Well the internet connection was not strong enough to upload any pictures so I left off doing my blog until now. We are back in Terrace, we had a great time but we now need to rest.
In my last posting I mentioned the babysitter I met that I did not remember. This is her and I :
We drove around and went to see my former houses. The one on the left is where the first house we owned sat. It's been renovated, a lot. I lived there from age 4 to age 14. The one on the right is the house we built for $17,000 in 1965 and lived there until we moved to Vancouver when I was 17.
We drove around town and took pictures of some of my friend's homes and of my schools. The junior high is gone and I didn't get around to taking a picture of my senior high but this is my elementary school. It was called Roosevelt Park because this is where General Roosevelt had his troops during World War II. As children we often found bits of pieces of war paraphernalia, carbon paper, shells, rusty pieces of helmets etc.
The playing field was always the site of the carnival that came to town every summer.
Prince Rupert has the largest natural harbour on the coast and of course there are lots of fishing boats there. The fishing industry is about dead so there aren't the boats there used to be and those that are there of stationary for now.
Our American friends are all anxious to go to Alaska so I have included a picture of the terminal for the Alaska ferry. Quick and easy way to get to Alaska but very pricey for rv'ers.
Of course this whole weekend my very patient, loving and understanding husband knew no one. He found a friend though and he decided he was the long lost twin of Prince Rupert's founder, Charles Melville Hays. What do you think? Close, eh!
The gala, gala banquet on the Saturday evening was amazing. There were well over 2000 people in the community center and the adjacent arena. The noise was incredible. I saw absolutely dozens of old friends who were so surprised to see me there. After all I hadn't been there for 43 years. I met "kids" that I babysat. I met former teachers, former principals, my parents' friends, my brother's friends and the children and grandchildren of former friends. Pictures can't begin to illustrate the event. We did not drink anything but water and pop but we were probably the only ones doing so. It got even louder.
Sunday we went out to Port Edward where the pulp mill (also shut down for years) my father worked at is and had a burger at one of our favourite haunts, Brad's. The burgers are still great.
Sunday afternoon we attended "Prince Rupert: The Musical" performed by the local Little Theatre group. It was a historical look back at Rupert's past in a comedic way. The common thread for every scene was the ever-present problem of alcoholism in this small town. It was great. It was so touching, I was brought to tears in a few places. Doug enjoyed it too but fell asleep during part of it.
We left on Monday morning exhausted but I was so glad to have been a part of this very special weekend. I doubt that I will ever be back up this way but hey.....our plans are jello.
3 comments:
Sounds like you had a marvelous time. Oh .. the memories! And, not ALL of your American friends want to travel to Alaska!
Wonderful time, wonderful memories. I'm like you - will probably never go back to my "hometown" but have some great memories.
Rest up so you can go, go, go again.
My Dad still lives in my hometown so we get there every now and then but since our life there centered on our church and that church has been decomissioned, I rarely see anyone but Dad and Jean when we go back now. it was great going to the last party at the church a few years ago, though, and seeing everyone then. I can relate to it being exhausting. :)
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