Bill Kirby: Vacationers offer us glimpses of Michigan and Spain
"People don't take trips, trips take people."
– John Steinbeck
Your summer travels continue and Julie Badger offers this report.
"A group of Augustans (as well as Penny and Bob Ellison – raised here) spent a week at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan. After flying from Augusta to Atlanta to Detroit to Pellston we took a ferry to the island and then caught a ride to the hotel on a horse-drawn carriage (the only mode of transportation on the island!)
"It was worth the time and effort.
"We had a wonderful time with temperatures in the 50s and 60s accompanied by cool, lake breezes. We enjoyed a carriage tour of the island including the beautiful gardens, the Esther Williams swimming pool, and the secret garden.
"Some of us played golf and we all ate way too much fudge (the signature treat on Mackinac Island.)
"The group included: Gwen and David Freeman, Carole and David Davis, Mary Ruth and Hugh Hamilton, Penny and Bob Ellison, Frann and Jim Bennett and Julie and Billy Badger."
On the other side of the world, Ginny and Jeff Guerrant, of Aiken were in Spain and Portugal and on a Douro River cruise.
They tell us: "We left Madrid, had a nice stop on the way to the border of Spain and Portugal and embarked on the river boat. The boat is relatively new, and with only 84 passengers (only 65 on this trip), it was very easy to get to know people and to get around.
The first few days the scenery was mostly tiered vineyards as well as areas planted with almond trees or a variety of fruit trees. We also had any number of excursions that covered wine tastings, etc. and stopped at the Casa Mateus – yes the wine that we all pretended to like during our college days!
MoreBill Kirby: 7,300-mile trip worth the cost of gas, according to these road warriors
Things to do: Want a low-budget summer getaway? Visit these spots without having to drive far from Augusta
"As we neared the middle of the country, we noticed that the scenery was becoming more forested with less vineyards but with plenty of beautiful small wineries and private homes dotted here and there on the hillsides.
"The cruise ended in Porto, a very busy seaside city, and at the end of one tour, we were treated to a white port drink with white port, tonic water and a sprig of rosemary! Quite a different taste, for sure, but on a hot day, it was actually pretty refreshing!"
TODAY'S OBSERVATION: "There's a fine line between a numerator and a denominator," PJ Rodgers points out. "And only a fraction of people will find this funny."
TODAY'S JOKE: Here's one shared by Charlie Williams.
It was a quiet evening in a little Southern town when a motorist sped through an intersection right under a red light.
A traffic cop pulled him over before he'd gone a block, walked to the car window and asked, "Hey, buddy, didn't you see that red light?"
"Yes, sir!" the motorist responded quickly.
"Then what is your problem?" the cop asked.
"Well, sir," said the driver, "I didn't see you."
Bill Kirby has reported, photographed and commented on life in Augusta and Georgia for 45 years.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Bill Kirby: Your vacations include old-style island, European cruises
