Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Bottle Houses of Prince Edward Island

May 7, 2011

People who live in glass houses should never throw stones!  You certainly wouldn’t want any stones in the area where this unusual Canadian attraction has three different structures made of glass bottles.

Edouard Arsenault was a native of the area and lived in Cap-Egmont, Prince Edward Island, Canada all of his life.  His occupations varied from fisherman to carpenter to lighthouse keeper. After receiving a post card from his daughter of a glass castle on Vancouver Island, Edouard decided to recycle glass bottles in a very unusual manner. After collecting bottles from restaurants, dance halls, friends and neighbors, he spent the winter months in his basement cleaning the bottles and removing the labels. There aren’t many pop or beer bottles in his structures as those bottles at that time still had a deposit refund when returned.

When he was 66 years old he began construction of his first bottle house, a six gabled house composed of nearly 12,000 bottles.  This interesting arrangement of glass bottles measures 20′ by 14′  and is in three sections.  Carefully cementing 300-400 bottles per row, Mr Arsenault used bag after bag of cement as he carefully arranged the beautiful patterns. Everywhere you experience the serenity and beauty of the flowers he enjoyed.

The second house, a tavern, was constructed in a hexagon shape. Built in 1982 this is a much smaller house using 8,000 bottles. The pillar of bottles, viewed through this open door, stands near the bottle bar. This bottle cylinder is the only original part actually constructed by Edouard. Originally this building was used to house the souvenirs and special bottles that he did not want to be part of the structures. Today you will find here his personal collection of bottles that he felt had extra special features.

The chapel was the third and last building completed before his death.  It is a real work of art. Approximately 10,000 bottles form the chapel, complete with pews and altar. It was situated so that sunset streams in behind the altar giving a feeling of peace to those who visit.

Due to the terrible winters on Prince Edward Island, it was necessary to reconstruct these buildings in the late 1990s.  The same bottles were used in the original design.  The roof and center of the tavern are the only two that are almost completely the original structure.

A beautiful Acadian garden path meanders through the houses and ends up at the present gift shop.  Here you can find many locally made gifts as well as Prince Edward Island souvenirs.

These beautiful Bottle Houses are a real inspiration of what can be done with recycled products in our environment… and a lot of creativity.  Plus, they reflect beauty from every angle!

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Canada, Gardens, Museums, Uncategorized

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What the Wind Picked Up

May 2, 2011

The wind was picking up as Angela hurried from her car at Bryce Canyon.  She threw on her backpack, picked up a walking stick, and headed to take a closer look at the Hoodoos near the Queen’s Garden.

While the wind was whirling the fog down in the canyon, she noticed the same man who had tried to start up a conversation with her yesterday at Zion. Angela kept on enjoying the scenery with one eye, while keeping one eye on the stranger.

Strolling down rough paths among the hoodoos was a great adventure. These tall rock columns ranged in size from a human to a ten story building. The Paiute Indians called these colorful hoodoos “Legend People,” who had been turned into stone as punishment for evil deeds.

The enchanting hoodoos cast their spell on Angela, temporarily causing her to forget about the mysterious stranger. A glance showed him following!  Was it a coincidence they were on the same path?

While rounding another hoodoo, the man spoke to her. “Hello, please stop so we can talk.  I believe I know you.”

Angela continued down the path hoping to see some other hikers. Unfortunately, on this cold, windy day there was no one in sight.

Now Angela was not the fastest hiker as she had a very heavy backpack. Before long the stranger caught up to her and blocked her path. What could she do? This called for a backup plan that she only used in an emergency.

Her backpack was actually jet powered.  With one turn of the knob, Angela went straight up and away from her pursuer.  Wow that was a close call, she thought.  However, she didn’t notice the stone arm extending from the hoodoo, which caught her jet pack and knocked her to the ground.

Angela was getting up slowly from the ledge where she landed and with dismay saw the stranger moving quickly her direction.

“Finally,” he said, “I have caught up with you.  My name is Jack Windt.  I have been following you for a few days just to get a chance to talk to you.  For years I have been trying to find my sister who left home when she was fifteen. No one has seen her for five years and you look just like her.  I had to see if you were my sister!”

“Oh, my,” remarked Angela. “I am not your sister but she must be very special.”

“Yes, she is my only sister and our Mother is very sick. Mom was hoping I could locate her and bring her back home.”

“Maybe I can help you.  I am a private investigator and have access to many police computer records.  Guess the wind picked up another interesting case for me.  Time to start searching.”

And that is exactly what she did!

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Travel Tale, Uncategorized, Utah

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World of the Giant Redwoods

April 28, 2011

Magnificent! On my first trip to Northern California’s Redwood National Forest, could find no words to describe this magical world of  towering redwood trees. Their size and power created a state of awe and silence.  This is the place to find most of the giant redwood trees remaining in the United States, including trees that are several stories taller than the Statue of Liberty. Located along the Pacific Coast, this mist-laden forest produces the tallest trees in the world.

Just to demonstrate their massive size, they have three redwoods that you can actually drive your car through.  This was a great experience, and hopped out to take a picture of my car inside Shrine Tree near Myers Flat in the Humboldt  Redwoods State Park. A small fee is charged for driving through the tree as it was privately owned, but it was worth it. For safety sake, the tree is anchored with steel cables even though no movement has been noted. These drive thru trees were an early way to draw attention to the giant redwoods and attract tourists their way.  Today the practice of cutting tunnels through new trees is basically frowned upon by environmentalists so the present tunnels are being cared for tenaciously. There is also a great little gift shop  inside another redwood tree. Many gifts were handcarved items using the available redwood, which is very hard to carve as it splits easily. Purchased a six inch tall redwood bear while stopping there. 

Nearby there was a fallen log that was wide enough to drive your car over. This log was cut in 1900 and weighed approximately a hundred tons with length of 40′ and width of 8 1/2′.  Have to try all these things because the size of the trees is just so amazing. Another surprising thing is the beautiful scent of the forest. Again, you have to be there to fully understand. “Seeing is believing.”

Back to the Avenue of the Giants, stopped by Founders Grove with a 350′ tree. You look up and up , but never see the sky it seems. These redwoods grow upwards straight as an arrow and their bark at ground level is also exceptional. The road is hilly and windy but you really don’t mind as you have spectacular views on all sides and upward.  The Dyerville Giant was 370′ when it fell, 200 feet taller than Niagara Falls. This Giant weighed over a million pounds.  Overwhelming!

Without a doubt, in my travels this is the most breathtaking work of Mother Nature in the United States as words can not describe, nor can pictures show, the feeling of standing amongst these giants.  Return visit? Definitely!

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California, National Parks, Uncategorized

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Yellowstone Park Erupts

April 22, 2011

Old Faithful is the biggest, regular geyser at Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park.  It erupts every 70-120 minutes for 1-5 minutes. This cone geyser can throw up to 8,400 gallons of boiling water into the air 90-180 feet high in a single eruption. The benches around the geyser are 300 feet away but you can still feel the spray and even get wet if the wind happens to be blowing your direction. The platform here is constructed from approximately three million recycled plastic milk jugs.  Another great viewing point is Geyser Hill.

An elevated boardwalk, the Geyser Hill Loop Trail, is a splendid way to view many smaller geysers and hydrothermal pools as well.  It is an easy walk, just over a mile, and you can enjoy feeling part of a volcanic field as you journey through this unusual landscape. This is a strange, new exciting world. Some places there is a railing along the plastic boardwalk, but other times you walk carefully over the bubbling pools.

The Old Faithful Indicator of when the next eruption will occur is best based on the size of the crowd around the geyser.  As soon as it erupts, everyone leaves.  As the predicted eruption time gets closer, the crowd gathers sometimes making it impossible to even find an empty bench.  But still it erupts when it is ready!

For about twenty minutes before it erupts, Old Faithful will bubble and shoot up small streams of water.  Just teasing the crowd it would seem. But the crowd is patient with cameras ready for action.  Old Faithful was given its name by the Washburn Expedition in 1870 as they were amazed at the regularity of its spewing boiling water and steam to such great heights. So you can see it has been a crowd pleaser for many years. 

The park is filled with volcanic activity.  Makes you wonder if this sleeping giant of a volcano, named Yellowstone Park, could possibly be in major upheaval someday soon. You feel like you are walking on dangerous territory.  Things here are constantly changing so repeat trips can be as interesting as the first. You can be sure that Old Faithful will still be quite the attraction.

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National Parks, Uncategorized, Wyoming

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Utah the Honey Bee State

April 17, 2011

Deseret was the name of the first Mormon settlement in Utah.  Its name is from the Book of Mormon, meaning ‘land of the honey bee’.  This territory extended between the Sierra Nevadas and the Rocky Mountains, covering a vast area in Utah. The Mormons were on a mission from God, attempting to create a model society in this new wilderness.

Four days after arriving in Salt Lake City, building began on the magnificent Salt Lake Temple, which took forty years to build.  This Mormon Temple is the centerpiece of the city and an easy icon to spot as you walk the streets of the city.

Close by on Temple Square is the Mormon Tabernacle where the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs at selected times during the year.  We have timed our stay to include a Sunday morning performance of the choir.  They give us a short introduction to the astounding acoustic construction that gives the organ and choir such a unique sound. They demonstrated that even dropping a pin in the pulpit could be heard throughout the auditorium due to the fantastic acoustics.  And it worked!

Adding to the sound and beauty of the choir is the 11,623- pipe Tabernacle organ, whose golden pipes are hand carved from Utah lumber. This is one of the most elaborate organs in the world.  The combination of organ and choir were magnificent entertainment.  Of course, you couldn’t leave without wanting to buy a CD for future listening.

Touring the Utah State Capitol building here, you are able to see the unique art, architecture, and history of the building.  The beautiful domed rotunda with bronze sculpture groups delights the eye inside, while outside the flower gardens are exquisite.

This city was laid out with the widest streets imaginable and shows a lot of foresight on the developers’ part back in the late 1800s.  From the steps of the Capitol building, you get a beautiful view of downtown Salt Lake City.

Eagle Gate, where a 4,000 pound Eagle is perched atop a beehive,  stretches across the wide street. Originally built in 1859, the gate has been moved as the city developed but was originally the gate leading to Brigham Young’s farmland.

Another historic spot downtown is the Bee Hive House, which was the Salt Lake City home of Brigham Young.  Built in 1854 with a beehive on top as a symbol of productivity and diligence. it is the older of Young’s two local residences.  Here you can see how Brigham Young and his family lived at that time. Young had numerous wives and children, being considered the most famous polygamist of the Latter Day Saints Church.  The Brigham Young Monument downtown Salt Lake City, at the corner of Temple and Main Streets, provides a beautiful picture with the famous Mormon Temple in the background. Most of the cities landmarks have a connection to the religious beliefs of the founding fathers.

The experience at the North Visitors Center was one of the highlights of the trip to Salt Lake City.  As you walked up a spiral staircase inside the building, you were greeted at the top by an 11 ft figure of Jesus with welcoming arms outstretched to greet you.  What a very breathtaking surprise!

Everywhere you can see the hand of the Mormon Church is still very active in this area with friendly faces at every stop along the way.  This is a pleasant spot to relax and enjoy the tranquility.

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Uncategorized, Utah

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Mormon Settlement in Utah

March 15, 2011

Pioneer State Trail Park is located in beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah.  Part of the park is designated as Old Deseret Village and it is here you will find the old Forest Farmhouse of Brigham Young where he had a dairy and experiment farm.  This old house is said to be haunted with the spirits of those who lived there long ago. Built in the late 1800s, this two story house with a wrap around porch, even had a ballroom on the second floor.

Often you will find people dressed in period costumes explaining and sharing the stories of those early days at the farm.  There is even a stagecoach ride pulled by a beautiful team of horses and driven by a real cowboy.

During the ride you will pass the bowery a thatched roofed, open-air structure.  This was a replica of the shelters used by the pioneers for protection of early Saints while attending church or other functions on Temple Square. This was the place to meet while they were building the tabernacle.

When the Spirits let by Brigham Young crossed the Wasatch Range of the Rockies through the mouth of Emigration Canyon, they gazed at the New Zion, soon to become Salt Lake City.  It is recorded that Young said, “This is the right place.”  One woman who walked barefoot from Illinois every step of the way, put on the slippers she had carried the entire trek so she could enter Zion with dignity. At this spot they built a This is the Place Monument, a white stone obelisk, honoring the 1847 settlement.

On the 100th anniversary, a new and large monument was erected just down the hill from the original spot. This new monument was designed by the grandson of Brigham Young, sculptor, Mahonri M Young. There are twenty four individuals on the new monument honoring the leaders who settled the Salt Lake Valley. The figures stop the central portion are Brigham Young in the center,  Heber Kimball, and Wilford Woodruff, all prominent leaders in the early days of the Mormon Church.

Utah is beautiful country with mountains and deserts to explore.  Utah is definitely the place to explore and enjoy the history of those early Mormons ,as well as the beautiful red rock structures throughout the state.

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Uncategorized, Utah

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Fall in Love with the Cambridge Lions Club

February 24, 2011

Hear Those Lions Roar!  The 38th Annual Music and Comedy Show will be held at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Cambridge, OH on March 24, 25, and 26.  This is a fun filled show for the entire family to enjoy. Show time is 7:30 but you will probably need to get your tickets in advance as some evenings do get sold out.

The theme this year is “Fall in Love with the Cambridge Lions ” and the show is filled with love songs.  The background chorus is filled with local Lions Club members as well as others in the community who just enjoy singing and having fun. They are joined by a talented Lions Music & Comedy Show Band, who add a great sound to the evening.

Not only is this a night of fun and laughter, but there are some beautiful solos and quartets that take you back to reminisce about that love of long ago.  It is amazing  how much talent exists in the small town of Cambridge.  From vocal to instrumental, there is definitely music in the air.

The club’s slogan is “We Are Knights for Sight.” One of the great things about the evening is that all the proceeds go to the  Cambridge Lions Club projects dealing with improving vision internationally.  Their Sight First Program focuses on fighting blindness around the world.

Locally, they provide eye exams and eye glasses to low-income families and school children of Guernsey County.  This last year they purchased over 100 pair of eyeglasses.  At their events, they have a barrel  where you can drop off old, no longer used eyeglasses.  The glasses are then recycled and used in regions all over the world.

Since diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, they support the South Eastern Ohio Regional Medical Center’s Diabetic Support Group.  The Lions Club assists in providing educational material and medical supplies to the area with help from this group.

Get your tickets for a night of fun entertainment with lots of comedy routines as well as great musical variety.  Tickets are reasonable at $8 for Thursday evening, which is usually Senior Citizen Night, and $10 for Friday and Saturday evenings.  All shows begin at 7:30.

Rest assured that the price of admission will bring you lots of enjoyment and will help many with vision problems in our area and around the world. Come on out and Hear Those Lions Roar!

Category:

Cambridge, Music, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Opole, Philharmonic of Poland

February 19, 2011

Always a delight to sit back and listen to the sounds of a fantastic orchestra.  Thanks to the Cambridge Concert Association’s reciprocity with the Zanesville Concert Association, this evening was possible for classical music enthusiasts.

Opole, Philharmonic of Poland filled the stage of Secrest Auditorium with ninety members.  All were talented musicians on their first transcontinental tour of the United States.  They arrived in three tour buses with a large semi to carry all their precious instruments.

This group traces their beginnings to 1947, shortly after WWII.  Opole is the permanent home for the Orchestra in Poland in this beautiful Performing Arts Center built in 1952. Opole was originally a Slavic settlement but passed to Poland in 1945.

They performed a Vienna Gala featuring light Viennese classics composed by Johann Strauss, Johann Strauss, Jr., and Fraz Lehar. There was an enjoyable mix of orchestral, vocal, and violin music that included waltzes, arias, and even polkas.  What a fantastic collection of outstanding musicians!

Soprano Izabela Matula is the star soloist and has so many prestigious awards that they would fill pages.  Her most recent first place award was at the International Vocal Competition at the Oper Schloss Laubach.  She was the sole performer chosen to represent Poland in the recent BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.

Music Director and Conductor, Boguislaw Dawidow is internationally renowned for his musical knowledge and extraordinary stage presence.  He has conducted leading Orchestras all over the world.  Maestro Dawidow was resident conductor of the Polish Chamber Orchestra as well as Principal COnductor of teh Russian National Acadmic Symphony Orchestra.

In 2002, the American Biographical Institute in New York bestowed Maestro Dawison with the title “Man of the Year,” due to his musical accomplishments on both sides of the Atlantic and well-beyond.  He brought immense enthusiasm to the stage and even brought some laughter from the audience.

This was an enjoyable evening and the concert association should be commended for their excellent selection of music for the community to enjoy.

Category:

Music, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Cambridge Concert Association Presents Michael Sonata

February 5, 2011

One of the best entertainment values for your dollar can be found in Cambridge, Ohio through the Cambridge Concert Association.  For Senior Citizens, it is a real bargain at $25 per year.  This includes four concerts at our home theater, Scottish Rite Auditorium, plus four reciprocating concerts at each of three other locations: Zanesville, Lancaster, and Alliance.  What a deal!

These concerts are varied and appeal to many types of music lovers varying from classical music to vocal and dance.  Usually at least once a year, an old favorite will appear such as recent appearances by the Osmonds and Tony Orlando.

One recent concert was given by Michael Sonata, who does a very life-like presentation of Frank Sinatra, “Ol’ Blue Eyes.”  He played to a full house and the crowd loved him.  Michael is from Canton, OH and graduated from University of Notre Dame as well as earning his masters degree from Kent State University.

Auditioning for a role in a local murder-mystery, The Contraltos,  Michael developed his entertaining  re-creation of Sinatra’s music and unique style of singing. He does such a meticulous job of matching his voice as well as his movements to those of Sinatra that several people said they couldn’t tell the difference, especially if they closed their eyes.

Over the years, he has expanded by including different Sinatra moods: young innocence of The Columbia years, swinging revival of The Capitol years, and confidence of the Chairman during the Reprise years.   He now uses over 90 songs that Sinatra has recorded and constantly adds new ones to his repertoire.

Backed up by a great 12 piece band, there was lots of variety along with some excellent instrumental solos by different sections of the band. Included were such hits as: “Stranger in the Night,” “My Way,” and “Night and Day.”

Cambridge was indeed fortunate to have the “Ol’ Blue Eyes” experience through the presence of Michael Sonata, one of the most sought after Frank Sinatra tribute artists in the country.

Join the Cambridge Concert Association at any of their programs as they are always enjoyable and filled with a variety of musical styles that are sure to satisfy music lovers in the area.  Concerts are sponsored in part by the Ohio Arts Council and Pennsylvania Arts on Tour.

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Cambridge, Music, Ohio, Uncategorized

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Sitka’s Russian Heritage

February 2, 2011

As you travel through the streets of Sitka, you will notice the Russian influence as it traveled to the shores of North America many years ago.  This was the Russian capital of Alaska in 1808 and the Cathedral of St Michaels, a Russian Orthodox church, was built there in 1848. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1966  but many of the religious relics were saved and can be seen, including gold crowns, chalices, books, and vestments.

Sitka was the site of the ceremony where the Russian flag was lowered and the US flag was raised after US purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. That purchase was called Seward’s Folly and was criticized at the time. At the price of two cents an acre, this acquisition turned out to be extremely rich in many natural resources including gas and oil.  The flag changing  ceremony is still held each year in Sitka on October 18, Alaska Day.

The Alaska Raptor Center is home for many injured bald eagles.  It is an education center that promotes understanding of the bald eagle as well as protecting the injured ones until they are ready for release back to the wild. Today they also had a large owl sitting in their office.  Good Morning America had filmed a segment here  regarding the injured raptors shortly before our visit.

Totem carvers were at work carefully putting finishing touches on their creations at Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska’s oldest national park.  Native Tlingit Haida Indian Tribes’ carvings began in the 1800s mainly as interior houseposts. Imagine these natives  carving beautiful pieces of history on a cold winter’s day.  Many of the poles here are replicas of totems that were first exhibited in the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair.  Some of the originals have been saved from deterioration and are exhibited in  Totem Hall at the park cener.

Russian Folk Dances performed by the New Archangel Dancers were another highlight of the visit.  Their mission is to promote the Russian heritage through sharing ethnic song and dance in traditional costume.  They have performed since the eighteenth century and are an all female dance troop performing both male and female roles.  In the early days, Sitka men didn’t find it appropriate to engage in dancing. Not a manly activity!  The audience thoroughly enjoy their performance.

After strolling through the streets of Sitka, it is time to head back to the ship.  Smaller local boats called tenders take passengers back to the cruise ship, which isn’t able to get close to shore at this point.   Along with souvenirs, many happy memories are carried aboard.

Category:

Alaska, Museums, National Parks, Uncategorized

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