Snippets From The Road - July 2013

Summer is the time to come North to visit friends and family. There are so many across the country that I regret that it is impossible to see them all.  Each one enriches my life. Thank you.

So busy, posting the "Photo of the Day" has taken priority over writing. They attract between 20,000 and 30,000 visits to this site each month. Recall that andrehugosplace.com/  aims to share and communicate the message that later years, however defined, is a time to savour all that life offers, if only we determine to do so.

A few brief notes on the trip, so far:

- The new Quito airport is a great improvement over the old.  It is not large.  Though Quito is the Capital, the economy only supports a medium sized facility.  There are plans for further development as the economy grows; but, its location North of the city has resulted in a 30 percent drop in domestic passengers who now use airports South of the City.

- Delta airlines has moved seats in the economy section so close that the long trip between North America and Quito is definitely uncomfortable for a tall person. I understand that the other major carriers have done the same.

- Porter Airlines continues to be my domestic carrier of choice. It treats every passenger as First Class. It's Toronto Island hub has a spacious  lounge offering comfortable lounge chair seating, free newspapers and free refreshment. On-board, all seats are leather and free drinks and snacks are provided. On each leg of my trip, I had a unique, square bottle of water and a large glass of red wine. You truly feel the company appreciates your patronage.  I hope that it can continue this quality service as its routes expand across Canada and the USA.

Time with grand-children is precious.  Get involved with them.

Don't forget to be in photos with them.  Too often, we are on the other side of the camera taking pictures and have few, included, photos to take back home.

This photo of grand-daughter, Grace, keeping the soccer ball from me was taken by a friend, Jiayu, at a picnic in Nova Scotia.

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Even rainy days present interesting opportunities for photo enthusiasts.

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Every place has something to discover and experience. The 11 km ( 6.8 mi.) Confederation Bridge connecting the island province of Prince Edward Island to mainland North America is a modern day miracle built to cover ocean distance, harsh climate and icebergs.

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- I got to see my son exercise great patience when, after unloading a bag from the back of the van, his wife, unknowingly, backed over his new, expensive camera that had fallen off the back.

- The people of Atlantic Region of Canada, the Maritimers, must be among the nicest people that one could have the pleasure of meeting.  They treat you as family; often call you "Dear" and, if they think that you may want to cross the road, drivers don't hesitate to stop to ensure you can cross safely.
 
- Finally, my love of my big boy's toys, cameras, computers, smart phones, kindle reader, iPod, etc., means that I carry a large number of cables and chargers; assuredly losing at least one item along the way. I've only lost one cable so far. My tablet crashed and the receipt is back in Ecuador so dealing with the about to expire warranty on the road was impossible.  Hence, I had an excuse to buy a new, latest and greatest, tablet computer; - big boy's toys prevail again !

- The summer trip continues. Next to Ottawa; then to Berlin, Germany for a couple weeks holiday with my lady; call it a romantic get away after all the visiting.

Enjoy your summer with all its possibilities.