Looking for a charming British retreat on this side of the Atlantic? Look no further than Niagara-on-the-Lake, a brief 25-minute drive from the crowds and commotion of Niagara Falls. It’s located at the opposite end of the scenic Niagara Parkway past vineyards, farms, parks, and gated homes. The British established residency in the small Ontario [...]
We had one more sight to see on our way out of Montreal: Parc du Mont Royal. Mount Royal (mont Réal in Middle French and Mont Royal in present French) was first discovered by Jacques Cartier in 1535. It is the mountain for which Montreal is named. The park is one of the city’s largest [...]
We continued to celebrate my birthday on July 8th with a few activities we couldn’t fit into July 7th. First up: A 90-minute guided boat tour along the Saint Lawrence River. We boarded the Bateau-Mouche and cruised past the Olympic Stadium, La Ronde Amusement Park, the Biosphère, and the Molson factory. The cool breeze from [...]
(I sure hope I’m not boring you all with these vacation recaps. It allows me to organize our photos and document our memories, and I thank you for sticking around! Speaking of documentation, I eventually do plan to finish our wedding recaps. Perhaps before our first anniversary? Only 36 days away!) We drove from Quebec [...]
On Tuesday morning we grabbed coffees and croissants from Paillard (a.k.a. Canadian Panera) and climbed the hill to La Citadelle to watch the Changing of the Guard. The wall was originally built around Quebec City in the 17th century, and the current fortification was constructed by the British in 1820 to protect Canada from American [...]
(Catch up on previous road trip recaps.) What do you order on a 95 degree evening from a restaurant with no air conditioning? Steaming seafood pot pie and messy maple ribs, of course. Okay, perhaps it wasn’t the smartest (or most photogenic) choice, but it was the most delicious meal of our entire trip. Not [...]
En route from New York to Canada, we rehearsed simple French phrases like bonjour, au revoir, s’il vous plaît, and merci. And when we stopped for our first bathroom break in the province of Québec, Nick successfully asked, “Où se trouvent les toilettes?” In fact, we were so engrossed in our French lessons that we missed [...]
The highlight of our July 4th was the BBQ and Dessert Festival. It was the ideal way to eat at seven restaurants in Saratoga Springs for less than $10 per person. Here’s the lineup and our reviews (out of 4 stars): Steamed oysters topped with BBQ sauce and bacon from Saratoga Gaming & Raceway: Sufficiently [...]
As part of the July 4th celebration in Saratoga Springs, the city offered a free historic tour. And so following our coffees and pastries, we congregated in Congress Park. Most people believe fame arrived in Saratoga Springs on horseback. But before the races and the casinos, it was the area’s natural mineral springs that attracted [...]
I believe a fraternity invaded our modest motel on Saturday night. We awoke after just after midnight to the all too familiar intoxicated conversation and clicking heels, and the next morning we followed a trail of crushed Miller Lite cans from our doorstep, down the stairs, and into the parking lot. We needed coffee in [...]