Fall Foliage in Philadelphia

We have discovered that if you slowly travel south, you just keep up with the changing of the leaves!!  This is the view from our trailer today!  We are staying in a campground just outside of Philadelphia.  The leaves are falling gently to the ground and the wild turkeys are running around the campground (the dogs just love them!!).

Our big treat here was Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches.  They were pretty amazing!  Definitely worth the 6 block walk after seeing the Liberty Bell, and the hall where they signed the Constitution.

A stroll in Central Park

We have done tons of walking, so it's time for a break!  We took a bus tour of the other end of New York, mid town, uptown, and Harlem.  Tours are always good because you learn so much more about a place.

We got off the bus early as we decided to take a walk through Central Park.  It is really beautiful, and huge!!!  But after walking around NY, among all those people, you see how a place like this park is so important for them to have a place to go to relax.  There are lots of trees that are still green because it is warmer in the city, but there are still tons of fall colours.  There is an area called the Mall where the trees meet overhead to form a roof - it has been in tons of TV shows.  They were filming a scene of some sort while we were there.  The actors were speaking Italian so they were not familiar to us, but it was still a neat experience!
We went for a carriage ride around a section of the park.  (We were holding out for this one, instead of doing it in Quebec, or Bar Harbor).  I think that was Rianna's favourite part of NY, although she would probably say it was the shopping & people watching.

Sean got a treat as well - he wanted to eat at TGI Fridays at Times Square, on Friday.  We walked around for a bit afterwards, but this area was much busier on a Friday night than during the week, and it was a bit too much for us!

All in all, we were really happy with our New York experience, and I in particular, was pleasantly surprised at how clean everything was, and how safe we felt.  I'm not exactly sure what I expected, but we came out of it being New York fans!      

Now we'll just have to see how they do with their baseball team!!

United Nations and Top of the Rock

The UN building was the scene for our Social Studies lessons in globalization today!  Many of these lessons are not pleasant to learn about, but are important none the less.

The kids were probably more excited when we participated in a KFC taste test for the new grilled chicken that they were doing across the street.  They even filmed us!

We also went to the top of the Rockefellar building today.  The view was incredible, but the boys found it a bit nerve wracking; the girls were having a great time!  We were not able to go up into the Statue of Liberty on the day we went, and the Empire State building tour had long line ups.  This building has much better views of Central Park, anyway!  The elevator, which goes up 67 floors, has a glass roof, and there
are small lights up the elevator shaft so that you can watch as you go up (and down) in 54 seconds!

You can walk up another 3 floors on the roof of the building once you get outside.  It was a relatively clear day so we could see most of the city. There was a bit of smog, but we have seen much worse in L.A.

We even managed to get a picture with David & I instead of the kids!!!!

Taking the Train

I couldn't imagine having to commute from the

outlying cities into New York  every day, but obviously, many people do just that.  Our tour bus driver said today that 5 million people come into NY during the week, every day.  5 million people!!

The only positive thing is that the trip North of NY follows along the Hudson River Valley and it is absolutely gorgeous!  The leaves are so beautiful right now!  West Point is located along this river and was really cool to see!

The kids have now experienced trains, NY city busses, the subway, and busy city streets!  We have done a lot of walking here as things are 

very spread out.

We have been pleasantly surprised at how clean

everything has been, and how safe we have felt.  

Needless to say, the five foot rule has been in 

effect, and Sean must be in the 5 foot perimeter

from us at all times.  Rianna is usually 

attached to one of us!

There is a dog walking service at our campground
so the dogs are happy too, as they get to go out

a couple times during the day while we are gone.  That has allowed us to put in longer days and see as much as we can.

We have pretty tired feet, but a great experience!

"Really? Are you kidding me?:

Those would be David's words when, after arriving in New York City, and coming upon a pretzel stand, we, of course, had to buy said pretzels.

He was, however, not commenting upon my need to buy them, but to take a picture of the event in the middle of the sidewalk!!

"Oh, come on, it's New York!!!!!!!!", I replied.

Day 1 in New York

Here we are in Grand Central Station, ready to start the day!  The train ride in from our campground takes about an hour and  a half, but it is the closest one that is still open.  The train station is as impressive as it looks on TV shows!

We walked around Manhattan and came across Rockefeller 

Square where they have just recently put in the skating rink that they have in during the holiday season.  Well, what else can good Canadian kids do, but go skating??  

Of course, Sean was the only one on the rink wearing shorts!!  Skating along side of women in business suits with skirts, and old Chinese men who shouldn't even be on the ice.  And of course no one is wearing a helmet!

We also took a bus tour around the city to see all the sights.  It was a beautiful fall day, around 20 degrees, and it was so cool to be in New York City!!!!

Times Square at night is a site to behold!  Lights and people everywhere!  They have a section of stadium type seating, lit up with neon lights, that sits right in the middle so you can sit there and watch the traffic and people go by.  We just sat there, amazed to be there and experiencing it!!!

Statue of Liberty - Artistic Interpretation

JoAnne's photo - close up, cool clouds in the background.
Rianna's photo - see what I can do!
Sean's photo - no explanation needed - it's Sean!

Are you ready for some football??

Did anyone catch the Patriot's game on Sunday?  Sean and David were there!!! That is the other reason we stayed here longer.  Unfortunately, the weather did not really co-operate.  It was raining really hard when we got to Patriot Place.  We had to be there a couple of hours in advance to figure out parking and deal with the tailgate parties.  Rianna and I went to a movie while they were at the game, so we didn't have to pay the $40 for game parking as we were allowed to use the retail parking.  We just had to walk for a while, and so we were soaked pretty quickly.  The snow started before game time, and the cold temperatures made it pretty tough for the boys!
I don't think Sean minded too much, he was very excited just to be there!!!

The score was 59 - 0 for the Patriots, and was a record breaking game for them.  Between that and the crappy weather, it was a pretty memorable experience!

JoAnne had to drive home, through the traffic of 70,000 or so people, and the first snow storm in the new truck, in the dark.  I haven't been driving much lately, so I was a bit nervous!

We had left the awning out on our trailer as we were trying to keep some things dry, and when we got back to the trailer there was a couple of inches of snow on it.  We were just happy that it hadn't ripped or broken.  So poor David is already frozen, and we spend 20 minutes brushing snow off our awning!!!!  They went up to the hot tub in the lodge to warm up before bed (did I mention that I love this campground!!!)

Halloween Again!

We have now had our second Halloween (like any of us need more chocolate)!  We stayed longer at this campground so that we could take part, and because this is an amazing campground and we really don't want to leave!!!  It has been voted the best RV Park in America three times!

We bought a few decorations for the outside of the trailer just to make it look festive, but they had a competition here and some of the campers went a little over the top! (Not that I would condone that sort of thing for a holiday like this!!!)  One site had two hearses, and a whole cemetery!

There was supposed to be a wagon ride, but it was too rainy and cold on Friday night so they cancelled it.  But there was a great pancake breakfast on Saturday, and costume party for the kids, and then three hours of trick or treating in the afternoon!  I bet we had at least 200 kids come to the trailer!  We had not bought anywhere near as much candy as we needed, so David had to drive down to the nearest mall to get some more.  We sat outside by the fire with our warm coffee and handed out candy while the kids went off to collect their goodies.  It was great!!  There was no snow and ice, the kids did not have to wear winter coats under their costumes, and we just sat in our lawn chairs and got to visit with everyone as they went by!
Sean's woopie cushion was a big hit.  He really enjoyed making farting noises to earn his candy!  Rianna was a disco dancer, so she was in fine form!  The dogs, of course, had little capes, all courtesy of Target!!!  We love Target!!!

They had a dance that night, too!

It was a really nice break from the hectic pace of travelling and adventuring!!

More of Boston

The U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest commissioned war ship still afloat.  It is undergoing restoration at the moment but we still got to go in and see everything.  We took the Ferry back to downtown and this is the view of the bridge at sunset.

We did a bus tour today that took us all around the town and talked about the history, and special places around town.  We drove past the movie set where Tom Cruise is filming right now!

We also went to the New England Aquarium.  We arrived at feeding time so we watched them feed the penguins, and then saw the divers in the big tank feeding all the other fish, sharks, turtles, etc.  We watched her feed shrimp to a Manta Ray that was bigger than her.  She fed him up against the glass and he vacuumed the shrimp into his mouth.  It was really cool to see!  Myrtle the turtle was my favourite!

There were lots of great things to see, but the Monterrey Bay Aquarium is still the best one we have been to!

We also went to the Science Centre.  They had a really good demonstration on electricity (even fits in with Rianna's grade 5 curriculum!)  There were a few classes doing sleepovers there that night so we were a little out numbered.  That was the end of a very long day and so we were pretty tired and not wanting to deal with kids (waaaay too much like school)

 

Busy in Boston

Boston is a very easy city to move around in! There is a great subway system and most of the attractions in downtown Boston are within walking distance of each other. We walked all around Fenway Park, but did not have time to go inside for the tour.  We went to the pub that looks out across the field though, and they let us go in and have a quick peek at the field.

This mosaic lies on the site of the first public school in America.  Ben Franklin and John Hancock were both students there.

There are so many historical sites in this city, and most can be found by walking along a path of red bricks set into the sidewalk, called the Freedom Trail.  They lead you to cemeteries with headstones from the 1600's, churches and meeting houses, Paul Revere's house, and more, most found  among the office buildings and stores in the centre of town.

The rainy and cold weather did not help the enjoyment of it all, but it was still great!

Plymouth and Cape Cod

We took a day trip from Boston to visit Plymouth and Cape Cod.  Did you know that Plymouth rock is only about 10 feet across?  I was expecting something much more substantial for a rock that you hear so much about.

This is a replica of the Mayflower.  We were thinking of paying to go so it when 2 bus loads of school children showed up.

We decided that we really didn't need to see inside another ship!

Cape Cod was rainy and cool, but you could easily see how much fun it would be in the summer.  Tons of beautiful beaches, and lovely summer homes.  The kids and I walked along the beach in the rain and found tons of clams, which we haven't found on any other beaches, yet.

L.L. Bean

Crushed by the big boot, outside of the L.L. Bean store!  What a fate that would have been if her brave father had not come to her rescue and thrown himself under the boot instead!

And if you think I have a photo of David lying on the ground under the boot, you would be mistaken!

I have wanted to come to this store for years, and was excited to be here!  For those unaware, it is a camping/hiking/sporting/clothing /everything store which mostly does catalogue shopping.  The flagship store is in Freeport, Maine, and covers blocks of the town.  The rest of the town is full of outlet shops!

Change of Itinerary

For any of you out there still following our adventures, we have decided after much debate, to change our plans a bit.  We are not backtracking to go to Toronto and Southern Ontario (that area will have to go on hold until next summer).  The weather out here has not been so nice for camping (although we don't have your snow and -16 degree weather) and the camp grounds are starting to close all around us!!  Many of the attractions in Southern Ontario have shut down already as well.

We have left Maine, and are in Boston.  Well, outside of Boston.  We are staying at an amazing campground and resort called Normandy Farms.  It is the closest campground to Boston, but it still takes us 45 minutes to get to the train station, and then another 45 for the train to get into downtown Boston.  We are not even attempting to drive our big truck into town where most parking is at least $20 /hour.

By heading south, we hope to stay ahead of the cold weather and find campgrounds that are still open.  We are still hoping to spend some extra time in Florida and Costa Rica and so we need to get moving!

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is, apparently, the second most visited park in America. We, however, had never even heard of it!!!  But we decided to take a little road trip off our plan and check it out.  

We are glad we did because it was pretty amazing!  The picture here doesn't really do justice to the colours.

ANP is located on an island, just off the coast of Maine.  It was discovered by our old friend, Samuel du Champlain.  (I swear, we have been to so many places that this guy discovered it is truly amazing!!!)  It is one of the first national parks in the US, and is made up entirely of land that was donated by the wealthy families that came to stay in this area in the early 1900's. (i.e. the Rockefeller's).  
The park loop road goes around the island, along the coastal roads, up the granite mountain, and through the beautiful forest.  The early developers did not want cars on this island, but they built a whole series of roads for carriages to carry people around.  These carriage roads now do not allow cars, so you can bike and hike through the whole area without worrying about traffic.

The leaves here are pretty much at peak season, so you can imagine the views we had!

By the end of the day the wind was picking up and it was about 8 degrees.  A little chilly for our top of the mountain walk.  Of course David and Sean are in shorts, and all these people around us are in mitts and toques - they got a few looks!

We ate dinner in Bar Harbor, in a 50's style Route 66 restaurant, converted from an old church.  It was a neat experience!  This town reminded us of Banff, tourist rustic!  Another good day!

Miniature Golf at Pirate's Cove

O.K., this might win the award for our best mini golf course so far in all our travels!  This is a pirate themed course with a secret cave under a waterfall, and a pirate ship with a "hole" in the ship!

It is located just outside of Bar Harbor, Maine.  For those of you who know David, just imagine him saying "Bar Harbor" in his best pirate voice, over and over again!!

Produce Stands

Driving through the Annapolis Valley, we have passed many little produce stands.  I'm sure there is a proper name for them, but I keep forgetting to ask someone.  People put out vegetables or flowers, and often pumpkins, at the end of their driveways, with a price list and a locked money box.  If you want to buy something you take what you want and leave the money - they trust you to do it honestly.  We bought pears, tomatoes, apples and some little gourds.

It is nice to know that there are many places that you can do this - no one comes along and steals the stuff or wreaks it.  That's the way life should be everywhere!

Kejimkujik National Park, N.S.

It was pouring rain as we went into the Visitor Centre at Kejimkujik National Park.  This leaf was laying on the asphalt, and it caught my eye across the parking lot, shining in the rain.  

Most of the leaves on the ground have markings, or blight, but this one just seemed perfect!

Rianna's Report to Mrs. Harm's Class

 We have just finished touring through the Atlantic provinces!  We were reading Chapter One in the grade five Social Studies text, which just happens to be on Atlantic Canada!

Just the other day, we visited the Annapolis Tidal power station that is shown in a photo on page 39 of the text.   

A couple of days ago we visited the Maritime Museum in Halifax, and looked at the exact poster that shows the shipwrecks around Sable Island Alistair talks about on page 40.

The photograph of the wigwam (that looks just like the photo on p. 44) was taken at Fort William Historical Village.

The photograph of the porcupine quill basket was taken at the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, and looks just like the one on page 47.

We learned about fishing for Cod, and saw them drying on racks, just like on p. 46, when we were at Fort Lousiburg in Cape Breton.

We visited the same area that Pierre Du Gua de Monts explored, (p. 48) and saw the remains of Fort Anne.  After this, we travelled through the area where the Acadians first settled.

Rianna's words about this are:  I am so happy that we are travelling and learning about this in real life, and seeing the stuff that you guys are reading in the text book!  I will have many more pictures to share when I get back to school!  It is kind of freaky that this is the chapter that talks about all this stuff I have just seen!

Annapolis Valley, N.S.

The Annapolis Valley follows the western edge of Nova Scotia, along the Bay of Fundy.  This is an area of orchards, vineyards and pumpkins!  It was a rainy day, but the leaves were still beautiful!  We stopped at Fort Anne, which has the oldest building in all of Canada's National Historic Sites, a powder magazine built in the 1700's.

The pumpkins that they grow here are huge!  In Windsor they have the Pumpkin Regatta where they hollow out the largest pumpkins, and float in them down the river.  Sean had seen this in the Guinness Book of World Records.  Unfortunately the race is in a couple of weeks and we will miss it!

We passed this field of pumpkins just outside of New Minas.  We were watching the news that evening, and we saw the exact same field, just with a few people in it who were picking pumpkins.  The kids were so excited that we had been in that place, on that day, and saw that exact picture on the news!!!

Lunenburg

The homes

along the maritime coasts were painted different colours so that the fishermen could use them as markers to help locate their positions. 

   Now the golfers that play on the beautiful course across the harbour from here can use them to judge the distance of their ball!!

I liked the whimsical mermaid, but she would be pretty hard to see from a boat!

Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay

Our next road trip (an over nighter) has taken us through Mahone Bay where they were celebrating their annual fall Scarecrow Festival.  The whole town has been decorated with scarecrows - Ali Baba and his harem, Fishermen Finding Memaids, rocks stars, actors, and more.  They were hanging from trees and lightposts, coming out of bushes, sitting on porches and lawns.  It was another beautiful day, and so the town was very busy, but there was lots to see!  As we were leaving we had to drive through the town.  Tons of traffic, parked cars and people made it very difficult to drive the big truck through narrow streets, but David had lots of practice driving in tricky conditions through Quebec City, so he did just fine!!

Puppies and People at Peggy's Cove

With the wind in her ears, Oreo feels as free as the seagulls that are flying above us!

Peggy's Cove

We had a beautiful fall day for our road trip to Peggy's Cove.  It is about 45 minutes from our campground, which is right outside of Halifax.

The drive along the coast is very beautiful with fall colours and sparkling blue water on the lakes and harbours along the coast.    This was the nicest it has been in days - we have been having quite a few rainy, foggy days.

Peggy's Cove is a tiny town, less than 40 houses, a few stores, and a visitor centre.  The lighthouse protrudes out into the ocean on a huge mass of granite.  During the last few ice ages, the rock has been formed into boulders, covered with cracks and crannies.  Sean was bounding over them like Spiderman!!  There are a few dangerous spots, but mostly it just made for interesting climbing.  Even the dogs enjoyed it!  We must have spent almost an hour just walking around, and then sitting and watching the waves crash and swirl against the rocks. 

We had heard earlier that there were three cruise ships coming into Halifax today, which is why we decided to head out of town.  Unfortunately we were not familiar with the cruise ship "road trip" phenomena....pack all the blue haired crowd onto big tour busses and take them
out of town.  When we arrived at the cove, there was probably 7 tour busses there, and by the time we left there were at least 25.  Luckily for us, the aforementioned senior set do not really like hiking over huge boulders, so we could pretend that we had the area to ourselves.

Unfortunately when we came up off the rocks, there they all were!!!!  The gift shop was absolutely full ( so no miniature lighthouses for us!)

Sean found this ledge, which was about 20 feet up above where we are.  They looked like a pair birds sitting up on a perch.

Alexander Keith's Brewery Tour

We are trying to give our kids an all encompassing experience, so obviously a brewery tour was not to be missed!!

"Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale, those who like it, like it a lot!"

Sean was a little bummed that he only got Iced Tea!

Harbour Hopper in Halifax

Here we are, about to go on an amphibious adventure!  This cool vehicle is a leftover from the Vietnam War, which has now been put to a better use!  We drove down the street and directly into the harbour - it was now a boat!!  We cruised around the harbour for a while, and then drove back up the boat launch, and did the tour of downtown Halifax.  It was really neat!  Halifax has always been an important port as it rarely freezes, and therefore it has been very important in Canada's history.  The story of the Halifax explosion was especially enlightening, and heart wrenching at the same time.

The Maritime Museum was very interesting - immigration, naval history, the Titanic, pirates, ship wrecks, and all types of sailing vessels.  It had a bit of everything.  There were even two ships in the harbour that you could go tour as part of the exhibit.  David particularly liked the corvette war ship called the Sackville.  It was used in WW II.

We have friends here in Halifax that we have been visiting with - Sean (and Rianna) even babysat their little guy so that we could go out for dinner.  It was a real treat to visit with friends after being "just us" for nine weeks.