On our way home!

Well not quite, but having witnessed a fabulous sunrise over Niagara it was time to load-up and head back towards Chicago.

US Immigration was a breeze and we were soon bowling along and making good time. We passed through Buffalo and then mile upon mile of vineyards and wineries. Before long we crossed into Ohio and drove across Cleveland, re-living our previous visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In just under four hours we were in Sandusky, where we had previously spent the second night of our East Coast adventure. A quick laundry stop, a long 'Skype' with Jenny and David, and then we revisited "Danny's Place", an excellent Italian style restaurant which serves great food in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Tomorrow....Chicago! I leave you with another piece of nostalgia....inspired by today's journey and my tardiness so far, in referring to my darling daughter within this traveller's tale!

I Guess I done seen about everything........!

The Falls are magnificent and I guess we'll always remember viewing them from 'above' and 'below' on the day of the Royal Wedding, particularly as we were greeted by a poster-size photo of Princess Diana, William, and Harry wearing ponchos, when they visited.

Our hotel suite is lovely, but there's definitely something about Casino towns that attract strange people 'out of season'!

The massive self-serve breakfast room (with 'Omelette Station'!) could easily have passed for the 'Tar Tui' bar scene in Star Wars....in a way it was kinda nice that 'travelling light' we could actually dress-down from our norm and get away with it! Having waited a lifetime to see the Falls (during the day and at night from our window, as they changed colour with the lighting effects) I figured this would be one of the most notable sights of the trip. I was so wrong....for during breakfast, a couple were parked on the adjacent table, the guy having brought along his own black pottery coffee mug. This in itself was no big deal, but the mug had a capacity of somewhere in the region of 2-3 litres!! (It reminded me of Dom Jolley's giant mobile phone!) The server, a very pleasant guy, strolled up, introduced himself and laughingly pointed at the mug, saying "I guess you don't need that filling with coffee?!".....to which the guy replied "Yeah"!! So the server dutifully toted mega-mug away and filled it with the Ebassy's finest brew. Whilst the couple filled their plates at the breakfast buffet, the server brought along several colleagues to see the mug and bear witness to what even to them was a singularly unusual event......the Chief Greeter turned to me and casually remarked "If that guy has a re-fill he'll be 'up' forever!!" When the guy returned, he tipped almost a full carton of milk into the caffeine-loaded mix together with several helpings of sugar......we exited before 'the high' kicked-in! We spent most of the day taking-in the Falls and the surrounding area and were surprised to stumble on a part of town resembling Blackpool's 'Golden Mile'.

As today was pretty laid back I'm going for a piece of music that I was planning to use for the East Coast, but which seemed just about fine for today:

Stop Press!

We made it to Niagara Falls! Yesterday evening we were blighted with a severe weather warning as the tail end of the horrendous storms that had hit the South made their presence felt! We lost electricity during the night and the nearby river rose dramatically, but by morning things looked a lot calmer, and brighter. We drove west across Upper New York State and soon found ourselves in comparatively 'big-sky' country, but with some pretty hefty cross-winds!

A self-imposed detour through several small, neat, towns added some time to the journey, but it was worth it. We arrived at 'Rainbow Bridge' and the Canadian border and then participated in a'Quick-Fire' round of questions, initiated by the Immigration Official.....fortunately, we passed! We soon arrived at our lodgings, a fab suite in the 'Embassy Suites', which overlooks both Falls.....what can I say?!

We braved the fierce wind and took a stroll around the local hotels and casinos, taking in great views of the Falls as we wandered.

Returning to base, we went to the Manager's complimentary drinks reception and then had dinner at a table overlooking the Falls. (Fortunately, unlike the Royal Wedding, 'casual' is de rigour here!!) Still haunted by 'nostalgia' I've picked another fleeting memory of the past that we heard earlier today and which reminded me of my first electric guitar!!

Finding our way around.....

Today's first stop was the local Visitor Information point, which had yet to re-open for the season. A sign on the door directed us to an alternative venue in Downtown Cortland. With GPS primed we headed for our new goal. On arrival, we initially found our way into the County Court Building....another 'first' for us, but as usual everyone was really friendly and helpful. We were referred to the adjacent Chamber of Commerce Building where we got to meet some really helpful guys, including Jim Dempsey (Director of Convention & Visitor Bureau). We headed-out to nearby Ithaca and meandered around its shops....Pat visited her first US hairdresser, which was a big success!!

Being hot and sunny, we dropped into a very pleasant Italian eatery for lunch (and a chance to re-acquaint myself with an old pal from 'Cleveland')

We took another stroll about this laid-back university town and were particularly taken by some interesting shops in a small mall...we particularly enjoyed our encounter with 'Tom Kozlowski', the owner of an emporium selling a fabulous range of hats and drums! (Tom plays drums a little, but also facilitates marriages between drums and drummers!)

Next we headed for the nature centre 'Lime Hollow', but this was closed so we set-off back to Cortland where we saw a neat car outside a cocktail bar (with the plate 'Final Run'!) and had a really great dinner at Fabio's..... where Pat tackled a steamed lobster!!

As for the day's music link, I have to confess to having been influenced by a wave of nostalgia through continuous exposure to Channel "50's on 5"....but hey, I've always liked this record!!

Dawn of Discovery.....

We chose to 'go west' today into (for us) uncharted territory, across upper New York State. Dense early morning mists soon burned-off as the sun emerged and unveiled beautiful rolling, open, countryside.

"50's on Channel 5" was playing on the radio and it was a great morning for cruising! (Particularly, as traffic was unbelievably light too!)

A mid-morning turn-off took us through un-touristy parts of 'small-town America' where we stopped at the tiny "Pondos Pizza Restaurant" for coffee and found a chocolate cake that could easily hold its own in "The Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame"!

Having arrived and checked into our hotel, we set off again for nearby Ithaca, home to an impressive lake and overlooked by the equally outstanding wooded setting of Cornell University. The GPS guided us Downtown, close to the amazing ice-cream parlour "Purity".....a quick pit-stop and we set off for Interlarken, on what revealed itself to be an extensive wine trail.

We pulled into the "Americana Vineyards" where we learned that New York State is a significant wine-producing region and the US....so we did the 'eight-wines tasting' for $3.00! (We particularly liked the full-bodied "Revolutionary Red"!!) We had a great time chatting with the guy conducting the tasting event, who was raised in Montana and had previously worked for several years as a professional 'jouster'!!

I've picked a piece of music that played on the radio earlier today and is perfect 'road music'...a golden oldie from the guy from Lubbock, Texas, on which the 'drumming' on the original recording was produced on cardboard boxes!

Meet the Berkshires.....

Today we left Springfield behind, heading for the rolling 'Berkshires' hills which lie below the 'Green Mountain Forest' and provide venues for many art galleries and music festivals. Stockbridge was our first stop, a neat town and home to Norman Rockwell (a chronicler of American life) for twenty-five years. It has a slightly surreal character and this coupled with the music playing in a local coffee shop reminded us of 'Twin Peaks'!

Next we headed for Lenox, another neat tourist-centric town once caught-up in the Civil War. We parked outside the library and watched as a traffic cop waited patiently for some traffic to 'direct'! (Crime has to be low there!!)

Our final jaunt was to North Adams, an industrial town that fell into decline and has recently experienced some limited revival through the establishment of a large contemporary arts centre.......but insufficient to remove the need for the 'good will' shops that are all too apparent. By Late afternoon showers returned and we headed south for Pittsfield and our home for the night, passing through a very green landscape that reminded us of Wales! Finally, a piece of music that will always invoke memories of the day's sights and feelings.....

Eureka....!

Happy Easter! Today we got back on-track, re-discovering the New England we were searching for! First, we went Downtown to get a feel for Springfield and to see the cool 'Dr Seuss Sculpture Garden'.....it was 'closed', but an open gate and a friendly caretaker ensured a (free!) private viewing.

We then drove north on I91, stopping-off at Northampton, a trim and very liberal small town with a unique charm. We were knocked-out to see 'Ben & Bills' (very chunky) ice-cream on sale (which hopefully David will recall!).....and as for its original 'rail-car diner'!

We hit the road again heading for Deerfield. This is a real gem of a town....in its midst there's a living museum comprising a mile-long street of early American period houses, and a public boarding school (Brenten) akin to Harrow or Eton! (We met a local couple who very kindly filled-in the town's history for us....it once represented the most westerly outpost of settled America and had been burned-down by Mohawk Indians)

Next we found Shelburne, another unique small town with a laid-back feel reminiscent of 'West-Coast'...we met and chatted with some locals who were members of a local folk group who were rehearsing on the sidewalk. Then we viewed the famous Salmon Falls and the lovely Flower Bridge. Driving back to base, we stopped in at the neat towns of Greenfield and Amherst. There are a lot of trees and nice people in New England!! As for today's musical footnote, well being in Springfield and having posted photos of cartoon-character sculptures.....it just had to be.....

Rain stops play!

The rain bounced off the ground today and we knew that 'sightseeing' was off the menu! We packed and exited New Haven a.s.a.p. (having watched the Red's game 'live' on TV.....nice one Chico...I could only imagine and laugh at what Ken and the boys were saying during the action!) We headed north for Springfield.....every state has its own 'Springfield', hence its being borrowed as the 'handle' for the Simpson's home-town, but its the first time we've actually visited one! The place has a much nicer feel to it than our previous stopover and the 'Red Roof Inn' is far more welcoming. After check-in we visited the local cinema and then walked the local mall before having dinner at the Olive Garden.....our first visit since Texas! No photos today, but a piece of music that seems to fit the mood of the day.....and 'yes', we know the weather back home is really sunny at the moment!

Every cloud.......

Revelling in a sunny start we hit Newport's Waterfront district early and re-ran Newport's Ocean Drive........the views really are spectacular. When I say 're-ran', I mean of course 're-rode', thanks to the third member of the team....our 'Charger'!

Afterwards, we exited Newport, bound for the picturesque seaport 'Mystic', setting of TV and big screen epics such as 'Amistad' and 'Mystic Pizza'! It's a seriously nice place!!

Curiosity satisfied, we took a short trip to Essex, a truly perfect Connecticut village with a harbour so typical of New England, evoking memories of 'Jaws'!

The locals were really nice, as ever, and I experienced my first US haircut.....one wall of the barber's shop was lined with cut-throat razors, so it was great relief to learn that his name was 'Ron Palau', not 'Sweeney Todd'! Late afternoon we tuned the GPS to 'New Haven' and our next lodging. Traffic was heavy and docking required some nimble manoeuvring! Despite positive 'Traveller Reviews', the 'Best Western Executive' will never 'chart' for us....its situated at the hub of a busy highway system and is a bit too retro! However, its our base for one-night only! We trekked to the nearby 'Texas Roadhouse' for dinner only to discover that it was none other than a clone of the one we'd previously enjoyed so much in Florida. The atmosphere was warm and the service, like the cold 'draught' and Margaritas, excellent......and the steak? To die for!! (Our heartfelt thanks go to Dana, Alex, Felix and the rest of the team for lifting our spirits!) So what about a piece of music.....well only one springs to mind, even though its geographically 'inappropriate'.....

These feet were made for walking.....

We saw Newport at its best today, walking miles on a glorious sunny spring day. Setting out from the town centre, we walked between the waterfront piers that provide moorings for pleasure craft and are home to slick shops, bars, and great sea-food.

A quick 'diner' breakfast and we homed-in on the 'Mansion District' and the Cliff-top Walk, one of the most beautiful treks in the USA. The path follows the cliffs alongside the Atlantic and backs-on to countless mansions, each one unique and reminiscent of 'Mandalay'.

Once built by some of America's greatest entrepreneurs, each was designed to get-one-over on the neighbours.......they have to be seen to be believed! It was interesting to discover that the 'Astor Mansion' (which we toured on an earlier visit) has just been taken into private ownership again by a modern-day entrepreneur....the CEO and founder of 'Oracle'!!

Mid-afternoon and we wandered back into the Historic Downtown District and then drove along Ocean Drive, watching the surfers and taking-in the stunning views.

Early evening and it was time to head for the Atlantic Beach Club for their 'Early Bird Special' and another look at the sun setting over the ocean. I picked the following music link today, simply because it played whilst I drove along the Ocean Drive and it just seemed 'right'!

Moving on.....

Another chance for packing practice and then we hit the road again, heading south to Plymouth, where the Pilgrim Fathers landed in the 1600's without encountering the rigorous of 'US Immigration'! It was refreshing to find that apart from 'the morning chill' (again!) the town itself is really nice and not 'tourist-tacky'! Having befriended a couple of parking wardens (a long story!) we set-about ticking-off the 'must-do' boxes: 'Mayflower II', 'Plymouth Rock' (now much depleted....I submit photographic evidence!), and the burial place of the original thirty-three pilgrims and the native Indians without whose help they would not have survived their first winter.

Next, we drove to Cape Cod, calling at the picturesque 'Sandwich', a very 'English-like' village.....we got out the tea-shop detector and located "The Dunbar Teashop"........actually better than any I've encountered in the UK! A ten-out-of-ten cream-tea with 'the pot' brewed from proper leaf-tea!!

Duly fortified, the GPS was tuned to 'Newport' and we set-off for Rhode Island (The Ocean State). We arrived late afternoon and having set-up camp headed for dinner at the beach.......and a drive back in an unwelcome sea mist!! (Back at base we received a photo from Jenny of David in his 'The Riddler' fancy dress outfit. What can I say?...it rivals Ken's 'Uncle Fester' get-up!!)

Walking with History........

A grey drizzly day, but not one to be wasted....as tomorrow we go south! We ate breakfast on South Boston Station concourse and then set off on the 'Black' Freedom Trail. From the State Capital Building, we walked through Beacon Hill District.

In no time we were ambling around Granary Burial Ground, final resting place of Paul Revere and John Hancock.

Then we meandered the narrow well-heeled streets between Boston Common and Cambridge Street. The terraced houses echoing the architecture of London's more fashionable terraces.

After a coffee, it was straight to the T-line and a short ride to the JFK Memorial Library, situated on a spot overlooking the bay on which he often sailed. The building is a fitting tribute to the man and its huge atrium which overlooks the water is inspiring!

The exhibits are many, varied, and prominent, and are all displayed in context with some of his more famous speeches being played-out for visitors as they progress through the museum. JFK clearly made a lasting impact on the American people and indeed peoples from across the world........I can certainly remember what I was doing when I heard news of his assassination.

Tomorrow we set-off for Rhode Island via Plymouth, the de-boarding point for the Pilgrim Fathers!