"History Goes Underground"

As I continue the tour in Moose Jaw, I have to apologize that there are no pictures of the tunnels.

They do not allow pictures to be taken in the tunnels and let me tell you, I don't think the lighting would have been very good in many of the areas that we were in. But what a couple of very interesting tours! A real eye opener.

This is the interior of the renovated old building where you can purchase your tickets, view historical pictures and buy souvenirs. There are two tours that you can take - one is the "Little Chicago - Al Capone" tour and the other is "The Passage to Fortune" tour. All participants congregate in the small lobby here . . . it gets pretty busy right before a tour departs.

Neither tour actually begins in this building . . . everyone leaves by the front door and walks a half a block down the street and takes a bunch of steps downwards or you head across the street into a coffeehouse and climb a bunch of stairs to stand outside double doors that have this (out-of-focus!) sign attached -

The Chicago Connection tour took us into the secret tunnels that Al Capone and his cohorts used when they headed north in the 1920s . . . guns, booze and women were definitely the way of life back then. We had a wonderful tour guide named "Gus" who was a true character and added to the whole underground experience.

The second tour was a glimpse into the harsh way of life that Chinese immigrants discovered when they were brought over to Canada in the early 1900s. The tunnels where they lived and worked were deplorable and the tour was outstanding in demonstrating the intolerable conditions that these folks endured.

It really is amazing to see all these tunnels and all the little secret doorways, secret rooms and all of the authentic furnishings. Highly recommended!

Now onto quilting . . . . busy sewing binding on a huge gift quilt - seems to be taking forever! My pattern tester has finished the third pattern and all reports are good . . . now I need to finalize the pictures for the pattern fronts and get some printing going on. Quilt #2 of pattern number 4 is 3/4 of the way pieced and then it can be sent on to my tester.

Yesterday was a complete write-off - I got into some dust very early in the morning and the rest of the day was a blur of medication and survival. Even had to pass up a supper out and sent everyone on without me while I suffered under the covers. This morning is looking much brighter and I have high hopes for the day.

Wishing you a happy Sunday . . .

'til next time,

M.