The Travels of the Agnew Family

Another day of exploring the island. Ed found the last two of the geocaches that are on Provo. The second one is at Bights Children's Park.


The park borders on the beach. Looking to the right.


Looking out to sea.


Sail boats are for rent on this beach. Rob spotted this Osprey sitting on a pole in the parking lot. Looks like he had a successful fishing trip.


Just down the road from the Children's Park is the Turtle Cove Marina. Lots of tour boats in the marina.


As we were walking along the dock Ed spotted this jelly fish.


Our exploring for the day ended when we found the beach at Turtle Cove. It was just too inviting. After swimming here for a while we went back to the house to get chairs and snorkeling gear and drove over to the beach at the Bight Children's Park to play in the water some more.

Today we drove to the eastern part of the island, about 3 miles from the house. There are some beautiful home in this area and many lots for sale.


Can you image this as your backyard? It's for sale.




There are two marinas at this end of the island.


Ed has been enjoying playing with his underwater camera.




Another beautiful sunset in paradise.

Today we drove up the north west side of the island stopping for lunch at Da Conch Shack. Chris and Tina told us that Da Conch Shack has the best conch on the island and as conch is one of the few items harvested on the island we had to try it.


According to Widipedia "Conch (/ˈkɒŋk/ or sometimes /ˈkɒntʃ/)[1] is a common name that is applied to a number of different medium to large-sized sea snails or their shells. The term generally applies to large sea snails whose shell has a high spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a point at both ends)."


As we weren't sure if we would like conch we started with the Conch Fritter then moved on to Cracked Conch. We also tried Conch Chowder and French Fries with a Black Bean pepper sauce. Everything tasted really good.


Da Conch Shack is rated as one of the best beach bars in the world. The amazing rum punch helps with the rating but so does the dining room.


The view is pretty amazing too! This place made us feel like we had found a little piece of paradise. Rob said it would be perfect if there was a hammock strung between a couple of the trees. Life couldn't get much better than laying on a hammock with a rum punch in your hand looking out to sea.


A little further down the road we found a small park with a dock and these fellows hanging about.


Another great view.


When we got back to the house we walked down to Grace Bay and played in the waves.

This morning was spent doing a few jobs around the house. Ellen and I choose a really hard job.




We put up the Christmas decorations.

This afternoon we drove to west to Chalk Sound which is a narrow stretch of land between Chalk Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. This was the area the plane flew over as we approached the airport.


The first beach we stopped at was the beach Taylor Bay. We knew where the beach was suppose to be but it took a few tries to find the correct road. It was definitely worth the effort.


This time we were smart and wore our bathing suites. The water was wonderful.


A sting ray swam by us. The boys followed the sting ray and it buried itself in the sand. When they backed off it swam off.


We talked to a marine biologist who lives at Taylor Bay. She showed us this snail that she found in the water. The little black spot is the "door" the snail closed when she pick it up.


We stopped by Las Brisas Restaurant in Chalk Sound to make a reservation for our anniversary dinner next week. Las Brisas is Chris and Tina's favourite restaurant so we thought we'd give it a try. While we were there we decided to have a drink. Rob and Ellen had Pina Coladas and Ed and I enjoyed a Mojitos. At first I wasn't sure that I was going to like the Mojito but by the time I finished the drink it has become one of my favorites.

Ed found a geocache at Taylor Bay and there was another at Sapodilla Bay. Since we were close by we stopped to have a look.

The cache was on top of Sapodilla Hill. We didn't find the cache but we did find the beautiful view.


This spot is an important spot in the Turks and Caicos islands as some of the earliest settlers to the island scratched their names into the rocks.


The beach at Sapodilla Bay.

This mornings goal is to check out the area within walking distance to the house.


Water still sitting on the road from yesterdays rain.


The beach at Grace Bay. It is as beautiful as we were told it was.


Testing the water ... it is nice and warm.


The island is ready for Christmas.


Ellen and I made a couple of new friends.

In the afternoon we decided to deliver a box that Tina had given us for Provo Ponies. Provo Ponies is in the Long Bay area which is on the south side of the island and we are staying on the north side of island. I think it was all of 2 miles away.


The ponies ready for a ride.


First geocache of the trip. This was an earth cache. We just had to find "the Hole", answer a few questions and take a photo by the hole.


Looking down.


We were surprised to see these goats by the side of the road as we were told there isn't much wild life on the island except for geckos, tree frogs and wild dogs.


I find it a little hard to wrap my head around the desert qualities on an island surrounded by water. Tree of signs.


If you want to kite sail go to Long Bay Beach. The water is shallow and it is usually calm.


We forgot to wear our bathing suits but it didn't stop Rob.


Ed had to convince this tree frog to leave the barbeque before he turned it on.

Up by 6:30am, down in the lobby just after 7:00am, surprised to see firetrucks and firemen outside the lobby window. They were checking out the smoke in the Subway restaurant across from the hotel. By 7:35am we were at the WestJet check-in kiosks in the departure level of Terminal 3, by 8:30am we were sitting in a restaurant in the departure area near our gate having breakfast. Just after 11:00am we were taxing down the run way (a half hour late as we had to wait for crew that were flying in). Finally on our way --- this vacation is real after all.


I think this is Mississauga from the air.


We flew over the Burlington Skyway Bridge.


There was a lot of cloud over the Atlantic Ocean.


Approaching our destination.


Landed.

On the taxi ride to the house where we are staying, we drove through a lot of large pond like puddles. The driver said it had been raining on and off all day.


Settled in about to enjoy rum punch.

We are in Providenciales (or Provo) in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a little east of Cuba. Friends own a house here that they rent out to vacationers. We're getting to stay here in exchange for doing a few jobs to get the place ready for renters.

Here's some photos of the house.

We're heading off on a vacation and for a change using an airplane to get there. Instead of getting up in the middle of the night, hoping for good weather and driving two hours to the airport to arrive three hours before our 10:30 am flight we decided to drive down today and stay at a hotel. We found a hotel that included 2 weeks parking with a reasonable hotel rate --- about $40 more than the regular room rate.

About a block from the hotel is a restaurant called Master Steaks that has been there forever .... at least the early 2000s when Ed and his friend Colin would go to computer shows then stop for a steak lunch on the way home. It's an unique fast food restaurant. You go to the counter and order and if you are ordering a steak you can pick it out at the meat counter. The food is cooked to order so you might have to wait 10 or 15 minutes.


Ed and I had burgers and split a large order of fries. It was a hand made hamburger patty and fresh cut fries --- really good.

After dinner Rob and Ellen (our neighbours --- their going on vacation with us) invited us over to their room for a drink .... Ellen had raided her bar before we left home and found some mini liquor bottles).


Ed found the Crown Royal and decided he could sip it from the bottle.

It started snowing yesterday and didn't take long to look like this


This morning we woke up to this


The forecast shows 10C and rain in a few days so the snow will be gone soon.

Ed and Rob have been waiting for the grand opening of the Princess Auto store in Owen Sound for months. The other day someone told Ed that the store had already been open for a month ---- talk about lunch bag let down, but they decided they were going to the grand opening anyway. So Rob, Ed, Ellen and I drove up to Owen Sound. The boys went to Princess Auto and found many interesting things to buy well the girls visited much more interesting stores such as Winners and Michaels.

We stopped for lunch at Boston Pizza where the pastas were on sale.

Ed's picked up a habit of taking photos of our meals.

Nice day for a walk around the river.

At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we stood in silence and listened to the church bells toll think of those who died for us to keep our country free. Ed and my minds wandered a little and thought about someone very special to us that passed away a couple of months ago.


It was good to see a lot of people at the cenotaph for the service.


Legion members carried the flags.


The pipe band lead the procession back to the Legion.

Ed just finished going through the old negatives scanning photographs of pets, people and important events. I thought I'd share a few old photos of Zaph.


Zaph's first canoe ride. Zaph understood that you stayed in the boat and never once tried to jump into the water from a boat.


Zaph and his favourite toy when he was a pup.


Resting during a hike in Algonquin Park.


Zaph loved playing with kids. He would do whatever they did. I think Zaph thought he was a kid.


Zaph might have needed a boost but he made it onto the raft.


Zaph loved pool parties --- OK he loved the pool. If no one would throw his ball into the pool, he'd roll the ball into the pool and wait for it to float to the middle of the pool. Then he'd jump in and grab it, then swim to the steps. He'd keep repeating this till someone took the ball away.


Zaph loved the water and swimming but he also loved the snow. Nothing was better than a romp in the snow with your favourite ball.

Another beautiful day. Ed and I decided to enjoy the day with a walk along the river.

In the eight years that we've been living across the street from Rob and Ellen we've gotten to know a few of their family members, at least the ones that live in Walkerton. One of them is Rob's dad Harold. Today Harold's family celebrated his 90th birthday with a "Come and Go" party at the local golf club.


Harold's doing pretty good for 90. This past summer he played golf several times a week.

For the last, I don't know, 12 years or so when I'm in the country I help my friend the potter (Lori) set up her pottery for the Fredrick Street Art Walk in Kitchener. It's a fun day of critiquing the pieces, pricing them and finally finding them homes on the display table. Of course, a few of them find their way home with me.


Jack and Lori unloading the last kiln.

Lori creates all her own glazes resulting in unique patterns and colours.






This vase had been shelved for a couple of years because the sides had drooped. Earlier this summer I saw and loved it. Lori glazed it in black for me and now it's sitting in the two piece bathroom.


Jack's birthday is on November 9th but we celebrate it on "Pot Setup Day". Happy 60th Jack.

Another beautiful day --- I must admit that I am loving this November weather. The high for today is predicted to be 20 C so it's still good weather to take the Miata out with the roof down. Today we drove over to Allan Park to walk around and do a little geocaching. I think Ed has found 1294 geocaches to date and he's pushing to get to 1300 before the snow flies.


The cache description indicated that this cache was made by a young lad. I think he did a great job.


Searching for a couple of caches took us on a trail that went away from the parking lot, so it was a lot faster to walk back along the road.

Yes, we did manage to find six caches today and hit the 1300 mark.

Another spectacular day. To celebrate the glorious Indian Summer Day we drove the sports cars to Collingwood where we enjoyed lunch at The Smoke.


Ed had the famous "Cow Meats Pig" Sandwich --- "A 6 oz pile of Pulled Pork, on our Coleslaw, with our Carolina Mustard and Hot Vinegar Sauce, Topped with 6 oz of Beef Brisket, and Drunken Mushroom/Onions on a Grilled Bun" (description borrowed from the menu). I had the much more modest "Smoked Balls of Meat". Yes, Ed did manage to eat the entire sandwich and baked beans but he didn't eat any supper!

We took the long way home stopping in Creemore for a tour of the Creemore Springs Brewery.


The beers brewed by Creemore Springs are natural beers made from spring water (from a spring just outside of town), barley, hops and yeast --- no added preservatives. Something I learned is that there are more than a hundred varieties of hops and it is the hops that give the flavour to the beer.


The copper kettle ensures that the heat is distributed evenly during the brewing process. The beer then goes through a fermenting process and is aged. Finally it is filtered and bottle. The entire process takes about one month.


Most of the beer at Creemore Springs Brewery is bottled or canned but some of it put into kegs and served on tap at restaurants.

After the tour you can sample a few of the beers and, of course purchase some beer to take home.

I was busy with appointments, so Ed and Rob took advantage of the good weather and went for a ride on the ATVs. Can't forget they also managed to get in some geocaching, finding a couple more of the elusive "patience" geocaches on the rail trail in Walkerton.


End of the trail.

The walking group from the Probus club went to Andres Alpacas, an alpaca farm just outside of Hanover. The owners, Henry and Karen Mengers showed us their alpacas and answered our many questions. Alpacas have a gentle nature and produce a luxurious fibre that is knitted or woven into beautiful garments.



















A lot of photos today --- just couldn't help it. Alpacas are very photogenic.