We are off this afternoon for a scenic drive with our former neighbours around Lake Ontario, as you all well know at this time of the year the scenery can be really beautifull with the changing of the colours and also the relfections in the lake, intend to have dinner at a somewhat remote restaurant by the lake that my friends know but which Joy and myself have never been to, is a real beautifull sunny day with the temperature around 22oC so should be a pleasant afternoon. Mauri

Well we really enjoyed the drive to about 100 miles North of where we live as the colours on the trees were magnificent as it was such a beautifull sunny day and would you believe instead of having dinner at the restaurant by the lake we were going through an Indian Reservation when we spotted would you believe of all things a Fish and Chip place, only a little tiny restaurant so we thought we would try it and were glad we did as the fish (Halibut) and chips were great with very generous portions, and of course because we were on a Indian Reservation there was no tax on the meals. All in all a very nice day. Mauri

Mauri

Why do the Native Americans on a reservation pay no tax?

Hildenboy, I am not quite sure of the history of the tax agreement with the Canadian Indians and the Federal Government, its something that was negotiated a long time ago. I think its the same with the American Indians but am not quite sure. I do know that there was a large Indian smuggling ring broken up not too long ago, they were buying cigarettes and cigars duty free and selling them for a profit in the nearby towns. Mauri

Mauri, your day out sounded lovely. I'm sure the scenery was beautiful as I know in Canada the colours at this time of the year are stunning to see. Glad you enjoyed the fish supper.

Mauri,

I can only imagine the glorious riot of colour you drove thru' on your Sunday out, Canada is worth visiting in Autumn, such colours. The area North of Barrie is beautiful, unspoilt & charming, we loved driving thereabouts, all the quaint names of rivers & villages.

I imagined no tax was granted to the Native Canadians when they were ousted from their land years ago, a small price to pay for their vast country.

I have never been to a Reservation yet, they get a bad press, but hope to get back some day & travel more, taking a day trip to one for the experience.

Pat

Pat, if I was you I'd keep away from the Indian Reservations. One of then might take a fancy to your blonde hair and fine figure. What would you do then?

Pat,Ann, In Southern Ontario its hard to tell you are in an Indian Reservation unlike the far north where the native settlements lack so much.

I remember when I first came to Canada from Australia way back in 1956, I was working on Vancouver Island as a skipper on Tug and Passenger launch boats. My accomadation on shore was a small apartment on the dock of the company I was working for. Shortly after starting there I was awakened one night by strange noises on the pier getting up I looked out my window but could only see strange shadowy figurs moving around, discretion being the better part of valour I stayed where I was and next morning was telling one of the other guys about it, he replied you done the right thing as they are Indians from the reservation on the other side of the bay, they come over now and then looking for whatever has been left out and prowl around the boats looking for something they can use.
My visa for the USA which I had applied for in the US Consulate in Sydney came through shortly after that so it was a relief to move on. Mauri

Mauri, you were a wise man staying inside your home that night. I suppose the Indians were harmless, looking for what they could pick up. Then again, if they had been disturbed, who knows!!!!!! When we were visting Dominic's brother in Seattle, we went to bingo in a Native American run casino. The Native Americans knew Pat well and would shout over "Hi Pat" when we went there. He said they bought cars all the time, crashed them, (not deliberately) then just bought another. They had been given compensation when their land was taken over. All the casinos in that area were Native American run. I found them friendly and cheerful.

Ann, Seattle was my next stop after Vancouver Island,and on the bus down I flipped a coin to decide to stay there and enlist or go on to San Francisco, Seattle won so into a recruiting office I went, it was a combined Army,Navy,Marine Corps & Coastguard, when the Navy recruiter saw my discharge certificate and personal records from the Royal and Royal Australian Navy he was practilly begging me to enlist in the US Navy, however as I was married and wanted to be home every night when my wife joined me from Australia I decided the Air Force was the life for me and so I joined and was soon on my way to Texas for basic training, it all seems like a dream now??, Mauri

Hi Mauri, I must say you really struck lucky to find Halibut served in a Chippy it's unbelievable ,personally its the nicest fish I ever tasted and that was only twice but the flavour lingers on I believe it's found mostly around Newfoundland and Iceland around 65 years ago while working for Elmore's he brought in a Halibut which it took 2 of us to lift on to the slab but I had to travel to England to sample it many years later as a matter of interest was it served as a steak or a fillet ?now I still enjoy Jonnie Longs Cod or Haddock in batter but sometimes in a restaurant I push the boat out and go for the sea bass served with a Perniod based sauce so Mauri the old taste buds are still intact RegardsTed

Ted, Halibut is quite common in Ontario restaurants, in our city there are at least three Fish and chip restaurants that I know off that sell it mostly as fillets,Haddock,Salmon and Perch are also quite common. I can still smell the fish in Elmores and see it lying out in the open, do they still do that or is it finally under cover??? Mauri

Mauri, I have never tasted halibut, but that's next on my list when I go on holiday. While in Spain I ordered turbot and I have to say it was the most. sumptious piece of fish I have ever tasted. I loved the texture, something like cod, and the taste was just so mild but lovely too. When I was in Tescos a couple of weeks ago I asked if they had turbot. The assistant told me that it was far too expensive to buy and that people wouldn't pay the asking price. I only paid 18 euros for the whole meal, including the turbot, in Spain. It was a huge piece too. In our part of Spain, I ate fish every day and the prices were so very reasonable. Perhaps because it was a traditional little Spanish town, the prices were set to suit the residents, who would refuse to pay what tourists are charged in the bigger resorts. I hope to go back again to that quiet little fishing village where the white sand and sun welcomed anyone who visited. The prices were so reasonable that I think I could safely take an empty suitcase next time and buy my holiday clothes there. We'll see.

Mauri Alas Elmores as you knew it is long gone both Paddy & Felix Elmore's both now deceased ,as you probably remember Felix had his business beside J C Pattersons and Paddy had a little shop beside Lizzie Anderson's I think the supermarkets were there death Nell just as the family butchers went the same way though a couple of Paddys sons are in the wholesale supplying Hotels Chippys Etc the price of fish now seems to me to be very expensive Cod especially and as for Ardglass Herrings it must be a couple of years since I last tasted a genuine one and the price is out of all proportion probably because of the scarcity as I heard there were very few being landed and yet I remember selling them for 2 shillings a dozen,The Good Old Days ?a Fish Supper now would stand you about 6 Quid Regards Ted

Ted, "6 Quid for a fish supper" remember when it was about two bob??, The Elmores used to live I think in Jubilee Avenue but wasn't there a big tall son who opened up another fish shop nearly facing Antrim Street or am I getting mixed up with somebody else.

Actually the six quid compares with prices here, the average price for a fish supper here is about $15 depending on where you are. Things starting to cool down here weather wise, 15oC today dropping to 10oC tomorrow which compares with the temperature in Belfast as in todays morning paper the temperature in Belfast was 12oC though I remember that damp feeling makes it seem colder. Have a Great Day. Mauri

Mauri. I think you are thinking about Paddy Elmore's shop which was next to to Lizze Anderson's post office in Bow Street now also long gone. ,regarding the weather it is quite pleasant this last week and it's beautiful Autumn weather quite dry and the weather forecast for tonight mentions frost for some parts of the country, great weather for cleaning up the garden and getting it in shape for the Spring, enjoy your weekend as we are looking forward to Ireland's match with Argentina in Cardiff on Saturday , Kind Regards Ted PS Mauri I think the tall person in the fish shop you mention was Eamon O Conner (RIP)who worked in Paddy's after leaving school he lived in Trinity Terrace and you are right about Paddy Elmore I think he built those 2houses in Jubblee Avenue living in one and selling the other !Cheers

Ted, Just come to me that probably who I was thinking of was Ted Drake who had not a fishmongers but if I remember correctly a butchers shop nearly beside "Jordens" in Bow Street almost facing Antrim Street. he was a tall skinny guy and lived in Warren Gardens do you remember him???. Mauri

Mauri, I do remember him very well I think he spent a lot of time in the states and I believe that his wife was an American of course the Drakes were senonimous with butchery in Lisburn in my early years, they also had a shop in Castle Street nearly facing Conleys Newsagents, but he also opened a butcher and delicatessen in Smithfield a few doors up from Neesons pub I am afraid he is now deceased tho the butchers is still there , Mauri I think his name was Bill Drake not Ted Regards Ted

Ted, I believe you are right about his name, you won't believe this but the last time that I remember seeing him was at Thieval Barracks I think it was in the Sergeants Mess where we used to go sometimes when the pubs closed, this would be around or just after Xmas 1949 when I was home on leave from the Navy. Mauri

Mauri A few times I visited the same establishment and if I Remember we use to play a game called Tambola were a large box was divided into smaller boxes each had a number and one had to throw a ball into the box with hindsight it was bingo really and any cards we won went into the kitty for the next round and it was a cheap bar then , of course years before that we used there Cinema on a Sunday night , in 49 you were in the Sergeants Mess I was probably in the Cinema Small World Regards Ted

Ted, Tombola was a very popular game in the old Navy not sure about today??, but in places like Gibralter and Malta and the Fleet Club in Hong Kong it used to draw large numbers of players and the big winners had sometimes to be escorted back to their ship by a shore patrol.

Talking about the Sergeant Mess, when I was in the US Air Force and on a fleeting visit to Lisburn I had an uncle in the RAF stationed at Aldergrove who at the time was a sergeant and who invited me to visit with him at his mess in Aldergrove, we went up in his car which was an old Jag, I didn't get a very warm reception in the mess because I was in US uniform, but anyway after a few drinks their attitudes softened and finally we left to go back to Lisburn as we passed Rock Chapel all of a sudden flashing lights came on ahead of us which unknown to us was a Police Checkpoint my uncle didnt stop and all of a sudden bullets were flying around us, then he stopped and several police officers came running up and ordered us out of the car, when they saw my uniform and ID and my uncle's ID (he was in civilian clothes} they told him off but let us go on, this would be in late 1959. Sure turned out to be an exciting night. Mauri

Mauri, You must admit it must have sobered you up ! Just thinking of the consequences had yous been hit RUC shoots American GI and RAF Sargent it would have caused a International Incedent but thank God your luck held and yous were not booked ,probably to much paperwork involved, Mauri enjoy the day I am myself going down to the sons bar to watch the match with his friends IRELAND via Argintina and its a hard one to call ,After watching the All Blacks last night against France I think they will lift the Trophy
Good Luck Ted
'

Mauri Just returned I am afraid it ended up like a wake but we had a fair run ,and we had a drink to what might have been, it was great while it lasted Regards Ted

Hi Barney, A lot of the chippys are using frozen portions now and using imported fish species that I haven't heard of. but I still pass about 10 chip shops to go to Johnny Longs on the Governor Road were it's either Cod or Haddock depending on what's available and price, sometimes he sells a bit of smoked haddock in batter and it's fabulous, he sets a high standard and will always ask if everything is satisfactory, recently I have noticed a lot of tourists using it when they come off the cruise liners so it must be one of the City Highlights must do events when visiting Belfast and I have come across a few politicians and sometimes some of the cast that would be preforming in the Opera House use it. I first used it about 55 years ago with herself when we would be coming out of the Ritz or the Hippodrome but it has had a number of new owners since then but still retained the name. Regards Ted