CURRENTS February 2024

CURRENTS is the official newsletter of the Credit River PROBUS Club. It is published monthly and emailed to members to keep them abreast of club activities and to promote the club’s central objectives. Submissions are welcome as are new ideas and should be emailed to Lydia Koop, lydia4@cogeco.ca.

President’s Message

Everything is changing. No news there, but Brian and I just returned from a visit to Madeira, where discussions with other travellers brought another change to mind. It used to be that come the start of winter, many seniors would pack up their cars and head south down the I-75 or I-95 returning in spring. Many still do, but it seems that increasingly, whether for personal or perhaps political reasons, some snow fugitives are looking for alternatives. Our members Lydia Koop and Brian McGrath are enjoying part of the winter in Mexico, from where Lydia is still coordinating Currents. (Thank you, Lydia!)

Most of the sun seekers we met on Madeira were from the UK – not surprising as they enjoy a multitude of direct flight options, and not even a time difference to contend with. There were just a few Canadians who had been enjoying the Azores, from where Madeira is an easy side trip. The Portuguese Azores are an interesting option for snowbirds, a five-hour direct flight from Toronto – only an hour more than some of the further Caribbean islands. You can enjoy a low crime environment, a European ambience, and not least Portuguese custard tarts! Other GTA PROBUS clubs have offered self-catering long stay continental European options, with occasional group outings. I understand there to have been 2, 4, 6, or 8 week options. Something our club might consider in the future.

On a different note, Brian and I loved Madeira although it’s a very rugged volcanic island and walking up some of the grades reminded us that the years are passing. One especially memorable location is called Curral das Freiras (literally Nun’s Pen, but usually mis-translated into English as Nun’s Valley). It’s one of those places for which no photograph can do justice. The little town sits in a bowl, possibly once the core of a volcano, invisible from the sea, and almost entirely surrounded by 1000 m high ridges, where you can look down as from an aircraft. In 1556 it was the hiding place for nuns when pirate ships were sighted offshore. In those days pirates were not good looking guys who said “Arrgh “ a lot and had a special relationship with parrots.

Now we are back home to contend with the Canadian winter, while hopefully enjoying our Clubs activities and events. Oh, by the way – 54 days to the official start of spring!

Ada Dixon

You can find this month’s complete issue and past editions of CURRENTS here.

Read your copy of CURRENTS or see the web to find out more about  Activities,  Events,  and Travel in our club.

Direct comments about CURRENTS to Lydia Koop, lydia4@cogeco.ca. If you need to be sent another copy of CURRENTS please email crprobus@gmail.com.