Days 69, 70, 71 The Last Factory

We know our trip is coming to an end because we visited our last factory -- the Martin Guitar factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.  This was an amazing walk along the production line watching people craft a guitar.  The factory produces about 200 guitars each day and, while some of the work is computer-generated, much of it is still done by hand.









 The C. F. Martin and Company guitars have been called the "most coveted acoustic guitar on earth".  The walls of the factory and lobby museum are lined with photos of artists and their Martin Guitars -- Johnny Cash, Elvis, Hank Snow, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Gordon Lightfoot, Peter Frampton, Paul Simon, Paul McCartney.  The Beatles actually recorded most of their songs on Martin guitars but did not use them on stage for fear of damaging them.

 Martin guitars sell for as little as $300 (the backpackers model).  They do custom orders and we saw one guitar being made with inlaid pearl and valued at $13000.  The most popular model is the D-28 which sells for about $3000.





 
These last three days of our trip have been getting colder and colder as we get closer to Nova Scotia.  We spent one night in Hartford, Connecticut then on to shopping in North Conway, New Hampshire.  We bought very little.  After being in Africa for two years and living among people who have so little, we are not as self-indulgent as we used to be.  Consequently, "Outlet Shopping" has lost some appeal......  Our last night in Bangor, Maine was bitter cold and windy.

 But we warmed up to a turkey dinner with friends!  November 25 was the day of our return and American Thanksgiving.  After spending weeks with Americans talking about Thanksgiving and Black Friday, we did feel like we were a part of it.  Thanks Paula and Brian for including us!  (The last DVD the boys watched on the road was about the Pilgrims.  It gave us a great understanding of the very first Thanksgiving.  The DVD series called "Drive thru History" is produced by Focus on the Family and we highly recommend it.)

Now time to unpack.  Things don't look quite as organized do they?  But we have arrived back in Nova Scotia safe and sound.  WE ARE THANKFUL!!