Bud saw some foreign countries (and our 50th state) courtesy of Uncle Sam during the Vietnam War and I have been to Ireland (and England if you count Heathrow Airport), but we have only been to two other countries together and they both border the United States.
We did not want to drive in Mexico, so, while on one of our Arizona trips, we parked on the U.S. side at Nogales, AZ and walked into Nogales, MX doing some shopping.....
.....as well as the touristy things. I could have sat on the burro for my photo, but I did not want to subject him to that much weight! Note the truck load of red chili peppers behind me.
No doubt you remember our trip to Canada from photos I shared last September when we stayed on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.
But that wasn't the first time we were in Canada which brings me to appending my #19 Sunday drive blog ---
--- because when I wrote about trips in Minnesota in March, I totally forgot about our most memorable one to and along North Shore Drive. It was over a long July 4th weekend. I remember how chilly it was the morning we left the farm. We drove as far as Cloquet, MN the first day which is where I took this photo of the "World's Only Frank Lloyd Wright Service Station". Who knew the famous architect had designed gas stations? The copper, cantilevered canopy 'points' to the nearby St. Louis River.
The next morning we drove through Duluth and began the North Shore Drive along Lake Superior, stopping at all the lighthouses and waterfalls along the way. First stop was at Two Harbors Lighthouse, the oldest one in Minnesota. It overlooks Agate Bay and is now a bed and breakfast. The ship is the Crusader II, standing as a testament to the commercial fishermen of the area. The coat of arms is that of the royal family of Norway.
A moody view of Split Rock Lighthouse from a distance. The closest town is
Castle Danger.
One of the many state parks along the way - Bud overlooking the falls at one of them - I believe this is High Falls of the Pigeon River in Grand Portage State Park .
Our hotel was about halfway along the drive also known as Scenic Highway 61. If I remember right it was in Tofte. What I remember for sure was that it was so cold we had the heat on every night. I also remember going to Bluefin Bay for dinner and having the most delicious fresh salmon. I almost passed on it because it was served with a citrus sauce and I wasn't sure I would like it. But oh my, it was wonderful. And what put it over the top was the fact that we were dining overlooking the huge expanse of Lake Superior as the sun set.
We crossed in to Canada on this trip "just so we can say we've been there" which is exactly what we told the border crossing personnel when they asked the purpose of our trip. This is me at the Middle Falls of the Pigeon River on the Canadian side. I loved the tawny ochre color of the water here and at the High Falls.
Possibly my favorite photo from this trip was this one I took of Bud and bear at a souvenir stop along the route. I love the nonchalant look on Bud's face. I have used this on Facebook with the notation that for some reason this picture makes me think of those "most interesting man in the world" ads. I believe it was my little brother who commented: "I don't often have my arm in a bear's mouth, but when I do......."
How could I have forgotten North Shore Drive when I first posted about Minnesota???
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