Ft. Hood, Tx

March 11 - 16, 2009

Our 3rd son is in Army Aviation and is scheduled to deploy to Iraq for his 2nd tour of duty mid April, 2009. For how long, we don't know. His first tour was 17 months.

We drove to visit with he and his wife for a few days. Our second trip out to this huge Army base where they are stationed.

Ft. Hood is adjacent to Killeen, Texas but has it's own zip code. It's 50 miles southwest of Waco and is known as the "Great Place", the largest Army base in the entire world. It's residential population is over 70,00. It is a 340 square mile installation on 217,337 acres. Bigger than the state of Rhode Island!



Fort Hood was named for the famous Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood, an outstanding leader who gained recognition during the Civil War as the commander of Hood's Texas Brigade. Today, Fort Hood is the largest active duty armored post in the United States and the only installation capable of supporting two full armored divisions.

Everything imaginable is located on base including but not excluding schools, hospitals, recreational facilities, restaurants, commissionaires, PX (department store) clubs, child care and extensive libraries.

We stayed on base in accommodations reserved for Generals. But none were in town so we had the very luxurious 3 bedroom fully furnished and equipped house to ourselves for the few days while there.

We had a grand time visiting with them and their 4 dogs and 1 cat for a few days. But a cold front moved in and it rained for most of the duration so we were not able to enjoy the outdoors. However that did not stop a grilled dinner at home for one night, thanks to a covered porch.

For lunch one day we went to the Red Onion, an Indian cuisine buffet. Unique foods to try and found several very tasty. One dinner was at Genghis Grill (Mongolian Stir Fry). We don't have this in our local area so it was fun to put together our own concoctions and enjoy. And I learned to eat with chopsticks! Managed to eat my entire meal with them so I passed the test.

We left on another rainy morning and drove to Dallas to visit other friends. When there the rain finally stopped so we were able to visit Pioneer Plaza. "Oil and cattle made Dallas what it is today, and the sculpture that distinguishes this plaza celebrates the city's history. Located adjacent to Dallas Convention Center, Pioneer Plaza measures 4.2 acres and features a world-renowned bronze. The sculpture, considered the largest of its kind, is by Robert Summers and showcases a 19th-century cattle drive. Portrayed are three cowboys on horseback and 39 steers" all life-sized – an impressive sight to behold!



With the intense moisture still in the air we did not bring the camera. But also at this park embedded in the sidewalk are symbols of the actual brands used on cattle; who owned them and the year, mostly 1800's. At the intersection is a huge map of the state of Texas and all the named trails that were used to drive cattle. We also drove out to Southfork, where the TV show "Dallas" was filmed. Just a drive-by but now I can say I've seen it. The house tho is very small in comparison to the show.

This trip was very educational and enjoyable. Check it out if you are ever in the area!

Mackinaw, Michigan

May 22 - 29, 2008

Michigan is known as the Wolverine State. The State Flower is the Apple Blossom and the State Bird is the Robin.

We have a cousin that has lived in Mackinaw all his life including the terrible cold winters! So we drove to visit him and see the area. We stayed in his cottage "Somewhere in Time" named after the movie that was filmed here in 1986. The entire house is furnished in this time era and it's a quaint little adorable cottage. He had to put a 'private residence' sign on the front screen door, otherwise ones would think it was one of the many shops.



At this time of the year there is bright sunshine every morning at 5 Am!! That was hard to get used to since we are accustomed to 8 am for this amount of brightness. Then dusk, not dark, at 10 Pm so LONG days and oh so tired by bedtime.

Saturday was a Memorial Day Parade and our cousin decides to drive his 1955 Buick Century in the Parade. Another cousin couple is up for the weekend so we all pile into it including their dog and we are waving flags and cheering to the crowds along the street. Here is a picture from another year since we were inside this time around.



On Sunday we went by Catamaran over to Mackinaw Island. Nice 20 min ride but still quiet chilly. No motorized vehicles are allowed on this island. Actually 2 are; being the fire and ambulance only. So the streets are filled with carriages, bicycles and people on foot.



We rode in the Luxury Carriage up to the Grand Hotel. That was fun! It's a steep hill up with lots to see along the way.



Then the star of the island ~ the Grand Hotel and it is indeed GRAND! The hotel porch is the largest in the world at 660 feet, that's 2 football field together including the end zones! I didn't count how many pristine white rockers along the way. There is an entrance fee of $15.00 a person just to enter the Grand but free with our cousin's pass. We had lunch in the Tea Room.







We saw a little of the interior and part of the dinning room that wraps around, it's only open for dinner. This seats 1100 for a meal!





On Memorial Day we drove over the famous Mackinaw Bridge. This bridge is 5.5 miles long! The day was very cloudy and overcast so here is a picture from the net.



We drove on to the Soo Locks, about 50 miles north, right near the Canadian border. Knowing we would be traveling thru the Panama Canal later in the year, this served as a small overview. We watched the big tankers rise and fall from Lake Huron to Lake Superior.

More than 1100 vessels carrying up to 90 million tons of cargo pass thru the Soo locks every year. Most cargo contained on these ships is either iron ore, coal, grain or stone.



On Tuesday we just kicked back and enjoyed the day on our own. It had froze the night before so it was still very cold all day. Did some of the shops in town and split a Pastie (Past-T) for lunch. It's a meat and potato dumpling, I wasn't too fond of it but it's always fun to try new dishes along our way.

Our entire trip was 2200 miles and the highest gas was $4.20 a gallon!! What a rip off for the holiday weekend. But it was a very enjoyable trip all around and one I wouldn't mind repeating.

Tauranga, New Zealand

Tues, March 13, 2007

Cruising into this port this morning we see a beach short distance away. If we were home in the US we'd been close enough to swim to shore. But there is no beach here, just land at the water's edge.

Tauranga means "safe harbor for many canoes" with our 'canoe' being the biggest around, even taller than any buildings in the city.

As our excursion we tour a small village of Paparoa Marae or Maori (My-or-ee). We are welcomed by the chief but the women enter first then the men behind. Custom is for women to advance first making sure no evil spirits abound and the group comes in peace. The ugliest faces are shown to scare off any impostors and believe me they are ugly.





After the ceremony, a tour of the inside and refreshments. Then everyone "kissed" by touching noses and foreheads together. This is for the exchange of knowledge.



Notice all the intricate carvings on their 'house'. And here also is the Chief's wife and the ladies alongside another angle of their house.





We toured a kiwi grove across the street from this village and learned 80% of world's consumption of kiwi's is grown in this area.



The afternoon brought a dance with poi and wood sticks and lots of singing and other dances. It was very entertaining and seems everyone is a cousin even to our tour guide!




Very enjoyable day as we say Kia ora (key-ore-a) which translates to Hi/Goodbye.

Christ Church, New Zealand

Thursday, March 15th, 2007

A picture postcard town today at 64 degrees.


We took the Wildlife Boat Cruise for the esteemed Hector's Dolphins. Took most our our time in Christ Church which was a shame since we didn't get to see anything else here. As for the dolphins, they aren't on a timed schedule and we only quickly viewed about 3 times. Too quick for cameras. Some facts about them and a picture from the web:

1) only found off the coast of New Zealand, which means it is endemic to New Zealand
2) is the rarest dolphin in the world
3) has a small, rounded dorsal fin – all other species of dolphin found in New Zealand waters have crescent shaped fins that are more pointed



See all the many different overlapping layers? This is typical New Zealand terrain.



Had to buy some postcards for the rest. Run a search on Christ Church, it is beautiful and just sorry we missed it.

Dunedin, New Zealand

Friday March 16, 2007

Dunedin is the largest city in New Zealand and has a Scottish flair. Took the train ride over the gorge and thru the mountains. The train is very rustic with a table between our seats, the countryside beautiful. Lunch of small sub with a vegetable based salad in a tasty vinaigrette liquid. One each of strawberry, plum and yogurt based strawberry mouse. Also cheese and crackers and tea and wine. Also packed w/in our lunch was a silk yellow daffodil pin. Very enjoyable altho bumpy ride. I bought some post cards to get a better view of the train ride. The gorge was nothing to us compared to sights seen elsewhere but still an awesome trip.




Later we went to Larnach Castle, complete with all the trimmings. Below is an aerial picture of the area. The gardens here are breathtaking. One picture below is part of the gardens with another of the view from the end of the garden. And the bagpiper in full regatta. Enjoy!






We finished the day with a ride of the city and interests with a view of the steepest hill in a residental city as recorded in Book of Guinness Records.