He’d love to do the San Juan Islands in a Nordhavn 62-footer (around $2 million pre-loved, including VIP stateroom). Or, for those moments when the budget calls for something a little more modest, how ’bout the Saint Lawrence River in a 29-foot Ranger Tug (just under $225,000 for the 2010 model).

Millionaire dreams aside, the exciting moment finally came when Milliver’s Travels got to visit one of the places Brian learned of in Motor Boating magazine: Big Chute Marine Railway on the Trent-Severn Waterway in Ontario, Canada.

Big Chute is fascinating for boat lovers and engineers alike. Brian is both. But would it prove of interest to a foo-foo type such as moi, who needs her hot shower, her well-rounded breakfast and her breve (pronounced bre-vay) sipped at the local coffee house before she’ll agree to go adventuring?

I can safely proclaim that even a girlie traveler like me found Big Chute a tourist activity not to be missed!

A load of boats crossing land via Big Chute

But how does it work? In the words of your technically-challenged friendly travel guide, Big Chute lifts boats overland from one side of the Trent-Severn to the other. It does so by allowing boats to drive onto a submerged ramp; operators then secure all craft with special webbing slings.

One of the fun parts of watching from the sidelines is seeing a collection of different-sized boats gently glide up or down the steep incline (depending on which side they entered from) as you stroll beside them on the observation sidewalk. While bikini-clad wives wave to you from the suntan decks of their pleasure craft you can hear the hard-working Big Chute operators communicating by radio.

We watched four or five loads going in both directions and never tired of the novelty.

The same load of boats from the opposite angle, as they begin their stately descent

After gloating over the main attraction you can see the remains of the Old Big Chute, built in 1917. That one could only carry boats up to 35 feet long, which ruled out a lot of larger commercial vessels.

Brochures and prominently-placed info boards also educate visitors on the flora and fauna of the region. This can be stirring stuff!

For instance, Engelmann’s Quillwort is a primitive aquatic plant with a fossil record dating back 206–248 million years. Closely related to ferns, quillwort is on the endangered list due to human development.

Meanwhile, if you didn’t already know that You Are in Black Bear Country, you can grab the brochure of the same name to learn how to avoid a bear encounter. Get the low-down on which local snakes are poisonous and which are not, and which are endangered. The Massasauga Rattlesnake is a provincially threatened reptile.

(Provinces to Canada are like states to the USA.)

You can also see a bottled example of the Sea Lamprey: a little dude with a scary smile that caused a big change in the modernization plans at Big Chute during the 1960s. The Sea Lamprey had been devastating the fishing industry; researchers had to find a way for the system to stop assisting the migration of the Lamprey before modernization could go ahead.

Lego model of Big Chute

I badly wanted to get the Big Chute documentary on DVD, but we’d spent all our money the day before on a glorious float plane ride. One of my favorite displays was the Lego model of Big Chute that was sitting underneath the TV as it played the documentary for visitors.

Big Chute is operated by Parks Canada. Located approximately three hours north of Niagara Falls, we visited Big Chute as an easy day trip from our luxury base camp: Beacon Shore on Georgian Bay B&B (Midland, Ontario). Our B&B was all the luxury you could ask for in a vacation on the Bay, but without paying the high prices.

If you’re having a hard time narrowing down your activity choices in the Georgian Bay area, here’s the skinny: you simply MUST put Big Chute on your list. Free to watch and the only one of its kind still operating in North America.

Bring your own breve.

Photos Copyright © 2010 Brian Williams & Milli Thornton

I intend for this blog to be a lucky magnet for fun experiences, making new friends and cutting my teeth on some free-wheelin’ travel writing as I gain the skills needed to become a published travel writer.

Kissing the lucky frog seems like a good place to start. This photo of me was taken at Bonnybank Bed & Breakfast in the Twenty Valley of Ontario, Canada on May 24, 2009. My puckered lips are reaching for the lips of a wrought-iron frog prince on the terrace of the B&B.

Owner Carla Carlson shared her most special memory of a guest kissing the frog. Leaving the B&B on her way to the church, a young bride resplendent in her wedding gown leaned over to kiss the frog in a moment captured by time.

Didn’t get to see a photo of that but I’ll bet it was precious!

Do you have a symbol that, for you, represents the spirit of good luck? Please post a comment and share. Blogging is definitely more fun when my readers participate!


Lucky Frog photo Copyright © 2009 Brian Williams

From the happenin’ waterfront, terrace restaurants and cobblestone streets of old Montréal we progressed to Chinatown on foot. The narrow street that turns the corner at Chinatown’s Imperial-looking gates was clogged with Jazz Festival traffic, as well as a youth band and their supporters.

Falun DaFa Youth Band

The audience sat on the steps of a pagoda-style calligraphy store or joined the old people sitting at stone tables. It was easy to imagine the old men sitting at those tables on a quiet sunny day, perhaps playing checkers or swapping stories of the Old World.

The band was rousing, but I was keen to explore the shops.

Chinese kites hung from the porch of the calligraphy shop

Across the street I found a shop full of feng shui treasures that again severely tested my discipline. I found better prices for genuine red money toads and other lucky wealth objects than I had seen online. Many of these objects, though small, were quite heavy. Since I’m still attempting to master the art of packing light, I didn’t relish the idea of lugging home more poundage.

Lucky bamboo and money cats in the window of my favorite shop

(Well, maybe not easier. But it gives you a whip for your conscience.)

I was also tempted to sit down with the little old man advertising palm readings on a tattered handwritten sign. He looked bored and lonely and badly in need of a client. But there was so much still to see and do: Reluctantly, I concluded that was the wrong moment to park my bottom for a stationary activity.

We had to stay on schedule so as not to miss our festival shows that evening, so we didn’t get to try any of the restaurants in Chinatown. Yet another reason to visit Montréal again!

A truck delivering Chinese beverages to local merchants

“No trip to Chinatown is complete without sampling some of the local cuisine, the best that Chinatown has to offer will find you at Restaurant Hong Kong, Le Jardin du Nord and Ming Yeng, serving up Chinese specialties for visitors and locals alike. Choose from a variety of dishes such as Won Ton soups, dumplings, Peking Duck, Crispy Chicken, General Tao, Sea Bass and Lobster dishes.”

Alright, already. Stop torturing me! I don’t wanna know what I missed!

Ring, ring.

— “Can you deliver to Youngstown, Ohio?”

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Falun Dafa: Over time, the principles of Dafa unveil the deepest and most profound truths of the universe. Following the principles, practitioners of Falun Dafa are able to reach very high realms, enlightening to the true meanings of life, and finding the path of return to their origins and true selves.

While the exercises have deep inner meanings, they also help to reduce stress and can bring great improvements in health and fitness.

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All photos on this page Copyright © 2009 Brian Williams

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Maid of the Mist, Niagara Falls

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND was fast approaching. Living in a new city—no family here, no circle of friends yet—meant it was shaping up to be a boring, lonesome weekend if we didn’t think fast.

That’s when Brian remembered we’re less than four hours drive from Niagara Falls.

The inside scoop from various people—that the Falls on the American side are crass and commercialized—prompted the noble goal of venturing beyond Niagara and the usual tourist traps.

Searching for magic on bbcanada.com resulted in a cozy room at Bonnybank Bed & Breakfast in Vineland, Ontario, 20 minutes west of the city of St. Catherine’s. Exploring the Twenty Valley became our main focus (see Related Posts for Twenty Valley articles) and we did the Falls on the Canadian side on our way back to Ohio.

Visiting Niagara is one of those copycat things—like Disneyland—that everybody does. Commercialized? Absolutely. Tacky food, souvenirs and photo ops? You betcha. Canadian side not excluded.

The Whirlpool Aero Car

When not obsessively attempting to frame the Falls in the ultimate photo, there’s plenty of adventure to be had.

A flotilla of busy boats, all christened Maid of the Mist, will take you as close as you can safely get to Horseshoe Falls by water. The Journey Behind the Falls, the White Water Walk and the Whirlpool Aero Car allow you to experience the Falls from behind, next to and above.

Across the street from the Falls is a statue of Nikola Tesla, the genius inventor who discovered AC current. The real father of electricity, Tesla’s becoming better known these days. But he still does not share the level of fame enjoyed by Thomas Edison, the man who discovered DC current—which, incidentally, did not prove to be economical for our massive populations.

Skylon Tower, the Space Needle of Niagara

Another visual fascination was our fellow tourists. The variety of ethnicity, clothing style and language was bewitching. Until you visit Niagara for yourself you cannot grasp how much this truly is a world destination.

Time was limited; with our precious remaining hour we opted to ride the elevator to the viewing deck of Skylon Tower. The view from up top was phenomenal.

If you’re planning a trip to the Canadian side, check out the Niagara Falls Great Gorge Adventure Pass. This gives you even more than I’ve been able to mention here. Spontaneity was our theme for that weekend, but advance planning is vital if you want to do it all.

When he heard I was going to Niagara, a friend from Washington said “That one’s on my bucket list!”

Yep. Should be on everyone’s.

The volume of water crashing over Horseshoe Falls is mesmerizing. Brian took this shot from the viewing deck of Skylon Tower.

HERE’S A WINTER pic my husband took of me as we gathered seashells on Barefoot Beach right before sunset.

Hard to believe that was only last week! Yesterday it snowed here in Youngstown, Ohio. My light suntan and the array of tropical-themed postcards on my desk are the only remaining evidence that just days ago I was cavorting under palm trees, swimming laps and working on my screenplay by the pool.

Brian was attending the International Maintenance Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bonita Beach, Florida and his five-star boss shouted us an extra ticket so I could go too. Lucky me!

On the way back from Barefoot Beach we stopped in at Mango Bay Beach Co. for a little tourist shopping. I bought essentials such as “frogs on the half shell” (too adorable to pass up), tiny track suits for my baby grandson, a beach bag and sun hat, and the obligatory postcards of manatees and other symbols of Florida.

Sanibel Scribbles by Christine Lemmon

The word “scribbles” naturally made me curious (I was hoping the story would be something to do with writing). The inviting cover suggested a novel with a beach theme, and a handsome gold seal announced it as an autographed copy. I snatched it up and flipped to the back cover.

SANIBEL SCRIBBLES is a story about a woman who sets her never-ending “to-do” list aside and takes off on a venture, encountering strangers who entangle her in their secrets. The insights they share redirect her steps and forever alter her perception of life. Inspired by their wisdom, she returns to the café and rewrites her tablecloth scribbles. Her new list is nothing like the old.

Christine Lemmon has been walking the beaches of Sanibel since she was a child. She lives on the island and her love for the area has inspired her writing. She is also the author of Portion of the Sea.

With a blurb like that, how could I resist? I promptly added postcards of Sanibel Island to my collection and promised myself to return and visit the island someday.

Meanwhile, Brian found it ironic that even in a store selling beach trinkets, a book was still the first thing I managed to lay eyes on.

Hey, ever heard of the Reticular Activating System? The RAS is a mechanism in the brain that determines what we pay attention to. This helps us avoid being overwhelmed by the millions of bits of information and stimulation coming our way in every moment. With our thoughts and preferences, we give it instructions on what to alert us to (for instance, when you set a goal you are telling your RAS to focus on anything that will help you achieve it).

My book RAS is working very well, thank you!

Photo of Milli on Barefoot Beach Copyright © 2009 Brian Williams