Wednesday, August 29, 2012

North West Ontario Drive - Dorset, then Home!

The final stop of our long drive to North West Ontario and back ended in Dorset, Ontario for a final visit before heading home.  Our friend's beautiful home has a large bay window that faces Otter Lake.  Rich spent several days parked on her retro-styled red chair admiring the view.  Dorset is a pretty little harbour town whose downtown seems to be just a few blocks but hosts two competing ice cream parlours both selling Kawartha Diary products.

Our drive home from English Island was stormy and rained so hard that we had to pull over twice because we couldn't see.  After 7 days of lack of connectivity on the Island, I was looking forward to being on the internet again.  But this inclement weather seemed to proceed us to each stop on the way home and for the next 3 nights, we were told that the storm had knocked out the internet service at our motel .. and sometimes even the cable, so no Olympics.  The final straw was when we reached Sudbury and found that the motel we had booked had lost power all together.  We felt like we were the kiss of death weather-wise.
 
After 3+ weeks and 4600km of driving (or in my case, overdosing on coffee in order not to fall asleep as the passenger and miss the great views), it's so good to be home.   Hello king-sized bed! Hello computer and stable internet service!  Hello big bathtub! I've missed you all so much and I'll never leave you again!!! ... until the next trip :)

Eating Our Way Through North West Ontario

There were two main themes to eating on our road trip  - local white fish, especially pickerel, and for Rich - the search for the best butter tart.

The best fish dinners were the ones on English Island where the mighty English family fishermen and women caught the pickerel from the falls that morning.  Not only did this assure us the freshest of fish, but there is also some pride and satisfaction from eating the fish that we caught ourselves.


Since there was no guarantee that we would catch any fish at the island, Rich and I hedged our bets by eating local fish en route, settling for white fish but looking for pickerel or walleye as some places call it. The best pickerel turned out to be a small roadside stand called K.A. Foods in tiny Spanish, Ontario that we found on the way up to Sioux Lookout.  Thick chunks of sweet fish were lightly coated in a delicious breading.  It was so good that we tried to stop by again on the way back to have some more and rushed to get there before the stand closed for the day.  We made it in time but were disappointed to find they had run out of fish for the day!!  We found a different stand closer to Sudbury but the thin, dry, overcooked fillets just did not measure up.

A distant second (but at least it was pickerel) was to be found in the much fancier and pricier Riverside Inn restaurant in Dryden, Ontario.  Two large fillets were also breaded and served with roast potatoes and grilled vegetables.  Part of the disappointment in Dryden stemmed from the stories Rich told of the "mound" of fish he was served on a past trip.  Since then, the mound has been reduced to the two fillets - still plenty to eat, but it's all in the setting of expectations.

When we couldn't find pickerel, we ate local Ontario white fish instead.  The best meal was the battered white fish chunks in South Baymouth's Island Fish & Chips.  They look like they would be heavy and greasy but this not the case at all.  Instead the thin layer of flavourful batter covered flakey chunks of fish that were nicely complemented by crispy homemade potato chips.  This was also where Rich found the best butter tart of the trip.

Coming in close second was the fish sandwich in Tobermory from Sharky's Grill that came with a refreshing salad cranberry coleslaw salad instead of fries.  In addition to the filet of breaded fish, the sandwich was garnished with tomato, cucumber, red onion and mayo.  Also very good were the white fish chunks from Vierling's Restaurant in Marquette Michigan that served crisply battered fish strips with a delicious homemade tartar sauce.

After multiple consecutive days of eating fish, sometimes several times per day, we were finally sated by the time we reached Thunder Bay.  That night we really enjoyed our caesar salad, steak with peppercorn sauce, grilled veggies and garlic mashed potato from The Keg.

For breakfast the next day, Rich went to a Finnish restaurant called Hoto which has been in business since 1918 and used to cater to Finnish loggers.  They specialized in thin pancakes that were closer to crepes.  Served with a poached egg, bacon and sausage, this heart attack breakfast was more than I could face, so I stayed in the motel and ate leftovers from my Keg dinner.  Some of the local clientele spoke Finnish at Hotos and both the wait staff and customers were extremely friendly and chatty.  A big weigh scale is positioned at the exit so you can evaluate what the damage was from the meal!


In the little community of Wabigoon, Ontario, we experienced some authentic Native Indian cuisine at the Short Stop.  We had a cheese burger made with Indian pan-fried bannock bread for the bun and possibly buffalo for the meat. We also ordered an Indian taco, expecting it to be the same size as the tacos we get in Toronto.  This one filled a huge styrofoam container and consisted of ground meat, shredded cheese, tomato, green pepper, onion, olives on a large taco shell.  Served with sour cream and salsa, it was more like a large serving of natchos without the chips.  For dessert we bought a butter tart (what else!) that ranked quite highly as well as a slice of wild blueberry pie.

Everything from the decor to the waitress to the patrons sitting in the restaurant was a testament to the authenticity of the meal we were going to eat.  This was the real deal, compared to what is being served at the Bannock restaurant in Toronto, which has more of a western spin.

In Marathon, Ontario, the dining options were extremely limited.  Our online research had pointed us to one restaurant, but when we arrived the place was empty - usually not a good sign.  However the parking lot of the Chinese restaurant next door was packed.  Although I've always sworn not to eat "Canadian Chinese food",  we didn't have much choice.  As expected, our curry chicken & vegetables and noodle dish were mediocre at best and our calamari (a risky choice) was tough and overcooked.  Too bad we had not discovered the town of Rossport with the white fish dinner until the next day.

Of all the "value" motels in the many small towns which we stayed at on this driving trip, the Super 8 in Fort Frances, Ontario really stood out.  In addition to the standard free WIFI, it provided a guest computer for those without, featured a swimming pool and coin operated washer/dryers (which was a godsend for us after being on the road for 2 weeks).  For breakfast, there was French Vanilla coffee, cereals, fruit, yogurt, toast and a waffle griddle and batter dispenser that made fresh hot waffles.

In addition to lots of white fish, we had two other memorable dining experiences in Marquette, Michigan.  First was the "pasty" which weighs about a pound and is made with thick pastry dough containing various fillings.  The signature pasty at Jean Kay Pasties includes steak with or without rutabagas.  Apparently this question is so popular that "With or Without" shows up on souvenir T-Shirts.  The other option is the veggie pasty containing broccoli, cauliflower, celery, onions, green peppers, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, rutabagas (no option), cheddar cheese and cream cheese.

Still in Marquette, Babycakes Muffins Shop make the juiciest, most flavourful fruit muffins that I've ever tasted.  The large moist muffins have a nice crunchy top as do most muffins, but when you dig into the body, you meet a delicious explosion of fruit with just the right mix of sweet vs tartness to make it interesting.  We went back for these two days in a row.


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

English Island 2012

 This year's visit to the English island camp on Lake Minitaki was extra special because we were finally able to align our vacation with other family members.  In total, 8 of us plus a puppy made it to the island at the same time.  This made for good company, lots of laughs and amazing meals.  Unlike last year, the water levels were high enough to go fishing, which resulted in several breaded pickerel feasts accompanied with wild rice or potato and grilled veggies.  On non fish days, we dined on steaks or pasta with italian sausage with fresh Ontario corn grilled on the BBQ and an assortment of salads such as German potato salad, warm mushroom salad with dijon vinagrette, green bean and mandarin orange salad with candied pecans.  Not bad for supposedly roughing it in the woods!

 Happy days were spent fishing at the falls, visits to the nearby beach, swimming, reading, knitting, playing board games or just chilling by the rocks or on the deck.  At night we played "family team euchre" with two people collaborating to play each of the four hands.   This made for very interesting team dynamics.

The scenery was gorgeous as usual with beautiful sunsets and moon rises.  Over the years, the family has amassed a huge array of sunset photos looking out from the island.

This year there was an unusually varied number of wildlife sightings, mostly by the rest of the family before Rich and I arrived.  As usual we saw multiple loons gliding and diving in the lake and bald eagles soaring up above.  But there were also bears roaming around the Sioux Lookout trash dump waiting their next snack to be delivered.  In the reeds en route to the falls, a moose and baby calf were spotted.  And the rarest as well as the scariest sighting of all was a fairly large lynx swimming between two islands.  Our family members were in the motor boat when they saw what they thought was a beaver heading towards shore.  When it got out and turned to stare them down, they realized it was actually a very wet and menacing looking lynx. 

It was great spending time with our extended family on this peaceful, beautiful island.

Monday, August 27, 2012

North West Ontario Drive - Random Adventures

Driving along the north and south shores of Lake Superior, we visited many little towns and saw some interesting sights.

We stopped in Minnaki, Ontario to take a photo of the giant sheep sculpture as part of my "big things tour", but had some fun at the Egli's Sheep Farm / Wool and Sheepskin Shop as well.   The store carried a wide variety of wool products including sweaters, socks, hats and some beautiful rugs of Native design.  The sign in front advertised "onsite manufacturing" of their wares.  The whimsical handicapped parking spot portrayed the image of a sheep walking with a cane.

We did not spot any sheep in the animal park/sheep farm, but presumably they were in the back.  We did see a buffalo and donkey.  There was a children's play area with swings and slides and a cute white picket fence which an array of cardboard farm animals were peeking over.

In Wawa, Ontario, in addition to the famous giant Canada goose that is the town's mascot, the visitor's centre features multiple interesting displays.  Colourful totems are nicknamed "Gitchigoomies" after the Ojibwe Native American name for Lake Superior.  I first heard this term in passing while listening to Gordon Lightfoot's song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", but did not realize what it was referring to until I visited Wawa.  Muskoka chairs lined the terrace and coastline surrounding the visitor's centre.  Each chair was designed or decorated by a different artist.

Historic signs commemorated prominent figures such Al Turcott who was responsible for the erection of the initial Wawa goose.  Inside the visitor's centre, cardboard cutouts of geese hung from the rafters were decorated as advertisements for various local businesses.  Art work from Wawa artist Carol Ann Sanders of the Blue Eagle Gallery were also on display.

 There is a pull over on Highway 28 at Au Train Bay, Michigan where you can go down and access the shores of Lake Superior, to experience the crashing waves first hand.  We watched a man wade into the water only to be bowled over by the current.  On the rocks to the right of the bay is a now faded carving made in 1820 by a French trapper.  The carving is of the face of a young Chippewa brave named "Powers of the Air", who was the only survivor of a tragic and misguided battle against the Sioux Indians that resulted in wiping out the Chippewa tribe.

 The tiny community of Rossport, Ontario is inhabited by only 66 people.  We met one of them, a bored teenaged girl, waiting for visitors at the Rossport Museum.  The entire museum is hosted inside a caboose which is a freight train car attached to the rear of a train.  The caboose is used mainly for transporting crew and where they prepared meals and slept.  A small cot and cooking stove illustrate what the living conditions were like.  There was a description of the history of the caboose and the story of the invention of the cupola, the hole at the top that allows the conductor to stick his head out to see what's going on.

Also in the museum are photos and memorabilia documenting the history of Rossport.  Back in the 50s, there was a commercial fishing industry, as well as sports fishing tournaments that attracted boatloads of fishermen.  Rossport also had a women's baseball team whose uniform and photo reminded me of the movie "A League of Their Own".

Next to the museum is a quaint little souvenir shop called "Forget Me Not" that had a great sign on the door pointing to the "husband's waiting bench with scenic view" of the water.  Apparently many men have sat on that bench while their wives browsed the nicknacks inside.  It was amusing to consider that after meeting the shop owner, we now have encountered 3% of the entire population!  But despite the small size of Rossport whose "downtown" seems to span about a block, it hosts a relatively upscale restaurant and a very nice looking bed and breakfast inn. The Serendipity Gardens Cafe had white fish on the menu and a panoramic view of the Rossport Harbour.  We regretted not knowing about this picturesque village earlier or we would have stayed here overnight or at least planned to stop for a meal.

Terrace Bay, Ontario was another stop where we could have used more time to explore, had the weather been nicer and had it fit in our tight schedule.  Long stretches of sandy beach following the north shore of Lake Superior, water falls, hiking trails, wild flowers can all be found here.  We spotted people packing up from camping overnight on the beach.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Marquette - Yooperland and Lakenland Sculptures

In terms of searching for giant sculptures as part of our driving road trip, finding two unique attractions in Michigan, USA felt like hitting the jackpot.

Da Yoopers Tourist Trap located just outside of Ishpeming, Michigan, has a souvenir shop, a rock museum and an entire field full of weird, quirky displays.  The term "Yooper" refers to variation of English dialect of the people from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan which has Finnish influences, resulting in phrases like "I'm going mall" instead of "I'm going to the mall". The souvenir shop sells a small dictionary of Yooper phrases along with Yooper Tshirts/sweatshirts and other touristy memorabilia items.

In the field, one area is designated as a deer camp called "Camp Buck-n-Brew", featuring a role reversal where the deers were the hunters and the humans the game.  Another section specialized in "Yooper Innovations" such as a "Bicycle Built for Two Old Farts" which puts the riders on a "tandom-like" bicycle that is 5 bike lengths apart so the husband can't hear the wife nagging.

A humourous sign proclaims the Yooperland state bird to be the "Chiquito", a vicious creature that is a cross between a chicken and a mosquito which will attack for blood.  In typical Yooper-speak, you are advised that "in case of attack, trow da wife at 'um and run like hell!".

There seemed to be alot of bathroom humour, including a side by side "two-holer" outhouse for deers called the "Deer  Depository Station" and another "two-holer" that is stacked one above the other (pity the poor person on the bottom!).  You can sit on a chair next to an old-timer who is asking "Who Farted?".  "Da Yoopers Internet Travel Da Web Mileage Meter" measures the distance to various popular locations.

Throughout the grounds can be unusual sculptures made from found objects including a coyote-like creature whose body is a bright yellow oil barrow, a car sawed in half and converted into a love seat painted in the colours of the Finnish flag for a festival, a bird made from garden shears and a rake, and a man riding a bicycle with a giant wheel.

Located on Highway 28 about 15 miles east of Marquette, Michigan, Lakenenland Sculpture Park contains a vast collection of junkyard art, created from scrap iron by artist Tom Lakenland.  This delightfully whimsical park is open 7/24 and free to the public.  The numerous sculptures are positioned in the forest on either side of a path wide enough for a car to drive through.

The sculptures were so varied in style and content and so interesting that I had to get out of the car to take a closer look and started to walk between them to get better photos.  However they went on for so long that eventually I gave up and we drove the rest of the way.

Some of the works had a more serious or political theme, such as the 9-11 memorial, one depicting the American flag and the words "Economy/Jobs, Health Care, Education, Iraq, Taxes ...", a huge pink pig juxtaposition-ed against the tiny "Average American Worker 2004" who has been crapped upon by this "Genuine North American Corporate Greed Pig", and a tribute to the US Marines.

It was amazing to travel through the park and see all the different varieties of creative sculptures that have been lovingly created.  Given the size and scope of the collection, it is clear that the artist must really enjoy making them and sharing them with the public.

Lastly, I was extremely impressed and grateful for the makeshift outhouse that was made available in this isolated park in the middle of the highway.  It was a cute little wooden hut with an amazingly clean interior, a flush toilet, a homemade urinal and even hand sanitizer and hand cream.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Anatomy of Murder Walking Tour - Marquette, Ishpeming

One of the main claims to fame of Marquette, Michigan and its neighbouring community of Ishpeming is its association with the acclaimed 1959 movie Anatomy of Murder starring Jimmy Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara and George C. Scott.  A comprehensive self guided "Anatomy of Murder Walking Tour" takes you to relevant sites used while filming the movie.

The book from which the movie was developed was based on a real murder that happened in the nearby town of Big Bay and the author was the actual defense attorney from the resultant trial.  When an army lieutenant found out that his wife had been beaten and raped by a bar owner, he took off with a gun and killed the assailant.  This case was noted for one of the early pleas of not guilty by reason of temporary insanity.  The author/defense attorney, John D. Voelker (writing under the pseudonym Robert Traver) went on to become a Michigan supreme court judge.

One of the stops on the walking tour in Ishpeming was John Voelker's childhood home.  This was used as the location of the defense attorney's (played by Jimmy Stewart) law office.  A photo of Voelker standing in his office is printed on the walking tour brochure.

The Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library is the setting for a scene where Jimmy Stewart's character researches law precedences.  He leans over the railing from the second floor as he reviews actual law books which were shipped in from Northern Michigan College to set the stage.  It was thrilling to see those railings up close and image the scene.  The library has a rounded entrance way with majestic columns and a magnificent stain glass ceiling inside.

Still in Ishpeming, the Butler theatre on Main Street was one of the venues for the world premiere of the movie.  It's beautiful facade is still intact and there are plans to restore the interior as well.  Congress Pizza was frequented by Voelker who was a good friend of the owner, and currently houses a small museum of Voelker memorabilia.  Jack's Tee Pee Bar was originally called Nault's bar and provided the setting for the opening scene of the movie when Jimmy Stewart's character first learns about the murder.  Mather Inn provided accommodations for the cast during the filming of the movie.   Duke Ellington composed the musical score for the movie on the Inn's piano.

The courthouse used to film the trial scenes from Anatomy of a Murder is located in Marquette. The neo-classical styled Marquette County Courthouse was built in 1902 and was the location where the trial took place for the real murder that inspired the book and movie.   It is also known as the location where President Theodore Roosevelt won a libel suit against George Newett, the publisher of the Ishpeming newspaper, over an article that accused the president of "getting drunk .. and not that infrequently".   Towards the end of the trial, Newett retracted his claim and so Roosevelt withdrew his request for damages.  The Jury awarded Roosevelt 6 cents, the price of a newspaper.

Where Book World now stands in Marquette was the former location of the Nordic Theatre which held the world premiere of Anatomy of Murder simultaneously with the Butler Theatre in Ishpeming.  Before the premiere, many of the actors imprinted their hands and feet in wet cement blocks and autographed them.  Until recently, these slabs were installed as part of the sidewalk in front of the Nordic Theater/Book World.  They were removed to prevent deterioration and it is unknown whether they will be reinstalled.  Photos and a news article about the process are displayed in the Marquette County Courthouse.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Marquette, Michigan


Having traveled along the north shore of Lake Superior on our road trip through North-West Ontario, we decided to return home via the south shore by driving through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, stopping to spend two nights in Marquette, Michigan.

Marquette has plenty of beautiful old heritage buildings.  The City Hall, built in 1894, is made of red brick and sandstone, has intricate detailing reminiscent of Toronto's Old City Hall.  It includes classical Greek, Roman, French and Italian Renaissance influences.  The office building that used to be the Marquette County Savings Bank has a rounded turret with a clock tower at the top.  The former First National Bank and Trust Co is now occupied by Wells Fargo Bank.  This white limestone building with Romanesque columns has a gorgeous interior with high ceilings, marble walls and counters and bronze teller station grilles.  Too bad they did not allow photos of the interior.  The Victorian styled Hotel Janzen with a gabled tower that features a circular window and an open porch across the front, is now used as a half-way house. The Marquette visitor's bureau provides a glossy booklet that describes 49 historical buildings and sites and provides maps for several self guided walking tours.

 We stayed at the Landmark Inn, which was restored in 1982 to reflect the designs of the original 1930 Northland Hotel, including marble staircase, brass railings and chandeliers.  Famous guests of the original hotel included Amelia Earhart, Abbott and Costello, Louis Armstrong, and Jimmy Stewart while he filmed the movie "Anatomy of Murder".   The "Lilac" room on the 6th floor is reported to be haunted.  Luckily we had an uneventful stay on the 4th floor.

A stroll down Ridge Street provided a view of many huge, gorgeous grand old mansions with unique roofs, turrets and towers, porches and windows.

 Downtown Marquette has some interesting shops including Donkers Restaurant and Candy store which has old styled booths, stools and soda fountains.  It is located next to an old styled movie theatre that is currently being restored.   Bingo must be big in this area to warrant a store specializing in bingo supplies.  Harbour Square Farmers Market sells local cherry products including a delicious chocolate cherry sauce, jalopeno cherry salsa and tart cherry juice.  I liked the brightly painted bike racks in the shape of a bicycle with a forest scene imbedded in the back wheel.

Marquette has a pretty harbour and lakeshore with a road (appropriately named Lakeshore Boulevard) and bike path that hug the shores of Lake Superior, ending up at Presque Isle Park.  Prominently displayed overlooking the harbour is the old bronze fire bell that used to warn citizens of a fire up until the 1950s.   The WWII Silent Service memorial submarine sitting in a park by the Maritime Museum is a tribute to the captain who warned of the approach of Japanese battle fleet in time for US forces to defend the attack.

 An old abandoned ore dock sits in the waterfront at downtown Marquette.  It was replaced by a larger one that was built in Presque Isle Harbour, which is the shipping point for iron ore from the Marquette County mines.  Railway cars drive over the top of the dock and drop their loads of ore into containers below. Large lake freighter ships then sail up beside the dock to retrieve the ore for transportation.  It is considered a tourist attraction to watch this process take place, and the visitor's bureau keeps track of the schedules.  Unfortunately there was no ship scheduled to arrive on the day we were there.

Presque Isle Park is found at the northern tip of Marquette and is a lovely place for biking, walking, hiking through forest trails, or swimming on the various beaches.  A breakwater with a lighthouse at the end attempts to protect the shores from the huge waves that could develop during storms.  Although a delightful walk on a calm day, the breakwater could be dangerous in inclement weather, as attested by the shrine to two young men who drowned there after being swept away by the high waves.

We watched a play called "The Mouse That Roared" at the Lake Superior Theatre, which performs on a stage built in a working boat house.  We didn't realize when we bought the tickets that the actors were actually a part of children's theatre group who ranged from about age 13 down to possibly a 3 year-old playing the titular mouse.  This cute little girl roared with great aplomb!  Although we found it difficult to hear them at times since many of them spoke with what sounded like a youthful lisp, we were impressed by how many lines these children were able to memorize and deliver more or less flawlessly.  The staging was also quite professional, using drapery to hide and show different parts of the sets, and utilizing the overhead ramps and balconies of the boathouse very effectively.

Although we stayed 2 days in Marquette, there was so much to do and see that we easily could have remained another day.   I would have liked to rent bike and explore the bike trails, or spend a day on the beach.  This beautiful little city is worth a visit if you are anywhere in the area.