Author: lindamaycurry

Tuesday, 14th June

I’m sitting in the courtyard of 15 Monument Street with a selection of snacks and an orange juice. John is bringing a glass of wine as soon as he catches up on the latest news on TV. It is warm with a light breeze at the end of a mainly successful day. We had a bit of a slow start because our trolley bus failed to appear at the Constitution Museum. Other buses, red, orange and green, green and yellow turned up but not our silver one. So we walked across the bridge. This was an eye opener as the walking path actually zig zags across the locks and through a park. We waited another 15 minutes at the next stop but still no trolley so we set off on the Freedom Trail looking at graveyards, churches and Paul Revere’s house. (Didn’t go in because John said he already knew what it would look like). Paul Revere was a very talented man who was a silversmith, artist, false teeth maker, spy and producer of 18 children with two wives. What he did not do was complete the ride he is famous for. He was captured by the British and one of his companions, a Dr Prescott went on to warn the militia in Concord.

Our aim was to find the perfect flat white in Boston. I had read a review of Pavement in Newbury Street which featured photos of their flat whites so thought that a worthy object for our endeavours today. We finally picked up a silver trolley which took us to the Boston Common. Here we watched people in paddle boats with a huge swan in the front, inspired by the opera Lohengrin in 1877. We were amused by the preschoolers all tied together walking around the park.

On to Newbury Street and the Back Bay area. The street is lined with tall brownstone buildings, the lower levels used for coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries and all sorts of interesting clothing and related shops.

Just as we were about to give up we found Pavement and the coffee and muffin lived up to the recommendations. Back we walked past Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library where Chinese women were protesting over prisoners being used for organ donations (against their will). We stopped for a chat.

 

We decided to buy lunch in Quincy Market and chose lobster rolls from the Boston and Maine Fish Company. The lobster was very good. Maybe the rolls could have been better.
Our two day pass on the trolley also entitled us to a harbour cruise so we opted to take this as the weather was perfect and John’s foot needed a rest. It was very interesting as it followed the shoreline closely on the starboard side and gave us a new perspective.

 

We bought some food to cook for dinner and enjoyed the sun in the courtyard until John reminded me about the seating on the flight home. I had tried to prebook seats for the LA to Sydney leg on the Qantas site but ended up with seats in two different rows. I could do nothing to change them so had to ring an 1800 number. Now it’s all sorted and we can spend the 15 hour flight in misery together.

Wednesday, 15th June

Some days everything goes right … until the end. The taxi took us to the airport car hire centre Avis was very efficient and soon John was driving south in our red Ford Focus through the tunnel out of Boston. Our sat nav worked beautifully but I didn’t put it on until we were out of the tunnels as it is over three years old and could have caused confusion. The weather was glorious and it was lovely to be out in the countryside again.

Falmouth was larger than expected. It is full of picture postcard Cape Cod houses. It is unusual to see an ugly one. We were expecting a sleepy seaside village but the traffic is thick. Our Beach Breeze Inn is a short walk from the beach. It is not like a Wollongong beach but then few places in the world are.  The manager raised the Australian flag (to half mast) shortly after we arrived.  We have been made to feel very welcome.

I almost matched John’s passport fiasco but losing my Qantas prepaid card. I found out eventually that I had left it in the ATM when I took out the balance so it was not a disaster to lose it. The bank is considering whether to cut it up or give it back to me. Hopefully I will get it back tomorrow.
Dinner tonight was at the Quarterdeck. We had a carafe of red wine and a seafood pie (John) and prawns and scallops with linguine (me). There was no room for dessert but back at the inn the s’mores were being cooked by the pool. Having not tried them before I found I had to toast a marshmallow on the fire and place it between two graham crackers with a piece of chocolate. I don’t think I will have it again but we had a pleasant conversation with some families at the fireside.

We were both asleep when we heard knocking on our door. One of the managers told us our car horn was going off for no reason. After a lot of messing around the problem was still not solved.

Thursday, 16th June

John fixed the car problem this morning. Apparently the hood was not completely shut so that set off the horn at irregular intervals. 10.30 saw us on the Island Queen heading for Martha’s Vineyard.

We found that the island is famous for a number of things. It is the setting for the movie “Jaws” and on our bus trip we saw the lagoon where Jaws came under the bridge and “had a snack”. It is also where Edward Kennedy drove off the bridge in Chappaquiddick resulting in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. We watched the car ferry travel across to Chappaquiddick from Edgartown. Now that was a discovery. After wandering around Oak Bluffs where the boat docked, having coffee and brunch, we debated whether to hire bikes, catch a local bus or catch a ferry back to Falmouth. We decided on a day ticket on the local bus which led us to Edgartown. It is supposed to be the most beautiful town in New England and I can quite well believe it. If only I could take one of those houses home! Everything is picture postcard perfect, from the retired captain’s houses to the grand churches and festive post office, all built from weatherboard.

Back at the Inn John went for a swim in the pool and I discovered that my swimmers were missing. I must have left them on the ship. I am not doing very well today. I drank a glass of wine by the pool before we drove up the street to La Cucina. John had prawns and scallops with angel hair pasta. I had lobster filled ravioli with a scallop sauce. Before the main course we shared a salad. It was so huge we had half put in a doggy bag for tomorrow’s lunch. When we went to take the remains of the wine home we were told that to do that it must be recorked, wrapped in brown paper and have the bill attached. I suppose that is to stop us taking a swig as we walk down the street.

Saturday, 11th June

We are now happily settled into our red brick terrace in Monument Avenue, Charlestown. It is spacious and elegantly decorated with a large bedroom, lounge with flat screen TV, cosy eat in kitchen and adequate bathroom. There is even an outside terrace should the weather warm up.

This morning we wandered around the top decks of the ship to get a good view of Boston. I had elected to debark at 9.15 so we could have a leisurely breakfast. Our colour and number was called and we were soon off the ship. Our luggage pickup was easy but the queue for taxis was the worst part. However we chatted to people around us until our turn came and then drove under the city through tunnels until we reached the river which we crossed. Finally in Charlestown we were dropped off and greeted at the door by the host, Cindy. She showed us around and informed that there would be a concert tonight at the Bunker Memorial and a parade past the house tomorrow around one. We could sit on the stoop and watch it.

At first we enjoyed using the Internet to download papers and mail. Then we walked a couple of blocks to buy groceries and wine. It was quite enjoyable to prepare our own food again.

After a rest we walked up to Bunker Hill where a band was playing New York New York and families with young children were enjoying the mild evening.

Sunday, 12th June

We didn’t venture too far away because we wanted to see the parade. The morning was spent at the Constitution Museum and shipyard. We learnt all about Old Ironsides which was built in 1797. To think that it was still in the water until recently is incredible. It is currently in dry dock undergoing major repair work but is still open to the public. The museum is very well done and has a lot if interactive activities which would interest older children. Both museum and ship are free with an option to make a donation. More of that later.

The various bands and marching groups were milling about getting ready for the parade so their was an air of excitement. We decided to follow the recommendation of a young naval officer and go to Sorrelle’s for coffee. Once we asked for a macchiato with a bit more milk they were happy to oblige. The rest of the day was spent on the stoop waiting for and watching the parade. The street was lined with chairs and families, dogs, a lemonade stand and lots of red, white and blue bunting. The Americans know how to do a parade. Every time we thought it had finished along came a Scottish band or a truckload of musicians or a group of penny farthings.

Eventually we had a late lunch followed by a shopping expedition to buy food for dinner and a six pack of beer. John was in the kitchen about to take a mouthful of beer when he suddenly realised his passport was missing.

We thought about the places he could have lost it and retraced our steps for the day with no luck. It wasn’t far to the nearest police station so we called in hoping that a passport had been handed in. If it went missing when John made the donation to the museum then we have a problem as it is closed tomorrow. Our one hope is the Sorrelle cafe which we will visit at 7 am tomorrow.

So what happens if we don’t find it? At this stage it looks like a phone call to the Australian Embassy in Washington and maybe we will even have to fly there on Tuesday.

John is bearing up. After all losing a passport is insignificant compared to what happened in Orlando.

Monday, 13th June

We were up early after a restless night thinking about what lay ahead. Shortly after 7.00 am we walked down to Sorrelle’s Coffee Shop. We thought we would continue to the shipyard in the hope that someone would be there even though it was closed on Monday. John walked into the coffee shop and asked about his lost passport. The woman behind the counter reached up to a shelf and there it was. John’s passport! It is a sight that we both will never forget. John wanted to kiss all the women behind the counter but they were happy to just hand over the passport and make us a coffee. John gave a good tip and then went over and tipped some more. We couldn’t believe our luck.

The other problem was the lens had fallen out of John’s glasses. We decided to get a trolley bus ticket which would give us unlimited hop on hop off transport around Boston. We bought a two day ticket at the Constitution Museum stop and set off in a breezy trolley and a wisecracking driver to Stop 6, Old State House.

The market was mainly a food hall including a bar called “Cheers” with cardboard cutouts of the characters from the TV show that you could pose with. It is not the original Cheers (the Bull and Finch) but is an “authentic replica”. The real Cheers is on Beacon Hill as our second wisecracking driver told us after we hopped back on. We stayed on the trolley bus and passed the Holocaust Memorial (tall glass rectangular prisms), Boston Common, Beacon Hill where many famous people lived including Louisa May Alcock (Little Women etc), Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, Henry David Thoreau and Henry James. A quote I keep hearing is “In Boston they ask, how much does he know? In New York, how much is he worth? In Philadelphia, who were his parents?” Written by none other than Mark Twain.

We continued on past the Boston Tea Party Museum and Paul Revere’s House, staying on board until we got back to Constitution Museum. After all we have another day tomorrow. We had lunch back at the apartment before taking our washing to the laundromat in our street. Slight problem. They had just pulled all the machines out. So we googled another one which was over the other side of the Bunker Hill memorial. The area was more rundown than where we are living and we got to know it pretty well while we waited for our washing.

Back home we celebrated John’s good luck with a glass of champagne. Dinner was chicken cacciatore with veg cooked in our own kitchen. The news was full of Orlando and the Trump versus Clinton reactions. One good thing CNN is doing is a fact check on everything they say. That is something the ABC in Australia is/was doing but I heard it was to be discontinued.

Thursday, 9th June

A rare sight this morning. The sun streamed in through our window promising a better day than yesterday. Although there was a fair bit of cloud during the day and the wind was strong, there is nothing like a bit of blue sky to brighten things up.

We had breakfast in our room and then tried to get ashore but for the first time found the gangway blocked with other people with a the same idea. We were soon ashore and decided to walk along the waterfront which looks like it has recently been upgraded with a boardwalk and lots of cafes. We watched a French square rigger coming in to dock after a voyage across the Atlantic.

The Maritime Museum was well worth a visit as it had not only artifacts from the Titanic but it told of the immense destruction of the Halifax explosion in 1917. Two boats collided in the harbour, one loaded with explosives. People came down to watch the event and then there was an almighty explosion. Two thousand people died. Much of Halifax was destroyed. This was only five years after the dead from the Titanic were brought to Halifax for identification and burial. There were a few remains from the ship. An original deckchair brought to mind the saying, “moving the deck chairs on the Titanic”.

Looking for coffee we ventured into Starbucks. They offered flat whites but I knew they served them in cups the size of soup bowls so managed to get “child size” which is smaller than small. There was still too much milk but it was drinkable. Thus fortified we climbed the hill to the Cidadel. Met by pipers and entertained by cannon explosions, we spent an hour admiring the view and exploring the displays. Down the hill again and we returned to the ship after catching some wi fi in the terminal.

I did a load of washing, watched and listened to a talk by Jeremy about Bar Harbour and Boston and dressed for dinner as it was another gala night. We had a sparkling French white as we watched the sunset before our dinner at the Pinnacle at 8.30 pm. It started well with an amous bouch of salmon in a spoon but I am afraid the rest was more quantity than quality. Probably ordering seafood on a ship is a bad idea as my prawns and crab had obviously been frozen and lacked flavour as a result. The Bomb Alaska was disappointing as the meringue was runny. The wine service was slow. The only good thing was that there were plenty of vegetables. The food and service in the free dining room was actually better.

We caught the end of a singing and dancing show at the theatre, had coffee and a macaroon at the Explorers Cafe and still managed to sleep well.

Friday, 10th June

Our bags are packed and in the hallway, ready to be unloaded after arrival in Boston tomorrow morning. We will be “debarking” at 9.15 am and catching a taxi to Charlestown.

Today was the first and only day where we went ashore by tender. First the people booked into Holland America excursions went ashore. Next were the people on deck 10, 9,8,7,6,5 and finally us on 4. However before we could do that we had to go through American immigration which took about half an hour of queuing through the casino and the Explorer’s Cafe. Once we cleared immigration we were given our tickets to board the tender but had to wait another 45 minutes in the theatre before we were called.

.Bar Harbour is a resort town. It once equalled Cape Cod as a summer haven for the rich and famous but a fire in the 1940s destroyed many of the elegant houses and saw a downturn in its fortunes. The bar in its name us actually a sandbank out to an island which is only visible at low tide. If you are not careful you can be trapped by the tide.

The town is very pretty but totally geared up for tourists with every shop either selling souvenirs or food. We had coffee in a shop advertising espresso and used the free wi fi to check on emails, download the Mercury and the Herald and upload some of the blog.

After wandering around town some more we caught a boat back to the ship and had a late lunch. As the weather was milder than usual we explored the ship and found some decks we had not been on before. We had a great view of the surrounding harbour and islands and watched as the ship picked its way carefully between lobster traps. We were happy to return to our regular table in the dining room and enjoyed our meal and a chat to a Tennessee couple at the next table. The staff sang an Indonesian song of farewell and paraded through the dining room. We sadly said salamat malam to the food and wine waiters we had come to know well and went back to our room to pack. Oh well, another part of the holiday over! It is going to be hard to go back to shopping for food, cooking and making my own bed.

Wednesday, 8th June

We must be thankful for yesterday. As Captain O’ Driscoll said, if you want want sun, go to Sydney, Australia. We were also told by Jeremy, the tour director, that Sydney, Nova Scotia was the best port of call to do an excursion out of as there wasn’t much to see. However we were interested in seeing the city named three years before our Australian city after the same Lord Sydney. We also knew it had a steelworks until 1999 so wondered how they had survived its closure. A walk up and down Charlotte Street in the misty rain made us aware of Sydney’s greatest attribute. The people were so friendly to strangers. We chatted to a local man who wanted to know if we were off the ship. The woman in the drug store wanted to know all about Sydney Australia, the lady walking her dog in the park was keen to show us the Open Hearth Park which has replaced the defunct steelworks. We were lined up for coffee out the door in the rain at Tim Horton’s when a woman told us there was a better place around the corner called Doktor Luke’s. A man in a car park booth decided to walk with us to the coffee shop when we couldn’t find it. The coffee was a only a fair attempt at a flat white but the atmosphere was 10 out of 10.

Two historic houses, Cossitt House Museum and Jost Heritage House Museum were open and for a small fee we experienced life in the 18th and 19th Century. The visit to the second house coincided with a walking tour group which meant it was very crowded but the roaring log fire was welcome and the guide, a witty and entertaining woman who hugged us all, made the visit very worthwhile.

The rain was by now getting quite heavy so we made our way back to the ship, eating a late lunch of tacos beside the pool. The menu for dinner is featuring more local seafood with lobster and mussels in the soups and pies. Needless to say that is what we ordered but the local Maine dessert called Whoopie Pie was not great.

The entertainment tonight was a comedian called Jeff Burghart who was quite funny. He did very good impressions of Jack Nicholson and Tom Jones. At 11 o’clock the Indonesian crew who are 50% of the ship’s crew, put on a performance which was a mix of traditional and modern. Most of it was hilarious and was a good way to end the night.

I’m having trouble transferring John’s photos using weak wi fi and forgot the cable so will have to wait until Boston to post me and better photos.  I’m doing this in a cafe in Bar Harbour Maine.  Boston tomorrow.

Sunday, 5th June

After all the wonderful weather we have had it was a shock to wake up to winter. At 6.30 breakfast arrived in our room after which we ventured ashore in warm clothes. The Old Town of Quebec is only a short walk from the ship so we walked out with little idea of where to go except to find the funicular which would take us to the top of the hill.

Quebec is at the meeting of two rivers, St Lawrence and St Charles. A long row of picturesque buildings on the lower level have become elegant shops designed to appeal to tourists. This is called the rue du Petit-Champlain and was voted Canada’s most beautiful pedestrian street in 2014. The funicular took us up to the magnificent Chateau Frontenac which looks like a fairytale castle and is the most photographed hotel in the world. In front is a boardwalk called Dufferin Terrace which meets up with an intact city wall encircling the city. Our next stop was the visitor information centre where we asked for an Internet cafe which had espresso coffee. We were directed to Smith’s where we escaped from the cold wind and downloaded our emails. The coffee was excellent. We have learned to ask for a double shot of espresso with some steamed milk and it usually turns out something like a flat white. Back to the information centre and we asked for advice on museums. They seemed like the best option on this cold day. We crossed the road to the Musee du Fort where we were joined by a group of teenage schoolchildren who had to complete a quiz in French at the end of the show. At the front of the theatre was a replica of Quebec in 1750. The sound and light show showed the successive invasions by British and Americans and the effect on this French/English city. It was very well done but we didn’t stay to answer the French quiz.

As we walked down the hill we saw another history museum which I planned to visit after lunch. Back on the ship I felt unwell with headache and sore throat so slept for a couple of hours. Fortunately I recovered enough to enjoy a glass of prosecco and dinner in the Rotterdam dining room. The entertainment this evening was a comedian and ventriloquist who was very funny. I particularly like his comment about his dummy. It is not PC, he said, to call them dummies. They must be referred to as Mannequin Americans.

Monday, 6th June

 

Today was spent on the ship but that was welcome as the weather is awful. At least it is comfortable and warm except for the decks and the pool so no Aqua jogging for us. There were a few people in the hot tubs but we weren’t tempted.

As the clocks were moved forward to Nova Scotia time and we got up late we found we had ten minutes before breakfast finished in the Lido. We made it however and then investigated the laundry rooms. On level 5 there was a queue out the door but on level 6 there were plenty of machines free. We needed 8 quarters for the washer and 4 for the dryer so now we have drawers full of clean clothes which should last us until Boston.

The Explorers Lounge (where the library is situated) does espresso coffee so we ordered our double shot with some steamed milk and found it very good. It is also a reasonable price (before tax, gratuity etc). After lunch at the Lido which was very crowded, probably because of the weather, we repaired to the Showroom on level 7 where the location guide Jeremy (Australian), provided an overview of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia and what to expect at the ports of Charlottetown, Sydney and Halifax. We haven’t booked any ship excursions so I am hoping we can visit some Anne of Green Gables sites as they about 35 kilometres from Charlottetown.

It was gala night tonight so we donned the formal gear. John wore his dark blue suit with a tie and I wore my dark blue dress. Somehow I lost a shoe in Niagara or Toronto but at least I had some black sandals which were not too bad. Just as well I didn’t have to wear my joggers! Very few men wore tuxedos but most had a jacket and tie. Women can wear anything and get away with it. There were a few in long evening gowns.

We listened to Adagio in the Explorer’s lounge sipping a glass of prosecco. The group consists of two women who play violin and piano. They played some Grieg and Rossini with great skill. It was very pleasant looking out across the rolling sea.

An extra effort was made with dinner tonight. The chairs were covered with white material and the menu was more extensive, with four courses instead of three. I think the food was better too. We chatted to a couple from Boston who gave us plenty of ideas for things to do when we arrive.

We read for a while after dinner in the Explorer’s Room. At 10.00 pm it was Showtime with the Veendam Singers and Dancers singing British hits from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and beyond. They were very good and rounded off a perfectly enjoyable day.

Tuesday, 7th June

It was so foggy that the ship could not pass under the Confederation Bridge and had to take the long way round Prince Edward Island. We woke to a grey sky as we tied up at Confederation Landing. Not booking a tour has its disadvantages. It was easy enough to find a driver outside the terminal but not so easy to find two others to share with. We asked two women but they were intent on getting to the Information Centre and seeing what they recommended. Finally a man called Steve approached us and said he had been told by the driver that we were looking for someone to share the cost of $210 for 3 and a half hours. He had to go and find his wife on the ship so we waited some more. Eventually we were seated in a six seater van with a driver/ guide named Mickey. He was originally from Iran but came with his father to PEI after the revolution in Iran. As well as being a guide and driver he runs a B&B near the Anne of Green Gables house.

Although I would have liked to visit LM Montgomery’s museum and family farm, the fact that the New Orlean’s couple we were with were not fans of Anne meant that we followed the scenic route through New Glasgow, stopped at a pottery shop and a goat farm, saw the scenic red cliffs and beaches on the North Shore and finally drove into the Green Gables farmhouse. Although it is very touristy I was pleased to know that it was the original house belonging to a brother and sister related to LM Montgomery on which she based the setting for the book. The rooms have been furnished as they are described in the book. There was Matthew’s room downstairs. There was Anne’s little room with its window looking out over a blossoming crab apple tree.

 

Something I will be always grateful for was the gradual disappearance of cloud cover so that by the time we reached Green Gables the sky was a brilliant blue and the area looked every bit as picturesque as I had imagined.

After the tour we wandered around Charlottetown, choosing the Row House Lobster Co for a lobster roll (John) and seafood chowder (me). Did you know Prince Edward Island supplies nearly all the potatoes for McDonalds in America? The lobsters are also cheap at around $7 a pound but John was disappointed in his roll and is still searching for perfection.

It was such a lovely day we stayed around the port for a while looking in the souvenir shops and admiring the scenery. Finally we were back on board but departure was delayed by an hour while minor repairs were done to the ship. Some sceptics we met said this was a euphemism for lost people who had not returned to the ship. Rather than go without them they delay departure until they are found.

The meals have been steadily improving and we have settled into a pleasant routine. Before dinner we had a G&T in the Ocean Bar as we listened to The Neptunes play and watched a few couples expertly dancing to the music. After dinner the Halifax Citadel Bagpipers encouraged us to visit them when in their port and played a few rousing tunes.

Saturday, 4th June

It has been a big day. We revisited Place Jacque Cartier and chose a pretty flower bedecked restaurant for breakfast. The prices seemed reasonable so we ordered pancakes with strawberries, cereal with yoghurt and tea for me and coffee for John. The menu said espresso but I warned John! He didn’t listen and even ordered a double shot. It was basically a double shot of percolated coffee if that is possible and they charged six dollars for it. It took a while to get over the bill but we found some beautiful and interesting buildings including a large market called Marche Bonsecours and the Musee Marguerite-Bourgeoys. They weren’t open so early in the morning but the buildings were impressive. We then crossed the railway line to the waterfront area which is made up of a big top housing Circe de Soleil, children’s parks, zip lining, bicycle and segway hire, rows of containers operating as stalls and a huge ship on dry land designed for climbing on. Grace and Harry would have a ball.

A bit before 11 am we checked out and wheeled our bags across the railway line to the pick up point. Soon we were in a mini bus on our way to the ship. In about half an hour we had filled in our papers, had our photos taken and were crossing the gangplank.

Our room took a bit of getting used to as on our last two cruises we have had balconies. This time I opted for a window only (another economy measure) and we weren’t sure if I had made the right decision. However we reversed the pillows on the bed and could lie down watching the world go by so are pretty happy now. So far the shore on either side is not too far away and we can see typical picturesque Canadian houses sliding by. At least we don’t have to close the curtains unless we are in port.

It was 12 o’clock and the Lido Bar was open so we found our way there and had lunch. Next was a tour of the ship by Joel whose accent led us to believe he was from the North Island of New Zealand and we were right. Originally we weren’t going to book a fancy restaurant but decided to try the Pinnacle on the second formal night. It is $39 extra a head so had better be good. The drinks package at $45 a head a day plus tax seemed a bit steep as I don’t think we could drink that much so we will just pay as we go.

The Mandatory Passenger Safety Emergency Drill was next. We had to report to Level 6 under Lifeboat 3. This took a long time as a roll had to be called and missing people chased up. Eventually we were freed and it was nearly time to leave. On Deck 11 they were offering $10 cocktails (keep the glass) but we opted for a prosecco beside the pool. There were lots of children here but I have become more tolerant now I am a grandmother and besides, it’s a relief to see someone who isn’t 103. The ship moved away from the wharf and began its voyage to Quebec, where it will arrive at 4.00 am. We can go ashore at 7 so have ordered room service for 6.30 am.

We had booked dinner for 7.00 pm and were seated on our own at a table for 2. The people at the next table were Japanese so we talked for a while and found we had many things in common. The main difference was their ability to speak English far surpassed our ability to speak Japanese. John ordered a bottle of Grant Burg Shiraz which we planned would last two nights. It seems to have about a third left so looks like a lean night tomorrow. The meal was quite OK and better than anything we have eaten recently on land.

The entertainment tonight was a showcase of all the acts on the ship. We were surprised to see our life jacket demonstrator was also a singer and entertainer. You have to be multi purpose on a ship.

I was really tired by this time but John had a new burst of energy. We wandered past piano bars and jazz groups, people dancing and playing gaming machines until we came to the library and games room. There is a great collection of books and John was soon in a comfy chair facing the water reading about the Berlin Wall.

Thursday, 2nd June

A short taxi ride to Union Station and we stocked up on food and drink for the trip. For five hours we travelled past Lake Ontario viewing vineyards, green fields and waterways. There was a food trolley where we could have bought lunch but opted for tea instead. Montreal Station Centrale was an eye opener. Whereas Toronto was in renovation chaos and with only two food outlets, Montreal boasted rows of shops more like an airport. There were patisseries with pastries and cakes only seen before in France, bottle shops larger than any we had seen in North America and every imaginable  variety of food. We couldn’t dally as we had to get to the Old Town. It was a slow taxi ride through traffic and when we arrived we were rather taken aback by the unobtrusive appearance of our hotel. Quite different to the Doubletree edifices!

Up two flights of stairs with our luggage and we were shown into a delightful French style room. As an economy measure I had opted for a room without a view as this is an expensive part of town to stay in. However it was light and cheery.

We asked directions from the receptionist in the foyer and found a bottle shop and a small convenience store where we bought smoked meat, cheese, tomatoes, salad and crackers. On the way back we passed a patisserie where we bought two delicious but expensive tarts for dessert. Apparently the owner is from Paris and is very famous for his creations. In the room is a coffee maker and a toaster oven plus plates, knives and forks so it is possible to make a simple meal.
Friday, 3rd June

We had a great breakfast in our room of fresh baguette, smoked meat and tiny tomatoes along with tea made in the coffee maker.

The first things to do this morning were to find where our ship is leaving from tomorrow and get a walking tour map of the area from the Tourist Information Centre. We found a white marquee near the waterfront with a picture of a ship on the side and after a few enquiries found that a shuttle bus will take us seven kilometres to the ship as the dock is currently under renovation.

At the Tourist Bureau we picked up a map and checked out some of the attractions. The Old Town is very well preserved although the waterfront is cut off from the town by a railway line and features some ugly, falling down industrial buildings. With the rate of redevelopment going on I am sure it will look very different in five years, especially as an effort is being made to retain the character of the area.

 

Most of the City Wall has gone but we found some behind the Hotel d’Ville. The Town Hall itself featured some beautiful stained glass windows, chandeliers and marble. The balcony is where General Charles de Gaulle proclaimed his famous “Vive le Quebec libre!” in 1967. This brought to mind John’s often told joke from an English cartoon of the time. There was a shipment of toilets of the squatting variety bound for Canada from France. De Gaulle was supposed to be saying, “That will get the French in Canada back on their feet!”

I know, I know – it’s a Dad joke.

We walked up Place Jacques-Cartier which looked very touristy. It has been a marketplace since the early 1900s and was just setting up as we passed by. The sides were lined with French style Cafes festooned with spring flowers. Our guide at the Information Centre was Spanish and directed us to a cafe called Veritas for a good strong cortado. Sometime later we saw a cafe offering flat whites but by then had enough caffeine in our system.

The highlight if the day was a visit to Chateau Ramezay, opposite the Town Hall. Built in 1705 as the Montreal governor’s residence, it was later sold on to fur traders, then became the headquarters of the Continental (American) Army, then a British governor’s residence, then a Faculty of Medicine for Montreal University and finally, in 1895, a museum. In each room, representing a different era of the house, a recording could be played from a person of that time. It reminded me of the book, “My Place”. It certainly gave a great overview of the history of Montreal including the Iroquois Amerindians. Now there’s a new word I discovered today. An Amerindian is any member of the people living in North or South America before the arrival of the European.

The cafes outside our hotel were in full swing when we returned so we had sandwiches and soup under the umbrellas in the shade. It had become a beautiful sunny day and many people looked settled in for the Friday afternoon.

We were both tired so grabbed a nap before setting forth to buy some food for dinner. The atmosphere was festive and we were tempted to enter one of the hundreds of restaurants beckoning in the Old Town. Instead we bought bread, salad and yoghurt and with the smoked meat, tomatoes, cheese and pickles in our room we washed it all down with a good red.

Monday, 30th May

We sadly waved goodbye to our home for nearly a week and set off with Bob and Nancy on the six hour journey to Niagara Falls. First stop was at the best coffee shop in the Adirondacks. To think we only discovered it today. We both ordered cortados and a croissant. Definitely a nine. It was about two hours to Albany travelling south and then another two to Syracuse where Bob and Nancy’s friends John and Linda had invited us for lunch. Again they were very friendly people and we were sorry to move on but the falls beckoned. The plan was for Bob and Nancy to drop us off at the Rainbow Bridge where we would walk across and catch a taxi to our hotel.

However they were on the bridge and had paid the toll and before they knew it they were in Canada. We all showed our passports and after answering a few questions we continued on to a car park where we farewelled our hosts and went in search of a taxi. New York it was not so we gave up and walked.

It was only about a kilometre but the hill was steep and the day was hot so we were glad to reach the Doubletree Fallsview Hilton, shower and go out to check out the falls. The view from the front of the casino would have been good if there weren’t so many trees. But we saw enough to whet our appetite for more tomorrow. We have booked a double decker bus tour. So that should be fairly stress free.

Dinner was at Barefoot Joes. It was not memorable.

Tuesday, 31st May

Another beautiful day. The weather has been so good. I stood at the window at 6 am and watched the mist rising from the two sets of falls. We had breakfast at a diner. It started off reasonably priced. Then there is tax and then a minimum of 15 percent tip and next thing you know it is expensive.

I was trying to book a bus to Toronto for tomorrow on my iPad but every time I put in my credit card it was rejected. Finally I rang Megabus from the room phone and paid for it over the phone. It cost more but by then I was getting desperate. We will be catching the 11.15 am bus to Toronto arriving at 1.20 pm.

Today was a lazy day in that we were picked up in a 1960s double decker bus and driven to various places of interest in Niagara.

The first was Journey Behind the Falls, then the Whirlpool Aero Car above the Niagara River and finally the long awaited Hornblower Cruise. Maid of the Mist leaves from the USA side and Hornblower from the Canadian. It was truly spectacular seeing and feeling all that water pounding around us. It certainly did not disappoint. We also got to see a bit of the area on the tour including the bus station we’ll be leaving from tomorrow. Dinner was at an Italian restaurant near our hotel and was better than last night.

Wednesday 1st June

We didn’t have to hurry this morning so slept in. The Starbucks downstairs was run by an Italian woman named Maria. I asked her for a double shot espresso with some steamed milk. She said it was a macchiato in Italy but added a bit of extra milk. It was certainly good. Best coffee I have ever had in Starbucks.

A taxi took us to the bus station where we caught a Coach Canada bus to Toronto. The trip was very scenic and followed Lake Ontario for much of the way. It looked huge like an ocean but you could see the tall buildings of Toronto in the distance across the water. There is new dense housing development along the water’s edge. As we drove into Toronto we marvelled at the number of modern high rise buildings and the freeway which carved its way through them. We could see our hotel from the bus depot which was a lucky coincidence as we only had to wheel our bags a short distance. At Doubletree Toronto Hilton we were given our warm choc chip cookies and sent up to the 19th floor.

With only an afternoon to see Toronto we opted to go up the CN Tower. It used to be the tallest tower in the world but now is number three. We had good views of the waterfront and the islands just off the shore. There is an airport at one end of the islands so we watched planes take off as well as all sorts of boats on the water. Just below the tower is Rogers stadium where a big baseball match is being held tonight between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. (nb Blue Jays beat Yankees 7 nil.)

We were both tired after a long walk to Union Station to check out where we leave tomorrow. It is being renovated so is a bit of a mess. Anyway we ordered pizza in our room and making the most of the guest laundry room did a load of washing. I think that Holland America has a laundry which will be a big improvement on past cruises. As long as it isn’t in the bowels of the ship. That is a sure recipe for seasickness as in my honeymoon cruise on the Oriana in 1972

Wow! What a week we had! With temperatures 15 degrees F above average, in the 80 to 90 F range we were, as Bob put it, shown a good cross section of the American way of life in a rural community in the Summer. Sitting in our Adirondack chairs on the deck each evening, sampling yet another Australian wine thanks to John’s diligence, we watched the mountains in all their forms, either wreathed in wispy cloud or stark against a brilliant sunset.

Thursday

We had the morning to ourselves so explored the six acres, drank coffee on our deck and listened to John Denver, all in beautiful sunshine.

The afternoon saw us on a hike to a Lean To, in a forest of birch trees. Here we admired the outdoor toilet constructed by Bob (he dug the hole) as part of a community project. Nancy brought tea and cookies.

We dressed up for dinner at the impressive Ausable Club which had just opened for the season. First we had cocktails at Sarah’s unconventional house in the Ausable Club compound. The living room was once an artist’s studio and was in a separate building to the kitchen and formal dining room. Full of antiques, Chinese and American, it was a fascinating slice of American history. The club house is a huge, imposing four storey building surrounded by covered verandas and topped with dormer windows and wide chimneys. We all enjoyed our salmon and John his scallops.

Friday

Lunch today was at Paul Smiths College where 900 students learn hospitality and cooking skills as well as as numerous other courses. We had a delicious three course lunch with a view across one of the many lakes in the area. Think “On Golden Pond” and you will see the picture. To work off lunch we walked on one of the VIC trails. It was a one mile loop called Boreal Life. It began with a 1600 foot boardwalk through spruce and bog.

Sarawak Lake was a fascinating, picture postcard village. Doctor Edward Trudeau basically went there to die as he was diagnosed with TB or consumption as it was then known. He found he actually improved in health and so began Sarawak Lake’s association with researching the cure of TB. Many of the local houses have screened verandahs as fresh air was part of the treatment. Robert Louis Stevenson was one of the famous visitors and his house still stands.

The evening finished with a genuine New York pizza from Lake Placid eaten in the screened deck of the house at Rerun.

Saturday

This morning we set off along the Memorial Highway to walk White Face. It is New York State’s fifth highest peak at 4,867 feet. We didn’t have to hike from the bottom as the road winds up the mountainside. Built during the Depression as part of the New Deal this road would not be built today for environmental and economic reasons. At the top is a stone castle, a 27 storey elevator and a summit house. We began by climbing the nature trail which is only a fifth of a mile but steep and slippery at times. There were hand rails and impressive views over lakes and forests. At the top we met swarms of little black beetles and worse still black vampire flies which leave itchy bites like sand flies. We took the elevator down through the rock to find a shivering huddle of people in the 38 degree F tunnel waiting to come up. 426 feet later we were out in the sunshine of a hot day.

In return for their hospitality we invited Nancy and Bob for dinner in our little cottage so we spent the afternoon preparing. Bob and Nancy were heading off to Mass at St Brendan’s in Keene so we joined them as part of our immersion in their lifestyle.

Dinner was served in the screened side verandah of the cottage. The black flies make the screens a necessity but I still have a row of bites on my neck as a souvenir if the Adirondacks. John barbecued fillet steak and we had a delicious meal of local produce including the asparagus recently growing in the garden.

Sunday

Our last day in the Adirondacks saw us crossing Lake Champlain to Vermont by car ferry. The goal was to visit Shelburne Museum. It was so vast we didn’t get to see it all but we explored the Round Barn, the Ticonderoga, a 1906 side wheel steamboat, the furnished New York rooms of the museum’s founder, Electra Havemeyer Webb, full of famous art works by Monet, Manet and Degas, a Lake Champlain lighthouse, a luxury 1890 rail car and steam engine, a long building displaying hand carved circus animals and a gallery of American Art. The rain finally poured down, putting an end to the heat and our tour of the museum.

A right turn into the Shelburne Winery gave us the opportunity to try the famous ice wine which is made from grapes frozen on the vine. It is a sweet dessert wine but lower in alcohol content than most dessert wines. It sure has a lot of sugar! We also tried all their whites, a rose and reds which were a little on the sweet side. I will add we only took very small tastes of each!!!

Then it was back on the car ferry and home for our last evening with Bob and Nancy, cooking up leftovers and sitting on the deck with a glass of wine, watching the clouds swirling around the mountains for the very last time.

Tuesday, 24th May, 2016

After five hours of train travel past vast stretches of water and tiny villages we arrived at Westport and clamboured down the steep steps to the ground. There we were met by Nancy and Bob who showed us around the historic railway station ( now also a theatre) before driving us through pretty Spring countryside to their home. It is on the site of a grand country hotel (now demolished) and was one of the cottages build for vacationers. They have since enlarged it and added an upstairs. As well they have built a granny flat which is our residence for the next six days.

We had an hour to unpack, shower and rest before meeting Bob and Nancy on the deck. In one day we had come from a room with a view of a brick wall in New York to views over birches and pines to distant rugged mountains in the Adirondacks. With a glass of Shaw and Smith and some local cheese, reclining in an Adirondack chair, life was pretty good.

John and Bob barbecued the meat, we had a convivial meal ending with delicious rhubarb pie and then collapsed into a warm and comfortable bed.

Wednesday, 25th May, 2016

There are only two minor problems with our current accommodation. There is no TV reception.. There is also no internet reception until we drive to the town of Lake Placid where my AT&T suddenly wakes up. Again not really an issue because our hosts have left inviting books about the local area, birds, trees and many more topics. But it does make it hard to post this blog.

There are videos, CDs, radio plus games and of course the stunning view. By one window is a bird feeder filled with sugared water where we can watch the humming birds hovering as they dip their beaks into the liquid. The houses are set on six acres. On our walk this morning we found patches of blueberries in flower visited by huge fat bumble bees. The flowers are white like strawberry flowers but are just growing out in the middle of a field.

Before setting off this morning we packed a picnic and then drove to John Brown’s Farm. We all know the song “John Brown’s body lies a mouldering in the grave”. Inside a wrought iron fence and beside a huge boulder is the place where he was buried after being convicted of treason and hanged in 1859. His sons who died fighting the same cause lie there also. He is best described as a militant abolitionist and his life was complex to say the least but nevertheless he is revered for his contribution to the freedom of slaves in the United States. His first wife died after giving birth to five children. The second wife lived in the house we visited and gave birth to thirteen children, six of whom survived to adulthood.

Beyond the house we could see the giant ski jumps built for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. They poked into the sky like huge cranes. Later, in Lake Placid we saw the ice hockey rink in the Olympic Stadium, the speed skating track in front of the high school and the bob sled track on the hill.

We had eaten a picnic by the Cascade Lakes but by late afternoon planned to have an early dinner at the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery. John and I shared a half plate of ribs but couldn’t eat it all. They were quite tasty, served with fries and broccoli slaw. This was washed down with beer.

Bob and Nancy worked in their vegetable garden in the early evening while John and I caught up on some sleep.