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Page 12
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(Click for a larger photo)
The next morning the weather was dry (the rain returned in the afternoon !). We made
our first stop at a quiet rest area at Blind River. You can enjoy som of the photos we
took here.
| Blind River rest area | |
 The Blind River |
 Sea-gull begging for food |
 Relaxing at the rest area |
 What is Michael doing behind that tree ? |
A little closer to Sudbury we stopped at the Serpent River trading post, where an old Ojibway Indian artist (Owal Commando) made a pair of mini-moccasins for Anna. Outside was a very reliable weather station consisting of a stone at the end of a rope and the following text :
(If the rock is wet --- Itīs raining); (If the rock is swaying---- Itīs windy);
(If the rock is hot---- Itīs sunny); (If the rock is cool---- Itīs overcast); (If the
rock is white---- Itīs snowing); (If the rock is blue---- Itīs cold); (If the rock is
gone--- TORNADO)
| At the Serpent River Indian Trading Post | |
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1. Anna in front of Serpent River
Trading Post |
On our way south from Sudbury we had late lunch at Grundy Lake where highway 69 crosses the French River. We were the only guests in the restaurant but the place was beautiful with a small yacht harbour on the river.
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(Click for a larger photo)
After lunch we decided to visit the Kilbear State Park. This is a
recreational area which resembles very much the Swedish "Skærgården" with
small rocky islands and fjords. We went for a 2-3 miles walk with Kilbear Point as
destination. Here we found a nice old light house. The photo above is taken close to this
point. Instead of rocks we also discovered bays with nice sandy and deserted beaches at
some places. So Anna was dreaming of Spain and going for a swim. Anna and Michael also had
a nice rest on the rocks.
In Kilbear Park and at Lake Huron |
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 Kilbear Point |
 Ligth House, Kilbear Point |
 At Lake Huron, Kilbear Park |
 Michael at Lake Huron |
 Quiet surroundings in Kilbear Park |
 Anna at a deserted beach |
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(Click for a larger photo)
Further south in Midland we went for a meal in a Chinese restaurant and stayed for the
night at a nice motel. The next morning we went to the Huron Indian Village in Midland.
This consist of a reconstructed fenced village and a museum. The museum was extremely
crowded with artifacts from the pioneering time almost to present day utility items. The
exhibitions were not really structured and everything just looked overloaded. Not a very
nice appearance. There were even a lot of paintings exhibited for sale. The Indian Village
was much more fascinating to see. It represents Huron life in 1500-1600 just before the
first white settlers arrived. It was completed and opened to the public in 1956. The ovale
fence built as a wooden stockade was at least 3-4 m high and with watch towers. The
entrance was like a labyrinth, winding and narrow to protect from unwanted intruders like
bears, wolves and hostile Indians. The inside area was probably 50 x 200 m with many
houses. One of the major buildings is the longhouse. It accommodates about
30 people which is a family unit: klan. The house was used for sleeping, cooking,
religious ceremonies, meetings, storage of crops and animal hides. As seen on this photo
drying of tobacco leaves was also an important function in the longhouse. Inside the
stockade were many functions and buildings : a playground, a moss rack (moss was dried for
medicine), a burial rack (diseased indians were dried on a rack for 4 month before
burial), the Shamanīs lodge (medicine man), wigwam (guest house), storage pits (for corn,
nuts, dried meat etc.), pottery making (cooking and storage vessels from clay), tobacco
field (the sacred tobacco plant was extremely important for many ceremonies), drying racks
for pelts, sweat lodge (for communal prayers), central pole (gathering space for
announcements). Finally canoes were stored on a rack. Canoes were highly important for
transportation on the lakes and rivers and for fishing.
| Huron Indian Village | |
 Anna in front of Huron Indian Village |
 Longhouse |
 Jens and Anna inside longhouse |
 Masks |
 The stockade |
 Canoes |
