Warmth and Romance at the Chez Marie-Claire
For anyone curious, chez in French translates to at someone’s home or business. During my recent visit to Chez Marie-Claire, I didn’t meet anyone named Claire, but I did encounter two incredibly hospitable Bed & Breakfast hosts.
Dorian and Marie
Dorian and Marie are the lovely couple that manage the Chez Marie-Claire. The moment you arrive at this quaint Bed & Breakfast, these two will be standing there to greet you, help with bags, and let you know you’ve found that special home away from home. While Dorian and Marie speak mostly French, their English skills are rather impressive considering the two have only been studying the language for a few short months. The Chez Marie-Claire’s structure was built in the year 1885 and is located right in the heart of Old Quebec. Its ideal locale is within easy walking distance to the Chateau Frontenac and other great attractions.
(more…)Posted in Adventurous Places, Great Dining, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged Bed & Breakfast, Chez Marie Claire, Old Quebec City by Big John with no comments yet.
A South Carolina Island, an Old Fort, and the Legend of the Gold Bug
Even those that keen on the topic of American Romanticism and great works of literature, may not understand the link between a South Carolina island, an old fort and the legend of the gold bug. On November 18, 1827, an eighteen year old U.S. army private, Edgar Allen Poe, arrived by ship to Charleston Harbor to report for military duty. His station, Fort Moultrie, was located roughly nine miles southeast from the bustling port city of Charleston on a picturesque piece of marshland called Sullivan’s Island.
Edgar Allen Poe ( author of The Raven, Tell-Tale Heart, and more)
Private Edgar Poe’s occupation as an army clerk allowed him ample time to engage in idle activities such as exploring the island and perfecting his craft as a writer. There remains no doubt that the area’s storied history of notorious pirates such as Blackbeard (Edward Teach) inspired Poe to take to the pen and create his fascinating tale of pirate treasure and the legend of a gold bug. His short story, The Gold Bug, tells the tale of a man bitten by a mysterious gold bug that eventually leads him to uncovering a buried fortune on the South Carolina island. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Great Dining, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged Edgar Allen Poe, Gold Bug, Sullivan's Island by Big John with no comments yet.
Helen, a Big Bavarian Adventure in Small-town Appalachia
What do the Alps of Germany have in common with the southern state of Georgia? Well absolutely nothing, unless you’re talking about the picturesque village of Helen. This charming village, with a meager population of around 500 people, is hidden deep within the shadows of the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Located about two hours north of Atlanta, this Blue Ridge Mountain community sprang up out of the glittering dust of the Great Georgia Gold Rush. When gold fever finally ran its course, the town became a hub for an emerging timber industry. Unfortunately, the people there had more saws than they did trees and in the 1960s the town nearly shut down. It wasn’t until 1968, when businessmen bumped heads with a local artist, that they came up with a unique solution to revitalize the town – Helen, Georgia would be given a Bavarian facelift.
Over the years that followed, the entire town was revamped and now appears as a quaint German alpine village. There are German-styled restaurants, German-themed gift shops, German traditional festivals (Oktoberfest), and one of my personal favorites -cold German beer! With all that Old World appeal, this place is just brewing with adventure!
Main Street, Helen, GA.
Main Street in Helen is perfect place to find German-themed goods, souvenirs, and tasty treats galore. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Great Dining, North America and tagged Bavarian village, Georgia, Helen by Big John with no comments yet.
3 Miles Up, 3 Miles Down or How to Conquer Curahee Mountain
On Memorial Day, 2015, we loaded up the car and headed out for a day trip to Toccoa, Georgia. Although this Blue Ridge region of the Peach State has many spectacular places of interest, I was only focused on finding one particular landmark: Currahee Mountain. Currahee is a Cherokee word meaning “stand alone”. Most likely the name was derived from the mountain’s prominent peak that extends higher than all others within Stephens County. Currahee Mountain, which rises abruptly above the Chattahoochee Forest, climbs about 800 vertical feet above the local terrain and its summit is visible for many miles on a clear day.
(more…)Posted in Adventure Fitness, Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged 506th Infantry Regiment, Band of Brothers, currahee, Currahee Mountain, Toccoa Georgia, WW2 by Big John with 10 comments.
Fort Pickens and the Coastal Batteries of Pensacola Bay
In an age before nuclear bombs, precision guided missiles, and other sophisticated instruments of war, the best means of defending a nation was a well fortified harbor. Pensacola Beach, on the panhandle of Northwest Florida, is home to some of the world’s whitest beaches; it’s also the site of Fort Pickens and several coastal artillery batteries that defended its shores until the conclusion of the second world war. Today, Fort Pickens and its surrounding batteries are part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The area is managed under the National Park Service and the U.S. Department interior. There are 200 campsites at Fort Pickens. For the last week Rebecca, my two boys, and I pitched a tent and called this little piece of seashore our home. This is the photo journal we’ve captured from that experience. I hope you enjoy.
Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida area. The fort is named after a hero of the Revolutionary War, Andrew Pickens. The fort was erected in 1834 and remained active until 1947. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged Blue Angels, florida, Fort Pickens, Geronimo, Pensacola Beach by Big John with 7 comments.