Thursday, February 23, 2012

Adventures with Sandy ...

Poor Sandy.

She left yesterday.  She needed to go home for a rest.

Luckily she has the rest of the week off work.

We  had non-stop adventures from the time she arrived late Saturday afternoon, until she flew home yesterday around lunch time.

We went to a taping of  Canadian TV comedy news magazine show "This Hour Has 22 Minutes", which is taped on Monday evenings for airing the next day.  Did I mention we were in the front row ?  Did I mention that there were only two seats in that row ?   Between story tapings and skits, the cast banter with the audience. .  While Sandy was grinning all starry-eyed in their direction, I surreptitiously held a small sign in my lap  that said:  "Sandy from Ontario", and I pointed at her.  I then stashed the sign as one of the cast members, Mark Critch nodded and smiled at me.  During the next break, he announced, "We have Sandy from Ontario, joining us today".  She was thrilled as he and other cast members chatted with her.

Sandy, on the set of  "This Hour Has 22 Minutes".

Our next adventure took us off the beaten track.  to the Aspotogan Sea Spa.  It's a humongous resort that has stood unfinished for almost 20 years.  It was on my list of places I want to take Sandy to see.

We found it.   Lovely isn't it ?


We were accompanied by my friends Amy and Mickie and their fluffy little dog, Remi.  I took Wendy and Trey.




A closer look at the above photo reveals exposed areas where eaves troughs are missing.  At the front of the building we spotted upper windows without glass, allowing entry of pigeons and other birds.

My dream had been to to get inside the building.  Instead, we consoled ourselves by peering at and through windows.

Amy took this shot of us admiring our reflections in a window.
Don't ya just love Amy and Mickie's hats ?

While checking out her lovely reflection in one window, Mickie suddenly called out:  "Hey, this one's open".
WHAT !  An open window !


What would you have done if you'd been there?

Trey barked, alarmed that mommy and her friends were considering breaking the law.  Trey is a very law-abiding dog.  That, or he didn't want to be left behind.


Oh my, it was amazing  inside !

After clambering in through the window, we walked through a pool area and arrived at the central atrium which was about four storeys high.

My plan was to get up to a higher floor and start peering into rooms.

That plan came to a quick end when a guard appeared on the floor above.

"Rats.  We've been caught!" I shouted, when I spotted him.

Damn.!

The guard was a young fella who just happened to be in the building, and had heard our excited voices, and Trey's barking.

See him ?


Rats !  Caught.
  
 I chatted away with the guard as hee and I walked slowly back toward the window. He was there to keep the building from being vandalized or having building materials stolen, since we didn't fit the demographic, he was pretty at ease with us.

The girls escape on the far side of the pool area.
While I was trying to charm him into letting me do more exploring, the girls were making good their escape.

Should I ever get back there, I suspect that window will be more tightly closed.


Guess I'll have to just go back to peering through windows.

Stay tuned for more of  "Adventures with Sandy".

11 comments:

  1. Oh my what fun! What a great friend you are, and all your friends appear to be a fun loving adventursome group, even the pooches.
    Did the building investors get caught with their pants down?
    Good thing you came across a good natured guard.
    Loved the pics!

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  2. My limited understanding is that the investors just ran out of money ... What possessed them to think they'd make a go of such an expensive resort in an area with a short summer and very chilly winters ?

    The guard even volunteered that there were motion sensors.

    I suspect that if we were youthful males, we would have been treated differently.

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  3. Are prisoners allowed to blog in Canadian prisons?

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  4. Les, it was so funny. When we encountered the guard, Sandy and the others started calling each other by fictitious names ... meanwhile I'm chatting with him and telling him about the neat construction helmet I found on the grounds ... The girls were getting the hell out while I was trying to stay as long as I could. I think he was pretty amused by us.

    And "yes", I'm sure we can blog in prison ...

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  5. I've booked myself in for my summer holidays. I'm bringing the family as there seems to be plenty of room!

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  6. So exciting, Sybs.. what an adventure. Wish I'd been there. And very cool about 22 mins - you're a great friend :) xo j.

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  7. What a wonderful tour guide you've been for your friend, Sandy. And what a lot you did together! Sounds so fun.

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  8. P.S. wondering if you're feeling sad now that she's left. It's sometimes hard to change gears.

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  9. That's a lovely photo of Sandy on the 22 minutes set. It was great that we managed to get a chance to meet before she left.

    I also like the photo showing all of your silhouettes on a rock. It looks like a very odd, and beautiful as you say, kind of place. I didn't realize the Aspotogan spa was so huge. According to their website they're still looking for a buyer. What a shame that it's just been sitting there for so long.

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  10. what a wonderful adventure! We came across this building a couple of years ago while we were out exploring...it's nice to see inside too.

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  11. It's been sitting there for TWENTY years? my word!

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Thanks for stopping by. I really do love to read your comments.