Cross Another One Off The List

I have wanted to write about this but I have been too busy and too tired. I was looking over my pictures and realized that I am beginning to forget some of the little details that love to remember. Plus I think I will use the memories of my trip for an essay I have to write.

Cross another one off my bucket list – I finally stayed at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. I have wanted to stay there since I was a little girl and first visited the island. I remember making a promise to myself that very first time I visited the island – I remember staring at the porch, kind of put out because my parents wouldn’t take me on it, thinking someday I’ll be back and someday I will be on that porch. Quite a few years ago my husband, stepson, and I visited the island and I got to walk on the porch for the first time. I then made a promise to myself then that I would stay the night at the hotel. So I made it.

Saturday September 25, 2010

The day was cloudy and cold. Check in at the Grand is not until 4pm so we decided to spend some time in Mackinaw City first, exploring the Coast Guard icebreaker ship Mackinaw. That was really interesting and made me regret not considering joining Coast Guard when I was young. I would have loved sailing the Great Lakes.

We took the Arnold ferry over to the island, sitting on the enclosed bottom deck because of the cold. I missed not sitting on the top deck, wind blowing my hair into a mess of tangles, especially when I saw a rainbow island-hopping over the straights from Bois Blanc Island to Mackinac Island. Now that is a rainbow I know had a pot of gold or something even more valuable at the end of it. I wanted to snap pictures so bad but I knew they wouldn’t turn out too well through the dull windows of the ferry.  Ah, the downfall of trading photo opts and excitement for comfort.

We took the Grand Hotel carriage from the Arnold Dock and made it just in time. People on the street stop and stare at the Grand Hotel carriage as it passes by. I wanted to take the carriage to get the full experience of a Grand Hotel stay. I used to be one of those people who would stare at the carriage, wondering what it was like to be riding in Mackinac style, to be able to stay at the Grand. Now I was on my way. The carriage ride was special because it was something I hadn’t experienced before – at least not in that distinguished carriage. The slight blemish on the rose is that we had to share it with about 5-6 others people and numerous shopping bags so I couldn’t spread out or take all the pictures I wanted.

 

UGH! More pressing assignments call, more later...