One thing that holds true for many of our readers is that you don't like to stay put! Read through the exciting travel stories written by Downhome's readers and perhaps you'll be inspired to take a trip of your own!
Relaxing on the Giant's Boot
This picture was taken in Northern Ireland at the Giant's Causeway. This rock formation is referred to as the giant's boot based on an old Irish legend of two giants battling over the land.
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Aloha from Beautiful Hawaii!
We were fortunate to travel to Hawaii for our honeymoon and our silver wedding anniversary. We had planned on going again in December 2013, (for #35) but decided to go a year early. Here we are at the International Market Place in Honolulu. Trinkets, souvenirs and memories of all the fine people we met are priceless!
La Poile The right side of the bay is filled with houses, giving homes to about 85 people, but on the left, stands a lone house with boarded up windows. My grandparents house! It's where my mother and her four siblings grew up.
As a child, I remember it being a very active part of the community. That was the side of the bay where the steamer used to dock - the only way to get ... click to read moreThe right side of the bay is filled with houses, giving homes to about 85 people, but on the left, stands a lone house with boarded up windows. My grandparents house! It's where my mother and her four siblings grew up.
As a child, I remember it being a very active part of the community. That was the side of the bay where the steamer used to dock - the only way to get there. When it did come in, everyone went to meet it. There were foot paths all around to take you whereever you needed to go, as there weren't any cars. From the wharf, the path led to the top of the hill, branching out to the other houses and buildings. My uncle worked at the post office half way up the hill. My grandparents lived and had a shop at the top. There was also a church/school to the left. Amongst these buildings were a scattering of houses filled with families, about a half a dozen, except the one boarded up - that family had already moved on. On the left, across from the post office, was a path that led to the brook that was used for household water and playing. Further on were ponds, the swimming hole, and at the end was the Look Off. From there you could see fishermen making a living and the steamer when it came in.
I used to go there in the summers to visit when I was small. I remember, as it got dark, someone would take the big lantern down from a hook in the kitchen ceiling, light it, and hang it back up until bed time. The kitchen was where everyone gathered. I remember the coal sitting in the bucket by the stove, having a bath in the galvanized tub and using the same tub filled with water to play in outside, going to the brook to get water or getting the water from a hose that had water continually running from it! There was no running water in the house.
My grandparents moved when I was still a child. I went back to visit with my parents when I was a teenager. The Runner would do a return trip the same day. We didn't spend a long time there during that visit, but I did get a longer visit with my aunt Georgina about seven years ago.
Now the boat docks on the other side of the bay. That's where the shops, post office, school and church sit. Now you have to get a ride in a smaller boat to get to my grandparent's house on the other side. This was no problem; everyone has a boat it seemed and was willing to give you a lift. We had planned to spend the day visiting the old homestead; our hostess, Charlotte and Phil, dropped us off on their way berry picking.
The wharf is still there, filled with fishing gear, but the path leading up the hill is grown over now. It was a little tougher getting to the house, as bamboo grew where the gate used to be. It was just as I remembered. There was some furniture left there, the daybed, table and chairs, the stove, the wash stand, plus a few more odds and ends. A calendar on the wall said 1968.
While I was outside taking pictures, my aunt decided to light the stove, with wood this time, not coal. It was still in working order, even though it filled the house with lots of smoke. In the end we got our cup of tea!
We explored inside the house, which was in pretty good shape considering how long no one had lived there. After, we went outside and explored as much as the overgrowth would let us.
A few years before, the community had "Come Home Year," and the path to the Look Out was cleared. We decided to check it out. There was a lot of bog and dew, so it wasn't long before we were wet up to the knees and there were lots of flies to feed but the scenery was magnificent. We finally made it to the Look Out!
Split Rock was still there but no steamers coming or going and no fishermen filling the waters. We did see a few bakeapples but with nothing to put them in we had to leave them there except what was eaten.
After our traipse through the woods we were wet, tired and chewed up by the flies but it was worth every bite. The old daybed got used once again!
As the sun was getting lower in the sky we went back to the wharf to wait for our ride. An awesome, peaceful place with great hospitality! La Poile!
This fabulous museum is in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. It opened in May 2012. Mr. John Joslyn is owner/operator of the Titanic Museum (there's another one in Branson, Missouri). He also did a TV documentary and co-lead the $6 million expedition to the site of the sinking. It's a must see. Photo of Phyllis White, Winterland, NL, taken by her husband, George.
Phyllis White Winterland, NL
(3 rating, 1 votes)
Taking Downhome's Titanic to the Titanic Museum
This fabulous museum is in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. It opened in May 2012. Mr. John Joslyn is owner/operator of the Titanic Museum (there's another one in Branson, Missouri). He also did a TV documentary and co-lead the $6 million expedition to the site of the sinking. It's a must see. Photo of Phyllis White, Winterland, NL, taken by her husband, George.
Phyllis White Winterland, NL
(3 rating, 1 votes)
Taking Downhome's Titanic to the Titanic Museum
This fabulous museum is in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. It opened in May 2012. Mr. John Joslyn is owner/operator of the Titanic Museum (there's another one in Branson, Missouri). He also did a TV documentary and co-lead the $6 million expedition to the site of the sinking. It's a must see. Photo of Phyllis White, Winterland, NL, taken by her husband, George.
Phyllis White Winterland, NL
(4 rating, 1 votes)
Top of Whistler
We were recently in Jasper, Alberta visiting our daughter Laura and had these pictures taken (with our Downhome magazine) at the top of the Whistler Mountain, which is accessed by a ride up in a gondola operated by the Jasper Tramway Co. The mountain is over 7,000 feet high and offers an exceptional view of Jasper, lakes and mountains.
