into every smaller queues till one had to pass a Customs Official to whom we now handed our passport control receipt. 

Outside the customs hall the choice was go right or left, our BBF chose left and then he saw Gwen and Glenn in the arrivals hall. Hugs of relief and joy all round that we had made it after all. It was but a short drive to Mississauga where Gwen and Glenn live. Gwen showed us to our room, while Glenn got on the Barbecue.

A perfectly cooked steak, mushrooms and rosemary potatoes all done on the barbecue and a great salad complemented the meal. Welcome to Canada!

Shortly thereafter we retired to bed, it had been a long day and was now  about 04:00 hrs German time and 22:00 hrs Canadian time.

 

Another Malta Holiday

Just before Christmas, friends of our BBF invited us to come and stay in their Senglea flat one last time before they sell it! There was no discussion, we all agreed and leapt at the chance to visit one more time. 

Alan was so keen to come, he had a momentary senior moment, and booked flights for a three week holiday, before realising that he had to be in Germany for Vincent’s fourth birthday! A moment of sheer panic gripped him, which lasted some 24 hours, until he sorted it all out and rebooked the flights for just two weeks! 

Jürgen kindly collected us the day after Boxing Day and took us to the airport. We were booked on a Lufthansa flight going first to Munich, where we stayed the night. The fun part was that the outward flights were all Business Class! Thus it was that we enjoyed meals at no extra cost in the Lufthansa Lounges in both Düsseldorf and Munich. 

We got to Munich late at night and stayed in an airport hotel and were greeted by a giant of our tribe! 

Early the next morning we set off for the airport again without breakfast!

But one was served in the Business Class lounge. 

It was cold and frosty outside! 

They took the precaution of de-icing the plane before takeoff! A necessary evil which didn’t look very environmentally friendly!

We were served throughout with small eats all served with real metal cutlery! It made us wonder what the peasants back in cattle class were served! Alan thought a ham or cheese roll! 

Vince a very friendly chap collected us from Luqua airport and drove us to the flat in Senglea. 

The first thing Alan did on arrival was open the balcony doors wide and admire the view. Little it seemed had changed. 

Alan’s friends had ensured we had the basics of coffee, tea milk and sugar, as well as the makings of a breakfast. As we arrived on a Saturday the next thing we did was go out shopping to get the bits for evening meals etc. 

It is five years since last we were here and so now we noticed that things had changed a bit. At the end of Dockyard Creek for example the dockyard building had been turned into the American University of Malta! 

We live on a hill so there are many steps to go down and up to get anywhere. Our BBF will be a bit fitter when we get back and hopefully will have walked off his Christmas fat. 

There’s no TV so reading is the pass time of an evening which Alan feels is no real hardship and has read four novels in the first week! 

On our first Sunday we took the ferry into Valletta and were surprised by the number of people on the streets. There was no cruise ship in the harbour so where did all the tourists come from? 

The view from the Upper Barraka Gardens to the Three Cities and Dockyard Creek in the middle. 

Malta has been more Catholic than the Pope ever since St Paul’s visit in the first century AD. 

So one is not surprised to find a life size Crib dominating a small square. 

We made a mental note to return at night to see the lights. 

Alan has a comrade living here so one day we went to visit him. Terry and his partner Jill work on rich folks yachts. 

Terry’s yacht is a floating gin palace, but very well appointed and it is in good condition thanks to Terry’s hard work. Jill on the other hand manages a real sailing vessel, a Camper and Nicholson super yacht!

This too is in super condition thanks to Jill’s hard work. We much enjoyed being shown over these two vessels. 

On New Years Eve a Gregale was blowing so all ferries were cancelled which put paid to our intention of going into Valletta! Instead we watched the fireworks from the balcony!

On Wednesday Terry and Jill invited us to go for a hike along part of the Victoria lines. They met us off the ferry and took us to somewhere just outside Mosta.

Jill pointed out the plaque commemorating the building of this defence work, which largely goes unnoticed by the cars thundering bye on the road beneath it.

There are fine views over the island from here. 

The start of our walk was easy and along the wall. It actually runs from 30 miles coast to coast along an escarpment and is a natural defence position for an enemy that has landed on the only beaches of Malta, which all lay to the North of the island. 

There are Victorian Forts and even WWII pillboxes at various places along the wall. Our mad BBF actually climbed across a sheer cliff to get to this pillbox, while sensibly Terry and Jill followed a goat track into the valley.

The cliffs here are a favourite with rock climbers and a few were out enjoying the fine weather. 

After crossing under the main road into Mosta we continued up the valley into Mosta where we stopped for an isotonic drink!

Here you can see the continuation of the defences on the other side of Mosta!

The sun has shone on all our days so far, but more often than not a very cold and strong wind has been blowing. On one day it was too strong and caused a swell in the harbour so there was no ferry. On the days where it is calmer, needless to say it is also warmer and so Alan throws open the balcony doors and we can breakfast there. 

We went by bus to the Playmobil factory where our BBF complained that the motor provided with the pirate ship he had bought Vincent for Christmas only went backwards! 

The fun park here was full of families enjoying the activities! We had coffee and then with a new motor provided free of charge we got the bus back. We got off at a shopping centre on the way back where there was a Lidl and after a quick shop got on another bus for Valletta again. All allowed for on the one ticket as it was within two hours of purchase! The ticket costs €1,50! 

Generally we walk a lot. Our BBF reads a lot and so we are unwinding from the stress that Christmas brings with it, and meeting old friends that live here. Monday we are having lunch with Lorie and Martin in Qrendi and Tuesday we meet Hanna’s niece Sarah! 

2020 for us at least has got off to a good start! 

A Canadian Sojourn

Alan took us by train to Canada to visit Pat and Dan his Camino sister and brother! We were thrilled to be going as Pat is one of those rare humans that understands us Bears!

This journey involved a very early start from Milford Station to first get to New York Grand Central Station, then across the city by taxi to Pennsylvania Station for an AMTRAK train that left at 08:15 hrs.

So early in the morning Grand Central, perhaps the finest railway station in the world, was not so crowded as it always is later in the day! 

Our New York taxi driver was not very chatty but got us to Pennsylvania Station without a hassle.

It was a grey autumn day all the way along the Hudson River, so the fine views we had when we made the journey three years ago were not to be had. Now we were also told that we must change trains in Albany! We had not had to do this before, but it was all done so that a dome viewing carriage could be included on the train! We were not amused at this because the new train was full up and we were lucky to find a seat at all, let alone a window one.  Consequently and especially as he could not take his luggage Alan did not even attempt to go look at the “dome car”!

Then at the border with Canada, the Customs and immigration officials took forever so we were almost two hours late getting into Montreal! Seeing Pat and Dan waiting for us when we finally did arrive was like shot in the arm!  

We had some catching up to do which was done first in a restaurant before we embarked on the long journey to Brockville! Dan is a great driver and had a nice selection of pop music for oldies and soon Alan was asleep for much of the way! 

This is the picture from three years ago when we were last here, looking a lot fresher as it was earlier in the day then and not late at night as this year!

On arrival the weather in Brockville was also grey, but it did not stay that way for long and we had some nice autumn days! 

Squirrels were out doing what they always do at this time of the year! 

Shopping is what humans do, it’s their version of hunter gathering. Pat needed stuff not just for the Thanksgiving Lunch she was hosting, but also stuff to decorate the Church with. Our BBF being a bit of a shopaholic enjoyed this and then went along and helped a bit at decorating the church!

The sun came out now and gave us some great autumn days.

The view from the house! Alan helped Dan put their canoe away for the winter as it was now getting too cold to go paddling in the wilderness!

But first he showed us how he gets the canoe up on his back for a portage! The idea of humping this canoe over long distances was enough to make Alan go weak at the knees so he chose to sit in the sun for a bit to recover his equilibrium! 

Oh! By the way! If ever you are in North America do NOT use the verb “hump,” meaning to carry a heavy object with difficulty there, for it means something rude!!! Pat and Dan are nevertheless determined to make Alan a proper Canadian by having him hump a canoe on a portage in the wilderness!

For now Alan amused himself by going to yet another Native American event. He took part in a Canadian First Nation workshop learning about Indian Folklore, singing and story telling which involved making "Talking Sticks" and "Talking Feathers"! He made two talking feathers and as he's a sailor they had to have shells on them too!

We sometimes think that our BBF should not be let out alone, but even with Pat as company he could not be stopped from buying another Bear! These two are now called Dan, the big guy, and Pat the little guy he's hugging and they send out hugs to all!

Pat and Dan took us one cold night to Upper Canada Village to a Pumpkin Inferno! What the hell is that one might ask? Well judge for yourselves by the following pictures. It was all about carving and lighting up pumpkins and was a fun event for all the family and well worth going to.

It is hard to believe from this small selection of photos that they are all made from carved and lit pumpkins. it was a fine display and inspires one to have a go!

On the day of Pat's Canadian Thanksgiving Party we were up early to shop in the lovely and friendly market in Brockville. Flower decorations were bought as well as more vegetables and Alan even bought some presents!

In the afternoon Alan made a Torta de Santiago and Dan helped by licking the bowl clean!

This year the gathering was not as big as we experienced three years ago, but nevertheless we could have fed the whole of Barrett's Privateers!

With good food and good company what more could a human wish for? Alan was inspired to copy the whole idea when he gets back to Germany so took special note of many of the recipes!

On the Thanksgiving Sunday the humans went to communion in the St John's United Church and Heather, the pastor greeted Alan with a big hug as she remembered him from three years ago!

Pat is very much a gadget person like our human. She even has a nifty gadget for cleanly chopping off the top of the boiled egg!

With Glenn and Gwenn, long time friends of Pat and Dan who visited on their way back to Toronto, we went for a walk round Brockville and went through Canada's first railway tunnel. They even have the sound of the train going through the tunnel!

On another fine autumn day our hosts took us on a hike and picnic along part of the Rideau Canal. They had canoed along its whole length to Ottawa in the summer.

At Jones Falls is one of the dams and many lock systems built along the canal long ago by a British Royal Engineer!

This being Canada, a very large country, one thinks nothing of driving some 80 kilometres to find Canada's best ice cream parlour, for a well needed ice!

Oddly enough this was also on the canal and so we had another look at one of those portages Dan had done.

On another fine day the weather was conducive to reading on the back deck!

Pat and Dan had introduced Alan to Louise Penny and her detective stories! He was immediately hooked and read two during our stay!

On a grey day our host now took us to Ottawa and we visited the lovely Canadian History Museum where Alan was particularly enamoured by the First Nation exhibits.

We'd like to see how Dan humps this heavy canoe over a portage in the wilderness!








Go all the way to Canada to learn about European Middle Ages!!

We had lunch of barbecued spare ribs and chicken with beans and cornbread in a Fatboys restaurant.

The door handles were petrol pump nozzles



and the taps in the loo were motorcycle handlebars, of all things!



We visited the Mint one of the best in the world and were fortunate enough to meet and speak to the man that developed the hologram on the Canadian coins!!

We then just had to see where Pat and Dan finally arrived in their canoe and would you believe it, fell into the canal!!!

Right under the bridge from where this photo was taken is the place!



On another fine day Alan took us for a walk around Brockville, a small town of only 22000 souls.







He found a nice quaint cafe which served the best Cappuccino he has had in North America and a pecan torte to die for.

Some people seem to go over the top to decorate their gardens and homes for Halloween, this is the best or is it the worst example?

The next Sunday when we attended Church we discovered a goat which looked a bit more like a donkey 

and a camel decorating the church! These were props and scenery for the fundraising production of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat.

In the evening the humans went to a fundraising Ham Dinner and CR5 Bluegrass Concert which was an enjoyable and popular event, and a first for Alan as he had never been to a Bluegrass concert before.

On our last evening Alan was privileged to attend a rehearsal of the Choirs production of Joseph and was sad that he was going to miss the main event. They have some fine singers performing the piece and the Pharaoh as Elvis Presley was particularly good.

On the drive back to Montreal we were treated to some fine Autumn colours along the highway.

The humans took one last selfie and then it was a quick tearful hug saying goodbye and we were on the train back to New York.

This time the train was not full so Alan had a window seat and we sat in the aisle.

Alan did go to the dome car this time, but the weather was a bit grey so the views were not that spectacular and it was dark by the time we got to Albany and the views across the Hudson were consequently lost on us!

In Albany they disconnected the dome car and attached a new Engine. This took too much time and so we were very late getting into New York's Pennsylvania Station. Consequently it was a made dash across to Grand Central Station to make the last train to Milford, but make it we did. 

Sandy was waiting in the dark of the night at 01:30 hrs to greet us and take us home. After a much needed stiff G+T we fell into bed around 02:30 hrs vowing to choose another way of getting to and from Canada next time.