We are home safe and sound and truly had an enjoyable summer. Not ready for school mode just yet, so we are just doing what we have to do.
Our time in TN were very fun. I was nervous that David wasn't going to like being in the middle of the woods, in a log cabin, but he was fine and is looking forward to returning.
Dollywood is not somewhere we need to go back to, but we had a nice enough day. The park itself is beautifully kept, but the attractions won't be confused with Disney World any time soon. We had dinner at Dixie Stampede and that was actually alot of fun. The show was cleaver, and action packed. There were live animal races-- Nothing like witnessing a pig race, in Pork Chop Downs. The dinner was served without silverware. Jeffrey was happy about that. We went with Gramma Joan and she was excited by how much fun Jeffrey had. It was a long day and we all collapsed when we got back home. The next day, David and Jeffrey went to explore the Lost Sea Discovery. It was an adventure and they had a great time in the underground caves. In the middle of the underground, there is a full sized lake, which was big enough to see via a boat ride. I passed on this one and went to a great scrapbook store, an hour away, in Knoxville.
Our trip was cut a little short because David's father has had some health concerns. He is hospitalized and hopefully we'll have a better idea of where things are at, by Tuesday or Wednesday. He turns 95 on September 1.
We drove straight home in 14 hours. It was not that bad, but we didn't want to stop, unpack the car, go into another hotel etc. We got home at 2am Friday. We are still sort of blurry, but taking things as they come.
Thanks for following our adventure-- we have started planning next summer, starting out in Houston. For now, we have some grand ideas, but it is too early to really plan anything solid. Jeffrey definitely is going back to Magic Tree House Camp-- one more year reprieve from overnight camp.
Enjoy the Dog Days of Summer. We have murmurings of hurricanes lurking, but the way I see it, we are going to be fine. We installed shutters two hurricane seasons ago and I feel entitled to no storms for at least 15 years--that way, I'll feel we got our money's worth.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Crossed OH Border
After a nice weekend with family, we are now in Kentucky, on the road to TN. We're going to stop at the Kentucky Fried Chicken Museum in an hour or so. Who knew?
Backing up, on Saturday, we spent the day at the Cinncinati Zoo. It was an inovative place and the animals had a lot of open space. It was hot, but we didn't complain, because it was the first hot day we'd had all summer.
Sunday we had some down time- oh no-not that! We swam, and relaxed. We had a big Sunday night dinner with family and friends.
Four miles to the KFC Museum. This ought to be interesting?
Backing up, on Saturday, we spent the day at the Cinncinati Zoo. It was an inovative place and the animals had a lot of open space. It was hot, but we didn't complain, because it was the first hot day we'd had all summer.
Sunday we had some down time- oh no-not that! We swam, and relaxed. We had a big Sunday night dinner with family and friends.
Four miles to the KFC Museum. This ought to be interesting?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Catch Up...
Last I wrote, we were on the way home from Toronto. The time since, has gone by in.a fast blur.
Jeffrey was happy to return to camp for another two weeks. Prying him out of there tomorrow is going to be a joy-
My birthday was nice enough. Facebook made it extra fun, because I heard from so many voices of the past.
Last weekend we toured some of the 17 covered bridges in this area. It was very interesting and enjoyable. The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun. Jeffrey was in charge of the map, because I was unable to read any part of it. If David weren't driving, I'd still be on a dirt road somewhere. My map reading skills are the reason I love GPS. Unfortunately we were so deep in the woods, that coverage was not very good. I won't bore anyone with the details, but each bridge had a story and generally speaking, were over 100 years old.
In the afternoon we went to Geuaga on the Lake- a honky tonk, tourist trap. We played miniture golf, walked around and enjoyed the amazing weather. We found a great place to eat off the main road. Mary's Kitchen was a landmark and way better than any of the standard beach fare.
After dinner, we walked along Lake Erie. It was not private, but we weren't exactly welcomed to be there either. There was a big NO SWIMMING sign and Jeffrey really kept pushing to get in the water. He finally pushed my last button and I scooped him up in my arms and plopped him right in the lake-clothes and all. He was stunned to say the least. At this point, we let him splash around and now he's seen three of the five Great Lakes. (A fact totally not wasted on him.)
The next day we spent the day visiting with family. It was nice to see so many people at one time. Jeffrey played with his cousin Dana and had a lot of fun. Unfortunately his time with cousins is very limited.
Today I got organized and am ready to load the car tomorrow. Jeffrey has camp and we'll leave right from there, to Columbus, OH. Why Columbus you ask? How could we have missed the inagural season at the Clipper's new ball park. (The Clipper's are the Indian's top.Farm team.). Go Tribe!
Saturday morning we head to Cincinatti to visit our cousins. We've managed to plan a full range of activities here too. The weather is supposed to be hot and humid-something we haven't had to deal with since leaving home. No time like the present to geta taste of summer time in FL.
Our last stop is in Telico Plains, TN, to visit friends. They have a log cabin in the middle of no where. It is beautiful there and we'll take a ride through the mountians and make our way to Pigeon Cove. Tacky, yet a fun way to end the summer.
One way or another, we'll be home by Sunday, August 16th. I am not ready to think about being home yet, so, I'll close.
Last thought-many have asked if we'd do this again. The answer is without any hesitation. Already planned next summer's route via Texas. Hopefully, everything will fall into place and we'll be able too-
Thanks for still hanging out with the Brover's!
Jeffrey was happy to return to camp for another two weeks. Prying him out of there tomorrow is going to be a joy-
My birthday was nice enough. Facebook made it extra fun, because I heard from so many voices of the past.
Last weekend we toured some of the 17 covered bridges in this area. It was very interesting and enjoyable. The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun. Jeffrey was in charge of the map, because I was unable to read any part of it. If David weren't driving, I'd still be on a dirt road somewhere. My map reading skills are the reason I love GPS. Unfortunately we were so deep in the woods, that coverage was not very good. I won't bore anyone with the details, but each bridge had a story and generally speaking, were over 100 years old.
In the afternoon we went to Geuaga on the Lake- a honky tonk, tourist trap. We played miniture golf, walked around and enjoyed the amazing weather. We found a great place to eat off the main road. Mary's Kitchen was a landmark and way better than any of the standard beach fare.
After dinner, we walked along Lake Erie. It was not private, but we weren't exactly welcomed to be there either. There was a big NO SWIMMING sign and Jeffrey really kept pushing to get in the water. He finally pushed my last button and I scooped him up in my arms and plopped him right in the lake-clothes and all. He was stunned to say the least. At this point, we let him splash around and now he's seen three of the five Great Lakes. (A fact totally not wasted on him.)
The next day we spent the day visiting with family. It was nice to see so many people at one time. Jeffrey played with his cousin Dana and had a lot of fun. Unfortunately his time with cousins is very limited.
Today I got organized and am ready to load the car tomorrow. Jeffrey has camp and we'll leave right from there, to Columbus, OH. Why Columbus you ask? How could we have missed the inagural season at the Clipper's new ball park. (The Clipper's are the Indian's top.Farm team.). Go Tribe!
Saturday morning we head to Cincinatti to visit our cousins. We've managed to plan a full range of activities here too. The weather is supposed to be hot and humid-something we haven't had to deal with since leaving home. No time like the present to geta taste of summer time in FL.
Our last stop is in Telico Plains, TN, to visit friends. They have a log cabin in the middle of no where. It is beautiful there and we'll take a ride through the mountians and make our way to Pigeon Cove. Tacky, yet a fun way to end the summer.
One way or another, we'll be home by Sunday, August 16th. I am not ready to think about being home yet, so, I'll close.
Last thought-many have asked if we'd do this again. The answer is without any hesitation. Already planned next summer's route via Texas. Hopefully, everything will fall into place and we'll be able too-
Thanks for still hanging out with the Brover's!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Headed Back to Cleveland
I think the Blackberry is the greatest thing I've owned since a microwave in 1985...
We are about two hours away from the Beachwood hotel. We are tired and if there is another downpour, we may not not get back tonight.
Backing up- I had so much fun by myself on Thursday that David thought he'd give it a try on Friday. Jeffrey and I spent many hours at the CN Tower. 7he tower is one of the tallest in North America. Security alone took us an hour and then we headed in the elevator, which 58 seconds later got us 230 feet in the sky. The building is very stable and the height was not really an issue. (It was not like the Arch in St. Louis, where we felt the swaying.). Anyway, it was a clear day and the views spectacular. The most unique feature of the tower is the glass floor. It is strong enough to hold something like 22 elephants, but it is still a bit creepy. I talked Jeffrey into taking one for the team so to speak and I got him to lie down, so I could take a picture. We enjoyed lunch on the observation deck. For dessert Jeffrey ordered a pizza cookie. It was covered with white chocolate and gummy bears. We are so not related. He took one bite and informed me it was too sweet and that was the end of the pizza cookie. After lunch we spent some more time looking at the exhibits and then spent a few minutes in the gift shop. It had a lot of unique things and this was one of the few places we have really shopped.
Late in the afternoon we met David back at the hotel. We ventured out to Little Italy for dinner. This was a large, vibrant community. We found a great place for an authentic dinner and had a nice time. The boys went back to the hotel-Disney was premeiring something or another. I walked aback leisurely and wqas able to spend some time in a scrapbook store. Calphion Cookware-probably spelled wrong-had an entire block's complex. They sold pots and pans and had elaborate cooking classes. It was a huge complex and interedting to see.Life is good.
This morning we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Ontario Science Museum. It was fantastic and we stayed way to long, but even though it is almost 11pm and we're still on the road, it was worth it. The exhibits were fun, different and interesting. The special exhinbits were over the top-frogs, snakes and geckos. Ok, if you are Jeffrey or David, the exhibit was over the top. As for me, I thought attending Spy School was pretty entertaining. A highlight of the museum was a sculture with moving balls. I won't do the description justice, but it was an amazing sight. It made all sorts of different music.
My eyes are blurry, so I am going to close.
Two more weeks of Magic Tree House camp start Monday. I have a lot a scrapbooking I jhope to accomplish.
To be continued...
We are about two hours away from the Beachwood hotel. We are tired and if there is another downpour, we may not not get back tonight.
Backing up- I had so much fun by myself on Thursday that David thought he'd give it a try on Friday. Jeffrey and I spent many hours at the CN Tower. 7he tower is one of the tallest in North America. Security alone took us an hour and then we headed in the elevator, which 58 seconds later got us 230 feet in the sky. The building is very stable and the height was not really an issue. (It was not like the Arch in St. Louis, where we felt the swaying.). Anyway, it was a clear day and the views spectacular. The most unique feature of the tower is the glass floor. It is strong enough to hold something like 22 elephants, but it is still a bit creepy. I talked Jeffrey into taking one for the team so to speak and I got him to lie down, so I could take a picture. We enjoyed lunch on the observation deck. For dessert Jeffrey ordered a pizza cookie. It was covered with white chocolate and gummy bears. We are so not related. He took one bite and informed me it was too sweet and that was the end of the pizza cookie. After lunch we spent some more time looking at the exhibits and then spent a few minutes in the gift shop. It had a lot of unique things and this was one of the few places we have really shopped.
Late in the afternoon we met David back at the hotel. We ventured out to Little Italy for dinner. This was a large, vibrant community. We found a great place for an authentic dinner and had a nice time. The boys went back to the hotel-Disney was premeiring something or another. I walked aback leisurely and wqas able to spend some time in a scrapbook store. Calphion Cookware-probably spelled wrong-had an entire block's complex. They sold pots and pans and had elaborate cooking classes. It was a huge complex and interedting to see.Life is good.
This morning we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Ontario Science Museum. It was fantastic and we stayed way to long, but even though it is almost 11pm and we're still on the road, it was worth it. The exhibits were fun, different and interesting. The special exhinbits were over the top-frogs, snakes and geckos. Ok, if you are Jeffrey or David, the exhibit was over the top. As for me, I thought attending Spy School was pretty entertaining. A highlight of the museum was a sculture with moving balls. I won't do the description justice, but it was an amazing sight. It made all sorts of different music.
My eyes are blurry, so I am going to close.
Two more weeks of Magic Tree House camp start Monday. I have a lot a scrapbooking I jhope to accomplish.
To be continued...
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Days 2 and 3 in Toronto
What a great city this is! Very much like Boston or NYC. Even though they have had a garbage strike for several weeks, the streets are very clean. Every place is also very "green" conscience and recycling is done everywhere. It is also more elaborate than the recycling we do in the US.
On Wednesday morning, we actually slept late and then headed out to the Hockey Hall of Fame. What an impressive place this was-- and I wasn't the slightest bit interested per se. The facility is fairly new and it is well designed and laid out. Everything is bright and eye catching. The history during the past 100+ years was very interesting too. The awards and Stanley Cup are housed in a separate wing--which used to be a bank. Everything is temperature and humidity controlled and more or less displayed in various types of vaults. Somehow, we spent five hours here and the time passed quickly. There were a lot of interactive games; Jeffrey and David didn't miss a one. They were goalies, shooters, sports announcers and TV directors. Everything was a lot of fun.
For lunch we went to an international food market. There were 11 different stations and we were able to get exactly what we wanted at each place. We mixed and matched and had a lot of fun. There is a place like this in the Prudential Center, in Boston. Anyway, David was not with us, because he wanted some extra time at the Hockey Hall of Fame to watch a movie. I was not paying attention to what Jeffrey was ordering and when it came time to pay the bill, I almost fell over. There was nothing I could do-- he ate it all. Thinking back, it really was not that bad-- but the amount was a bit staggering for one child and me. (me=fruit salad...)
We came back to the hotel to try and rest in the afternoon, because we had tickets to see the Sound of Music in the evening. Toronto's theater district is the third largest in the world, just behind NYC and London's West End. I slept, David was still at the Hall of Fame and Jeffrey bounced around the room. The show was wonderful. The scenery beautiful and very high tech. The mountains moved and rotated. The scenery was rich and detailed. I had seen the show a couple of times before, but this was by far a superior production. The theater was full and everyone had a good time. Jeffrey managed not to melt down and a nice evening was had by all.
This morning, Thursday, I took a day for myself, while David and Jeffrey went to see the Indians vs. Blue Jays. As luck would have it, it was "Kids Run the Bases" day and for the third time this summer, Jeffrey was able to run on a major league field. The stadium has a retractable roof and although it was raining outside, the game went on without issue. It was an exciting game and it seems each time they go to a game, the Indians manage to win. (They are competing for 4th place-- not exactly a stellar season.)
I put myself on a double decker tour bus and enjoyed the solitude. I really took in the sights and made the most of a rainy day. The Royal Ontario Museum was a real treat. I had tickets to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the show did not disappoint. The materials are on loan from Jerusalem, and are very well displayed. It was easy to follow and each station was more interesting than the one before. The rest of the museum was also great. I saw a gem exhibit like none other-- (except for the Hope Diamond in DC), Wedgewood had an exhibit and there was a small Judaic collection. There were several other rooms, but these were the highlights. Aside from the Dead Sea Scrolls, I loved the Fashion and Textile exhibit. There were clothes on display from all different time periods, as well as different materials and accessories. Very fascinating indeed. The best part was not having anyone need me to take them to the bathroom, or complain that they wanted to move on...
I had lunch at the museum. It was typical museum fare. The reason I am mentioning it is because of the recycling process at the end. Everything was separated-- food, paper, plastic, waste etc. Everyone was very conscious to follow the procedure and it was very impressive. Even the streets have multi-compartment waste containers, to separate the recycling from the trash. Things are more green here than in the US. There are billboards that are run on solar power and anything that is environmentally friendly, is well posted.
The rest of my day was spent getting off and on the bus. I saw alot of new things and so enjoyed myself. This city has large shopping areas. One area is so big, that it covers two subway stops. The shopping is no different than Boca Raton , Fifth Avenue or Newbury Street, and there sure is a lot of it. The very high end area is ripping up all of the asphalt sidewalks and replacing it with black granite. The goal is to ensure that only the very highest calibre shops stay, because the rents and taxes are going to escalate. The Gap need not apply...
I won't go into great detail, but I also saw Casa Loma, the only Castle in Toronto. The building has a rich and interesting history, but I won't bore you with the specifics. The Beta Shoe Museum is the result of a women's personal shoe collection. The collection got so large, that her husband got her, her own museum. There are over 12,000 pairs on display! Absolutely my kind of place!
For dinner, we all went to Chinatown. This was a pretty large section of town. We had the name of several restaurants to choose from, and walked up and down the streets. There were produce markets with the most unusual things we'd ever seen. Everything was fresh and looked delicious. We had a nice dinner and waddled back to the hotel room.
Tomorrow is another day. We have a couple of different scenarios planned out, but I am not sure what we are going to end up doing. Will keep anyone interested, updated...
Thanks once again, for travelling with us!
Ellen
On Wednesday morning, we actually slept late and then headed out to the Hockey Hall of Fame. What an impressive place this was-- and I wasn't the slightest bit interested per se. The facility is fairly new and it is well designed and laid out. Everything is bright and eye catching. The history during the past 100+ years was very interesting too. The awards and Stanley Cup are housed in a separate wing--which used to be a bank. Everything is temperature and humidity controlled and more or less displayed in various types of vaults. Somehow, we spent five hours here and the time passed quickly. There were a lot of interactive games; Jeffrey and David didn't miss a one. They were goalies, shooters, sports announcers and TV directors. Everything was a lot of fun.
For lunch we went to an international food market. There were 11 different stations and we were able to get exactly what we wanted at each place. We mixed and matched and had a lot of fun. There is a place like this in the Prudential Center, in Boston. Anyway, David was not with us, because he wanted some extra time at the Hockey Hall of Fame to watch a movie. I was not paying attention to what Jeffrey was ordering and when it came time to pay the bill, I almost fell over. There was nothing I could do-- he ate it all. Thinking back, it really was not that bad-- but the amount was a bit staggering for one child and me. (me=fruit salad...)
We came back to the hotel to try and rest in the afternoon, because we had tickets to see the Sound of Music in the evening. Toronto's theater district is the third largest in the world, just behind NYC and London's West End. I slept, David was still at the Hall of Fame and Jeffrey bounced around the room. The show was wonderful. The scenery beautiful and very high tech. The mountains moved and rotated. The scenery was rich and detailed. I had seen the show a couple of times before, but this was by far a superior production. The theater was full and everyone had a good time. Jeffrey managed not to melt down and a nice evening was had by all.
This morning, Thursday, I took a day for myself, while David and Jeffrey went to see the Indians vs. Blue Jays. As luck would have it, it was "Kids Run the Bases" day and for the third time this summer, Jeffrey was able to run on a major league field. The stadium has a retractable roof and although it was raining outside, the game went on without issue. It was an exciting game and it seems each time they go to a game, the Indians manage to win. (They are competing for 4th place-- not exactly a stellar season.)
I put myself on a double decker tour bus and enjoyed the solitude. I really took in the sights and made the most of a rainy day. The Royal Ontario Museum was a real treat. I had tickets to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the show did not disappoint. The materials are on loan from Jerusalem, and are very well displayed. It was easy to follow and each station was more interesting than the one before. The rest of the museum was also great. I saw a gem exhibit like none other-- (except for the Hope Diamond in DC), Wedgewood had an exhibit and there was a small Judaic collection. There were several other rooms, but these were the highlights. Aside from the Dead Sea Scrolls, I loved the Fashion and Textile exhibit. There were clothes on display from all different time periods, as well as different materials and accessories. Very fascinating indeed. The best part was not having anyone need me to take them to the bathroom, or complain that they wanted to move on...
I had lunch at the museum. It was typical museum fare. The reason I am mentioning it is because of the recycling process at the end. Everything was separated-- food, paper, plastic, waste etc. Everyone was very conscious to follow the procedure and it was very impressive. Even the streets have multi-compartment waste containers, to separate the recycling from the trash. Things are more green here than in the US. There are billboards that are run on solar power and anything that is environmentally friendly, is well posted.
The rest of my day was spent getting off and on the bus. I saw alot of new things and so enjoyed myself. This city has large shopping areas. One area is so big, that it covers two subway stops. The shopping is no different than Boca Raton , Fifth Avenue or Newbury Street, and there sure is a lot of it. The very high end area is ripping up all of the asphalt sidewalks and replacing it with black granite. The goal is to ensure that only the very highest calibre shops stay, because the rents and taxes are going to escalate. The Gap need not apply...
I won't go into great detail, but I also saw Casa Loma, the only Castle in Toronto. The building has a rich and interesting history, but I won't bore you with the specifics. The Beta Shoe Museum is the result of a women's personal shoe collection. The collection got so large, that her husband got her, her own museum. There are over 12,000 pairs on display! Absolutely my kind of place!
For dinner, we all went to Chinatown. This was a pretty large section of town. We had the name of several restaurants to choose from, and walked up and down the streets. There were produce markets with the most unusual things we'd ever seen. Everything was fresh and looked delicious. We had a nice dinner and waddled back to the hotel room.
Tomorrow is another day. We have a couple of different scenarios planned out, but I am not sure what we are going to end up doing. Will keep anyone interested, updated...
Thanks once again, for travelling with us!
Ellen
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
BUSY Three Days...7-21-2009
Greetings from Toronto. What a busy few days we have had. To my friends who don't like going all over the place, (and prefer to shop or be in the spa...) these past few days were not for you. As for us, we had a great time. (I do however see a spa day in my future...)
On Saturday, we took a ride to the NE OH Amish country. This is the fourth largest population of Amish, in the US. It was really very fascinating and enjoyable too. The country roads were beautiful and of course we shared the road with lots of horse and buggies. Our first stop was at a working farm. Jeffrey fell in love with the goats. They've always been his favorite, but he really took to these. There was an interesting Cultural Center, which was packed with information. A model kitchen showed how the Amish still do not use electricity or modern technology. They have a refrigerator, but it is cooled by ice. (Later, in the center of town, we saw the Ice House, where ice is prepared in the winter, for use all year long.) Their wardrobes are pretty sparse too. Examples of all there clothes were on display. Basically, they have every day clothes, Church clothes and Wedding/Burial clothes. Nothing really looked that much different from the other. (And Juicy doesn't have to worry about competition anytime soon...) Even though I squirmed, when Jeffrey put on an Amish jacket and hat, the picture is cute. (I squirmed because who knows where that hat and jacket had been before him, let alone, when it was last washed...No one cared but me and I was quiet about it.) The "family room" was filled with board games and puzzles- most of them familiar to us. The children have no DS, computer or TV, so they are creative and make up games using marbles or other basic things. The children that we saw, looked happy and healthy and all the people were friendly. After the farm, we went to the center of town, to the General Store and Commons. In the Commons, there was a hand carved horse and buggy-- the biggest one of its kind. It was enormous and really something to see. And to humor the tourists, they perched a podium at the exact spot, where the perfect picture could be taken. The General Store was packed with almost 1,000 spices and extracts and other cooking/baking ingredients. The Amish grow most of their own food, but need to purchase additional items too and rely heavily on the General Store, which has been in the same spot, since the 1800's. We really found the whole thing to be fascinating and interesting. We found a well know restaurant for lunch and really enjoyed their home cooking. David has never had a piece of carrot cake as delicious as the one he had last Saturday. I doubt I'll ever have butterscotch cream pie again, because I want the memory of this piece to linger forever...The pie even had butterscotch chips on top.
After lunch, we stumbled upon a Day Lily Farm. We were curious as to what it was, so we took a walk around. It turned out to be a farm, where all they harvest are different types of lilies. If we had to guess, there were probably 250 different varieties. The parking lot and grounds were full, and per the licence plates, it was obvious people travelled from all over, to purchase these plants. Of course we've never seen anything like it and the pictures are going to be incredible. This truly was a unique day. They even had a separate Buggy Parking Lot available.
On Sunday, we arrived at the Progressive Park, the home of the Cleveland Indians, well before the game began. It was Beach Weekend at the park, complete with sand castles, dancing, games, Radio Disney, slides and bounce houses. Jeffrey of course took it all in. The funniest part about it-- at least to us, was that it was freezing! It barely got to 70 degrees, in the middle of the afternoon. Anyway, it still was fun.
Because I am such a savvy Ebay Shopper, I managed to buy tickets to the game, which included passes to the Terrace Club. It is a place to eat, overlooking the field. It really is a room with a view. We had prime window seats and never actually went to our ballpark seats, because we were comfortable. Jeffrey was happy, I was thrilled and David was happy that everyone was content. The downside of the day, was that the Indians lost yet again. The Tribe is not exactly having a stellar year, but apparently, any baseball is good baseball.
Early on Monday morning, we drove to Niagara Falls. We spent the first part of the day on the US side, at Goat Island. They really were spectacular and a sight to see. We had lunch at the Top of the Falls and overlooking Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. The sights and sounds were magnificent.
The highlight of the day was walking to the Cave of the Wind. I missed the part about walking and kept waiting for a boat. I kept walking in awe, and was totally out of it-- looking for a boat. Thank goodness I never said anything, or David would have had to commit me. The whole thing was just lost on me. We paid our money and were given mandatory rain coats and water shoes. We did as we were told and then lined up and started walking. We walked up the stairs and down the stairs and then did it again. All the while, we were on the side of the falls and getting wetter by the minute. It was sort of like walking down into the Grand Canyon. I was so confused and couldn't imagine why we kept walking up and down these ridiculous steep stairs. Where the hell was the boat?? Then we got to the Hurricane Deck and I got it. There was no boat ride. We were walking in/out and around the falls, in the wind and water. It was truly spectacular, but by the time I figured this out, the walking was over. I would have liked to do it again, this time, without looking for a boat. I finally admitted to David that I had no clue and he hasn't stopped laughing. At least I walked the entire path with Jeffrey. Someone else in our party, chickened out, when the stairs became too steep. He didn't want to loose his glasses, so we'll leave it at that. In all fairness, loosing the glasses was a real option. When we completed the walk, we looked like we'd been in a Category 4 storm.
Once we dried off, we got back in the car and headed for Niagara Falls, Canada. It was a short ride over the border. The border guard was nasty and made a simple process basically feel like we were entering the country to cause harm to those in our way. The whole thing was silly and even though he was fresh, he didn't go through every item in the car, piece by piece. We arrived at the Marriott and our room on the 23rd floor was breathtaking. We had a view of both the American and Canadian Falls and was really a site to behold. We also saw a rainbow, which put the experience simply over the top. We headed out to Clifton Hills, which is where all the action is, if you are aged 4-104. The whole area was one attraction after the next- each one more fun than the one before. One of the highlights is the Sky Wheel, a Ferris wheel, 175 feet in the air. Jeffrey and David got lost in a maze and it took 28 minutes for them to get freed. (The average escape is 12 minutes...Better luck next time...) We had two miniature golf courses to choice from. Had Jeffrey been in charge, we'd have played both, but settled on the Dino Course. It was a fully animated course and lots of fun. By 9pm, we still hadn't had dinner. Jeffrey could have kept going, but his parents were just about down for the count. We had a light dinner and got back to the hotel and passed out-- but not before looking at the Falls illuminated in white lights and then colored lights too.
Tuesday morning, we had breakfast overlooking the Falls. We watched the morning fog lift and clear, then we took a cable car ride to the base of the city and walked over to the Maid of the Mist. This time I was sure we were going on a boat. And indeed we did-- complete with the rain gear again. The boat went to the base of the American Falls, and then to the basin of the Canadian Falls. We passed giant rocks, and millions of gallons of water crashing like thunder, right before our eyes. It was not nearly as frightening as yesterday- just loud and wet.
After our boat ride, it was time to leave Niagara and head to Toronto. We did pretty much all there was too do-- except more of the same. I personally would have voted for half a day at the Marriott Spa, but it was not part of the plan today. The drive to Toronto was easy, aside from the torrential rain storm we drove it. We arrived in downtown Toronto and are staying in a hotel attached to the Roger's Center. David actually went to the game himself tonight. He wanted to see Cliff Lee pitch. He and Jeffrey are going again on Thursday, but for tonight, he deserved a night to himself. Jeffrey and I had dinner at the hotel and are just relaxing, because I am sure that Tour Director David has every minute of the next 4 days planned. He has done an excellent job making sure we get all the highlights and don't miss anything unique, new or fun. I know the next few days include the theater, Hockey Hall of Fame, Zoo, Science Center, the CN Tower, etc., etc.
I am going to take a hot shower-- it is cold and damp here and relax, as tomorrow is another day!
Thanks for staying a part of our journey!
Best,
Ellen
On Saturday, we took a ride to the NE OH Amish country. This is the fourth largest population of Amish, in the US. It was really very fascinating and enjoyable too. The country roads were beautiful and of course we shared the road with lots of horse and buggies. Our first stop was at a working farm. Jeffrey fell in love with the goats. They've always been his favorite, but he really took to these. There was an interesting Cultural Center, which was packed with information. A model kitchen showed how the Amish still do not use electricity or modern technology. They have a refrigerator, but it is cooled by ice. (Later, in the center of town, we saw the Ice House, where ice is prepared in the winter, for use all year long.) Their wardrobes are pretty sparse too. Examples of all there clothes were on display. Basically, they have every day clothes, Church clothes and Wedding/Burial clothes. Nothing really looked that much different from the other. (And Juicy doesn't have to worry about competition anytime soon...) Even though I squirmed, when Jeffrey put on an Amish jacket and hat, the picture is cute. (I squirmed because who knows where that hat and jacket had been before him, let alone, when it was last washed...No one cared but me and I was quiet about it.) The "family room" was filled with board games and puzzles- most of them familiar to us. The children have no DS, computer or TV, so they are creative and make up games using marbles or other basic things. The children that we saw, looked happy and healthy and all the people were friendly. After the farm, we went to the center of town, to the General Store and Commons. In the Commons, there was a hand carved horse and buggy-- the biggest one of its kind. It was enormous and really something to see. And to humor the tourists, they perched a podium at the exact spot, where the perfect picture could be taken. The General Store was packed with almost 1,000 spices and extracts and other cooking/baking ingredients. The Amish grow most of their own food, but need to purchase additional items too and rely heavily on the General Store, which has been in the same spot, since the 1800's. We really found the whole thing to be fascinating and interesting. We found a well know restaurant for lunch and really enjoyed their home cooking. David has never had a piece of carrot cake as delicious as the one he had last Saturday. I doubt I'll ever have butterscotch cream pie again, because I want the memory of this piece to linger forever...The pie even had butterscotch chips on top.
After lunch, we stumbled upon a Day Lily Farm. We were curious as to what it was, so we took a walk around. It turned out to be a farm, where all they harvest are different types of lilies. If we had to guess, there were probably 250 different varieties. The parking lot and grounds were full, and per the licence plates, it was obvious people travelled from all over, to purchase these plants. Of course we've never seen anything like it and the pictures are going to be incredible. This truly was a unique day. They even had a separate Buggy Parking Lot available.
On Sunday, we arrived at the Progressive Park, the home of the Cleveland Indians, well before the game began. It was Beach Weekend at the park, complete with sand castles, dancing, games, Radio Disney, slides and bounce houses. Jeffrey of course took it all in. The funniest part about it-- at least to us, was that it was freezing! It barely got to 70 degrees, in the middle of the afternoon. Anyway, it still was fun.
Because I am such a savvy Ebay Shopper, I managed to buy tickets to the game, which included passes to the Terrace Club. It is a place to eat, overlooking the field. It really is a room with a view. We had prime window seats and never actually went to our ballpark seats, because we were comfortable. Jeffrey was happy, I was thrilled and David was happy that everyone was content. The downside of the day, was that the Indians lost yet again. The Tribe is not exactly having a stellar year, but apparently, any baseball is good baseball.
Early on Monday morning, we drove to Niagara Falls. We spent the first part of the day on the US side, at Goat Island. They really were spectacular and a sight to see. We had lunch at the Top of the Falls and overlooking Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. The sights and sounds were magnificent.
The highlight of the day was walking to the Cave of the Wind. I missed the part about walking and kept waiting for a boat. I kept walking in awe, and was totally out of it-- looking for a boat. Thank goodness I never said anything, or David would have had to commit me. The whole thing was just lost on me. We paid our money and were given mandatory rain coats and water shoes. We did as we were told and then lined up and started walking. We walked up the stairs and down the stairs and then did it again. All the while, we were on the side of the falls and getting wetter by the minute. It was sort of like walking down into the Grand Canyon. I was so confused and couldn't imagine why we kept walking up and down these ridiculous steep stairs. Where the hell was the boat?? Then we got to the Hurricane Deck and I got it. There was no boat ride. We were walking in/out and around the falls, in the wind and water. It was truly spectacular, but by the time I figured this out, the walking was over. I would have liked to do it again, this time, without looking for a boat. I finally admitted to David that I had no clue and he hasn't stopped laughing. At least I walked the entire path with Jeffrey. Someone else in our party, chickened out, when the stairs became too steep. He didn't want to loose his glasses, so we'll leave it at that. In all fairness, loosing the glasses was a real option. When we completed the walk, we looked like we'd been in a Category 4 storm.
Once we dried off, we got back in the car and headed for Niagara Falls, Canada. It was a short ride over the border. The border guard was nasty and made a simple process basically feel like we were entering the country to cause harm to those in our way. The whole thing was silly and even though he was fresh, he didn't go through every item in the car, piece by piece. We arrived at the Marriott and our room on the 23rd floor was breathtaking. We had a view of both the American and Canadian Falls and was really a site to behold. We also saw a rainbow, which put the experience simply over the top. We headed out to Clifton Hills, which is where all the action is, if you are aged 4-104. The whole area was one attraction after the next- each one more fun than the one before. One of the highlights is the Sky Wheel, a Ferris wheel, 175 feet in the air. Jeffrey and David got lost in a maze and it took 28 minutes for them to get freed. (The average escape is 12 minutes...Better luck next time...) We had two miniature golf courses to choice from. Had Jeffrey been in charge, we'd have played both, but settled on the Dino Course. It was a fully animated course and lots of fun. By 9pm, we still hadn't had dinner. Jeffrey could have kept going, but his parents were just about down for the count. We had a light dinner and got back to the hotel and passed out-- but not before looking at the Falls illuminated in white lights and then colored lights too.
Tuesday morning, we had breakfast overlooking the Falls. We watched the morning fog lift and clear, then we took a cable car ride to the base of the city and walked over to the Maid of the Mist. This time I was sure we were going on a boat. And indeed we did-- complete with the rain gear again. The boat went to the base of the American Falls, and then to the basin of the Canadian Falls. We passed giant rocks, and millions of gallons of water crashing like thunder, right before our eyes. It was not nearly as frightening as yesterday- just loud and wet.
After our boat ride, it was time to leave Niagara and head to Toronto. We did pretty much all there was too do-- except more of the same. I personally would have voted for half a day at the Marriott Spa, but it was not part of the plan today. The drive to Toronto was easy, aside from the torrential rain storm we drove it. We arrived in downtown Toronto and are staying in a hotel attached to the Roger's Center. David actually went to the game himself tonight. He wanted to see Cliff Lee pitch. He and Jeffrey are going again on Thursday, but for tonight, he deserved a night to himself. Jeffrey and I had dinner at the hotel and are just relaxing, because I am sure that Tour Director David has every minute of the next 4 days planned. He has done an excellent job making sure we get all the highlights and don't miss anything unique, new or fun. I know the next few days include the theater, Hockey Hall of Fame, Zoo, Science Center, the CN Tower, etc., etc.
I am going to take a hot shower-- it is cold and damp here and relax, as tomorrow is another day!
Thanks for staying a part of our journey!
Best,
Ellen
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Since I last wrote, things have been much quieter than the beginning of our trip. Quiet is a good thing!
Jeffrey attended Magic Tree House camp, for two weeks. It was an incredible experience and he'll be going back later in the month. Until Jeffrey introduced me to Jack and Annie last fall, I had no knowledge of the tree house-- magic or otherwise. There are approximately 40 books in the series and in each book, the main characters take on some sort of adventure. The first week they worked on Tigers at Twilight. The whole week was themed around the tiger. Crafts, games, activities and a trip to the zoo were the highlights. On the last day, they put on a short and sweet show. The next week was Knights at Dawn. Jeffrey made his own coat of arms, a highly decorated sword, went on a scavenger hunt and visited Squire's Castle- a landmark in one of the many Cleveland parks. (David went there as a child.) Of course they did regular camp things too- swimming and sports. Jeffrey's favorite thing, barring nothing, was spending time at the creek in the woods. He fell in more times than not, but had a great time playing in the mud and trying to catch cray fish, minnows and water bugs. Initially I tried washing the clothes, but just resigned to throwing them away. Believe it or not, my motto is "the dirtier you are, the more fun you had." He had a very fun time!
I was supposed to go to FL last week, but had a change of plans. I tried inviting myself on David and Jeffrey's Daddy Weekend, but essentially was not welcomed. As for me, I hung out in the hotel, read, watched movies and scrapbooked. Life doesn't get any better! I took myself out of the hotel for one meal a day and couldn't have been happier. I probably could have stayed in the hotel for 72 hours, but figured I was better off seeing the light of day.
Jeffrey and David drove to MI to visit cousins Larry, Nancy and Amanda. He had a great weekend and of course went to see the Indians get crushed by the Detroit Tigers. But it was Kid's Day at the stadium, so after the game, he was able to run the bases. Maybe next Sunday we'll get a better game, when we go to an encore game in Cleveland.
On Monday, they left MI and drove to Sandusky, OH to Cedar Point-- a bigger than life amusement park. First things first, they played miniature golf and then explored some of the rides. I wouldn't say they went on too many of the 17 roller coasters, but everything they did, they enjoyed. David went here as a child and it was exciting for him to return with Jeffrey. (I have a picture of David in 1961, on the beach and ironically, David took the same picture of Jeffrey 47 years later.) They arrived home around midnight and today is a new day.
This week is going to be catch is as catch can. It is after 2pm and neither of us are in any hurry to get dressed and out. We should, because it is a beautiful day, but for now, we are content. We may watch Tootsie in a bit.
That's it for now. Life is good.
Best,
Ellen
Jeffrey attended Magic Tree House camp, for two weeks. It was an incredible experience and he'll be going back later in the month. Until Jeffrey introduced me to Jack and Annie last fall, I had no knowledge of the tree house-- magic or otherwise. There are approximately 40 books in the series and in each book, the main characters take on some sort of adventure. The first week they worked on Tigers at Twilight. The whole week was themed around the tiger. Crafts, games, activities and a trip to the zoo were the highlights. On the last day, they put on a short and sweet show. The next week was Knights at Dawn. Jeffrey made his own coat of arms, a highly decorated sword, went on a scavenger hunt and visited Squire's Castle- a landmark in one of the many Cleveland parks. (David went there as a child.) Of course they did regular camp things too- swimming and sports. Jeffrey's favorite thing, barring nothing, was spending time at the creek in the woods. He fell in more times than not, but had a great time playing in the mud and trying to catch cray fish, minnows and water bugs. Initially I tried washing the clothes, but just resigned to throwing them away. Believe it or not, my motto is "the dirtier you are, the more fun you had." He had a very fun time!
I was supposed to go to FL last week, but had a change of plans. I tried inviting myself on David and Jeffrey's Daddy Weekend, but essentially was not welcomed. As for me, I hung out in the hotel, read, watched movies and scrapbooked. Life doesn't get any better! I took myself out of the hotel for one meal a day and couldn't have been happier. I probably could have stayed in the hotel for 72 hours, but figured I was better off seeing the light of day.
Jeffrey and David drove to MI to visit cousins Larry, Nancy and Amanda. He had a great weekend and of course went to see the Indians get crushed by the Detroit Tigers. But it was Kid's Day at the stadium, so after the game, he was able to run the bases. Maybe next Sunday we'll get a better game, when we go to an encore game in Cleveland.
On Monday, they left MI and drove to Sandusky, OH to Cedar Point-- a bigger than life amusement park. First things first, they played miniature golf and then explored some of the rides. I wouldn't say they went on too many of the 17 roller coasters, but everything they did, they enjoyed. David went here as a child and it was exciting for him to return with Jeffrey. (I have a picture of David in 1961, on the beach and ironically, David took the same picture of Jeffrey 47 years later.) They arrived home around midnight and today is a new day.
This week is going to be catch is as catch can. It is after 2pm and neither of us are in any hurry to get dressed and out. We should, because it is a beautiful day, but for now, we are content. We may watch Tootsie in a bit.
That's it for now. Life is good.
Best,
Ellen
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