by Ryan Markiewicz | Sep 30, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
Well, though the trip has been nice, today is the first day that we got to see something that felt very different from everyday life*.
*Note: Derek made a very good point: He said, “Why would you think a Great Lakes cruise would be so different when you LIVE on one of the Great Lakes?”. Good point 🤪
Duluth was nice but not so different from other small Great Lake port cities.
Lake Superior is BIG, but you really can’t tell how big. Lake Erie is pretty big too.
Thunder Bay had a nice hiking trail, but it was not that different from Allegheny Park or the Adirondacks.
Silver Islet was kind of like a walk through Presque Isle.
All nice. Just not all that different from home/close to home.
But Mackinac Island was VERY different. A cool, unique place. No cars. Mostly horses and bicycles. Home to about 600 people year-round, but a beautiful summer/fall resort area. Famous for their Mackinac Island fudge (as good as advertised) and a beautiful piece of land that we took an 8 mile bike ride all around. And there is the world-famous Grand Hotel (with the longest porch in the world-660′ long), which is a pretty incredible place. It is very elegant and cool.
It’s a pretty remote place, but it’s worth visiting.
Here’s where we are on the map
This is the Arch Rock. Millions of years old.
These are the only taxis available on the island
And these are the only traffic jams
The Grand Hotel
Tonight we head for Algoma, Wisconsin (all I know about that is that it’s near Green Bay 🤪)
Onward!
by Ryan Markiewicz | Sep 28, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
Here’s where we are for Day 2.
Day 2 in Thunder Bay
Took off from Duluth yesterday.
As on all cruises, the first thing they do is to give everyone a safety briefing. These are important since (as we all know) sh*t happens sometimes, and it’s good to be prepared. So, most guests pay some attention but not full attention since they are more excited than worried.
I’m guessing that’s why not too many folks laughed when the Safety Director gave the following instructions:
“In case of emergency you will hear seven short blasts followed by a long blast.
When you hear that, no matter where you are on the ship, go directly to your muster station.
Do not go back to your cabin. Do not look for your loved ones. They can always be replaced at a later date”.
At least I thought that was funny as hell 🤪
Visiting some remote spots in Canada like Thunder Bay and Silver islet. Some cool history here. Mostly hiking through forests and relaxing.
Silver Inlet, for instance, has 250 residents. And that’s in the summer. In the winter, nine hardy folks stay here.
Welcome to Thunder Bay!
And here is our ship at anchor, from Silver Islet.
Just hoping I can get the Bills game on my iPad tomorrow night hahahahaha
by Ryan Markiewicz | Sep 26, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
Hi everyone,
Hallie and I are starting our two-week Great Lakes Viking Cruise. And while it is just a vacation (no work stops), I thought some of you might like to follow our travels.
We have taken several Viking cruises in Europe, Asia, and South America, which were all great, but we figured that it might be different and fun to see more of North America. This cruise goes from Duluth, Minnesota, where we are today (the blue dot on the left), and ends up in Toronto, Canada, with many stops along the way. So…if interested, happy to journal the trip.
The cruise goes from Duluth, Minnesota and ends in Toronto, Canada
Duluth is a pretty town. It has become more of a “hip” place than its past as a port city, like many port cities–reinvented a new culture to deal with the changing economy/times.
Very pretty waterfront, as you can see.
It’s also where Bob Dylan was born (as Bob Zimmerman) before moving to Hibbing, Minn., an hour and a half from here, which is where he embarked for NYC at 19 to meet his hero, Woody Guthrie, as he lay dying and began his journey to become the Bob Dylan who kind of changed the world back in the day (those of you old enough to remember will agree) 😉
Anyway, I’ll keep this updated as the cruise commences and hopefully will have some fun and interesting sites and stories to share (and hopefully no big storms so I don’t get tossed overboard again on this trip!)
Onward! -JB
Like Erie and all port cities, Duluth has a lighthouse
And as Erie has beautiful sunsets over our lake, Duluth has beautiful sunrises over Lake Superior
I’ve seen lots of drawbridges but never a lift bridge like this. The whole road rises up to let the ships through
Don’t know for sure, but I’d bet back in the day when Duluth was mostly known as an iron ore port, the water fountains here did not have ones for dogs too hahaha
The Viking Octanis. Our home for the next two weeks. Onward!
by Hannah McCall | Jul 26, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
All,
After a wonderful week in DC, and getting to meet all kinds of American leaders to discuss the situation in Ukraine, Sasha and Katie are finally arriving in Erie today where will be interning for the summer. Katie will be working with our import and export team, and Sasha will be working with our Government Relations team.
If you read any of my earlier blogs, LP is one of the sponsors of the American University of Kyiv and its first summer intern program. The purpose is 1. To let these kids get a break from the war, and 2. To give them some experience in western businesses.
This initial year there are 18 interns, with JP Morgan https://www.jpmorganchase.com/, Blackstone https://www.blackstone.com/, DOKA https://www.doka.com/us/index?changecountry=US and Caseys https://www.caseys.com/careers/life-at-caseys joining LP as first sponsors.
Next year the goal is to recruit enough new sponsoring businesses so that AUK can bring 100 interns!
As you can see, this is a wide range of businesses. And, as a side note, the sponsors we got to spend the week with were all terrific people, from amazing companies and I’m glad I got to meet them and to learn about their businesses. Judging from the warmth and excitement I witnessed all around, I’m sure all of us will help Dan and AUK recruit more sponsors for next year so AUK can reach their goal.
Both girls (I know girls is no longer a politically correct term–I apologize. But they are just 18 and still young girls to me) are 2nd year students at the American University of Kyiv. They are both very sharp, speak English extremely well and are looking forward to getting to know everyone and to work and to learn the ways of US business and of Logistics Plus.
They will be staying at the apartment in Union Station, sharing the historic train station with LP’s favorite permanent resident, Clara. (Clara is the 5 year old who fell down the steps and died here almost 100 years ago and whose spirit still walks the halls. She is a bit playful and mischievous, as many of our folks here can testify, but not at all malicious. She will be good fun company for the girls here–but that’s a whole ‘nother story.)
In the meantime, please join me in officially welcoming Sasha and Katie to the LP family. Let’s make them feel at home.
Just as in the spirit of the recently concluded hockey camp in Erie we just hosted –another GREAT success–let’s give them a summer and a life experience to remember.
Welcome to LP and Erie, Katie and Sasha!
JB
Welcoming Sasha (left) and Kate (right).
With Congresswoman Victoria Sparks, the only US Congressperson born in Ukraine. Kate and Sasha are the ones holding the American flag standing just next to Dan Rice, President of AUK.
At the US Capitol.
Kate and Sasha outside U.S. Capitol building.
In the Capitol Rotunda. In front of the statue of Ronald Reagan, who many credit with helping to tear down the Berlin Wall, to end the Cold War and the end of the Soviet Union. Many thought that would be the end of wars of aggression in Europe like we see in Ukraine today, but sadly were wrong. Hopefully soon.
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3849750/pentagon-visit-gives-ukrainian-university-students-insight-into-us-support/
Visit www.logisticsplus.com/berlins-wall/ to view all Berlin’s Wall posts.
by Ryan Markiewicz | Jul 24, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
The group got to chat with the staff of the leader of the Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul. I think both sides have found these interesting and engaging. The students get to hear “from the horse’s mouth,” and the US leaders get to see these kids and how much this struggle means to them, their families, and their country. And ALL agree how much the success of this war means for the entire world.
Our friend, Dan Rice, the President of the American University of Kyiv, and Major General Borys Kremenetskyi at the Ukraine Embassy. General Kremenetskyi works intimately with the US Dept of Defense and gave us a good history of the war as well as an update on the latest developments.
Sponsors of the AUK internship program got to meet with the Principal Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisitions, Logistics and Technology, Young Bang.
Young was a classmate of Dan’s at West Point. They started there together 40 years ago—getting older, guys 🙂
Much of the support that gets sent to Ukraine from the US goes through his office. He, like everyone we met, was warm and welcoming.
Another former classmate of Dan’s, Lt. General Ron Clark, has just been nominated by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin as Commanding General of the US Army/Pacific.
More to come tomorrow!
Visit www.logisticsplus.com/berlins-wall/ to view all Berlin’s Wall posts.
by Ryan Markiewicz | Jul 23, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
All,
As you may know, LP is one of the prime backers of AUK (The American University of Kyiv). This year, along with several other companies, such as JP Morgan, Blackstone, DOKA, and others, we are sponsoring their summer intern program. This program gives these young women a chance to escape the war for a few months (as we’ve done with the hockey camps) and get the experience of working in a Western company.
Our interns are Katerina (Kate) Bykova and Oleksandra (Sasha) Yusupova. I came to DC Sunday night to meet them and spend a few days with them and our friends from AUK before they head to Erie for the summer. Dan Rice, the President of AUK, is our host for the week. And what a busy program they’ve arranged.
Our first visit was to CISA, which I know none of you have ever heard of, but it is the US Government’s Cybersecurity Agency in charge of everything from cyberattacks to election fraud. A BIG portfolio. Dan went to West Point with the now-Director of CISA, Jenn Easterly, who spent an hour and a half with the interns and their sponsors, explaining the challenges they face (even the recent Crowdstrike crash we all experienced, which, though not an attack, still falls squarely in their lap) and graciously answering questions.
As is often the case, I’ve found Jenn and her team are yet another example of how smart, caring, and well-meaning the faceless “bureaucrats” who labor every day to help run this nation are. She and her team were sharp, down to earth, and very approachable. (Funny when one of the sponsors mentioned how calm they all seemed, even with the recent chaos of the Crowdstrike outage still affecting the nation, Trent Frazier, one of her deputies, responded, “Not calm. Tired.” 😉) Since CISA is a “Voluntary Agency” that looks to work with private partners to help stop attacks, and to communicate better and more seamlessly, Emile, Keith, and our IT gang will connect with them to get involved. Good.
A good start to the visit. More to come!
At CISA – Kate, Sasha, Dan Rice, Jenn Easterly, and me.
Sasha and Kate
A cloudy day in DC
Visit www.logisticsplus.com/berlins-wall/ to view all Berlin’s Wall posts.
