Day 5,
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Going to "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in
Dresden and visiting our old friends
in Sarnia
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Saturday, September 14, 2019
Our planning was to leave early to be in time at the Cowboy Shooting Match
but unfortunately the match was canceled. Now we have planned to drive to
a place called Dresden, to visit 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.
This historic site opens at ten and it is not very far away so we don't
have to hurry. We have a breakfast with coffee from the motel and bread buns
that we bought at the Walmart in Toronto.
Me and my peanutbutter bread bun
It was almost nine o'clock when we went to the office of the motel to hand in
the keys of our rooms and then we left the Countryside Motel.
The previous days, Anneke was the chauffeur and I was the designate photographer
but today we changed roles. I did the driving and Anneke took the pictures while
I was behind the wheel. and she did it quite well.
Me, driving the silver Passat
We were riding through farm-country and Anneke made lots of pictures of nice (or not
so nice) farms and farm buildings.
A big RV nect to a farm shed
A windmill
We saw a lot silos along the road
It is nice to drive for a change. The roads are so different from back home. Twenty
kilometer straight, then a 90 degree corner and another thirtyfive kilometer straight.
I figured out how the cruise control worked, a very nice feature on these roads.
Long straight roads
There were so many beautiful farmhouses and buildings and fortunately, Anneke made
a lot of pictures.
Farms and farm buildings
A strange building
Later I found out that is is for salt storage for the roads in wintertime
Suddenly, I saw a flock of black birds flying up, right in front of us. There was nothing
behind me, so I slowed down, to avoid hitting the birds.
A flock of birds
Along the road, we noticed a red, white and blue Dutch flag in front of a shop, 'Garry's
Gallery'. Because of the flag, we expected a Dutchman but he was a Canadian that just
used a random choosen flag for his antiques, collectibles and used furniture shop.
Garry's
Gallery
At half past ten, we arrived at Uncle Tom's Cabin Historical Site in Dresden. There was a
good parking in front of the entrance and after a few pictures, we went inside to check out
the exhibition.
At Uncle Tom's Cabin Historical Site
Inside, we bought our tickets ($7 each) from a nice old black lady who also was our tourguide
in the museum. We had an introduction speech in the exhibition hall and the we went to a
movie theater for an explanation and a movie about the life of Reverent Josiah Henson.
An explanation about the life of Reverent Josiah Henson
Reverent Josiah Henson was a black slave in the USA, who managed to escape to Canada in 1830
and who helped many other slaves to escape to freedom in Canada using the 'Underground Railway'.
The Underground Railway was not really a railway, but a network of people who helped the
slaves to reach Canada.
Reverent Josiah Henson
The life story of Reverent Josiah Henson was the insiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe for
her worldfamous novel 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.
On the grounds of the Uncle Tom's Cabin Historical Site are several historical buildings, like
the house Reverent Josiah Henson and his wife lived and a replica of the church where he was
the preacher.
The house where Reverent Josiah Henson lived
Reverent Josiah Henson and his wife in his house
The original organ Josiah Henson played on
The Uncle Tom's Cabin Historical Site was absolutely worth the visit and, with an entrance fee
of $ 7 per person, it was not expensive.
From Dresden, we drove to Sarnia. The last few days, we programmed our satnav to avoid freeways
so we enjoyed riding the secondary roads and the occasional dirtroad. Canada is such a beautiful
country. I really would like to come back some day and ride a motorbike here.
At one o'clock, our stomachs told us it was lunchtime so we stopped at a Tim Hortons for a
bagel B.E.L.T. and a coffee (I don't know were the 'B.E.L.T.' stand for) before we went to
the motel that Jan van der Willik arranged for us in Sarnia.
Coffee and a bagel at Tim Hortons
We arrived at the Harbourfront Motel in Sarnia at half past one but check-in started at
two o'clock.
The Harbourfront Motel in Sarnia
To kill the time, we walked around the motel. There was a big cargoship right behind the
hotel and a rivercruise was just making a u-turn near the cargo ship.
A cargoship and a river cruise behind the hotel
We noticed a lot of bright colored butterflies. They looked beautiful so I tried to make
a nice photo of one.
Butterfly
While I was taking pictures, Anneke found a bench to sit and read her e-book in the sun.
Reading her e-book
I really like the big trucks that are so common in Canada and the USA, some of them in
bright colors and with lots of chrome.
A big truck
At two o'clock, we could check-in and got the keys (cards) for our rooms, 154 and 156,
the last two rooms on the corridor. We had an extra door to the parking and we put the
Volswagen right behind my room.
Our Volkswagen behind my room
With our luggage in our rooms, we went to see Jan and Norma, who live a few minutes
driving from the motel. They live in a beautiful appartment building and can see Lake
Huron and the USA from their balcony.
The USA is nearby
Lake Huron is populair for watersports and there are a lot of boats on the lake.
Boats on the lake
It was very nice to meet Jan and Norma. We talked a lot and drank coffee and Jan and
Norma treated us to a delicious Chinese meal before we went back to the motel.
When it was getting dark, the lights on the cargoship behind the hotel went on and
it was a beautiful sight.
Cargoship at night
Tomorrow, I will go to the gym in the morning and in the afternoon, we will visit Jan
and Norma again.
We also booked two rooms from monday to wednesday at the Cedar Vista Motel in Tobermory
on 7370 Hwy 6, N0H 2R0 Tobermory.
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