Michigan Trip: Part 6-Manistee

For the last part of our trip, we headed to Manistee, which is on the west side of the state right by Lake Michigan. As a child, we used to go here a lot during the summer. My grandpa's cousins had a big Victorian house that their families shared, so sometimes we would go to the house and stay over. 

When we arrived in Manistee, we headed to the old Victorian to see my Grandpa's cousin Jim (and his wife Jan). Also, their daughter Rhoda and grandson Zack were there. After visiting and catching up for a bit with each other, us girls decided to make jewelry and the guys went to look at ball cards. After, Rhoda, Joelle, and I went to downtown Manistee to look around the shops. The downtown (the whole town in fact) is so neat and it's really pretty. It's so sad though to see how the downturn in the economy has affected the town.

The ring I made...I love it!

Later we headed back to the house to have dinner...a traditional Michigan food, pasties (I know, I know, you just read it and you're thinking "what the heck is that?" but it's pronounced "pass-tees"). Pasties have rutabagas, potatoes, carrots, and beef in a delicious pie like crust that's in the shape of a half-moon. That were so tasty. We talked and had coffee, and then decided to head down to the beach for the sunset. It was cloudy and there wasn't much of a sunset, but the clouds sure looked pretty. This has been a tradition of ours whenever we're in Manistee, to go to the beach and see the sunset. 

The clouds were so cool. 

The next day, we shopped, and then packed up to head back to Grand Rapids for one more nights at my Aunt Michele's and Uncle Duane's. On Thursday morning, we left for SC, thus concluding our three week trip to Michigan. 

I'm so thankful for what a fun time we had and all the fun memories we've made. Thankful for the time with family and specifically with Grandpa, and thankful that Joelle and I have a grandpa who is willing to do such fun things with us. 

Manistee on Dwellable