Welcome To Ontario

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

 

(Thinking about changing the blog name to "How We Ate Our Way Through The Americas")

 

 

We took off from Toledo around 9 a.m. and head for the border.  In Detroit, we turned off at the exit just before the bridge to Windsor.   We found a great place to buy quesadillas with chorizo for $1.50 and a liquor store.  The liquor store was closed and as we turned away a car drove by and honked.  It was the owner and he asked us to give him a few minutes to open.  It was a pretty seedy part of town with many rundown and shuttered buildings including the YMCA.  Pretty bad when the YMCA closes!

We hopped back in the car and crossed the bridge.  There is a $10 toll before crossing and the woman was very nice.   We drove across the Ambassador Bridge taking pictures as we went.   As we came down off of the bridge there was a short line of about 10 cars in each lane.  We picked lane four and finished our quesadillas while we waited.

Our lane shut down for a change of personnel but it took only about five minutes.   We got up to the booth and the young woman was politely asked us our nationalities, asked to see our papers and if we had been to Canada before.  After answering she said she wished she was on a vacation for the summer, wished us a good stay and off we went.  No inspection.  We should have doubled up on wine.

We started out on the 401 E to London but after an hour and a half and a stop a service area we detoured down to the 3E.  Must more scenic, through the countryside and many small towns. It was a great drive and what we thought would be a precursor to our weekend.  

Arriving in Simcoe we found our way to Mike and Pat’s place.   They have a very cool house and tomorrow I will take some pics to show you why.  Residential neighborhood with a split-level house but the inside is a much different world.  Mike also has a huge collection of arrowheads and other pieces dating back 10,000 years which he has been digging from the sandy soil of Ontario for most of his life.  They have a beautiful backyard with a pool that makes me want to go home and do some gardening.  What?

 

 

Friday night we went out for dinner at Dover Cove and walked around on the pier.   Mike had shown me his best friend’s house down along the water at one point and before we knew it, we were sitting on Scott and Carma’s balcony overlooking the water.   We talked quite a bit and enjoyed some wine and cocktails before retiring and heading back home.  We sat out on the front lawn and continued the conversation until midnight.

Our friend Carma on the balcony offering us a nice beverage.

In the morning we fixed our usual Mexican breakfast.  I think we need to change the menu to something else but it was good.   We got going around 10:30 and headed out to Baccus Heritage Conservation Area in Port Rowan.  A wonderful park built on property owned by the Baccus family that has the original grist mill in operation for more than six generations.   Because it was the park’s opening weekend, there were tour guides in costume who gave tours of the cabins, school house, Baccus home and the grist mill. 

 

 

It was fascinating and the guides know their stuff.   The guide in the grist mill is also the curator for the conservation area.  Very well done, detailed and just fun to see.   We spent most of the day there and then took off for the beach.  Mike drove us down to Hastings Road where a devastating hurricane had taken place I think in 1956.  After,  we drove around the beach area.  The beach was packed with swimmers, kids, umbrellas, ice chests, it looks like a nice place to enjoy the beach. 

Lookin' good Señor Guerra!

 

Home bound we took a short nap, a swim in the pool with happy hour and then grilled some chicken served with a rice dish and salad.   We talked again all night and I think Mike and Pat want to come down to Mexico.  Today is the big game between Mexico and Holland and we will be watching it and making Sunday a lazy day.