What do you do with an old gas station?

I am always up for a trip to another interesting pub or brewery, and I have managed to sample a few nice British Columbian brews while out her on the west coast. Today we went to the Gladstone Brewery in downtown Courtney for lunch. The brewery is on the site of an old service station and it has made an interesting place to eat and sample another beer. This lunch involved two of my brother-in-law’s sisters who were enjoying a day trip out from their senior’s home. One cannot see and the other has mobility issues, but both were keen for a trip to a brewpub for drinks and lunch and many laughs were shared by all. 

The Brewery is built from a converted old ESSO service station. The brewery and the bar are located in the old service bays and the patio is out where the pumps and parking used to be. I did not realize it was a gas station at first but once I was told I found it fascinating how well it worked and what a nice brewpub they made out of it. It is in an ideal location right on the main street of Courtney and on a busy corner, and it was very busy on this Father’s Day weekend. 

Now to be honest, the tool box flower pot, the wrench clothes hanger in the washroom, the wall paper made form old car adverts, and the shelf of old car parts should have given me a clue, but duh . . .  I was enjoying me beer.

Wineing on Waiheke

A fast ferry ride.

Our apartment here in Auckland is right on Princes Wharf on the waterfront. It is named Shed 19 after the freight shed that used to occupy the site. Out on the balcony we overlook the main ferry terminal for the city and there is a constant swarm of catamaran ferries coming and going until late at night. They seem to head out in all directions, and you cannot help but wonder where they all go.

A view from the top of the island

On the recommendation of my cousin who lives here, we took a ferry to one of the popular destinations, Waiheke Island. This island, 40 minutes away by ferry is about 90 square Kilometers and has approx. 8000 inhabitants. It is nick-named “The island of wine” for the 17 vineyards scattered around the island. That seemed a good reason to choose this island over the many scattered throughout the area.

We booked a return ferry ride on a “Fuller Fastcat”, a guided bus tour when we arrived and then an all-day pass on the local bus system. The ferry ride over was a comfortable, fast trip out the harbour past many of the sites we had visited with my cousin days before. There was a bus waiting for us and our German tour guide had lived on the island for 10 years and gave excellent friendly advice and information so that by the time we got to the farthest end of the tour we had a good idea of what we wanted to do. We hopped off the bus at a stop conveniently close to a good sample of the island’s wineries, and chose one that brewed

Doesn't taste like $200.00

beer as well as making wine.

The “Wild on Waiheke” winery is an ambitious enterprise, having not only wine and beer but also a restaurant. They also have laser skeet shooting and archery. I’m not so sure about the combination of lots of wine and beer with bows and sharp arrows, but the rowdy crowd there when we arrived seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Seriously, helicopters to a wine tasting?

After lunch, we wandered up to the next winery, but the least expensive wine was $90.00 so we decided this was a bit out of our normal range so we walked on. In the next one “Te Motu” we met a friendly Croatian sommelier, who led us in tasting a good variety of wines from $30 to $195. It was an experience to taste the $195.00, 16 year old vintage, but I found I preferred the $39.00 bottle. The final winery in the area was next door behind a high hedge, but the two large helicopters parked out front gave us a pretty good idea that this one was also out of our league, and the $8.00 tasting fee confirmed our initial opinion. That was $8.00 for each taste; not an $8.00 glass.

Then taking the excellent local bus, we got off at a wrong stop, got slightly lost, found a wonderful “track” along the coast, walked to the next town, caught the right bus, and arrived back at the ferry to head home.

On "Track" to get unlost.

Wallaby Burger & Beer

Regis meeting a Wallaby

After a day exploring a new city, I love finding a local Pub where they serve good hearty local beers, preferable local craft brews. Finding some nice local food specialty to snack on with the beer main course is even better. Everything came together here in Hobart Tasmania during our visit.

Although the captain had cut our stay in Hobart short so he can try to outrun a storm on the

Yup, Cobras in Tasmania

way to New Zealand (Who says cruising isn’t exciting?), we still had almost a full day to explore the city. So far, my impressions of Australia are very favorable. I loved Sydney and Hobart was just as nice. It is a clean, vibrant, modern city with lots going on. We arrived on a Saturday and Hobart has a really fabulous market that takes over an entire section of the downtown, with local fresh produce and hundreds of local craft-people selling unique hand made products. How about a lovely hand carved wooden bow-tie for my Tux? Although I have one more Gala night on the cruise requiring formal wear I did pass on this unique item, but I may try my hand a making one at home . . .

SPRING!

One nice thing about visiting the southern hemisphere in October, is that it is Spring here and everything is green and the flowers are blooming, and a walk through a residential area allowed us to see some beautiful gardens just coming into their best. Having two springs in one year is great!

Sampling the Local Brew

Getting tired, thirsty and hungry after a morning of exploring, I led us back to a pub I had noticed offering 16 local craft beers, and I discovered they had a Sampler tray where instead of having to only choose one or two beer, I could try five of them. They were all good, but then I have not found too many brews I do not get along with. Among their Gourmet burger selection we discovered a Wallaby burger, and Regis reluctantly agreed to try it (We were sharing). The meat was shredded instead of a patty, and to be honest it was like pulled pork only a little bit stronger tasting. I enjoyed it, but Regis’ imagination kept her imagining cute little hopping animals, so I got most of the meat . . .

Bringing the Beer

Walking in Suva

It was raining in Fiji. Well, not raining all day, but in the afternoon it pretty much rained constantly. As a result, after a pleasant self-guided walking tour of Suva in the morning, the rain in the afternoon convinced us to stay on the ship. As well, the ship’s “Location Guides” did not make the location sound very safe with warnings to ‘Not go out alone.”, “Not to wear any jewelry”, and “Definitely DO NOT walk anywhere at night.”

Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji Islands, is a large city, and the ship docks in a VERY busy container pier. Our balcony overlooked the acres of containers on the pier and the city beyond. Fortunately it was a Monday and there was a container ship being loaded and unloaded behind us, so I entertained myself for a while watching this operation. You do not often get a front row seat for this as it is normally hidden away from the public,

The Container Ship Show

and although everyone would not find it interesting, I loved watching the containers being sorted, moved and loaded. One end of the ship was being unloaded by the ship’s cranes and these containers were being stacked for delivery on the island, while the other end of the ship was being loaded with the large pier crane. It was amazing how these containers going in every direction ended up going to the correct destination.

I then discovered that four of these containers were parked under our balcony being unloaded and restocking the ship. In many ports, tractor-trailer trucks bring supplies, but obviously here, these containers arrived on ships previously and were waiting for us. Two were refrigerated units containing frozen food and two were

Bring the Beer

regular containers with other items.

It was interesting to watch this process. Workers inside the regular containers were using hand carts to move items moved to the door where fork-lifts transferred everything into the ship’s hold. I noticed a number of managers of departments down there making sure that their needed supplies were being handled correctly. I saw the Cellar Master who is responsible for all the beer, wine and spirits inspecting his incoming cases of bottles, and insisting they were handled correctly.

Loading the Ship

Opposite these regular containers things were not going as smoothly. The fork-lifts had to actually drive right into the container to get these larger pallets of goods. Because of the rain, things were slippery, and the small ramp used to allow access to the container was proving too much for the hard rubber tires on the machinery. They were spinning and slipping and unable to get into the container. When they could not solve this problem they decided to try pulling the pallets out so they could pick them up without actually going inside. Unfortunately this did not work as the pallets twisted and jammed instead of sliding out. Finally they figured out that if they drove one fork-lift up until it started spinning, they could push it the rest of the way with the other fork-lift. Not the most efficient process, but it worked. A lot of waiting and maneuvering, but everything got unloaded and put on the ship. 

Good to know that the beer coolers and wine cellars are once again fully stocked.

So Many Pubs . . .So Little Time . . .

-->

A good English Brew!

England knows how to do beer. They therefore have also figured out how to serve it . . . the answer is simple . . in pubs.

All along the canals we explored during our first two weeks, there were pubs strategically placed at junctions, towns or beside the locks. Anywhere the boatsmen would have had to stop was a good spot to put a place to get a beer. We did manage to try out a few on our canal trip.

Here in Chester however they have taken the pub scene to a whole new level. There are over 50 pubs within walking distance of

A lie . . . these two do not know Beer

the apartment. There is one right next door, two up the street, and two immediately across the bridge. During our walks around Chester I am constantly finding new and interesting pubs.

The names of course sound like old English Pubs.

Bear & Billet

Falcon

Cross Keys

Old Queen’s Head

Pied Bull

Brewery Tap

Liverpool Arms

Pitcher & Piano

George & Dragon

The Brewery Tap

700 Year Old Cellar

My intent was to work my way through them, but OMG there are too many. I went to the Falcon on a recommendation of someone I met and the owner gave us a tour of the 700 year old cellars, and I saw the 200 year old oak barrels that he pulled my Ale from. I also had a pint in the Brewery Tap which claims to be 600 years old, and today on the way back from visiting the ruin of the original Chester Cathedral we stopped at the Cross Keys for a Green Monkey Lager in what they claim to be the 6^th oldest pub in the world. Ok, I am getting the idea that age here in Chester may be a relative thing . . . 

How am I ever going to be able to enjoy the Mic Mac Tavern with its ancient 6 month history?

Under Houston

-->

Under Houston

The first year I retired, I accompanied Regis on a “Business” trip to Montreal, and I discovered the lengthy underground tunnel system there. In Montreal, I can see the benefit, with four feet of snow and -20 C temperatures, so I was surprised to hear that Houston, Texas also boasts a tunnel system connecting most of their downtown buildings and attractions. Since our French Canadian friends must want to avoid the cold, I have to assume the Texans are using the tunnels to avoid the 35+ temperatures in the summer.

A walk up to the next block from our hotel took us to a building with access to the over 6 miles (Montreal boasts over 20 miles) of tunnels beneath Houston. An escalator ride down one level put us in the tunnel system.

This is a well-organized and well-designed system, with maps and clear directions. We were able to find our way to one end and then back underground to within a block of the pub where I heard a cold beer calling me for lunch.

Looking up at Houston

Most of the “tunnels” are simply walkways running under the streets connecting buildings, but there are also some sections that are relatively long. Most look like they were designed into the plans for the buildings and contain many restaurants and shops along the way, and all except the last section we explored were purpose built “Tunnels” rather than just opening and connecting basement hallways as much of Montreal is, and most are elegantly finished in tiles and brightly lit with built in lighting.

These tunnels are very well used and I was very rarely able to get photos without people in them. We spent the afternoon exploring this intriguing transportation option in Houston, and although you miss the blue sky and the 20+ weather of Houston in December, I can see the attraction in escaping the heat of August.

And it did lead me nicely back to that cold beer I had calling me from across Houston . . . . .   

German Beer

-->

The Germans brew good beer, but the brands we are used to in Canada are brands such as Becks or Heineken (Although Heineken is Dutch not German). This is a nice quality style brew, but not really exciting. I have discovered that if you dig a little below the surface, there are some quite interesting German beers. Since I have written about the beers I discover as I travel, I thought I’d let you know about some of the excellent beers I have discovered so far.

Bamberg Smoky Beer Pub

In Cologne, one of the optional tours was a “Pub Crawl” to sample some of Cologne’s unique Kolsch style beer. This is a top fermented brew only produced in the city of Cologne. It is served in pubs all through the city, but a pub is only allowed to serve one brand of Kolsch. It is always served in small thin glasses unique to the beer. People often are deceived by the small glasses and think they can drink more than they should.

The pub crawl was interesting. You normally associate “pub crawling” with a younger crowd, but our gathering was a group of slightly older beer drinkers and we attracted a few stares as our group of 10 noisy seniors entered their pubs.

The beer itself was very good, and although we all agreed that each brand was unique, and tasted slightly different, everyone enjoyed them. I had a bit of a problem however, because since Regis is not really a beer drinker, I had to help her, so I ended up having double the beer. Oh well, everyone has their crosses to bare.  . . .

Another nice German Beer

In Bamburg, we discovered yet another quite interesting German beer. In this city they brew a unique beer with a smoky taste. This beer is made with a barley that is smoked, and we were warned that it is not to everyone’s tastes, and we might think it tasted a bit like bacon. When we arrived at the pub where the beer was brewed, it was immediately obvious that it was very popular with the locals, not only was the pub itself packed but the street out front was also packed with people enjoying pints of the brew. I wondered how they maintained their inventory of beer glasses with them all wandering the streets, but discovered that if you want to take the beer outside you pick it up at a window where you pay a deposit on the glass.

I would hardly call it a bacon flavored beer, but certainly the first mouthful had a smoky taste. After that it was just a very nice beer. I’m looking forward to sampling some more beer along the way.

Beer with the Brats

OK, now right off the bat, they are not really brats, it just made a cooler title.

Beer & Pizza at Beer Revolution

When we knew we were coming to Calgary, we discovered that we knew a fair number of people in this city. Alisha's friend Josh lives there now, my brother's son Andrew and his girlfriend has just moved there for Law School, My friend Jim's daughter and her boyfriend are both teachers in Calgary and Ryan's friend Andrew now lives there. Of course that does not include Natalie & Frank who's wedding we were coming to celebrate, or my friend Gordon (Who I lived with in China) & his family. We were staying with Gordon and using one of his vehicles, and we were attending two official wedding functions with Natalie & Frank, so we had these folk pretty well covered, but we sort of wanted to attempt to see the others somehow during our limited time in Calgary.

The problem was that we were only spending five days in Calgary, and two of those days were booked with wedding functions planned, and I knew that Gordon would want to show me some of his home town, so there wasn't that much time to visit the other people.

Josh doing a "Tasting"

We finally figured that we had a little time on Sunday that we could try to fit some “non-wedding” visits in. That didn't give us much time, and it was hard to decide who to visit and who to leave out. Recalling a very pleasant visit to Craft restaurant & beer pub with Natalie & Frank during our last visit to Calgary we decided to find a pleasant purveyor of brew & food and tell all our friends that we would be there at a particular time on Sunday and see who showed up. We enlisted Josh's help as I consider him a bit of an expert on anything beer related and asked him to scout out the Calgary beer scene to find us a good location for this event. He had picked a wonderful spot in Vancouver during another trip so we trusted his advice completely, and he quickly came back with a couple of choices. We looked into his ideas, and chose a place called Beer Revolution, which not only seemed to have a wonderful selection of beer but also provide a good food menu. The internet reviews were good, and the location was nice and central, so we decided.

Really good Pizza

We put no pressure on anyone, (but we did have a suitcase full of 'stuff' from home for Andrew, so we figured he might show up at least to get his suitcase), but we knew we'd have a good lunch anyway. As it worked out, we had three of the young folk show up, and Gordon came along as a guide to make sure the GPS got us to Beer Revolution without problem, so we had a wonderful time. Good conversation, catching up on what everyone was doing, their plans, our travels, and discussing Calgary and all it has to offer.

Oh, the beer was excellent and they serve absolutely amazing pizza!

Guess What?

Lunch in warm sunny Calgary

I am back on the road again. As you likely know, I have this wonderful travel adviser who does an awesome job of organizing trips. We had a chance to attend a family wedding in Calgary, and I had a friend from China who lived in Calgary, so I was quite happy to attend the wedding and catch up with my friend. We booked a five day trip to Calgary.

My travel adviser (You do know this is Regis, right?) discovered that she could get a very inexpensive trip to Vancouver where we have some other friends. She said that there was no sense coming all this way to Calgary without continuing to the west coast. I agreed that extending the trip for another five days sounded like a good idea. I have been to Vancouver a number of times and it is a city I enjoy.

You will never guess what she found next? I have always wanted to do a full transit of the Panama Canal. We did the locks into the lake on the Caribbean end, on an earlier cruise, but had not done the full trip. After I had agreed to the trip to Vancouver she discovered that five days after we arrived there, an 18 day cruise left Vancouver for Ft. Lauderdale including a full transit of the canal. By this time I was beginning to think I may have been set up, but it has been a couple of years since we did a cruise, and this was a cruise I did really want to do.

You know where this is going right?

A few days after I agreed to the cruise, she discovered that there was a NASCAR race in Kansas City that I had said I wanted to go to 'some time'. We could fly to Kansas City the day the boat arrived in Ft. Lauderdale and we would arrive there just in time for the race.

And . . . . all those flights added together cost less than the return fare to Calgary.

That is how a five day trip to Calgary turned into a month long vacation.

Food !

Good but Expensive

It would have cost $15.00 a day to have a refrigerator in our room for the two weeks. We could have ordered one from Sears for what we would have spent. We spoke to someone staying in another hotel that included a fridge. It was full of those little drinks and snacks, but he wanted to put his own food in it, so he took things out to make room – didn't use them, just took them out to make room. He was charged for every item he removed. So, if you come to Las Vegas, you are probably going to be sampling some of the many eateries in the city.

A delicious Hot Dog

There are an amazing number of restaurants in Las Vegas. In general, there are two bits of useful information I can give you about them. The food is excellent. The prices are high.

We really have been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. We really have not had a meal that we could complain about. From hot dogs at a fast food place (Nathan's), to authentic Brazilian beef barbecue, at Pampas, the food has always been among the best we have had. We were taken to a Barbecue restaurant while in Santos Brazil, where the beef is seasoned with nothing but course salt and brought to your table on a spit and chunks carved right at your table so we knew what to expect, and the beef at Pampas, was almost as good as the original.

I have been trying, during all my travels to sample calamari from every place I go, looking for a sample that can match the calamari I can get at our local tavern The Mic Mac. I tried two samples here in Las Vegas, and although the Mic Mac still has the best calamari, the Las Vegas varieties were almost as good; cooked properly, and spiced just right.

Even the Buffets were good

Even the little places are good. We went out for lunch one day to a little bar and grill in the Luxor resort called the T & T . This was just a small bar in the main lobby area of the Luxor Casino, but the chicken wing appetizer I ordered was, I believe among the best wings I have ever had; big, meaty, and spicy enough to make them interesting without hurting.

Even the chain restaurants seem to put a bit of extra effort to stay ahead of the competition. I have always wanted to try one of B. B. King's Barbecue restaurants, and we found one in the Mirage Hotel & Casino. We went to listen to a Blues group that was going to be playing, but the NCAA basketball tournament seemed to be more important to most patrons, so we had to wait for the game to finish, but the wait was worth it, and the ribs I had were almost as good as my own, and the music was very entertaining. Regis reports that her chicken burger was also excellent.

There are so many restaurants it is hard to choose. We often based our choices on discounts and coupons we had, but sometimes we found places just by wandering around. One day while looking for tickets to a show, we found that the restaurant we were aiming for was VERY busy, but next door was a very interesting Italian place where we found that I actually had a choice of two pizzas I could eat (Not an easy thing when you are lactose intolerant). This restaurant, Lombardi"s Romagna Mia had friendly staff, and the pizza was excellent.

Great Place downtown at Freemont St. 

Although there are plenty of places to eat right on the strip, there are also some excellent places requiring a bit of a walk away from the neon world of the casinos and resorts. One example is the Alexis Gardens Restaurant in the Alexis Park Hotel. This is a small resort hotel a couple of blocks off the strip that we had an Entertainment Book coupon for. It was definitely worth the walk, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was wonderful. It was nice to be away from the crowds and lights of the big casinos and enjoy a nice quiet meal. I had a Blackened Texas Redfish that was amazing.

Now you do have to check the reviews of the restaurants, and my famous “Trip Planner” is great for this. She really wanted to try one of Emeril Lagasee's restaurants. We dropped into his Stadium Sports Bar for lunch one day and enjoyed it, so we made reservations at his Seafood Restaurant next door in the MGM Grand. When we read the reviews however we had second thoughts, There was not one good review. Everyone agreed that the service was good, but the food just was not up to standards. Then when we met a gentleman who actually worked at MGM and agreed that we should go elsewhere, we decide to cancel that meal.

$9.00 Beer at a Bar?

So the good news is that you will probably enjoy any meal you have in Las Vegas. We found that everything was delicious, and the service was always friendly and helpful. The bad news is that if you eat on the strip it is going to be expensive. Main courses can be as high as $60 to $70 at most “good” restaurants in the casinos on the strip. Oh, BTW, you may have to pay extra for sides. Even when you find a place with decent prices on the food, don't be surprised by the price of the things you don't think about. Often the juice or coffee to go with your bargain breakfast will cost a couple of dollars more than you are used to. Don't expect to get a beer for under $7.00 at most casino bars or eateries unless you have a “Big Spender” card. I paid as much as $9.00 for a beer at one place. Don't expect to always see the prices either. If the beer prices are not on the menu, ask, or you may be surprised when the bill comes. Many restaurants and bars have “Happy Hours”, where prices on food and drinks are much better, but a beer will still usually cost you $5.00.

So when in Las Vegas, expect to eat very well. You can get anything you want, and it will probably be very good, but if you eat on the strip, expect to take a hit on the credit card.

The Perfect Pub

Ottawa's Manx Pub

A few years ago a new pub opened up in Halifax to a lot of fanfare. The architect apparently spent weeks hanging out in pubs in Ireland to get the feel and look of a true “Irish pub” and this new place was designed with all the features they found in “real” pubs from across the pond. It is a nice place; looks very “Irish”, beer is good, and food is tasty. I've been there once.

The first time we visited our son Ryan in Ottawa, he insisted on taking us to this fabulous pub for brunch. We had to be there at a specific time or we could not get a seat, and it was quite a walk. My first impression was not great. There was a faded sign hanging on the corner of a building and a set of dingy stairs leading down to a black basement door. The place was crowded but we found a seat in the corner. There was a hole in the wall across from my seat. Five years later, that hole was covered with duct tape and painted over, but little else has changed. But . . . I can't imagine visiting Ottawa without making at least one trip to this pub, the Manx, for at least a beer if not a meal.

What is it that makes the “perfect pub”? Why do I love going back to the Manx in Ottawa, yet have never returned to the “authentic” Irish pub in Halifax?

Essential to any real pub is good beer, but I prefer to find some nice local brews that I can try. It is also really helpful if the servers know something about the beer and are willing to give an honest opinion. I often ask them for recommendations, and a good server is willing to tell me something about what they serve. I like to hear that “the local IPA is particularly hoppy”, and when a server tells me that they have a favourite brew I will usually take their advice and try it – I've rarely been disappointed. Better than having the server tell me they “Don't really like beer.” or when visiting Columbus Ohio, I asked about “local” beer and was told that they serve “Miller Light”. In a little pub in Bangor Maine the server was so excited about two local beer that when I chose one, he gave me the other one as well for free just because he wanted me to try it. I go back there whenever I'm in Bangor. The Manx always has some interesting beers from the Ottawa area, and the servers are knowledgeable about what they serve. A good server recognizes someone who likes good quality local beers, and when you choose something they suggest they often will return and not just ask how you liked the brew, but discuss it with you, comparing opinions and tastes.

Pub food is not always good food, but a good pub always has good food. Ottawa's Manx excels in this area. Their food is amazing; interesting and unique. The menu is not your usual burgers and sandwiches, it is closer to gourmet restaurant fare. Ryan tells me that their cook/chef, has been there for years so he must find something satisfying about working in this tiny little spot, for his talent surely could get him a position in a big fancy hotel or restaurant. The Manx has a continually changing menu, and it is always interesting to find out what is featured on the “Specials” board, but another of my favourite pubs has a menu that always seems to remain the same. I can depend on getting a “Knotwurst & Kraut” or a Knot Burger made from local sausage at the The Knot pub in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. These two favourite meals are always the same and always excellent. It takes very little to convince me to pair one of these two specialities with a nice cold Knot Ale whenever I'm in Lunenburg.

Although quality beer and delicious food are essential to a perfect pub, equally important is the atmosphere, the genuine feel of the place. I like The Old Triangle in Halifax. Their beer isn't extra ordinary, but they pour an excellent Guinness, and their food is “good”, but it is a pub that just feels comfortable. I go back to the Manx in Ottawa, or the Knot in Lunenburg because I enjoy sitting in these pubs sipping a good beer. I just like being there; they feel good. This is something that you just can't import from Ireland. It isn't the authentic wood counters or special bar stools, it is just something that feels right. The owner of the Manx obviously knows this and has left the place alone. The display of local artists on the walls changes, but the copper wrapped tables have always been there, the tables back in one corner are still awkward to get to and the servers still pass your beer through a window to those tables, the “Special board is still leaning against one of the thick pillars, and when you try to read it from your table, the servers will go bring it over to your table so you can get a closer look, and I think that hole in the wall in the corner is still there.

Now that is what makes a Perfect Pub. Sit back in your favourite chair in your favourite pub and have another cold one.

Back To PEI

Restored Tractor

P.E.I. and I do not have the best of relationships. I know the "Island" is a popular tourist destination, but every time I try to play tourist there, I get rain, fog or man-eating mosquitoes. One year we planned a week long family "Island" vacation in a rental cottage. It rained for the first three days, and when the sun finally came out on the forth , we sent the children out to play only to have them forced back in by giant mosquitoes. Then it rained for three more days. PEI retained the "Worst Vacation Ever" honor for years.

Now we did give The Island chances to redeem itself. after all it’s always sunny on any of the "Anne Of Green Gables" TV shows, but even on three subsequent trips over we were assaulted with wet weather and mosquitoes. As a result, I wrote Prince Edward Island off as a place to avoid unless absolutely necessary.

Amongst the stack of mail waiting us upon our return from the RV trip was a letter from a delightful lady we had met in Japan. She was our daughter’s Japanese teacher in Japan, and after meeting her there, we maintained contact through letter writing - remember those; envelopes, stamps, and words on thin crinkly “air mail” paper? She said she was coming to Canada on a “study tour” of P.E.I.and she would love to see Alisha and us if we were available.

Alisha was unable to come down from Ottawa, but we decided to make a trip of it, find a nice place to stay, and perhaps look for some interesting things to do on the Island. Our Japanese friend had only a short window when she could meet us, so that left us plenty of time to explore.

Saturday did not bode well, with rain and so much fog that we drove across the bridge without even being able to see the water under us, but at least the fog lifted a bit, and we managed to meet up with Alisha’s teacher, and spent a pleasant afternoon with her, her husband and three other Japanese tourists here “studying” Anne of Green Gables and Prince Edward Island.

Sunday we were on our own to enjoy Prince Edward Island, and it actually dawned with blue sky and sunshine - we thought we were back in Nova Scotia.

The Dawson House

We were staying in a wonderful B & B within walking distance of downtown Charlottetown called The Dawson House. Wonderful old house, very friendly hosts, comfortable room, and delicious breakfast. We will definitely stay here again when in P.E.I.

It was “Farm Day” in Charlottetown, and the main street was turned into a pedestrian only street for Sunday, and filled with farm market booths. At one end there was a really interesting display of restored stationary engines and farm machinery. The men who had restored these old engines showed so much pride in their work as they fired up the old workhorses and demonstrated them for us.

Another nice local beer

I was pleased to find that I could continue my quest for sampling good local beer in P.E.I. We discovered a really great local brew pub called Gahan Brewery, right off the main street in Charlottetown. They not only served their own beer; brewed on site - I had one called “Island Red”, that was great - but the food was also excellent. I had a delicious pulled pork sandwich served with barbecue sauce made with their own beer, and some of the best French fries I’ve had.

On the way home we decided to take the ferry to Pictou, because there was a 70 mile yard sale throughout the area, and a P.E.I. Winery we could visit.

We had a good time in our neighboring province, and it managed to go a long way in restoring it’s damaged reputation as a “vacation location”. We look forward to crossing the famous bridge again.

Beer

I have made it one of my “travel mandates”, to find and taste as many locally brewed beers as possible. This was especially fun while on the canal boat in England, and I found over 25 interesting local brews in our two weeks there. A positive side affect of sampling the local brews, is that when you ask for something “local”, you usually get a positive response from the servers, who seem to have a degree of pride in their local breweries, and are often very willing to give opinions on which local beers are best. One server in Bangor, Maine, was so interested in my opinion of the local ales, that after sampling one, he insisted on me trying the second at no charge.

The brews in America, do not have the variety or the flavor of the beers in England, but what can you expect from the land where “Bud Light” is usually the beer of choice. By ordering the local “craft” beers, you can get a brew with some taste and personality.

A partial list of the brews I have sampled on this trip so far follows. Most are from the later part of the trip, because I forgot to write the names down from the East Coast where I found some good ones, and had difficulty in the Central States finding “local” beer. A waitress in Ohio, had no idea what I meant when I asked for a “craft” beer.

Grand Canyon Amber Ale - Grand Canyon Brewing Co.

Ugly Pug Black Lagar - Rahr & Son’s Brewing, Fort Worth, Texas

Laguritas I P A - Laguritas Brewing Company, Petaluma, California

Moonlight ’Reality Czeck Pilsner’ - Santa Rosa, California

Downtown Brown - Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe, Eureka, California

I had a nice beer with my lunch during a stop in Death Valley, that the server said was “local”, but I’m not sure how they get enough water to make beer on the hottest driest spot in North America.

I see that I have an email from Alisha (daughter), asking when we will be arriving in Vancouver. She is visiting a friend there, who has worked in the brewing industry, and has a great local brew he wants me to try. That’s what happens when you develop a reputation for enjoying good local beer. I think I’ve said it before . . . . But. . . .life is tough!

Dinner with Black Bart

Black Bart's -Arizona

There were not that many RV parks in Flagstaff, Arizona, and after our Travel Planner researched the available choices, we chose a place called "Black Barts". It wasn't perfect, with reviews of 7, 2, and 6, with a number of questionable areas, but we decided it was the best available.

We noted in the advertisements and in the reviews, that it had a steakhouse restaurant, but the places attached to campgrounds are not usually that good. The reviews on the steakhouse, like the campground were mixed, but after some discussion it was decided to give Black Bart at chance; it was convenient, and we have not had such good luck finding good "local" eateries.

We made a reservation (it was recommended - usually a good sign) for 6:00, and as the girls liked the looks of the attached "saloon", decided to go there to get their "fancy drinks with lots of ice" before dinner.

Checking out the Drink Menu

We arrived at about 5:30 MST, to an empty restaurant. Staff were just setting things up. This was not a good sign. That was when we discovered that Arizona does not follow daylight savings time, so although the state is in the "mountain" time zone, it was actually only 4:30 here. We were greeted nicely and told they would be ready in a few minutes, and the bartender in the saloon was just getting set up. They had no objections to us waiting there.

The girl behind the counter apologized for not being ready, even though it was our fault, and she chatted about local food, weather, and the Grand Canyon as she polished glasses, and filled ice bins. When she was ready (prior to official opening time) she gave advice on drinks, local "craft" beer, and wine. We spent a very pleasant 30 minutes talking to her over our drinks and got more useful information about the area from her than the grin at the Arizona Welcome centre.

In the actual restaurant (we changed our reservation), we were greeted by friendly hostesses and servers, singing as they prepared the tables. We were seated in front of the stage - did I mention there was entertainment? The menu was simple, but there was something there for everyone, and our server said it was no problem to leave the onions off my salad - usually a sign it is freshly made.

Four waiter/singers

As we waited for our meal, the wait staff went up to the stage one at a time and sang to piano accompaniment. The songs were mostly show tunes, and Sharon's singing along told us they were pretty good at this. It really was very entertaining; all the waiters and waitresses, took a turn, and they were all quite talented.

Talented Bartender

I asked one of the young girls waiting on us if singing was part of the job interview, or if they were hired based on ability as a waiter and then told "Oh, did we mention you have to sing every night?". She explained that singing was part of the interview, and many of the staff were from the fine arts programs at the local university.

We noticed that although all the wait staff took part in the entertainment, the bartender we had gotten to know earlier, did not, so we commented on this to our server. Five minutes later out she came, went up to the stage, and sang a song. She stopped on the way back to the saloon, and thanked us for asking for her.

Oh, by the way, our meals were excellent!