Posted on by Anne Sandler · 6 Comments

Trip’s end: Portland & St. John’s New Brunswick

It has certainly taken me longer to blog about this trip then the trip itself! So here we are at the end. Two things are true: (1) The port cities look very much alike. (2) You can’t take good photographs from a moving bus with dirty windows.

Portland. We walked this city to the point of exhaustion. It was fun, but we should have stopped for a snack or lunch. I loved the old buildings and noticed that the electric wiring was still above ground. I thought this added to the charm of the city. There were a few parks within walking distance. Here are some photos and captions.

This was one of the first buildings we saw. Yes it’s for sale. Made for a nice picture .
I liked the way the windows were framed.
Windows , reflections and architecture.
Notice the above street wiring.
Just a nice street scene.
Wedgwood looking windows.
Oh, you know how I love red!
Red doors on this church.
A war memorial.
I love these old buildings.

St. John’s New Brunswick. While the “Hop on and Hop Off Busses give a great overall tour, it’s difficult to take pictures. Most places didn’t warrant getting off.

The tour bus guide told us our ship was across the bridge.
The Reversing Rapids, are rapids that are created as the high tides of the Bay of Fundy collide with the Saint John River in a rocky gorge in Saint John, New Brunswick.
I did get out of the bus for this one.
Another decaying structure.
Street with a church at the end.
Closer look at the church.
The only synagogue.

So, this is the end of my trip. I had a great time. I loved the ship’s food and was careful not to eat too much. I would have liked to go further into the cities, but there’s not much you can do in one day and a limited amount of energy. Would I do it again? YES!!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 12 Comments

On to Boston: The USS Constitution

I fell in love with USS Constitution during our visit in to Boston in 2013. And the total experience was different from our visit during my recent New England trip. In 2013 there were Navy personnel to take us on a guided tour. You had to sign up, wait your turn, I remember the tours were timed so the ship wasn’t crowded. “Old Ironsides,” the ship’s nickname given when she was launched in 1797, was also not sectioned off at the dock so we could have the full advantage of taking amazing photos.

This ship has an amazing history which you can read here.

Today, the ship is open to all. There are no public tours, at least when we were there. And from a photographic point of view, people were everywhere. But she is still an amazing ship with a great history. Here are the first photos I took from the top deck.

Although I am complaining about people, I managed to isolate myself by taking closeups. Here’s what the decks below looked like. The crew slept in hammocks while the officers had better accommodations.

The hammocks are stowed in the back.
The Captain’s Office
The Captain’s quarters

Back on top, I tried to get some different images.

The Museum
Dry Dock

The Constitution is still in commission, is still sea worthy, and her crew of 75 officers and sailors participate in ceremonies, educational programs, and special events while keeping her open to visitors year round and providing free tours. The officers and crew are all active-duty Navy personnel, and the assignment is considered to be special duty. What a testament to the United States history.

There will be more of Boston in my next post.

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 6 Comments

New England Trip: Staunton & Lexington, Virginia

This was my request. I asked to visit a small town, much like Sutter Creek near me. So off we drove to Staunton (pronounced Stanton) and Lexington. These two towns were quaint and different. The difference was in the age and ornamental qualities of the buildings.

Let’s visit Staunton first. We stopped at a street that was blocked off to traffic.

Top row: An employee setting up an outdoor smoking area for a smoke shop. A wooden Indian sculpture inside the shop. Instruments made from cigar boxes.

Second row: People enjoying outdoor dining.

Third row: A cute store and a theatre.

Still in Staunton, some interesting buildings.

The Augusta County Courthouse
Yikes! A giant praying mantis!

In Lexington, we took a horse drawn carriage ride. It was great, but made photography difficult. Our guide apologized for not being able to stop because it would get her off schedule.

I mostly rested in Alexandria, Virginia. So our next stop will be Boston! Stay tuned.