Boston Museums and Freedom Trail - Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Again, the kids and I woke up and went to breakfast at the Dunkin Donuts in the Prudential Centre. We had the same meal as we are definitely creatures of habit. We couldn't decide what to do and we really didn't want to take another tour, but going on a trolley tour would allow us the flexibility to get on and off at points of interest. The children wanted to go to the Aquarium and Children's Museum so Al dropped us off at the Museum before he started work for the day.
We were there so long and they enjoyed it so much, we didn't have time for the Aquarium. In the afternoon, we took a cab back to the Boston Common Visitor Center for our walking tour of the Freedom Trail. We were the only four people on the tour. It was a nice and informative tour. Our guide was an older gentlemen who was soft-spoken and knowledgeable. He was very kind and patient with our overly excited children. After the tour we had dinner at Mama Anna's restaurant in the Italian area of the city right by Paul Revere's house and then drove around Charlestown and to the Bunker Hill Monument. We went to bed relatively early (around 11:30 p.m.) because we are all exhausted.
Duck tour through Boston - Monday, July 13, 2009
Duck tour through Boston - Monday, July 13, 2009
My daughter slept with me last night and spent the night kicking, punching, and just jumping all over the place. I did not get much sleep. Al had to stay in the hotel and work so I took the kids to the Prudential Centre (attached to our hotel) and had breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. I studied brochures, guidebooks and talked to the concierge and couldn't decide what tour(s) to take. We walked around a bit, and finally decided on the Duck Tour.
We got lunch at Shaw's (market) so we could take it on the tour with us since we'd be on the tour for a long time. We arrived at 1:00 p.m. as we were told for a 1:30 p.m.departure. We were third from the last row to board, but took the last row of seats. The two kids sat on one row and I sat across by myself. Once the tour guide came on, she closed the ladder and added a third seat in between the 2 rows. We had a lot of space! These are interesting vehicles and the kids loved it.
The vehicles used for these tours are modeled after vehicles from World War II (DUKWs). Due to many challenges facing by the armed services during World War II, it became apparent that troops needed vehicles that could carry men and supplies on land and water. In 1942 (within six months), the DUKW was designed. D is for designed in 1942, U is for utility amphibious cargo carrying vehicle, K is for front wheel drive and W is for double rear axle drive. I know it doesn't make sense...
They made about 21,000 DUKWs and women mostly made them since the men were off at war. When the war ended they sold the vehicles and that's how Duck Tours got them. Some are original, but the majority are modified reproductions. Each of the vehicles is painted and has a cute name. Ours was painted in Red Sox colors and was named "Red Sox Nathan." My son was happy about that. Our guide was Penny Wise and she was in a Navy Uniform. All the guides must wear costumes. She wears the Navy uniform in honor of her Dad and Grandad who served in the U.S. Navy.
The tour was informative, funny and very entertaining. We drove on Bolyston St. (we drove right over the finish line for the Boston Marathon). We passed in front of the Trinity Church, Beacon Hill and the State House in between the Public Garden and Boston Common (the oldest public park in the U.S.), and many more sites. Then we went to a deserted construction site where the ramp to enter the river is found. The kids were filled with anticipation and their faces were glowing with the excitement. We basically drove in and then the propeller kicked on. It was great! We cruised on the river for awhile.
While we were on the river, we saw many sailboats. The view was beautiful with the skyline in the distance and hundreds of sailboats in the river. One of the sailboats almost crashed into us and did hit the wall of the bridge. It turns out this was one of the students from the nation's oldest boating program. Every summer, local school children (about 1600) participate in the program to learn to sail. They pay only $1.00 for the whole summer and go out every day and all day. The little sailor was fine. Our guide called for help and someone came out to help him immediately.
Our ride on the Charles River continued and it was wonderful. Then the kids got a great surprise as they were all going to take turns driving the DUCK. They both had turns and got their pictures taken while steering. We were on the river for 45 minutes or so, then we went to Charlestown, Quincy Market, and back on Tremont Street (where we saw the three mountains), and back to the stop. We bought the book, "Make Way for Ducklings" and the state book of Massachusetts at the DUCK gift cart. We had a stupendous time, and we were all glad we decided on this tour over the other ones!
We met Al at the hotel and went to the Public Garden to ride the Swan boats. We had a beautiful ride. It was very serene and the views from there were breath-taking. Boston is a gorgeous city. We walked around the park, took many pictures on the "world's smallest suspension bridge" and then took a cab back to the hotel. We picked up our car and drove to Cambridge, Harvard Square and around Harvard. We parked and explored the Harvard campus. We walked around a long time and got to hang out with some of the students as they walked around us getting to their classes and dorms.
We had dinner in Cambridge and then went back to the hotel!
My daughter slept with me last night and spent the night kicking, punching, and just jumping all over the place. I did not get much sleep. Al had to stay in the hotel and work so I took the kids to the Prudential Centre (attached to our hotel) and had breakfast at Dunkin Donuts. I studied brochures, guidebooks and talked to the concierge and couldn't decide what tour(s) to take. We walked around a bit, and finally decided on the Duck Tour.
We got lunch at Shaw's (market) so we could take it on the tour with us since we'd be on the tour for a long time. We arrived at 1:00 p.m. as we were told for a 1:30 p.m.departure. We were third from the last row to board, but took the last row of seats. The two kids sat on one row and I sat across by myself. Once the tour guide came on, she closed the ladder and added a third seat in between the 2 rows. We had a lot of space! These are interesting vehicles and the kids loved it.
The vehicles used for these tours are modeled after vehicles from World War II (DUKWs). Due to many challenges facing by the armed services during World War II, it became apparent that troops needed vehicles that could carry men and supplies on land and water. In 1942 (within six months), the DUKW was designed. D is for designed in 1942, U is for utility amphibious cargo carrying vehicle, K is for front wheel drive and W is for double rear axle drive. I know it doesn't make sense...
They made about 21,000 DUKWs and women mostly made them since the men were off at war. When the war ended they sold the vehicles and that's how Duck Tours got them. Some are original, but the majority are modified reproductions. Each of the vehicles is painted and has a cute name. Ours was painted in Red Sox colors and was named "Red Sox Nathan." My son was happy about that. Our guide was Penny Wise and she was in a Navy Uniform. All the guides must wear costumes. She wears the Navy uniform in honor of her Dad and Grandad who served in the U.S. Navy.
The tour was informative, funny and very entertaining. We drove on Bolyston St. (we drove right over the finish line for the Boston Marathon). We passed in front of the Trinity Church, Beacon Hill and the State House in between the Public Garden and Boston Common (the oldest public park in the U.S.), and many more sites. Then we went to a deserted construction site where the ramp to enter the river is found. The kids were filled with anticipation and their faces were glowing with the excitement. We basically drove in and then the propeller kicked on. It was great! We cruised on the river for awhile.
While we were on the river, we saw many sailboats. The view was beautiful with the skyline in the distance and hundreds of sailboats in the river. One of the sailboats almost crashed into us and did hit the wall of the bridge. It turns out this was one of the students from the nation's oldest boating program. Every summer, local school children (about 1600) participate in the program to learn to sail. They pay only $1.00 for the whole summer and go out every day and all day. The little sailor was fine. Our guide called for help and someone came out to help him immediately.
Our ride on the Charles River continued and it was wonderful. Then the kids got a great surprise as they were all going to take turns driving the DUCK. They both had turns and got their pictures taken while steering. We were on the river for 45 minutes or so, then we went to Charlestown, Quincy Market, and back on Tremont Street (where we saw the three mountains), and back to the stop. We bought the book, "Make Way for Ducklings" and the state book of Massachusetts at the DUCK gift cart. We had a stupendous time, and we were all glad we decided on this tour over the other ones!
We met Al at the hotel and went to the Public Garden to ride the Swan boats. We had a beautiful ride. It was very serene and the views from there were breath-taking. Boston is a gorgeous city. We walked around the park, took many pictures on the "world's smallest suspension bridge" and then took a cab back to the hotel. We picked up our car and drove to Cambridge, Harvard Square and around Harvard. We parked and explored the Harvard campus. We walked around a long time and got to hang out with some of the students as they walked around us getting to their classes and dorms.
We had dinner in Cambridge and then went back to the hotel!
Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park - Sunday, July 12, 2009
Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park - Sunday, July 12, 2009
We woke up around 9:00 a.m. Al and the kids went to get breakfast and we ate in our room overlooking the awesome view. We are on the 20th floor. Shortly after breakfast, Al and the kids left to buy Red Sox paraphernalia so they can wear it to the game. I stayed in the room to unwind and shower and get ready. We will be heading over to the Red Sox game very soon. It starts at 1:30 p.m. and it is now 11:00 a.m.
We took a cab to historic Fenway Park and went to the Stub Hub offices to get our tickets. They were located in a small office building right near the stadium. What an experience! There were thousands of people on the streets right outside the stadium, which is really a closed off neighborhood. When you scan your ticket, you are not entering the stadium. You are entering the neighborhood. We arrived at our seats and they were pretty horrible. We were in Grandstand 7 and had a beam right in the middle of our view. In addition, I had an overly large man sitting next to me (or on me) and he coughed a lot. I was a little grossed out. Needless to say, we were all a little disappointed, including Alissa. We tried to comfort ourselves with lots of food, but it didn't work. We decided to move.
We walked around looking for a spot or a place we could sneak in to get a better view. We found a place directly across from the field next to the Upper Deck bar. We stood there a long time, while Alex scoped out the bleachers. He noticed that there were a group of seats that remained empty the entire time. He decided to go down and try to sit in them. I stayed just in case he couldn't get them so we wouldn't lose our great spot. Finally, I went down and joined them and we weren't asked to move the whole game. Thank God it turned out well!!!! We were sitting very close to the lone red seat where Babe Ruth hit his first home run. Jake tells me that the Yankees and Red Sox hate each other because the Red Sox took Babe Ruth away from the Yankees...they didn't like that.
We had a lovely time at the game, even though it was a bit warm. We ate Italian sausage, hot dogs, kettle korn popcorn, and lemonade. We walked back to the hotel. It was a nice walk, and there were so many people doing the same it was actually entertaining. Mike Lowell was stuck in traffic and we walked alongside his car most of the way.
We went back to the hotel to change rooms and clothes. They changed us to a better room with two beds and on the 15th floor. We tried to go to ride the swans at the Public Garden, but it was closed already. We decided to have dinner at Legal Seafood and headed down to the wharf for dinner and sightseeing. We couldn't find parking near the restaurant so we parked by Quincy market and walked and enjoyed the scenery. The tall ships were in Boston for the Harborfest. It's funny as they've been following us around the whole trip. They were in Charleston and Norfolk and now in Boston.
We woke up around 9:00 a.m. Al and the kids went to get breakfast and we ate in our room overlooking the awesome view. We are on the 20th floor. Shortly after breakfast, Al and the kids left to buy Red Sox paraphernalia so they can wear it to the game. I stayed in the room to unwind and shower and get ready. We will be heading over to the Red Sox game very soon. It starts at 1:30 p.m. and it is now 11:00 a.m.
We took a cab to historic Fenway Park and went to the Stub Hub offices to get our tickets. They were located in a small office building right near the stadium. What an experience! There were thousands of people on the streets right outside the stadium, which is really a closed off neighborhood. When you scan your ticket, you are not entering the stadium. You are entering the neighborhood. We arrived at our seats and they were pretty horrible. We were in Grandstand 7 and had a beam right in the middle of our view. In addition, I had an overly large man sitting next to me (or on me) and he coughed a lot. I was a little grossed out. Needless to say, we were all a little disappointed, including Alissa. We tried to comfort ourselves with lots of food, but it didn't work. We decided to move.
We walked around looking for a spot or a place we could sneak in to get a better view. We found a place directly across from the field next to the Upper Deck bar. We stood there a long time, while Alex scoped out the bleachers. He noticed that there were a group of seats that remained empty the entire time. He decided to go down and try to sit in them. I stayed just in case he couldn't get them so we wouldn't lose our great spot. Finally, I went down and joined them and we weren't asked to move the whole game. Thank God it turned out well!!!! We were sitting very close to the lone red seat where Babe Ruth hit his first home run. Jake tells me that the Yankees and Red Sox hate each other because the Red Sox took Babe Ruth away from the Yankees...they didn't like that.
We had a lovely time at the game, even though it was a bit warm. We ate Italian sausage, hot dogs, kettle korn popcorn, and lemonade. We walked back to the hotel. It was a nice walk, and there were so many people doing the same it was actually entertaining. Mike Lowell was stuck in traffic and we walked alongside his car most of the way.
We went back to the hotel to change rooms and clothes. They changed us to a better room with two beds and on the 15th floor. We tried to go to ride the swans at the Public Garden, but it was closed already. We decided to have dinner at Legal Seafood and headed down to the wharf for dinner and sightseeing. We couldn't find parking near the restaurant so we parked by Quincy market and walked and enjoyed the scenery. The tall ships were in Boston for the Harborfest. It's funny as they've been following us around the whole trip. They were in Charleston and Norfolk and now in Boston.
Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield to Boston, MA - Saturday, July 11, 2009
Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield to Boston, MA - Saturday, July 11, 2009
Last night, we had made it just in time to see the fireworks from our room. They were spectacular. We all enjoyed watching them from the comfort of our room. Al picked up dinner and we had a super nice dinner overlooking the falls and in the comfort of our room. The price of our room on the door was supposed to be $1299.00 per night, regardless of the time of year. We got a great price and we believe an upgrade due to Al's status with Marriott, because we paid less than 20% of the listed price. Thanks Marriott! WE loved our experience!
We packed as much as possible and got everything ready to facilitate an early departure on Saturday morning. We woke up around 7:30 a.m. and were crossing the border around 8:30 a.m. The encounter with border patrol was very uneventful. It was the easiest crossover we've had. We got on the road, traveled on I-90 and I-91 to Springfield, MA. The drive was supposed to take about six hours, but tt took longer because we stopped a million times. One person always had to pee, eat, or do something. We finally made it to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
It wasn't as large as you would expect, but just the right size. They had lots of memorabilia with interactive games and activities for children and adults. They had an area where you could jump up and grab the ball at different heights. Another area had basketball hoops (from the different eras) at different heights and you could attempt to dunk the ball. Also, there were areas to play basketball with other people. You could play virtually and see yourself on a television screen, and also do a commentary on radio and television and hear and see yourself. It was great! We did the whole thing in about 1.5 hours, which was a perfect afternoon.
We had dinner at Pizzeria Uno right behind it and saw a bunch of kids playing Lacrosse on the lawn of a hotel. It looked like they were part of a tournament and reminded us when our son participated in basketball tournaments. The kids got to make their own pizzas at Pizzeria Uno and they enjoyed it very much.
We drove off on our 1.5 hour drive to Boston. We arrived around 9:00 p.m. We are staying at The Sheraton Boston hotel right in the Back Bay area. The hotel is amazing and it is next to the Prudential Center which has a shopping center. The area is very nice and centrally located. There are many things to do right in the area.
We will have a very nice stay here!
Last night, we had made it just in time to see the fireworks from our room. They were spectacular. We all enjoyed watching them from the comfort of our room. Al picked up dinner and we had a super nice dinner overlooking the falls and in the comfort of our room. The price of our room on the door was supposed to be $1299.00 per night, regardless of the time of year. We got a great price and we believe an upgrade due to Al's status with Marriott, because we paid less than 20% of the listed price. Thanks Marriott! WE loved our experience!
We packed as much as possible and got everything ready to facilitate an early departure on Saturday morning. We woke up around 7:30 a.m. and were crossing the border around 8:30 a.m. The encounter with border patrol was very uneventful. It was the easiest crossover we've had. We got on the road, traveled on I-90 and I-91 to Springfield, MA. The drive was supposed to take about six hours, but tt took longer because we stopped a million times. One person always had to pee, eat, or do something. We finally made it to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
It wasn't as large as you would expect, but just the right size. They had lots of memorabilia with interactive games and activities for children and adults. They had an area where you could jump up and grab the ball at different heights. Another area had basketball hoops (from the different eras) at different heights and you could attempt to dunk the ball. Also, there were areas to play basketball with other people. You could play virtually and see yourself on a television screen, and also do a commentary on radio and television and hear and see yourself. It was great! We did the whole thing in about 1.5 hours, which was a perfect afternoon.
We had dinner at Pizzeria Uno right behind it and saw a bunch of kids playing Lacrosse on the lawn of a hotel. It looked like they were part of a tournament and reminded us when our son participated in basketball tournaments. The kids got to make their own pizzas at Pizzeria Uno and they enjoyed it very much.
We drove off on our 1.5 hour drive to Boston. We arrived around 9:00 p.m. We are staying at The Sheraton Boston hotel right in the Back Bay area. The hotel is amazing and it is next to the Prudential Center which has a shopping center. The area is very nice and centrally located. There are many things to do right in the area.
We will have a very nice stay here!
Day trip to Toronto - Friday, July 10, 2009
Day trip to Toronto - Friday, July 10, 2009
It will be hard to top yesterday's experience, however, we at least hope to try. We can't wait to see Toronto! We'll be there shortly as it is only about 45 minutes from Niagara Falls. The last time I did this exact trip (Niagara Falls and Toronto), I was around 10- or 11-years-old. I came with my parents and brother, my aunt and uncle and my cousin Gabi (he was less than 1 year old).
Toronto is a very large city and very similar to New York City. There are many people from different nationalities living there. Since we had only about eight hours to spend there, we decided to do a city tour on a double decker bus and a harbor cruise. The tour was informative and entertaining. We saw some of the major sites. The city is very cosmopolitan. There are many museums, including a shoe museum that seems interesting. In addition, there is the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and the Casa Loma among many others.
Casa Loma is a beautiful castle. Several films have scenes shot within the castle. The original owner was Sir Henry Pellatt he was a very wealthy man because he owned the power company. He wanted to build a castle because he traveled to Europe and thought the European castles were gorgeous. He hired an architect that had never visited a castle to design it from photographs. The castle had running water and electricity, unlike the European castles. Although he was very wealthy, he was also very generous and continued to pay all his employees that went to fight in WW1 for several years. This coupled with the Great Depression made him lose a lot of money and go into debt. In addition, there was a Canadian law that allowed the government to take over any profitable business without paying for it. So they took advantage of this law and took the power company from him without paying him a cent. He ended up living in the basement of his chaffeur's apartment building. He had been knighted in previous years, so the queen paid for his funeral. He had one of the largest funerals ever in Toronto.
We went through some of the nicer and trendy neighborhoods. We learned many facts. Toronto was originally called York, after York, England. People started refering to it as Little York (after New York) and residents didn't like it, so they named it Toronto after the Toronto Isalnds located across the harbor. Toronto was their original Iroquis name. One of the neighborhoods just north of the original town didn't want to pay taxes to York so they established their seperate town called Yorkville. It's one of the trendiest areas of the city. There are many nice designer shops there.
We went by some of the stadiums, the Skydome (also known as the Rogers Centre) and Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors (basketball) and the Toronto Mapleleaves (hockey) play at the Air Canada Centre. The Blue Jays (baseball) and the Buffalo Bills (football) play at the Roger's Centre.
Apparently, Toronto's theatrical performances rival those of New York, according to our tour guide and server from the Skylon Tower last night. We would have loved to take the kids to see The Sound of Music, but there was no time. We have to rush back to the states to catch a Boston RedSox game on Sunday. We have our priorities straight!!!!
We got off the next stop and went to the Hockey Hall of Fame, which was located in a mall. We didn't go in because we wouldn't have enough time to finish the rest of the tour. Upon the completion of the tour, we went to the harbor area and browsed around in the shopping centers and outer areas.
We went on the second part of our tour, the Harbor portion. We took some fabulous photographs of the Toronto skyline, including the CN tower and the boats. It was a nice finish to the visit. We were hesitant about the cruise because we were all tired and wanted to go back to the hotel. Al really wanted to do it, so we stayed and we are glad we did. Alissa was clowning around as usual making everyone laugh as she pretended she was modeling and posing for photographs. The trip was nice, we are all glad we went to Toronto. It would have been nice to have more time there. At least we know we'd like to come back another time.
We are now driving back to our hotel in Niagara Falls to catch the 10:00 p.m. fireworks display over the falls from our hotel room window. Can't wait as I'm sure they'll be spectacular!!! We've had a fabulous time in Canada and we will definitely come again soon!
It will be hard to top yesterday's experience, however, we at least hope to try. We can't wait to see Toronto! We'll be there shortly as it is only about 45 minutes from Niagara Falls. The last time I did this exact trip (Niagara Falls and Toronto), I was around 10- or 11-years-old. I came with my parents and brother, my aunt and uncle and my cousin Gabi (he was less than 1 year old).
Toronto is a very large city and very similar to New York City. There are many people from different nationalities living there. Since we had only about eight hours to spend there, we decided to do a city tour on a double decker bus and a harbor cruise. The tour was informative and entertaining. We saw some of the major sites. The city is very cosmopolitan. There are many museums, including a shoe museum that seems interesting. In addition, there is the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and the Casa Loma among many others.
Casa Loma is a beautiful castle. Several films have scenes shot within the castle. The original owner was Sir Henry Pellatt he was a very wealthy man because he owned the power company. He wanted to build a castle because he traveled to Europe and thought the European castles were gorgeous. He hired an architect that had never visited a castle to design it from photographs. The castle had running water and electricity, unlike the European castles. Although he was very wealthy, he was also very generous and continued to pay all his employees that went to fight in WW1 for several years. This coupled with the Great Depression made him lose a lot of money and go into debt. In addition, there was a Canadian law that allowed the government to take over any profitable business without paying for it. So they took advantage of this law and took the power company from him without paying him a cent. He ended up living in the basement of his chaffeur's apartment building. He had been knighted in previous years, so the queen paid for his funeral. He had one of the largest funerals ever in Toronto.
We went through some of the nicer and trendy neighborhoods. We learned many facts. Toronto was originally called York, after York, England. People started refering to it as Little York (after New York) and residents didn't like it, so they named it Toronto after the Toronto Isalnds located across the harbor. Toronto was their original Iroquis name. One of the neighborhoods just north of the original town didn't want to pay taxes to York so they established their seperate town called Yorkville. It's one of the trendiest areas of the city. There are many nice designer shops there.
We went by some of the stadiums, the Skydome (also known as the Rogers Centre) and Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Raptors (basketball) and the Toronto Mapleleaves (hockey) play at the Air Canada Centre. The Blue Jays (baseball) and the Buffalo Bills (football) play at the Roger's Centre.
Apparently, Toronto's theatrical performances rival those of New York, according to our tour guide and server from the Skylon Tower last night. We would have loved to take the kids to see The Sound of Music, but there was no time. We have to rush back to the states to catch a Boston RedSox game on Sunday. We have our priorities straight!!!!
We got off the next stop and went to the Hockey Hall of Fame, which was located in a mall. We didn't go in because we wouldn't have enough time to finish the rest of the tour. Upon the completion of the tour, we went to the harbor area and browsed around in the shopping centers and outer areas.
We went on the second part of our tour, the Harbor portion. We took some fabulous photographs of the Toronto skyline, including the CN tower and the boats. It was a nice finish to the visit. We were hesitant about the cruise because we were all tired and wanted to go back to the hotel. Al really wanted to do it, so we stayed and we are glad we did. Alissa was clowning around as usual making everyone laugh as she pretended she was modeling and posing for photographs. The trip was nice, we are all glad we went to Toronto. It would have been nice to have more time there. At least we know we'd like to come back another time.
We are now driving back to our hotel in Niagara Falls to catch the 10:00 p.m. fireworks display over the falls from our hotel room window. Can't wait as I'm sure they'll be spectacular!!! We've had a fabulous time in Canada and we will definitely come again soon!
15th Year Anniversary at Niagra Falls - Thursday, July 9, 2009
15th Year Anniversary at Niagra Falls - Thursday, July 9, 2009
We celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in Niagra Falls! We had an awesome day!!!! We woke up earlier and wasted no time sleeping. Al went to pick up breakfast for all of us, and we had breakfast in the room looking at the lake spill over into the Falls. He picked up bagel and croissant sandwiches from Tim Horton's. It was yummy. The best coffee I've tasted in a long time.
We got ready, packed everything up and got ready for our move to Marriott. We walked to Murray St. by the large casino hotel. We walked around that area of the town. We took many photos and then walked back to the Center to do the tour behind the Falls. It was incredible as you walk through tunnels and experience the falls from the back view. There are moments when the water is raging so much that you get soaked. Jake got upset with us, because we were using his camera instead of ours and his was going to get damaged. Regardless, we took many photos and had a great time.
We left there and took the cable car up and went to check out of the Radisson. We packed the car with all the stuff and drove around for a bit because the Marriott room wasn't ready. We drove around the Clifton Hill area and then decided we wanted to drive over to the American side to see the falls from there. The view from Rainbow bridge was incredible. We decided we'd do the walk across later in the day and take pictures. It took forever to clear the border patrol. There were so many people and we got the patrol person to give us tourist information. We asked for passport stamps, but she said we could get them inside upon our return. We made a u-turn and went right back to Canada. We went to the Marriott and checked in. It is FABULOUS!!!!! We got a family suite with a view of the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls. It has two queen beds and a second area seperated by french doors with a sofa bed and a second tv with a picture window with the gorgeous Falls view. WE LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the hotel. WE don't even want to go out...we just want to stay and enjoy the luxuries and the view.
After we checked in, we had luch at the Visitor's center and took the 2-car bus to Maid of the Mist to see the falls up close. We had a great time. We got wet, but it wasn't horrible as you get more wet walking down the sidewalk earlier in the day. The kids enjoyed the boat ride, although Jake thought we should have gotten closer. After that we took the people mover again to the White Water Walk. It was nice, you walk on a boardwalk next to the ranging river. The setting is picturesque with all the trees and boulders.
We took the people mover again to Rainbow Bridge. We walked across to the US side. Our passports were stamped with the US stamp. We took a trolley around the park to the Cave of the Winds tour. WOW! WOW! WOW! This was incredible. It was the highlight of the day and possibly the trip. They have you put on their shoes and a raincoat. You can get as wet as you want beause it depends on how close you get to the falls. Basically, the tour consists of a series of steps and a boardwalk built around the two American Falls. We all got soaked! We got super close and took pictures as long as possible. There is a section where you can stand right under the Bridal Veil Falls and they call it the Hurricane deck. It truly feels like you are in the middle of a hurricane. The water came down with such force and it feels like it will take you away. I didn't do it as I did not want my daughter to do it as I really thought it would knock her down. My son, the brave one, went right under the falls and stood there getting wet. He said it was an incredible experience and it made him feel truly part of the falls.
After that experience, we thought nothing could compare as it was amazing. We took the trolley back to Canada and got our passports stamped. We had reservations for dinner at the Skylon Tower. We had to change them for 9 p.m. so that we could go shower and change. We left the hotel around 9 p.m., drove in our own car to the tower and then went up together in the yellow elevator. The kids have been dying to do this and it was fun and the view was beautiful.
We arrived at the revolving dining room and sat right by the window. It was still daylight so we got to see the view both during the day and at night. I didn't think I could be impressed by the view, but again I was happily surprised. The restaurant was very pretty, the ambiance was pleasant and the view was perfect. We had a lovely dinner. I ordered a shiraz from the Niagara region, which was good. I had rack of lamb, Alex had a chicken entree with shrimp and french onion soup. The kids wanted $18.00 chicken fingers, but they were good, and they included fries, veggies and dessert. They were happy.
We had a beautiful anniversary day and evening. After dinner we went up to the observation deck. The view was even more breath-taking than from the restaurant, We left because it was freezing up there, and none of us were dressed for it. Al had convinced the kids to give us foot massages as part of our anniversary gift. The kids couldn't wait to go back to the hotel to do this.
They did a great job. Al fell asleep and I was comatose. My son wanted to put the beds together (as part of our tradition), Al said no, but when we fell asleep, he moved them. When we woke up the beds were together. I slept with my head toward the foot of the bed, so I could look at the falls everytime I woke up. Actually, I never woke up until morning. I was hoping to see them at sunrise, but was too tired!
We celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary in Niagra Falls! We had an awesome day!!!! We woke up earlier and wasted no time sleeping. Al went to pick up breakfast for all of us, and we had breakfast in the room looking at the lake spill over into the Falls. He picked up bagel and croissant sandwiches from Tim Horton's. It was yummy. The best coffee I've tasted in a long time.
We got ready, packed everything up and got ready for our move to Marriott. We walked to Murray St. by the large casino hotel. We walked around that area of the town. We took many photos and then walked back to the Center to do the tour behind the Falls. It was incredible as you walk through tunnels and experience the falls from the back view. There are moments when the water is raging so much that you get soaked. Jake got upset with us, because we were using his camera instead of ours and his was going to get damaged. Regardless, we took many photos and had a great time.
We left there and took the cable car up and went to check out of the Radisson. We packed the car with all the stuff and drove around for a bit because the Marriott room wasn't ready. We drove around the Clifton Hill area and then decided we wanted to drive over to the American side to see the falls from there. The view from Rainbow bridge was incredible. We decided we'd do the walk across later in the day and take pictures. It took forever to clear the border patrol. There were so many people and we got the patrol person to give us tourist information. We asked for passport stamps, but she said we could get them inside upon our return. We made a u-turn and went right back to Canada. We went to the Marriott and checked in. It is FABULOUS!!!!! We got a family suite with a view of the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls. It has two queen beds and a second area seperated by french doors with a sofa bed and a second tv with a picture window with the gorgeous Falls view. WE LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the hotel. WE don't even want to go out...we just want to stay and enjoy the luxuries and the view.
After we checked in, we had luch at the Visitor's center and took the 2-car bus to Maid of the Mist to see the falls up close. We had a great time. We got wet, but it wasn't horrible as you get more wet walking down the sidewalk earlier in the day. The kids enjoyed the boat ride, although Jake thought we should have gotten closer. After that we took the people mover again to the White Water Walk. It was nice, you walk on a boardwalk next to the ranging river. The setting is picturesque with all the trees and boulders.
We took the people mover again to Rainbow Bridge. We walked across to the US side. Our passports were stamped with the US stamp. We took a trolley around the park to the Cave of the Winds tour. WOW! WOW! WOW! This was incredible. It was the highlight of the day and possibly the trip. They have you put on their shoes and a raincoat. You can get as wet as you want beause it depends on how close you get to the falls. Basically, the tour consists of a series of steps and a boardwalk built around the two American Falls. We all got soaked! We got super close and took pictures as long as possible. There is a section where you can stand right under the Bridal Veil Falls and they call it the Hurricane deck. It truly feels like you are in the middle of a hurricane. The water came down with such force and it feels like it will take you away. I didn't do it as I did not want my daughter to do it as I really thought it would knock her down. My son, the brave one, went right under the falls and stood there getting wet. He said it was an incredible experience and it made him feel truly part of the falls.
After that experience, we thought nothing could compare as it was amazing. We took the trolley back to Canada and got our passports stamped. We had reservations for dinner at the Skylon Tower. We had to change them for 9 p.m. so that we could go shower and change. We left the hotel around 9 p.m., drove in our own car to the tower and then went up together in the yellow elevator. The kids have been dying to do this and it was fun and the view was beautiful.
We arrived at the revolving dining room and sat right by the window. It was still daylight so we got to see the view both during the day and at night. I didn't think I could be impressed by the view, but again I was happily surprised. The restaurant was very pretty, the ambiance was pleasant and the view was perfect. We had a lovely dinner. I ordered a shiraz from the Niagara region, which was good. I had rack of lamb, Alex had a chicken entree with shrimp and french onion soup. The kids wanted $18.00 chicken fingers, but they were good, and they included fries, veggies and dessert. They were happy.
We had a beautiful anniversary day and evening. After dinner we went up to the observation deck. The view was even more breath-taking than from the restaurant, We left because it was freezing up there, and none of us were dressed for it. Al had convinced the kids to give us foot massages as part of our anniversary gift. The kids couldn't wait to go back to the hotel to do this.
They did a great job. Al fell asleep and I was comatose. My son wanted to put the beds together (as part of our tradition), Al said no, but when we fell asleep, he moved them. When we woke up the beds were together. I slept with my head toward the foot of the bed, so I could look at the falls everytime I woke up. Actually, I never woke up until morning. I was hoping to see them at sunrise, but was too tired!
Driving to Niagara Falls (Canada side) - Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Driving to Niagara Falls (Canada side) - Wednesday, July 8, 2009
I woke up around 8:30 am, earlier than usual. We are driving to Niagara Falls today. It's about a seven hour drive. We want to leave super early so we can take advantage of the daylight. I wish we would have more initiative to leave earlier in the day. We waste a lot of time getting out in the morning. I know we need to rest, but we should try to fix our schedule so we are up early and go to bed early.
The drive was wonderful. We had great weather and the views were breathtaking. We even saw windmills that provide wind power for the area. We went through small roads. I prefer them to the big highways...the truck drivers can be really unforgiving and aggressive on the big highways. I feel much safer on the smaller roads...they are still highways just more calm. Many times they run right through towns so you have a chance to see how people live.
The kids and I had lunch at Wendy's while Alex took a call in the car. I was freaked out because there was a Wendy's employee sitting at a table, looking very nervous...crying and acting strangely. He kept standing up, walking around, going outside and coming in again. I was terrified that maybe he was fired or was a disgruntled employee and might do something "crazy" and we'd be caught in the middle. I had to act cool and stayed until the kids finished lunch. I barely ate because I was so nervous...and left as quickly as possible. He went outside when we went out and walked in the same direction as our car, but then kept walking. Thank God!!!!
One good thing that happened was they gave us lunch for free. There was a problem with the credit card machine, so they didn't charge the lunch. I offered to pay with cash and they wouldn't accept it. They just gave it to us. That was nice!
We kept driving and arrived at the border patrol around 4:30 pm. The officer interrogated me and tried to catch me in a lie. He asked where we were from, I said Miami, FL. He asked about the paper license plate, we explained we had recently bought the car. Then he said, "your driving from California, that's a long way." I said, "No, we're driving from Florida." He looked at the kids and I asked if he wanted me to open the window, he said no. He asked if we had weapons, guns or pepper spray? I said no. Technically, we don't have weapons. We bought an ax and baseball bat, because on one of those days with a lot of driving, I had a lot of time to think and came to the conclusion that we should have some kind of "weapon" to use for protection in case the car broke down and we were alone and vulnerable.
We bought the stuff in a Walmart by Atlantic Beach, near New Bern. Jake drove us crazy asking why we were buying those things, so we had to explain. We were afraid he'd volunteer the information to the border officer. We didn't say anything, because technically, the items aren't necessarily weapons. They can be used for a variety of activities. The officer asked if the kids were having a hard time on such a long trip, I laughed and said they are fine. We are the ones that are losing our minds with their fighting. I guess he commiserated and told us to go through. He'd searched almost all the cars before us. He didn't search our car, which was cool.
We drove another 20 minutes to our hotel. We were staying at the Radisson with a view of the Falls. When we checked in, we were told, the Falls views were sold out, but they gave us a huge suite with partial view of the lake. They also don't have availability to extend the stay one more day until Saturday morning. We put our stuff in and left to explore. Alex went back to the hotel to get me a jacket and the kids and I waited across the street at the Marriott. I asked if they had rooms available...they didn't have for tonight, but they have availability for tomorrow and Friday night. Alex came back and we reserved the room. They told us we could check in early in the morning if someone checked out early.
We went down to the Falls via the cable car and got information at the visitor's center. We had dinner at Elements overlooking the horseshoe falls. The view was very pretty, yet the food was just ok. Everything was a little salty. Alex and I had french onion soup and sirloin steak with veggies and potato. After dinner we went to see Fury. It's an interactive movie about the formation of the Falls. You have to wear raincoats because its very turbulent and it snows, rains and water splashes all over. That was a fun experience. The kids loved it!!!!
Afterwards we went to see the fireworks. It was raining so we started seeing them from the Visitor's Center, then we went out under a walkway in the front and saw them better. We took the cable car up again and went to the Marriott. We asked to see an example of the view,so they showed us a room. The view is fantastic!!!!! Can't wait to move tomorrow.
Later we went back to our room, everyone bathed and got ready for bed. There was a bad incident with the Hershey bars. The kids fought over the chocolate. Alex and I wished each other Happy Anniversary at midnight and then we went to bed around 1:00 a.m.
Happy 15th Anniversary! It's hard to believe it's been 15 years already! It's been great!
I woke up around 8:30 am, earlier than usual. We are driving to Niagara Falls today. It's about a seven hour drive. We want to leave super early so we can take advantage of the daylight. I wish we would have more initiative to leave earlier in the day. We waste a lot of time getting out in the morning. I know we need to rest, but we should try to fix our schedule so we are up early and go to bed early.
The drive was wonderful. We had great weather and the views were breathtaking. We even saw windmills that provide wind power for the area. We went through small roads. I prefer them to the big highways...the truck drivers can be really unforgiving and aggressive on the big highways. I feel much safer on the smaller roads...they are still highways just more calm. Many times they run right through towns so you have a chance to see how people live.
The kids and I had lunch at Wendy's while Alex took a call in the car. I was freaked out because there was a Wendy's employee sitting at a table, looking very nervous...crying and acting strangely. He kept standing up, walking around, going outside and coming in again. I was terrified that maybe he was fired or was a disgruntled employee and might do something "crazy" and we'd be caught in the middle. I had to act cool and stayed until the kids finished lunch. I barely ate because I was so nervous...and left as quickly as possible. He went outside when we went out and walked in the same direction as our car, but then kept walking. Thank God!!!!
One good thing that happened was they gave us lunch for free. There was a problem with the credit card machine, so they didn't charge the lunch. I offered to pay with cash and they wouldn't accept it. They just gave it to us. That was nice!
We kept driving and arrived at the border patrol around 4:30 pm. The officer interrogated me and tried to catch me in a lie. He asked where we were from, I said Miami, FL. He asked about the paper license plate, we explained we had recently bought the car. Then he said, "your driving from California, that's a long way." I said, "No, we're driving from Florida." He looked at the kids and I asked if he wanted me to open the window, he said no. He asked if we had weapons, guns or pepper spray? I said no. Technically, we don't have weapons. We bought an ax and baseball bat, because on one of those days with a lot of driving, I had a lot of time to think and came to the conclusion that we should have some kind of "weapon" to use for protection in case the car broke down and we were alone and vulnerable.
We bought the stuff in a Walmart by Atlantic Beach, near New Bern. Jake drove us crazy asking why we were buying those things, so we had to explain. We were afraid he'd volunteer the information to the border officer. We didn't say anything, because technically, the items aren't necessarily weapons. They can be used for a variety of activities. The officer asked if the kids were having a hard time on such a long trip, I laughed and said they are fine. We are the ones that are losing our minds with their fighting. I guess he commiserated and told us to go through. He'd searched almost all the cars before us. He didn't search our car, which was cool.
We drove another 20 minutes to our hotel. We were staying at the Radisson with a view of the Falls. When we checked in, we were told, the Falls views were sold out, but they gave us a huge suite with partial view of the lake. They also don't have availability to extend the stay one more day until Saturday morning. We put our stuff in and left to explore. Alex went back to the hotel to get me a jacket and the kids and I waited across the street at the Marriott. I asked if they had rooms available...they didn't have for tonight, but they have availability for tomorrow and Friday night. Alex came back and we reserved the room. They told us we could check in early in the morning if someone checked out early.
We went down to the Falls via the cable car and got information at the visitor's center. We had dinner at Elements overlooking the horseshoe falls. The view was very pretty, yet the food was just ok. Everything was a little salty. Alex and I had french onion soup and sirloin steak with veggies and potato. After dinner we went to see Fury. It's an interactive movie about the formation of the Falls. You have to wear raincoats because its very turbulent and it snows, rains and water splashes all over. That was a fun experience. The kids loved it!!!!
Afterwards we went to see the fireworks. It was raining so we started seeing them from the Visitor's Center, then we went out under a walkway in the front and saw them better. We took the cable car up again and went to the Marriott. We asked to see an example of the view,so they showed us a room. The view is fantastic!!!!! Can't wait to move tomorrow.
Later we went back to our room, everyone bathed and got ready for bed. There was a bad incident with the Hershey bars. The kids fought over the chocolate. Alex and I wished each other Happy Anniversary at midnight and then we went to bed around 1:00 a.m.
Happy 15th Anniversary! It's hard to believe it's been 15 years already! It's been great!
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