Phillip's Onesie Adventure - Part 12

Well after 4 lovely nights in the windy city, its off to Detroit… Yes Detroit… About a 6 hour drive from Chicago, crossing from Illinois, Indiana then into Michigan… Why on earth would I want to go to Detroit?? Simple really… To see Detroit in its true form. Yes the town is poverty stricken with the closure of the car industry over the years, poverty is high and people are desperate to earn a living. Detroit lies on the banks of Lake St Claire on the eastern side of the state of Michigan. Home to General Motors world Headquarters, Detroit Lions NFL team and “Hardcore Pawn” that's seen on TV in countries worldwide, including here in Australia on cable TV. Staying at the Detroit Marriott Hotel overlooking the Detroit river and the Canadian city of Windsor I was safe and comfortable for these two nights. I visited the Hardcore Pawn shop and was lucky enough to get a photo with co-owner Seth (who appears on the TV show). Wow this is a real different world to what most of us would be used too.. People buying and selling used goods really to just put food on the table. Quite sad really, given the lives of comfort most of us live in. It really does make you stop and think how lucky and blessed we are to have nice warm onesies to keep us warm in winter, jobs to go to and a stable income. Detroit however did allow me to visit Slow’s BBQ… Another Man v Food location I can tick off. A plate of ribs and a pulled pork roll did me fine. I'm thinking of calling my food adventures “Onesie v Food”?? Oh man this meat was good. So tender and juicy. Well worth the visit. After my 2 nights in Detroit, it was back into Canada. this time of course over on the east side and I will remain in Canada for the next week and a bit. About a 5 hour journey taking me east into Canada and over to Toronto. Yep time to get the passport out again and good man at the Canadian border let me in without a problem. I may have mentioned it in my earlier blogs, but Canada feels more “home” than the United States…. Is it because of the Commonwealth and their links to the Monarchy? I think so. I drive through the farmlands of western Ontario as I make my way toward Toronto. I by-pass Niagara Falls this time. I have been there twice previously and didn’t see the need to visit this time around. So it was straight into Toronto to the Westin Harbour Castle Toronto hotel for the next couple of nights. While in Toronto, I manage to catch a Major League Baseball match at the Rogers Centre (indoor arena) watching the Toronto Blu-Jays take on the Philadelphia Phillies and for the record the Blu-Jays thumped the visitors 10 - 0 in front of a very poor crowd it must be said. The next day it was out on a Lake cruise and clash tour of downtown Toronto. I like this place cause it reminds me of my home city of Melbourne. Toronto and Melbourne both have trams Toronto and Melbourne both have a grid pattern CBD Toronto and Melbourne are both flat. Toronto and Melbourne both have a bay or lakefront. Toronto with Lake Ontario and Melbourne with Port Phillip Bay So the similarities did remind me of home and I guess at this stage I am beginning to look forward to sleeping in my own bed… But there is still lots more to come as next I head to Ottawa, Montreal & Quebec City. Stay tuned for what I get up to next…