A continuation of Ken and Sandra's Excellent Adventure 

Mini adventure

Alaska Bound.

We decided that since we did not go south last year I would start looking for cruises.  Well I started in March then could not decide on one and it was now May!  That got me on another thought so I started for,Alaska, called travel agent and BANG we were booked.

We had Avion air miles we never used for ourselves and I booked air with them.

All ready and packed to go.

We were off and running to the airport.  As there had been so many traffic issues I asked limo to pick us up early.  Our flight was for 1:00 pm so wanted to get there in plenty of time.. Good old Murphy's, only took an hour so we waited for three hours.  

Welllll,,,, as we waited I was looking around and paying attention and low and behold, when plane we were taking arrived I saw 3 Border Patrol officers climb ladder to front of plane.  Then a bit later Pearson Fire truck and three EM guys to up ladder.  Passengers start coming off and lady taken out in wheel chair with Boarder guys as well at end.  Westjet at least kept telling us there was a delay but not what is was until we started to board - an hour late.  Problem:  medical but also boarder wanted to inspect the plane -it was coming from Port of Spain which is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, hmmmmm.

Lovely flight, Ken had window, I was in middle and nice small person on aisle so lots of room. Behind us crying baby( 3 month old)  but only when we were taking off and coming down, little ears.

Then we landed.  Pilot said luggage would arrive in about 20 minutes.

Wellll.....we were late but actually earlier than they thought we would. E  so ground crew was not ready, then the gate was not working and had to wait for that, but at least when we went for luggage, it was there.

Went to get hotel shuttle, they said 20 minutes. Wellll..... did not arrive until 30 minutes later and then white van showed up and said he was there as the hotel's had broken down, so us and another couple were on our way as I had overheard them saying they were waiting for Accent hotel as well.

Got to hotel, booked in, went to IHOP which was attached and had dinner and went to bed at 9:30 our time as we were wacked.

Update to 2014

Hi to all who have been reading our post.  As you would have seen, did stop,writing for a while as we were making some changes along the way.
A few updates through on our trip from Texas in April 2014.  We had never been to Memphis so,wanted to go to Graceland because it is a must see tourist thing and that is what we have been doing during our adventure. We actually staid in West Memphis which is in  Arkansas  across the river.  The park we were in is called Tom Sawyer and it was amazing. Since we have the 5 th wheel and the large back window, we backed on to the Mississippi River and could watch the barges going up and down the river.  If you are ever going that way on the way to T says or just to Memphis,would totally recommend this park.



We also of course went to Graceland as we planned.

From there we headed back up north and started looking for a stick house again.  We did not know  what we wanted other than something small as we know we don't need a lot of stuff or room.  We looked into an area east of Oshawa called Wilmot Creek.  It is a. 55 plus community with all the amenities you could possibly want.  It is like living the lifestyle we enjoy down south. We are a five minute walk to Lake Ontario and several conservation areas. Shopping, theatres, hospitals all within a 10-15 minute drive.

Will be posting and uploading pictures again soon.

Welcome back if you are continuing to,follow us.

K and S

South Padre Island, Tx

South Padre Island

 

As weather was not the greatest, we only went to the beach twice, which is South Padre Island on the Gulf.  This is the day we went with friends as it was supposed to be hot and clear. As we were going to Island we were driving through fog and it lifted once we crossed the bridge. We decided to drive to the farthest end as we had never been that far before.  Because of the heavy winds here, the road needs to be plowed at the end to keep it open.  They have front end loaders just like we have to plow snow up north to keep roads open.  The sand dunes at that end are kind of cool and not expected.

 

 

Road along beach

 

 

Ken on the sand dune

this is tip of the Island between Gulf and intercoastal

 

 

The beach is quite nice, there are several places you can pull in to park for free, some have a park with them and there is a charge of $5.00 per vehicle, but you can park at any of them all day if you want to move around.  The charge ones have washrooms and BBQ pits  which is one of  reason to actually stay at those.

 

It stayed foggy all day but the section we sat in, had the sun right above us.  The beach looked completely empty, and then when the fog lifted, we could see people walking out of the fog, almost like a zombie movie!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Could not even see the hotels along the strip and there are a lot of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beach area and few of the locals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little side note, while we were there, a couple was walking on the beach along with some friends once the fog lifted, and the young man went down on one knee and proposed, it was really cute and everyone around started cheering.  Could not get camera out fast enough but what a nice way to propose.  (she did say yes by the way)

Another update, Texas 2014

February 2014

 

We have had a few shows down here that have been pretty good. The different artists travel to the parks so that each park can have shows and we can go between the different close ones if we choose to.

 

 

Patsy Cline artist

 

 

 

Elvis' Lamb.

 

Me and Elvis - uh huh!!

 

 

We had a Patsy Cline tribute artist that was really good here in March and an Elvis tribute that was a short show – can’t really comment as I am trying to be kind.  He was supposed to show up in his pink Cadillac, was late and showed up in a Lamborghini instead?? that also did not have current tags on it, local so I guess we supported the economy!  I did get a picture though!

 

We went on Wednesday to visit friends Mike and Bonnie in Mission TX and on the way we picked up our sign for the RV that we had made up.  Story on this, we met the couple that did these in Trout Water Lindsay two years ago and we hooked up with them down here and had the sign made.  What was great with Melinda is I could take one of my own pictures and have the sign made up.  Since I have close to a thousand pictures (I know I need to get rid of some) I narrowed it down to what we really were part of so we have Lake scene that I had taken several years ago. 

 

 

 

 

 

Since it is Pharr, away, we did some touring as well.

 

 

 

 

We went to the  San Juan Basilica on the way down for a tour.

 

 

There were quite a few people here when we went through going through Shrine and offering prayers.  There is a separate room that they keep the candles in  once they are lit.  The area they call "Miracle Room" has benches and kneelers where people can light candles and pray, I did not take pictures as I did not want to disturb anyone.  Once the light the candles, since there are so many, there is a custodian that removes racks of them and moves them to an actual candle room where they stay for a certain period of time (I did not find out how long) They do have you buy their candles, I know part of it is money of course but with all the carcegenics out there in stuff, it makes sense to use only approved ones in a small area.   On the grounds outside, they have Holy water that people can come and fill any container they have.

 

 

**This copy is of their actual downloadable brochure**

 Our History

     For centuries Christians have made pilgrimages with a spiritual purpose to holy places. Here in the Rio Grande Valley, hundreds are drawn to the Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of San Juan del Valle, and the number of pilgrims continues to grow. Averaging more than one million visitors a year (20,000 a weekend), it is one of the most visited shrines in the United States.

The history of this Marian Shrine begins in 1920, when the Reverend Alfonso Jalbert, O.M.I., built a small wooden chapel in San Juan, Texas as a mission church of St. Margaret Mary Church in Pharr, Texas.

The origins of the devotion to Our Lady of San Juan del Valle are found in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico, a town founded near Guadalajara after the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Spanish missionaries placed a small image of the Immaculate Conception in the church of San Juan de los Lagos.

In 1623, an acrobat traveling with his wife and children stopped in San Juan de los Lagos to give a performance.  While practicing their act, the youngest daughter lost her balance and was killed. An Indian woman, who was the caretaker of the church, begged the parents to place the image of the Virgin Mary over their daughter's body and prayed for the Virgin's intercession. The child was then brought back to life. As word spread of the miracle, the devotion to Our Lady, under the title of “La Virgen de San Juan”, started to grow throughout Jalisco. Today, she is recognized by many people throughout Mexico as well as the United States.

In 1949, Rev. Jose Maria Azpiazu, O.M.I., became pastor of the parish of St. John the Baptist in San Juan, Texas.  He was convinced that fostering a devotion to Our Lady of San Juan would benefit the people and help draw the community together. After receiving permission from the bishop to foster the devotion, he commissioned an artist in Guadalajara, Mexico to make a reproduction of the statue venerated at San Juan de Los Lagos and this reproduction was first placed in the San Juan chapel. 

Bishop Mariano S. Garriaga approved the construction of a new church and the Shrine was built five years later in 1954, and dedicated to the Virgen de San Juan. At the time San Juan was a part of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.  Sixteen years after its construction, a tragic event on October 23, 1970 destroyed the entire Shrine. While 50 priests were concelebrating Mass with another 50 people in attendance, and 100 school children in an adjacent cafeteria, the pilot of a small low-flying airplane crashed into the roof of the shrine and exploded into flames.

 While the overall loss was estimated at $1.5 million, many claim it was a miracle that no one was hurt or died in the tragedy. The pilot of the plane, Francis B. Alexander, was the only fatality. Our Lady of San Juan was protecting her children at that moment. Also, Father Patricio Dominguez, O.M.I., a missionary priest, along with the help of Pedro Rodriguez, a sacristan, rescued the statue of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle, and Ron Anderson, then a Diocesan Priest, saved the Blessed Sacrament before the altar was engulfed in flames. 

After the Shrine was destroyed, the Shrine’s dining room temporarily housed the statue of Our Lady of San Juan.

In 1972, Bishop John J. Fitzpatrick separated the administration of the Shrine from the parish. He made plans to build a parish church on the site of the destroyed Shrine and build a bigger church to serve as the Shrine on the grounds north of the former Shrine. The ground breaking for the new Shrine took place on November 27, 1976. The new Shrine was dedicated on April 19, 1980. Cardinal Medeiros joined Bishop Fitzpatrick at the dedication along with an estimated 50,000 people.

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops designated Our Lady of San Juan del Valle a national Shrine on March 24, 1998, and the following year on June 12, 1999 Pope John Paul II designated it as a minor Basilica.

Main Shrine - Our Lady of San Juan del Valle

Altar area

Detail on shrine

Detail

Virgen- Our Lady de San Juan del Valle

Outside windows on church

 

Holy Water

 

We then went to Papadeaux Seafood grill for lunch, loved this place when we were here a couple of years ago and that is where we went with them at that time, so was nice to reminisce and visit.

 

 

March 15, 2015

There was a Pet parade and adopt a pet day at park so the animals paraded around.  Our friend Donna took Mario in the parade. He was the only cat so did really well among all the dogs.   Ken said he wanted to him but that was not going to happen, Mario on a lead is just a kitty being dragged so they took him in his carriage.  Go figure Ken made friends with another cat; I said maybe we should get one, but, he did not go for that!  Pretty laid back kitty, and he did let Donna put my St Paddy’s Day shamrock necklace on him so he was dressed up.  PS 2-4, we still love you, Uncle Ken and Aunt Sandra!!  Monty, get Mom and Dad (E & J) to show you the little one all in pink and black....

 

 

 

 

 

Ken and Mario

Ken, Mario, Donna

Mario

Donna and Mario

A few of the dogs on parade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Updating - February 2014

Texas 2013 – 2014

February 17 2014

Wow, did not realize how quickly time has been flying! We have been in Texas since December and this park since the 8^th of December.  Since the weather has been cold (I know nowhere near what it as back home) we have been quite a bit housebound.  Our “house” down here does not have the insulation qualities of regular house, so has been cold.  Temperatures that should have been in 70’s have been down to freezing or less overnight and some days never got over 40 (10C) and of course need to double wrap as winter clothing at a minimum.  Now that I have finished complaining ……

 

Friends of ours, Don and Donna had arranged a local bakery tour in San Benito, TX before we arrived so we did that one morning.  Bakery has been around and now run by children of original owners.  Not much has changed inside and their methods are still all hands on, a few mixing machines and regular oven, but they still run a block oven heated with wood to cook quite a few items.  The bakery now has an historic designation from the city. It is clean, but not industrial strength the way most people would expect to see from up north.

 

Outside

 

 

 

Paddle

 

 

Oven

 

 

We had a Christmas parade here with a bit of a twist; it really went to the dogs.  See who was walking and who was driving!

 

This is how Santa arrives down here

 

No walkies here

 

Yes, the car is full of dogs and no that is a person driving

Christmas Day dawned nice and warm, had sit down dinner for 6 here at our place, so our Christmas tree outside, and a few decorations outside.

Christmas Day was pretty relaxed, everyone brought a dish as well, was really nice.  Earlier in the day we had all called home to speak to family or try to but did get them.

 

Dinner for 6

 

My Christmas tree

 

Decorations

 

 

Some sites we have seen and places we have visited on the nice days.

We went to South Padre Island for a dolphin and eco tour that we had booked.  Was a nice sunny day, still a bit cool, but not too bad.  The boat took us around the sound towards the gulf but not out in it.  They had a net that they dragged to pick up different see life so that we could see what was in the area.  They managed to dreg up a fish that actually squeaked a squid, a jelly fish, and a puffer fish.  They put them in a bucket and the handler took them out for us to see and touch.  This apparently does not hurt the fish, they are in the water and they don’t hold them out too long to upset them.  The puffer fish though is the one that gets the stressed and takes in air and that is why he gets puffy.  We did see a couple of dolphins but what was kind of funny, is that they were at the same area as we saw them when we were down here a couple of years ago sitting at a little bar on the water! Hummmmmmmm…

Don and Donna

Ken and Don

Jelly fish

 

 

Puffer fish

 

Mary, Jim and Donna

 

Our ship

 

Puffer fish

 

 

 

 

Squid

After this it got cold again and this is the one morning we woke up that it had been freezing overnight and yes that is ice on the steps and the handle, that was downright crazy weather.

 

 

Then in beginning of February we had another nice day and went to downtown Harlingen which is the town we are staying to see the murals.  They were really amazing, some were painted, some were mosaic and some stone.  I have a few  posted here.  They also had the oldest liquor store around, which is now a chain called Feldman’s that has been around since 1938.

Winter Texan home

Feldman's est. 1938

The gang

Colletti's courtyard

Inside

Should be everywhere, only for misbehaving parents!

We stopped at a nice Italian restaurant for dinner – loved the sign on door as we went in.

 

We have had a few shows here at park that have been good.  We saw one group called the Jet’s that is local to the area, rock and roll. There was a Beach Boy’s and Beatles tribute band that was amazing, costumer changes and everything.  It was supposed to be at our park but not enough tickets sold so we went to our sister park just up the street. Then we had a Neil Diamond tribute show as well and this was same fellow we saw when we were in Florida a couple of years ago and I can’t remember what venue, (been too many places or maybe just getting older, don’t know what I want to admit to).

Unfortunately at these shows, I did not bring a camera as most shows we go to a home you are not allowed to take pictures, but since these entertainers run the RGV circuit and use word of mouth a lot, they don’t mind, just some don’t want video due to some contracts they have.  I have now started taking camera to shows.

 

The last few days have been beautiful and we finally took a beach day, and it was foggy all day, but where we were staked out, the sun was shining right above us. I unfortunately did not take my camera and there were some great fog shots I missed.  Hoping I can get them from our friend Don and I will come back and post some of his.

 

Yesterday, we had a Mariachi group here from local school.  They had the 3 levels of entertainers and the entrance fee, was given to them as a donation.  They start in school in grade 5 and none of them have had any musical training.  They are tought violins, trumpets, guitar and other instruments.  They started with the newest up to the ones that are doing the tours and competions.  They were all beautiful and sounded great.  You can of course tell the difference once they had the older and more seasoned ones playing but starting at the beginning, they were impressive to start so just kept getting better.  We managed to raise $1100.00 for them which was great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, this is our latest update and hopefully they will keep up now that we have nice weather and we will be doing more sight seeing and keeping updates as we go