| This may look familiar to some of you who live around the Pacific.
U.S. troops used these "ducks" in and around the Pacific duing World War
II. Several of them ended up in Wisconsin Dells where they transport tourists
on a route that includes roads, duck trails, the Wisconsin River and Lake
Delton.
If you look closely, you can see Nancy, Menchu, Panjee and Tricia in
that last seat on the left at the back of the duck. Nancy and Panjee had
been on a duck before but this was the first time for Menchu. |
 |
| This photo was taken at the Dells Mining Company in Wisconsin Dells.
From left to right we have Menchu, Panjee, little Tricia and Nancy.
The girls are sifting and washing dirt looking for uncut semi-precious
stones. They found enough to make some items of jewelry. What makes it
fun is that after you find the stones, these people will cut and then mount
them in the setting of your choice. |
 |
| Nancy took this photo of Tricia and myself at the Dells Mining Company.
While the girls were busy sifting and washing dirt, I tried my best to
keep Tricia out of trouble. Of course, Tricia had ideas of her own about
exploring the area. |
 |
| My job was to research, photograph and write an article about the Kalahari
Resort and Conference Center which is located on the south side of Wisconsin
Dells and Lake Delton near the interstate highway. This particular hotel
has an African theme with photos and decorations of African animals. It
is also very much self-contained with its own restaurant, a very complete
gift shop, an outdoor water park and the largest indoor water park in the
United States.
This photo shows one corner of the huge indoor water park. This area
turns into a wave pool at certain times. |
 |
| Menchu and Panjee are floating in a double innertube in what we called
the Lazy River. This river makes a figure 8 around the indoor water park,
passing waterfalls and the wave pool. You do not even have to paddle because
a current keeps you moving slowly down the river.
Little Tricia really liked the Lazy River. She shared an inner tube
with me and we probably went around a dozen times before we finally quit. |
 |
| This photograph was taken in Manitowoc, Wisconsin behind our hotel.
The S.S. Badger, the Lake Michigan car ferry had just crossed Lake
Michigan from Ludington, Michigan and was docking in Manitowoc. We would
leave on this same boat two hours later.
Sitting on the bench are Panjee, Tricia and Menchu. |
 |
| The S.S. Badger is 50 years old and is a coal fired steam boat.
I think it is the largest passenger carrying boat on the Great Lakes. It
takes four hours to cross Lake Michigan between Manitowoc, Wisconsin and
Ludington, Michigan. In addition to having a buffet-type restaurant and
a bar, it also has staterooms, a gift shop, and a little movie theater.
This photo was taken near midnight after we returned from Ludington.
I put my camera on a tripod to get a time exposure. The location is again
behind our hotel and only a few feet from where I took the previous photo. |
 |
| On the way home we took the time to stop and visit the Milwaukee Zoo,
which is my favorite zoo. Here is Panjee, Menchu, Tricia and Nancy standing
near the elephant compound. Tricia got to see several animals she had never
seen before. |
 |
