Flint, Michigan, sight-seeing tour
Linda Cassar meets us at the hotel. She represents the "Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau". She takes us downtown, especially to the run-down working-class district, which is now being refurbished with federal money. In pre-automobile times Flint was a center of
carriage making. The local families
Chrysler, Chevrolet, Buick etc. made it into a center of the auto industry. UAW, the labor union, was born here as well.
But the number of employed decreases. Take General Motors, Flint: In the 70s they employed 86,000, today 46,000, in the year 2002 the number will have fallen to 25,000. Flint has been quite successful attracting new businesses. Higher education is another important branch: There is the
University of Michigan, Flint, and there are five more colleges, some of them foundations by the automobile pioneers.
Flint, Michigan, Sloan Museum
 | | Antique car. One of many nice cars |
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The "Alfred P. Sloan Museum" is just one attraction of Flint's remarkable cultural center. The museum informs about the area's history and features special exhibits, at the time of our visit an exhibition about "Ethiopia Jewry". There is a wide range of educational programs for children. We came by a few classes who were so immersed into their tasks (here: putting together a light-bulb) that they hardly even noticed us.
We particularly enjoyed the
antique cars that were shown in their contemporary surroundings.
From the United States to Canada
We eat lunch at a
Cracker-Barrel in Port Huron, still on American soil. At the border we have to leave the bus and stand in line to get our
passports stamped. Then we cross the bridge over the St. Clair River that connects Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron.
Arrival at Crediton
The minute we enter Canada there begins a heavy downpour. The landscape is beautiful along Lakeshore Road, but some of us are not exactly thrilled at the perspective to spend the next few days in drizzly rain at a tiny village
(Crediton has 200 inhabitants). How we greet the sun next morning.
 | | The Akademie. Our quarters at Crediton, Centralia Academy |
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 | | Sign of the Akademie. Quite a welcome! |
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We are an hour late at Centralia Academy, Huron Park, our lodgings for the remaining days.
Linda Finkbeiner is eagerly expecting us. She was chiefly responsible for all the preparations, and now she is overjoyed that we have safely arrived. Reginald is there, too, to give us a hearty welcome.
Sharon Lessard from Ellison Tours presents us with two baskets full of fruit, cheese, sausage, biscuits: we'll enjoy them on our excursions in the days to come.
Dinner at Larry's Country Diner, Crediton
 | | Welcome sign. There are more of these signs... |
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We had spotted the restaurant (the only one at Crediton?) when we passed through the village on our way to Huron Park, along with the
welcome signs there and in front of the church and at the Academy. The "Diner" is run by a Greek. His son cooks, but not often for as many guests as tonight. He is happy when Linda asks him to step out of the kitchen for a moment to be applauded.
But he has not taken into account the thirst of traveling Swabians.
After the first round of "Canadian" they have run out of that fine beer.
Centralia Academy
When we return from dinner, the buffet at the Academy is still in full swing - mainly for the ca.
70 American and Canadian guests.
 | | Historical photographs. Here are just a few of the many photos in the Historical Room |
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We discover
the bar in the basement (fully licensed), an important base during the next few days.
On the first floor Reginald has installed a
Historical Room, a little museum of Finkbeiner family history in general and of the Crediton part in particular. The walls are covered with photographs of early Finkbeiner immigrants, views of Crediton 100 years ago, copies of family trees, genealogical charts... Objects from traditional country-life are arranged in the center of the room.
