Notre Dame Cathedral

Inside the beautiful cathedral of Notre Dame. Quite spectacular!
!

"Montreal ... The Walking City"

Montreal is very much a walking city. Beautiful architecture to gaze at ... such as the Cathedral. 

Beautiful Montreal

A recent visit to beautiful Montreal. Here walking through the old part of the city along charming cobble stone streets!

"Dad-isms"

Since today is Father's Day, I was reminiscing about my Dad who passed about 30 years ago.

 

He was a purebred New Englander, named Josiah Hazard Crooker, which is about as New England a name as you can get!

Dad had a lot of funny sayings - sort of like New England Speak.  Here are just a few:

   (1) Cowabunga - translates to today's OMG!  (corny)

   (2) He loved to mix words up like George Birthington's Wash Day! (definitely corny)

   (3) The one I use all the time now requires a little explanation - when dogs come up to greet each other they always go nose to back end on each other, so Dad's explanation to that was they were simply  "Checking License Plates"!  I love that one!  So descriptive - Checking License Plates! 

What dad-isms does or did your dad say?

Point Judith, Rhode Island

Just leaving Point Judith, RI on the ferry to Block Island, one of my favorite places in the world. These are some of the fishing boats bringing in their catch. One of the popular foods here are clam cakes. Ever had one? They are made like a golf ball size deep fried dough with chopped clams throughout.  Really good!

Last Full Day on East Coast

Just arriving at Block Island, Rhode Island via ferry ... my second boat trip of my vacation! Going to saver lobster salad on the porch of the National Hotel shown here.  Can't wait!

Sochi

Speaking of Sochi, USSR,

When Russia first opened their doors to tourists my college roommate and I went (early 70's). She spoke Russian and I knew German. We went with a British tour group. We stayed just off Red Square in Moscow, went to Leningrad (saw Rembrandt masterpieces in the Winter Palace), and went to Sochi.  At the time Sochi was a summer resort and a favorite of Khrushchev's. I remember being followed as Gayle and I walked between the English, German and Russian hotels at the resort. We swam in the Red Sea. Our group could not eat vegetables or go into greater Russia because they were having a cholera epidemic! In Red Square young people would secretively come up to you, hold out a handful of cheap medals and say "Cow-Goomy" (sp?), their word for chewing gum. We'd make a quick exchange and they would disappear into the crowds. Chewing gum, Bic pens, and bluejeans were the hot commodities for the younger set. There were severe repercussions if they were caught. Their parents could lose their jobs, be banned from the Communist Party, etc. Interesting times!