Day 19 - June 16, 2012

Day 19 – June 16, 2012

Toronto, ON/Niagara Falls/Buffalo, NY

103 minutes/2 hours (border crossing)

Another early morning….starting to get to me, the 7^th morning in a row that I’ve been up at 6. 

Easy drive to Niagara Falls.  We got there so early, that parking was very easy – we landed right on River Road, practically in front of the Maid of the Mist.  No troubles, or wait for that matter, to get on the boat….we were getting soaked by the falls before 10a.m. 

Wow.  Simply amazing.  One of the prettiest sights I’ve ever seen.  After the boat ride, we walked all the way to the top of the falls, and back.  We go all the views.

We drove across the Rainbow Bridge and after a short interrogation by the border patrol officer, we were homeJ.  It felt good.  Side bar:  As pretty as Niagara Falls, Ontario is - Niagara, Falls, NY is NOT.  Actually, kind of sad.

We were in Buffalo, in no time.  Rich had to work, so I dropped Rich & the kids at the hotel and I snuck away for a little bit (kids were thrilled to have American TV again…how sad is that?).  I toured the Martin House, which is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s early Prairie Style homes, which he designed for a Buffalo Business man in 1901.  It was amazing.  It looked like a cool bachelor pad that Rock Hudson would have on screen, rather than the family home of a wealthy, turn-of the century millionaire.  No pictures allowed inside, so sadly I can’t show you.

Then I ran some Father’s Day related errands.  I’m happy Rich will be here with us, but I feel bad, too.  He is so swamped with work and exhausted, he’d probably be better off at home.  Poor guy.

We may order room service.  I hate admitting it…but I’m exhausted, as well.  Need to rechargeJ…tomorrow is our halfway point.  We’ve done the Mid Atlantic, New England, & Canada…next half is the Steel Belt, the Midwest & the South.

Peace outJ…

Getting read to board Made of the Mist

Looking south, towards the upper falls

Looking East at the American Falls

                                                     View from the top of the falls

                                                                            Home:)

                                                                  The Martin House

Day 18 – June 15, 2012

Kingston, On – Toronto, ON

172 miles/3 hours

Easy departure from Kingston, and honestly, I was a little reluctant to leave.  What a great little town.

We cruised west towards Toronto and were making very good time.  I wanted to get to the Toronto airport early, as Rich and I didn’t have our phones (turned on) and no texting!  We’d have to do an old school airport pickup.  Well, about 15 miles from the airport (according to my totally unreliable and most likely useless metric calculations), I hit a wall of traffic.  Brutal.  ATL has nothing on this. Good to know we still have survival skills, without modern technology!

Rich was (and is) swamped with work, so sadly, we had to drop him at the hotel (we’re staying close to the airport).  Poor guy.  So the road warriors and I headed into the city.  We did our typical (much to Bear’s chagrin) walk around…CN Tower, Blue Jays Stadium and the Lakeside.  Very pretty city, but sooooooo crowded.  Awful  traffic.  But it was a gorgeous day!

I took the kids to the “top” (not really the top…about 80% up) of the CN Tower (the tallest building in Canada), I have no idea how many stories it was…as it was in measured in the metric system.  And from what I can tell…it was just a needle, with some restaurants and observations decks, not a true building,….like the Empire State Building or the Twin Towers.  It’s a tourist deal.  Any-hoo, views were beautiful…but I confess, I was not that dazzled, as I didn’t know the lay of the land.  Sorry to the Canadians...I’m an American girl.

Seriously, I’m a little off?  Not sure why.  I have three very close friends who were born and/or raised in Canada…but I can see why they live in the states today.  It’s all a little off.  I know, I’m an arrogant Yankee…forgive me, but I can’t quite explain, what I’ trying to say…obviously!

Traffic coming back from the city sucked and Rich worked till almost 6!  We grabbed dinner close to the hotel.  Back to the good ole U.S.A tomorrowJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can see, I have pictures.  Uploaded Montreal (June 13), but for some reason yesterday's batch is giving me trouble:(...hopefully Rich can, AGAIN, help.

Audie in our road trip t-shirt

1st glimpse on the CN Tower

View from the top

Hunter lating on the glass floor

Kids - Toronto, lakeside (Lake Ontario)

Day 17 - June 14, 2012

Day 17 – June 14, 2012

Montreal, QB/Ottawa, ON/Kingston, ON

246 miles/4 and ½ hours

One of the many things I love about road trips is the surprises!  Both the good and the disappointing (which often sends you on a surprising tangent).  A last minute change in our overnight venue, led us to the discovery of a lovely little town, Kingston, ON.  But first, how we ended up here.

I was glad to leave Montreal, and I feel bad about it.  I was sooo excited to go there, because I’d read a lot of amazing things about the city (and it was beautiful), but I felt a little nervous the whole time I was there.  Not sure if it was the language difference (which didn’t bother me when I lived in Puerto Rico, but I was 25 at the time), or the busyness of the city or that I really didn’t know what to do with the kids.  Also, we were staying at a full service Marriott that was much nicer than most Marriott’s I’ve been to (kind of like the Philly hotel).  And everyone there had their hands out.   As I left this morning, the bellman, doorman and valet all had their hands out….literally(!)…and mind you, I did the BULK of the work.

I’d had a Suite Hotel booked in Ottawa, which I’d canceled a few days before, after remembering (experiencing in PhillyJ) that big city hotels often nail you on parking and tipping.  Normally (when it’s just me and Rich and we’re at one hotel for a mini-break) I don’t mind, but day after day….hotel after hotel….no thanks.   So I rebooked at a Courtyard, away from the city & also a Residence Inn, in a town called Kingston, which looked, from the map, to be halfway, on the way to Toronto, where we pick Rich up tomorrow.   ARE you bored yet?

We got to Parliament, in Ottawa, to watch the Changing of the Guard, and it didn’t happened.  Seriously.   I stopped someone and asked if we were in the right place, because I was on time.  He said he didn’t think it started “yet.”  What does that mean?  He replied, that they don’t do it every day, and he hadn’t seen it in a while (he worked across the street).  Great!  Thanks.  A big screw up on my part & nothing in my Road Trip Notebook, indicates that it is a seasonal thing.  Plus, all the Parliament buildings had scaffolds in front of them, lots of refurbishing going on.  Oh…and lots of abortion protesters and the pictures…Good Lord….it was a minefield, but mercifully, I did maneuver the kids around that debacle.

The city appeared nice, but I was ready to go….  We drove past the Rideau Canal, which didn’t seem that big a deal, and the National Gallery of Canada (the other venue I’d planned on) didn’t thrill me at that moment.  I pulled over at a McDonalds (free wifi) and emailed Rich (remember, I’ve shut my phone off) that I was heading south for Plan B.

Turns out Kingston, Ontario is a military town.   If I’d known that, based on my U.S. experiences, I’d a kept on truckin’ to Toronto.  But it’s awesome.  The town is so clean and very, very pretty!  The weather was gorgeous!!!!  Not a cloud on the sky.  It’s right on Lake Ontario (as is our hotel) and the town is littered with shops and cafes).  Our room is HUGE and clean and we had a free dinner (albeit buffet) and I’m looking forward to our free breakfast tomorrow.   And the only person I’ll have to tip is the housekeeper!

Little historical note on Kingston.  There was a battle in the bay, during the War of 1812, just outside our hotel, between the British (and the Canadians) and the U.S. fleet.  The Canadians defended their town…and the U.S Fleet…after damaging the Canadian Ship, the Royal George, retreated, but did blockade the city.

Still having computer issues…I’m so frustrated.  Praying that Rich can solve it tomorrow and then I will go back and repost some Canada pictures.

Parliment

View from Parlimet overlooking the river

In front of Jacque Cartier

View from the front of our hotel in Kingston

Who does she remind you of?????

Day 16 - June 13, 2012

Day 16 – June 13, 2102

Burlington. VT – Montreal, On

96 miles/2hours

I don’t know what it was….Vermont air, perhaps….but the chickadees slept till 8:30!!!  I couldn’t believe it.  Construction around the hotel had me up at 6:30!

Took our time getting ready and then walked around downtown Burlington (late breakfast at Starbucks).   It was still pretty cloudy & a little chilly.  We ended up buying new sandals for me (blew mine out on the Cape), Aud (hers were old, dirty & ugly) & Bear (who grew out of the ones I bought in MAY!).  Then we headed lakeside. 

Lake Champlain was so pretty, with the mountains of upstate New York on the horizon.  I tried so hard to get good pictures, but FAIL.  So little justice in what I got.  It was beautiful.  What baffled me – we were the only people there!  No one was around?

Back to the hotel we dragged ourselves to check out.  I successfully snuck a bell cart…got it all loaded and we made it to the parking garage, where we got busted by the bellmen of the day….I feel terrible (I worked at a bell desk for a season in FL), but can’t afford $10 a check-in/out (with all our luggage – easily $20 a day).  He kindly backed off…but, still stood around and watched!?

So with a heavy heart, we bid Vermont adieuL.

On the way to Montreal, Rich called me to ask me if I’d checked with Verizon about coverage…I did not.  Honestly, I’d forgotten.  So, I was nervous heading north…not sure why or what I expected, crossing the border.  They just asked for my passport & the kids’ documentation.  She asked me if I had permission from their dad to take them to Canada, and I presented a letter.  She asked me where I was going and why & if I had a place to stay.  Then she asked if I was transporting alcohol or tobacco…I said no, and immediately panicked.  I did check beforehand and my research indicated that I could bring alcohol….I had a bottle of wine (unopenedJ) left over from the Cape. 

Now, officially, nervous.

On our way – and I noticed all highway signs are in French (no clue) and the speed is listed in kilometers (my speedometer doesn’t measure in KMs).  Aw jeez…I was right to be nervous.  Can see it now, pulled over for speeding and busted for packing wine.

But we made it to Montreal, without incident.  I also did it with printed out Mapquest directions….as Verizon lit up my phone as soon as I crossed the border with warnings of excessive data charges.  Phone is off until Saturday.

We took a walk through Old Montreal and it was no different (IMO) from any other city?  I really didn’t see anything extraordinary.  Even the Note Dame Basilica wasn’t as pretty as some churches I’ve seen in Boston and New York.

We found no restaurant that interested us in our journey (some fare offered:  sweet breads, duck confit, lamb lollypops, roasted rabbit).  Our dinner was in the Marriott dining room.

Kids were less than thrilled to discover Canadian TV had Phineas & Pherb in French!  It was too funny watching their reaction…poor kids; have to play with each otherJ.

Sorry, I have no pictures from today….some sort of memory problem is preventing me from
downloading and then uploading.  Hopefully Rich can fix it this weekend.  BummerL.

Lake Champlain in the background

Burlington Boathouse

New York on that horizon

Canada, here we come!

And specifically, Quebec:)

Notre Dama Basilica

View from our room

Dayn15 - June 12, 2012

Day 15 – June 11, 2012

Quincy, MA – Burlington, VT (with stops in Concord, Hanover, Montpelier)

246 miles, 5 hours

Poor Rich, Taxi picked him up at 4:30 a.m.  By the time the kids woke up, he was probably circling the ATL…kids bombarded me with, “Where’s daddy?”   I spent the morning catching up on paperwork (which follows you on the roadL).  Figured I’d make use of the time that we’d have spent in Boston traffic.

No such luck.  Major back up heading into the city, at 10 a.m.  Once we cleared Boston, no problem…and we made it to Concord before noon.  What a cute little town.  I always thought Tallahassee was a small state capitol, but Concord…wow.  Nothing to it, but it was very quaint.  The Capitol building is right on Main Street, and quite impressive.  We were greeted by a statue of our 4^th President, Franklin Pierce (had no idea he was from New Hampshire).  Main Street was awesome…restaurants, stores (pharmacy, shoe store, multiple clothing stores…NO CHAINS).  There was even a record store!  It was like a walk back in time & it was bustling.  I parked, right in front of the capitol & no meter.

Beyond Main Street & the Capitol…not so much going on.

We drove east to Hanover, NH, home to Dartmouth College.  The campus was amazing….like a movie set.  We walked around (it was reunion week) and found ourselves on Main Street – again mini- metropolisJ.  LOVE it.

Crossed over into Vermont and made a gradual, northern, upward climb to Montpelier, the capitol of Vermont.  I hope Paula (Benson) s reading this, because, I LOVE VERMONT!  WOW!  The drive through the Green Mountains was so pretty (and it was grey & over cast – can’t even image sunny days, fall foliage or winter snow).  We got the Montpelier….it was like Mayberry!  I looked it up, and it is the smallest US capital!  However, the State House (built in 1857) is so grand.  Main Street is even smaller than Concord’s.  So clean.  College kids playing frisbee on the capitol grounds.  I wanted to find a realtor.   After our self-guided capitol tour, I got gas – FULL SERVICE - at the Citgo station, with the cutest little man in overalls!

Next stop Waterbury….Ben & Jerry’s factory.  Need I say more?  Kids were in heaven!

Then on to Burlington, and unfortunately a down pour.  Still, very cute, green & clean town.  Biggest city of the day, too.  We drove through the University of Vermont, on our way to the hotel.  I saw Lake Champlain in the distance (very grey & choppy), more up close tomorrow.  Bellmen promised sun.

BTW – the bellmen…a very young version of Ed Bagley Jr…has a story to tell his family tonight.  I was checking in, in the rain.  After being greeting by one of the nicest (and prettiest) front desk person ever…I grabbed a bell cart and headed out.  About half way through my "ritual", Ed came out and apologized, for missing me.  “No problem,” I said.  I hadn’t expected help (it’s a Courtyard) and I usually intimidate bellmen with my luggage/crew.  He laughed & I kept on loading and he smartly stayed back…but he stayed.  Ok?  So I got everything situated and told him that I was going to park the car.  Well, Hunter and Audrey started arguing, over I honestly don’t know what…and I pulled away…than I hear screams…and stopped and Good Lord, the battle also involved an umbrella (from where?!?!?!)…it was ugly.  Well…holy moly, shoulda seen Ed’s face, omg.  He was frozen.  I almost laughed, except I was so mad at  Frick & Frack.  I order everyone to sit & if anyone uttered a word, no dinner.  I told them Ed would tell me who talked…Not. A. Word.  I was very calm, which seemed to scare the kids and baffle Ed.

I instituted 30 minutes of silence in the hotel room and then we got ready to look for dinner.  At this point, Bear had a meltdown (over the iPad) and it was kind of hard to calm him.  Adios mio, it sucked.

Eventually found ourselves at the Farmhouse Tap & Grill (I needed the tap) and after a short wait (on pins and needles, because of Bear) we sat at a table – in the middle of a crowded & noisy (the nosiest – I swear) restaurant.  I was not hopeful.  God threw me a bone….fully organic, all natural, locally farmed food…and everyone, including me and Barrett, practically licked our plates.  It was California food in VT.  And the kids loved it!

Swim time & early to bed…bringing to troupe to Canada tomorrow…little nervous.

President Franklin Pierce

New Hampshire State House

Downtown Concord

One of NH's many covered bridges

On the fence in Dartmouth Square 

Some building at Dartmouth

A failed attempt at capturing the beautiful view when driving

Vermont State House

Downtown Montpelier

Day 14 - June 11, 2012

Day  14 – June 11, 2012

Dennis Port, Ma – Quincy, MA

72 miles/1 hr, 45 minutes

We were up early….5a.mish…..and it was very bright, I guess it was because of being so far north & east.  Kids were not happy (theme for the dayJ).  Regardless, we were on the highway (with coffee in hand) by 6:45a.m.

But first, a brief explanation of my encounter from last night.  When we checked in on Friday, I was reading the motel literature and noticed that it was owned by the Hart Family.  Bells went off…I knew them, or more accurately, my parents did.  Long story short, a few inquiries to various employees, led me to the Ocean House (adjacent restaurant, which was where we ate last night).  Sure enough…there was Janet Hart, who baby sat me during the July 4^th Bicentennial, while my parents were partying at the Chatham Wayside Inn’s pool party.  I hadn’t seen her in 35 years.  Anyway, besides lots of Cape Cod gossip…turns out she has a 23 year old son with autism…so there was a lot to talk about.

We arrived at the Adams National Park by 8:30, so we got on the first tour.  We got to see the birth places of both John Adams and his son, John Quincy; as well as the “Old House,” where four generations of the Adams family lived, from 1788 until 1927.  It was very cool and even more informative.  Then we had to drop Rich at the hotel, because work was”calling.”  There was a small moment of chaos when my little warriors (Benedict Arnolds) revolted…they saw the hotel and thought, TV and pool time.  No….Freedom Trail, you little spoiled traitors.  They were not pleased.

We started at Bunker Hill…some of us climbed all the way to the top…294 steps!...of the monument.  One of us bailed at step 40 (Audrey…but you did not read it here…I promised her I wouldn’t blog itJ).  She hung with the 2 Park Rangers (female).  And I chased the twins to the top (I could hear them, but not see them, spiral staircase).  Camden begged me to “Hold him”’ but I couldn’t do it.  I was breathing hard with the climb and then at the top…we had one quick look, before the twins headed back down.  Out of guilt, I carried Cammy all the way down…which slowed me a bit.  At the bottom, B&H literally were laying on the ground and Audrey was gloating over making the right choice (but you didn’t read that here).  My legs shook for an hour.

Next stop, USS Constitution, which was closed, for no explanation.

Then I drove to the Old North Church…and had some parking issues, which I will spare you.  But we eventually found something and headed out with map in hand and somehow…literally...ended up in the middle of a European Tour group.  Seriously, we were sitting in the North Church and the kids were like, “I don’t understand”…and I was like…""Shush! Liste!"  Then I realized that the man was not speaking English (or Spanish or French)…we were out of there and the kids used it against me in every other venue!  “We’re not going in there, we won’t understand.”

So…Faneuil Hall, ice cream break at Quincy Market, the Old State House, Park Street Church (and Paul revere’s grave, which we saw last time), the Massachusetts State House (while walking up hill...all four where whining & complaining, it was pah-thetic!...I reminded them that I was older than all their ages combined (Holy Mother of God)...MAN UP! & finally, Mr. Revere’s house.  They somehow ralliedJ!

We made it back home by 5.  (Awful!!!!!) dinner at Legal Seafood…trying to go to bed early, not looking good.  Rich is leaving at 4:30 tomorrowL.

Rich in front of the birth place of one of his heroes, John Adams.

The Adams Family Home, "The Old House"

Bunker Hill Monument

View from the top of Bunker Hill

Our Consolation prize, for the closed USS Constittution:(

USS Constitution

Paul Revere Statue

Inside the Old North Church, "One if by land, two if by sea"

Faneuil Hall

Cheers, "Where everone knows your name;)"

The Old State House

The site of the Boston Massacre

Massachusets State Capitol

Paul Revere's House...butt up to a condo:)!