North America Travel

Burnaby Heritage Village: Ye Olde Fashioned Christmas

British Columbia, Canada

by Rick & Chris Millikan

Every December, Burnaby Heritage Village in Burnaby, B.C. Canada reopens for its heritage holiday schedule. Festively dressing up and entertaining guests with special activities, it’s an opportunity for visitors to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.

Entering this charming 1920’s village, families cross a bridge above a murmuring creek and step back to a simpler era. The narrow roadway curves upward between an old schoolhouse and a tiny cabin. Just below sits a high peaked church, where a children’s choir practices melodic carols.

Opening the door of Seaforth School we feel like new students as the plainly clad school-marm sternly teaches all grades, all subjects. Evidently she’s directed her class to adorn this one-room school with classic handmade decorations, making it very Christmassy!

A plaque posted on the two-room log home tells us that Tom Irving and Bob Moore first built this house near Burnaby Lake. Tom prospected in the Yukon and later helped build BC’s early tram line, represented nearby in a barn sheltering a beautifully restored 1923 interurban tramcar and model toy train diorama. Tom never married and died in 1964 at the age of 100. Like most of the thirty structures there, this cabin’s interior, dons early Christmas trimmings.

Red-ribbon bows and greenery decorates the corner bandstand and drapes over the village’s main street. Spotting Father Christmas, we follow him into the Village studio to snap a few photos of this Yuletide hero. The bewhiskered chap proudly tells us, “You’ll notice I’m not dressed in red and white like today’s chubby elf. Coca-Cola created him in their 1931 ad campaign. My long, brown fur-trimmed robe and cap represent apparel of that fourth-century gift giver and famed Turk, Saint Nicholas.”

Peering through Burnaby Lake General Store’s windows, we see a bygone wish list and examples of popular toys of that era. And outside the soda fountain, a brass band plays familiar Christmas melodies. Listeners mingle with still costumed Footlight Theatre Company performers, who’d just staged a children’s tale in the cozy Village Theater. Inside the soda fountain, we sip cups of mulled cider. Exiting later, we watch a clown perform mirthful magic in front of the old-fashioned Home Bakery.

Weaving in and out of shops, we check out paper lanterns in the Chinese herbalist shop, pick up seasonal bookmarks at the print shop and admire little Union Jack flags ornamenting the Royal Bank’s fir tree. At the end of Main Street, a one-room cabin is decorated as a gingerbread house; a costumed gingerbread gal skips mischievously about, posing with visitors of all ages.

Remaining on its original site at the other end of town, the Bateman family home is authentically furnished with 1922 décor. This December, their home depicts “The Night Before Christmas,” an old red sleigh sits on the verandah and a large toy mouse sleeps in its spacious living room. Their garage was converted a few years ago into a playhouse stocked with vintage toys for ageless girls and boys.

A popular family attraction is the festively decorated C. W. Parker 1912 Carousel. There’s not enough time to take a spin, or hear the costumed carolers serenading visitors each evening. But, before departing we pop into the Love farmhouse. Simple decorations hint at this home’s jolly winter gatherings. The tweedy-suited interpreter reports, “The Loves were Burnaby’s first landowners. Building in 1893, they added this kitchen and living room in 1911. These rooms were important for big Christmas get-togethers, when Grandpa took the train from Vancouver, bringing a turkey, goose and his fiddle…”

And long may these merry celebrations continue!

Full Day Best of Vancouver Private City Tour and Beer Tasting

If You Go:

It’s easy for visitors to find. For drivers: it’s just off Trans-Canada Highway 1 at Exit 33 and left on Canada Way for one block to its colorfully quaint entrance on Deer Lake Avenue. For public transit users: take Bus 144, 123, or 129.

Check out the Burnaby Village Museum website to learn about seasonal schedules, special events and programs.

Vancouver Craft Beer and Distillery Tour

About the authors:
Much-traveled freelance writer/photographer team, Chris and hubby Rick Millikan reside near Vancouver, BC. Former educators, they now present travel as an inviting ‘curriculum’, globe trotting in search of historic, cultural and zany adventures, their accounts appear in many BC Newspapers, local magazines, in-flight magazines and occasionally the Vancouver Sun or Province.

Photo credits:
All photos are by Rick and Chris Millikan.

Northwest Company Fur Post – A Step Back In Time

Pine City, Minnesota

by Ronald D. Kness

Located along the Snake River, one and a half miles west of present-day Pine City in northern Minnesota, sits a recreated 1804 wintering fur post of the Northwest Company. During the early 1800s, the Northwest Company was expanding its number of fur posts to keep ahead of its competition, the XY Company. Both were in fierce competition to acquire trapped furs from the local Native American Ojibwe tribes.

The man selected by the company to operate the fur post was John Sayer – a wintering partner of the Company. Sayer left Fort St. Louis (near modern day Superior, WI) in the fall of 1804 with eight voyageurs. Paddling down the Brule River, portaging over land to the St. Croix River then down river and finally up the Snake River, the eight èngages and Sayer reached Cross Lake.

Cross Lake was Sayer’s original choice for the post, but after conferring with local Ojibwe leaders, he decided to move it two miles up river. By the time they arrived at the new location, it was late in the fall and their focus was building a post in earnest before winter set in.Six weeks later the post was completed. While the voyageurs were building the post, Sayer was busily trading with the Ojibwe for surplus wild rice and selling items to trappers on credit – credits to be paid back to the company in the spring with furs.

Today, the post is re-created down to the minute detail looking like the original 1804 post, but to go back in time, we must first go forward through the new Visitor Center.

The Visitor Center, gift shop and exhibits opened in 2003. Inside, a 30-foot tall stone fireplace and a 24-foot birch canoe are centerpieces of the 10,400 square-foot building.

Once inside the exhibit room, we explore the exhibits showing the global economy of the fur trade back then, the work lives of those involved and the cross-cultural communication between the Ojibwe and fur traders required to establish and carry on the business of acquiring furs. Now having a better understanding of the fur trade business, we move outside and start down the trail toward the post. After a short walk, a large fence made from wooden poles comes into view. We enter through the two open large wooden gates.

Once inside the post, the prominent building is the reconstructed six-room row house, measuring 77 feet long by 18 feet wide. We learn from one of the period-costumed re-enactors that the wooden fence surrounding the row house is a palisade – a wall created from upright poles stuck in the ground, measuring 100 feet by 61 feet, with defensive bastions in the north and south corners.

The row house is divided into five sections. Starting at the far end, we enter the doorway to the company store. It is open and we browse through the items in the store and soon start to experience what it was like living at a fur post in the early 1800s. The storekeeper tells us the Ojibwe would trade furs in return for goods such as axes, beads, iron tools, kettles, wool blankets and other supplies they needed.

The next section is the office. It is here where Sayer worked and kept the post’s books for the company. Lying on the desk are the simple tools of his trade from that era – a quill pen, ink-well and a bound book used to record the transactions.

The remaining three areas are divided into two sleeping quarters and one living area. Each sleeping quarter has multiple beds stacked bunk-bed style and a small fireplace. Clothes are hung on the wall. The living/eating area is a room containing a hewn table with benches around it and a larger fireplace used for cooking. Re-enactors go about carrying out the daily duties of that era by keeping the post operating, preparing hides for use and shipment, preparing meals and blacksmithing.

Outside the palisade, a small group of Ojibwe has an tepee encampment set up where they go about the daily work of scraping, stretching and drying furs in preparation for trade with the post.

As I walk back toward the Visitor Center, smelling the wood smoke, hearing the crackling of the fire and listening to sound of the activity happening, both in the Ojibwe camp and the post, it is easy for my mind to step back in time and suddenly, for an instant, I’m there – in 1804.

Historic Northeast Minneapolis Food Tour

If You Go:

Snake River Fur Post
Minnesota Historical Society
Northwest Journal – A Year in the Life of a Canoe Brigade

The Northwest Fur Post is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society and it makes a great day-trip from the Minneapolis-St.Paul area. Admission: $8 adults, $6 senior citizens, and $4 children ages 6-17. Free for children under age 6. School and group tours by reservation.

The hours of operation are: SUMMER (May 1 through Labor Day) 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. FALL (The day after Labor Day through Oct 31) Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Phone: 320-629-6356

Location: 1.5 miles west of I-35 at exit 169 (Pine County Hwy. 7) near the town of Pine City, Minnesota

About the author:
Ron Kness is a travel writer/photographer with articles and photos published in various house publications, in-flight magazines and other media sources. Ron is keenly interested in the United States history from after the Revolutionary War through the Civil War.

All photos are by Ron Kness.

How I Became A Civil War Soldier

Joining the Civil War Adventure Camp, Petersburg, Virginia

by Sandra Scott

My husband John and I signed up for the Civil War Adventure Camp, part of the Pamplin Historical Park. I volunteered for the Army of the Potomac and John joined the Army of the Confederacy. Regardless of the visions of glory when enlisting, this quickly faded with the intensity of the training and experiencing the horror of war, albeit a ‘mock’ war.

Dressed in my blue Union uniform, I stood next to John in his Confederate gray and we were sworn is as privates. We were each issued a haversack, canteen, cartridge case, and cap case.

“Platoon Assemble,” barked the First Sergeant. “A sorry looking bunch of fresh fish if ‘er I saw one. Here is how you wear your uniform and equipment.”

We quickly learned the correct reply was, “Yes, Sir!”

Then he taught us the proper way to salute: “Palm out!”

Once we were somewhat presentable he instructed us in commands: “Form columns of companies!” “Count off!” “Dress right!” “Right face!” “Right Flank! March! One, Two!”

We managed to get into some kind of order and marched to our encampment where we were issued blankets and assigned our quarters. Fortunately, we didn’t have to build our houses and dig trenches like the real Civil War soldiers did.

The log and canvas quarters were surprisingly comfy after the drilling and marching: two bunk beds with foam mattresses and a little Franklin stove, which we would not need given the unseasonably warm weather. Before we had time to enjoy our accommodation we heard the familiar command: “Platoon assemble!”

Back in line we were issued wooden muskets to practice with. We learned the proper way to handle them in a variety of situations: at ease, for inspection, marching, and climbing over fences. First Sergeant Young taught us to “load in nine.” During the Civil War most of the southern soldiers were familiar with muskets and rifles but not the northern soldiers. Following the commands we positioned our musket at an angle by our left heel, took out a cartridge and tore off the paper with our teeth.

“All infantrymen must have at least four teeth, preferably two on the bottom and two on the top,” said the Sergeant. “Spit that paper out, you don’t want to swallow it. I want to hear everyone spit!”

I poured the power into the barrel, squeezing it to make sure the ball went in. Then I was told to draw the ramrod and used it to ram the cartridge into the barrel, return the ramrod, and move the musket to my right hand.

“You are all right handed here,” the Sergeant said.

I reached into the pouch and put a cap on the cone of the weapon. Using my right thumb, I cocked the weapon, and aimed waiting for the order to fire. We drilled and drilled some more. It was hot, but we were lucky it wasn’t raining. Off we marched to the firing range where we actually got to fire a real black powder musket and a mortar.

In the evening, after a hearty dinner of beef stew, hard tack, shrub (fruit drink) and some fruit donated by a local farmer, we took turns on patrol, some standing watch, others waiting their turn. Soldiers not on guard duty played card and dice games. Someone commented: “If’n I happen to buy the farm promise you’ll get rid of the cards and dice in my haversack. I don’t want my momma to know I was gambling.”

The full moon offered a bit of light. The only sound was an owl in the nearby woods. It is said that Stonewall Jackson had a soldier shot for falling asleep on guard duty. That was enough to keep everyone alert.

After such a strenuous day, no one had to be told twice what taps meant. Hitting the sack was a wonderful respite.

The tattoo sounded at 5:45 in the morning. Slowly, I crawled out of bed and rolled up my sleeping bag. I didn’t have time to go up the hill to the “sink” – military euphemism for toilet – before assembly.

After assembly, we lined up to get our field rations: hardtack, dried fruit, corn muffin, and beef jerky, and filled our canteens. Then we marched off to battle. We Union soldiers took up our position in a field trying to be as inconspicuous as possible in the grass. We were trying to break through General Robert E. Lee’s line near Petersburg.

Tension built. Then through the trees someone thought they saw a movement.

“Hold your fire!”

Sure enough the Confederates were advancing through the nearby woods. With a rebel yell the Confederate army broke out into the open.

“Fire!”

Using the buddy system we took turns firing and loading.

“Watch your left flank,” shouted the Sergeant.

After a few intense minutes the skirmish was over. We assembled, and marched back to camp. Some of the “wounded” were treated in the field. Most of the injuries were minor, but one unlucky soldier was brought to the surgery where he had to have his leg “amputated.” The doctor explained the process to us in graphic detail.

Just when it seemed that we were getting with the program it was time to muster out. We assembled, received our “pay” and “walking papers” and were discharged.

More Information:

The Civil War Adventure Camp is part of the Pamplin Historical Park. Their Civil War Battle video, “A War so Terrible” graphically depicts the realities of combat. At the museum we picked the name of an actual Civil War soldier and followed him through seven galleries with interactive displays.
Pamplin Historic Park also includes Tudor Hall Plantation, trails, and a military encampment.
The campaign of Petersburg lasted 292 days in 1864 and 1865. Known as “The Breakthrough,” the Union victory led to General Robert E. Lee’s surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House which ended the Civil War.
The Civil War Camp Experience is a “real life” experience. Our group was a mix of all ages, mostly male but with a few females that were mainly part of family groups.

Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier
6125 Boydton Plank Road
Petersburg, VA 23803

Historical Civil War Tours

Private Civil War History Walking Tour of Alexandria
Savannah Civil War Historical Walking Tour
Civil War and Plantation Tour from Nashville
Guided Civil War Carriage Tour of Charleston
Civil War Walking Tour of Savannah
Texas Civil War Museum, Log Cabin Village, and Fort Worth Cattle Drive Admission

About the author:
Contributor’s Bio: Sandra Scott is a retired history teacher and the co-author of two local history books. Scott has been traveling worldwide and writing about her travels since 1990. Her retired husband, John, is her traveling/writing partner. Their travels have taken them to over 100 countries, some several times. Along with several columns, their work has appeared in a variety of publications worldwide. Website: www.sanscott.com

All photos are by Sandra Scott.

Ghosts of Southern Saskatchewan

From Blackfoot Hills to Outlaw Caves

by Bev Lundahl

“Let’s take the route through Old Wives” I said to my friend as we prepared to leave Regina for a trip through southern Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan is crisscrossed with a myriad of highways so the choice of routes seemed endless. Old Wives appealed to me because of the legend I had heard surrounding its name. Many years ago there was an encampment of Cree at this site. Further away in the hills the Blackfoot were waiting to attack. The old Cree women, so the story goes, said they would keep the fires burning while the others sneaked away during the night. At sunrise the Blackfoot swooped down to find to their surprise a bunch of old women. The name, “Old Wives” was born. Drawn by this romantic story we headed west on the Trans-Canada highway to Moose Jaw then southwest on Highway 363 which would take us through this village of Old Wives just north of the lake by the same name. But Old Wives, like many small towns in Saskatchewan was elusive and it seemed to have disappeared like the wisps of the smoke from the campfires of the people that pre-dated the inhabitants of that village. This is Saskatchewan – one is often surprised by what is there as well as what is not there.

A large world class art gallery, therefore, is not what one would expect in rural Saskatchewan. As we approached Assiniboia at the junction of Highway 13 and 2, I recalled having heard about this gallery, an endowment by a local man made good. We watched for a sign on the highway but saw none. Driving through Assiniboia though we found it. After viewing the art we sat down to a drink in an elegant lounge.

Later that evening at the Convent Country Inn at Val Marie, further southwest at the junction of highway 18 and 4 one of the owners responded to our tale of looking for the art gallery. She said with a smile, “This is Saskatchewan, You are supposed to know where things are.” Expecting a signpost is not part of the mystique.

Val Marie, in ranch country is at the site of the Grasslands National Park. Catholic sisters living in this former convent in a barren land a century ago is hard to fathom. The bunk beds in the small sparse rooms at this bed and breakfast give an idea of the severity of their lives there. The loneliness of the wind, which blew harshly all night, was all consuming. The wind piano sitting on the prairie grass out in the yard played its own eerie tune.

Our hike with a parks guide the next morning took us up as high as Seventy Mile Butte. We learned about the plants and animals and the history of the area. I wondered how the tipi-dwellers had dealt with the now extinct prairie grizzly bears. Seventy- Mile Butte is a high spot between Fort Walsh to the west and Wood Mountain to the east and marks the halfway point between these two posts of the Northwest Mounted Police.

Driving that afternoon through the other block of the park we marveled at the vibrant grasses that were being rejuvenated by the introduction of indigenous bison into the area. The contrast with the grasses in the ranch land outside of the park was evident. We wandered in awe through the prairie dog town. One could almost feel how the early explorers must have felt. No one in sight as far as we could see except the busy prairie dogs darting in and out of their mounds separated by the dry cracked earth yelling signals and messages back and forth to each other. In this block we also saw, protruding out of a hill, the ruins of the homestead of Will James the artist, author and cowboy who had once lived there.

We headed again across the hills and gullies – this time east along Highway 18 to Wood Mountain where we were to meet Sitting Bull. The Interpretive Center there told us about this famous Chief and how he sadly ended up in a rodeo south of the border. A long-braided man from the nearby First Nation added color to the park. He told us that he was the last descendant of Sitting Bull. The skepticism of some of the locals hinted at the difference in the two cultures sharing the land. Learning that Sitting Bull had had four wives seemed to make it quite plausible that he still had descendants in the area.

Further east we viewed the petroglyphs at St. Victor before heading out for Willow Bunch. Upon asking directions someone pointed out of town along a gravel road assuring us that was the way to Willow Bunch.. As we drove out my companion said, “I wish there was a sign that said Willow Bunch.” By this time though we were learning the ropes of traveling through Saskatchewan. One never knows what’s coming next and that means adventure.

Through spectacular rolling country we did arrive at Willow Bunch. Willow Bunch was famous for Edouard Beaupre (1881-1904), the Willow Bunch giant – another person in southern Saskatchewan, who, like Sitting Bull had become a spectacle for the curious. He had ended up in a circus. The well-done Willow Bunch museum illustrated much of the local history. “The History of the Metis of Willow Bunch” an award-winning book by Rivard and Littlejohn gives a very good account of the history of this community.

The final leg of our trip was to Coronach where we had booked a room at a bed and breakfast out in the country. To our surprise when we arrived at the bed and breakfast there was a note on the door saying to make ourselves at home. Mom and Dad would be home later. This seemed very unusual but we did just that. Found our rooms upstairs in the farmhouse; deposited our luggage there, then decided to sit outside in the long-shadowed prairie evening. The spectacular sunset drew us out the lane and down the road. We watched the sun descend at the end of the straight gravel road thinking all the time how fast the earth was spinning beneath our feet. It was not the sun that was moving.

The sudden chill sent us indoors where we spent time reading the Western Producer, watching TV, doing yoga while we waited for the owners to come home. The moon rose, shone in the window, the dogs barked, it got darker and darker and we began to feel uncomfortable. We were in a strange house, late at night, seemingly now in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly we decided we had to leave and we drove into town where we doubled over with uproarious laughter as we collapsed into the motel room. Another adventure while traveling in Saskatchewan.

Our last day was an all-day tour in an air-conditioned van of the district known as the Big Muddy. Everything to see from spectacular natural wonders like Castle Butte to the Sam Kelley Outlaw Caves, just over the hill from Montana. Lunch spent in the art gallery of a ranch where the artist rancher regaled us with the stories of the outlaws of the Canadian West. There was the buffalo effigy, the only one in Canada and the prayer pole tied with colored cloths at the top of a hill where First Nations came for sacred ceremonies. The lady from Scotland on the tour referred to the tipi rings and stone effigies as Saskatchewan’s Stonehenge and she did a double take when we stopped at a one-room school named Paisley, the same name as her school in Scotland. The museum at Big Beaver, near the American border told yet another version of the Sitting Bull story.

Our trip had come to an end. We had brushed with the ghosts of the past that are still hovering around today – ghosts of the original nomadic inhabitants and those of the small towns belonging to another era that used to dot the grid of Saskatchewan highways. We learned that traveling in Saskatchewan is unique and exciting.

If You Go:

Tourism Saskatchewan

Museums Association of Saskatchewan

Town of Willow Bunch

Welcome to Assiniboia

Virtual Saskatchewan: Grasslands National Park

Virtual Saskatchewan: The Infamous Sam Kelley

Sitting Bull, Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux holy man

About the author:
Bev Lundahl is a genealogist by nature thus most of her writing is historical, based on her research. She has been published in The Beaver magazine, Folklore Saskatchewan, The Heritage Gazette of Trent Valley (Ontario), Lifestyles (Estevan, SK) and some of her research has been used on CBC Radio as well as in various Canadian newspapers. Bev lives in Regina Saskatchewan.

Photo credits:
Bison in Grasslands National Park by 1brettsnyder / Public domain
St. Victor Petroglyphs signage by: Jeremy Simes / CC BY-SA
All other photos are by Bev Lundahl and Susan Zuckerman.

A Small Slice of the Big Apple

Making the most out a short stay in New York City

by W. Ruth Kozak

There’s plenty to see in Manhattan, so when you only have a few days like my friend and I did, plan ahead exactly what your priorities are. Our main focus was to see a Broadway show, check out the museums, and take in a night of jazz at one of NYC’s famous jazz clubs. In four days we did all this and much more. Having a hotel right in the mid-town core is a help. Our hotel, the Park Central, was located right across from Carnegie Hall, a short distance from Times Square.

There’s almost a carnival atmosphere in Times Square, known as “The Crossroads of the World”, where the ball drops every New Year’s Eve. A misty rain was falling as we set off from the hotel but the weather didn’t dampen our enthusiasm as we made our way through the crowds gawking at the sights.

From the buzz of glitzy Times Square to the quiet shaded paths of Central Park, there are a thousand and more delights to be enjoyed in NYC and a lot of them are free. You can walk, ride the subway or even take a pedicab. Either way you’ll be agog with the sights and sounds.

The architecture in Manhattan is amazing. From the shiny glass skyscrapers to the Gothic revival spires or St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Beaux Arts of Grand Central Station and the Art deco of the Chrysler Building, New York has an abundance of architectural treasures.

This wasn’t my first visit to the Big Apple. Back in 1968, the eve of Woodstock, I stayed with a friend in the West Village and wandered about freely irregardless of my friend’s warnings that I shouldn’t do so. On my return in the mid ‘70’s we drove around the city with car doors locked, and didn’t dare venture into Central Park which was deemed too dangerous. This time things were different. I couldn’t help but notice the changes said to have come about because of ex-mayor Giuliani’s program to clean up the place, but also since the tragedy of 9/11. The famous NY aggressiveness seemed tempered, people were kinder and patiently gave directions when we got lost. Manhattan looked cleaner with an absence of ugly graffiti. And for a city known for it’s homelessness, poverty and crime we only saw one old man spare-changing on the street and not once did we feel threatened, even when strolling through Central Park.

A visit to Greenwich Village was like a homecoming for me. The Village has always been a symbol of NYC’s bohemian artistic, literary and theater history. Nowadays it has become more upscale with trendy boutiques and antique shops. We strolled the quiet tree-shaded streets, stopped for a pint of Guinness at the White Horse Tavern where Dylan Thomas met his demise, and peeked into Chumley’s, once the hangout of writers such as John Steinbeck and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Then we took in a show at The Village Vanguard, a cozy basement venue made famous by jazz musicians such as John Coltrane.

You don’t have to spend a fortune for meals in NY. There are plenty of delis and fast-foods as well as pleasant dining rooms with reasonably priced menus. We chose the Benash deli for breakfasts and noshed on bagels and cream cheese. One night we dined on lobster at the Oyster Bar, a full course meal with wine for only $30.

On a visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) we enjoyed the serenity of the sculpture garden, which displays bronze-cast work by Picasso, Henri Matisse and Henry Moore.

Located Uptown, the Guggenheim, is only a short subway trip away. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, it’s famous for it’s unique snail-like architecture as well its permanent collections which include Jackson Pollack and Picasso.

From there we strolled through Central Park enjoying the quiet, shaded paths. At the National History Museum we wandered through galleries of immense dinosaur skeletons and displays of exotic animals and were treated to an unexpected trip to the stars at the Hayden Planetarium.

Back at Central Park a pedicab driver offered to tour us around the area for $50. He took us to Strawberry Fields (left), the John Lennon memorial and across the street to the Dakota Apartments (below), to show us the exact spot where Lennon was murdered. Yoko Ono still lives in the Dakota which has been the home to many famous actors and musicians such as Marilyn Munroe and Leonard Bernstein. It is said that Boris Karloff’s ghost haunts the hallways.

Riding a pedicab through NY’s mid-town traffic is a thrill in itself. We stopped to view the Met and cycled past the Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle all the way to Times Square where were picked up tickets for that night’s show.

There’s no trouble obtaining reduced-price tickets for the Broadway shows if you’re willing to stand in line. There’s a variety of choices and prices. We chose “Mama Mia” because our pedicab driver recommended it and said we’d come out singing and dancing, and we did. Mama mia, what a day! After the show we treated ourselves to a slice of to-die-for cheesecake at Lindy’s, famous for this specialty.

As our time was short, we took a Circle Line cruise around Manhattan Island, a pleasant three hour trip. The view from the water gives a magnificent perspective of the city skyline. The little boat chugs along the shore of the Upper Bay, past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island where immigrants used to land.

The cruise guide pointed out the exact location of where the World Trade Center once stood, now a wide void, a chilling reminder of the tragedy of 9/11. We sailed under all of Manhattan’s famous bridges and past the shipyards and the splendid glass buildings of the U.N. When the cruise ends, if you’re interested in U.S. sea/air history, the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid is docked alongside Pier 86 and is open as a museum.

It was our last day in in New York and we’d managed to see and do everything we had planned. It was only a little nibble of the big Apple, but enough of a taste that made us want to go back for more.

If You Go:

MIDTOWN
MoMA, The Museum of Modern Art: 11 W. 53rd St. www.moma.org
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises: www.circleline.com Subway to Pier 83: A,C, or E to 42ns St.

DOWNTOWN
Greenwich Village: Take the A,C, or E train to 8th Ave. and 14th St. at the Village’s north border. Head south to Bleeker Street and turn left along Bleeker for a good view of the neighbourhood.
Chumley’s: 86 Bedford (between Bleeker St and Seventh Ave S) Ex-speakeasy, inexpensive beer and burgers.
White Horse Tavern: 567 Hudson St. at 11th St. Once a writer’s bar where Dylan Thomas drank 7 shots of whiskey, stepped outside and died.
The Village Vanguard: 178thSt. near 11th St.

UPTOWN
American Museum of Natural History: Central Park W. at 79th St. Open daily. www.amnh.org.
The Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Ave. at 88th St. www.guggenheim.org

New York City Tours:

Sex and the City TV Show Hotspots

Best of the Metropolitan Museum – 2 Hour Tour

Top of The Rock Ticket and New York Sights Day Tour

About the author:
W. Ruth Kozak has been a historical fiction writer since her teens and a travel journalist for more than 15 years. She also instructs classes on travel writing, creative and novel writing and memoirs.
Her website is www.ruthkozak.com

Photo credits:
First New York skyline photo by RJA1988 from Pixabay
All other photos are by W. Ruth Kozak