JUNE 27, 2014 TRAVERSE CITY..ELK RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

The Browns and Ebests took us to Elk Rapids and Traverse, City.  Penny wanted to take us to Pearls Cajun Restaurant in Elk Rapids.  We asked about Pearl, thinking she started the business, and guess what????? THERE IS NO PEARL!!!!!! Oh, what deception!!!! There is a Marie LaBove look alike in the foyer and we thought maybe that was her.  NOT.  Just Pearl's!!
The food was outstanding!!! Who would have thought.......Cajun in Michigan..... but it is!!!!!!!!!!!

Bar area.

This is a small section of HOT SAUCE collection!
















The GROUP!!!!








We then shopped in Traverse City and walked and had yogart at Kilwins.



The Swans at the Farmers Market.

Met in the evening and played cards and had laughs.  Great day was had!!





Beautiful wild flowers all around our site.

JUNE 26, 2014 EMPIRE...SLEEPING BEAR DUNES

Mike and I took a little sight seeing tour while the Browns and Ebests kayaked.  We met again for steaks and ate together at the Ebests and played cards.

One of the Lakes around Empire, Michigan.

Beautiful Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes.




















"OK, HERE I GO!!!!"

 Winds and constant erosion do a number on trees.  With root exposure, don't know how long this will last!!

 This is a 450 ft drop to the Lake!! People go down and takes much longer to get back to the top!!

These are the climbing dunes.......ah.....no thanks.

JUNE 25, 2014 INDIGO BLUFFS CG

Driving to our next destination we saw a chocolate store.  You know Mike has radar for fudge!!

Took the 20 minute tour through the kitchen but we had to dress for it.

After the tour and buying our fudge and candies we had to have an ice cream. 

Love these Christmas trees!!

Peonies at a farmers market.

Our next campsite for 3 nights.Very nice. Wild flowers in all the vacant lots.

And look who we met camping here..........The Browns and the Ebests!!!!  So we met up at our coach and played 7up!!  Fun time catching up.

JUNE 23, 2014 MACKINAC ISLAND AND GRAND HOTEL

Went by ferry over to Mackinac Island.  Cool and overcast today.  Ferry took us under the bridge on the way.
So, no matter how you spell it, ac or aw, it's still pronounced aw.  I didn/t know that!!

 Right a way we took a horsedrawn tour around the island.  First stop was the Livery stables and Museum and the Butterfly House.

Lilacs all over the island in lavender, purple and white.  All the flowers were beautiful and everything was well manicured.
The tour took us thru the State Park and by the Cemetary, latest burial was last week and the first in the 1700's.  The island is on a hill of limestone and has only about 5 foot of soil.  The surveyors were in cemetary today checking erosion.  Soil has to be brought in and added to the earth.

Sleigh.

Our clothes had to be checked when we left so as not to take any outside with us!!








We started out on a 2 horse carriage and then picked up a new driver/narrator, 3 horse team.  We would be going up steep hills in the park.  Very knowledgeable students working summer jobs as narrators of the areas.

A natural formation, ARCH ROCK was a stop in the park.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                     






Lady Slippers.

















And then we got off at my favorite spot....THE GRAND HOTEL.  We watched the movie, SOMEWHERE IN TIME, the night before.  So I was still on a cloud from the movie!!








































Got a wine here and could take it wherever we liked.










Of course, we had to pay just to walk around the hotel which was very cheap after we came back to the coach and looked up the rates......400.00 a night for 1.














The grand staircase from the carriages.

The full length of the porch.

 This ballroom is rented for weddings.

Room 416.... the room from SOMEWHERE IN TIME!!!  No, I wasn't transported in time!!














Great view from 4th floor Cupola.

We then walked to the city and had dinner.  I had Pecan Crusted Chicken and fried risoto.  Mike had a half rack of ribs. All very tasty.

Now, Mike was on an adventure the whole day.

yes, he sampled all the fudge he could and ............
FINALLY bought some with a coupon....almost FREE!!!!!!








Then, time to leave.

 Good Bye Grand Hotel!!!!!

Lighthouse across the lake.