Arrived on Kodiak Island via ferry on Saturday, May 5. Had camped at Homer and were ready to embark at 8 in the morning. Homer is a small town with a MacDonalds and a Wal-mart. The truck stopped at the beach. Warm bathrooms with flush toilets and hot water were available. Only thing ....you had to know well in advance of a bathroom performance of either kind because it took a trek to get there and there was no cover on the beach to do a "thing". Of course during the night I just had to do the thing beside the truck tire! Along the beach were small shops jst like the Popeye movie. None were open because the season had not yet started. Met a halibut fisher. He had just gutted and filleted a ... read more

UntitledBarbara Smatlanek A lone mallard duck sat at the edge of the sidewalk in this Scarborough neighbourhood. The creek that once was, has been encroached upon and made almost non-existant by ugly new houses built about two years ago. These houses obscure the sunrise and have no architectural saving graces. The duck was alone. No sign of a female. The only open body of water in the vicinity is a small artificial pond created by the ugly house developer. Perhaps a nest is to be found there. No fish live in the pond. Thankfully ducks do not eat fish; just green stuff like their distant relatives, the Canada Geese. These creatures too are in an area that used to have water and now has nothing but rock, gravel and parking lot. Yet the faithful fowl return ... read more

On Saturday, March 31, I went with friends to Niagara Falls and Buffalo. THe trip across the border was necessary to put my mind at ease. Did not want to be surprised by some passed sins popping up from the computer on April 30 when attempting to board the plane for Alaska. In Niagara Falls we walked to the giant ferris wheel and for a dollar a minute spent 10min in the heated gondola. This is not half as big as the Needle in London. Here in Niagara the wheel has 42 gondolas which seat 8 people comfortably. It cost $10 per person...children have a bit lower entrance fee. There is so much garbage and so many huge hotels that the feeling of the whole plachas changed. The main attraction used to be the Falls. ... read more

19 January 2007, Sudbury This is the place that one of the travel books suggested you pass right by ..... but..... give th place a chance! The Laurentian Shield is evident beneath a thin cover of lichen, moss and fern growth that has decomposed over the centuries into a thin layer of rich black topsoil .... the rocks are truly beautiful and one encounters a geology lesson at every turn. An art gallery, a university, a science centre, the nutrino centre, a myriad of lakes and rivers for fishing, hiking and skiiing trails, great snowmobiling when there is snow, great potato growing country, and the largest freshwater lake contained in city limits. Google Sudbury and read all about the greatness of the place. Went to school here ....have always loved the rocks. .... built my retirement ... read more

Hello Sam.... sorry could not figure out your email...... I copied the following from a spa advertisment. Ayurveda massage:This massage is part of the ayuveda medicine (from India), it focuses on stimulating the lymphactic system (this system helps to maintain the balance of the liquids in the blood, conserving protein and eliminating bacterias). This is a 30 min. Massage on the rest of your body. The ayurveda massage transfers energy to the body and helps eliminate unwanted toxins. Duration: 50-70 min depending on the person. When I was in Goa I went to Porvorim with the local bus, direction Mapusa. I got off the bus at a place called Ayush, House #851, Maisons Rethel, phone-2412138, opposite the State Bank of India and for Rs400 had the massage of my life. . If you want a great ... read more