That’s two days of my life I won’t get back

Yep…

I just spent 26 and a half hours in planes and in airport terminals getting home, and lost two days in the process.  The 15th of January just didn’t exist for us.

This is what happens when you fly from Vancouver in Canada to Brisbane Australia, via Shanghai.  The thing is, everywhere way, way overseas is a two-stop run.  We have to break our journey somewhere, like Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, and for the sake of managing delays at the originating end, we usually end up with a mid airports stay of five to ten hours.

It all means that when you finally arrive in Australia, you are tired, and look it.  I feel sorry for the Immigration officials who must rarely see people looking good on their arrival.

This time we were fortunate to get back in the morning.  To save being picked up by relatives we arranged for a limousine service, and it worked out well.

I couldn’t say the same for some of the pickup services overseas, but that was more the fault of the travel agent here than anything else.

It only reinforced my thoughts on travel agents, some are excellent, and some are complacent, relying too much on travel wholesalers whose knowledge of the products they sell is appalling.

The original bookings were fine, the agent we used knew her stuff.  But she left and someone else took over, and not so good I’m afraid.

However…

On the whole, it was an incredible expedition, from temperatures of 30 plus celsius to temperatures of -21 degrees Fahrenheit, and rarely above 6 degrees Fahrenheit.

The highlight:  Lake Louise in Canada.  Everyone should see this place in Winter at least once in their lifetime.  Certainly, my wife’s 65th birthday, spent there, was something she will never forget.

And the sleigh ride, in -14 or -15 degrees, well, we might be eligible to be declared stark staring mad, but seeing the frozen waterfall was just another of those magical moments that reinforces why we should be preserving the planet, not trying to destroy it.

But…

We’re back home and glad to be so.

Away for the holidays - Vancouver - 4

Staying at Hampton Inn and Suites downtown, whatever that means because it looks like we are in the middle of nowhere.

But, judging by the crowd in the breakfast room, it's a popular hotel.  Of course, it is Sunday morning so this could be the weekend escape people.

Two things I remember about staying in Hampton Inns is firstly the waffles and whipped butter.  It's been five years but nothing has changed, they are as delicious as ever.  The other, its where I discovered vanilla flavored milk for coffee, and it, too, is addictive.

They also used to have flat burgers that were made out of sausage meat which was delicious, but on the first day, they were not on the menu.

Nevertheless, it was still a very yummy breakfast.

After some research into where we might find this pixmi unicorn, it appears that it is available at a 'toys are us' store in one of the suburbs of Vancouver.  So, resuming the quest, we took a taxi to West Broadway, the street the store is located.

A quick search of the store finds where the toys we're looking for are, after asking one of the sales staff, and we find there are at least a dozen of them.  Apparently, they are not as popular in Canada as the might be in America.  Cheaper too, because the exchange rate for Canadian dollars is much better than for American dollars.  Still, 70 dollars for a stuffed toy is a lot of money.

We also get some slime, stuff that our middle granddaughter seems to like playing with.

After shopping we set off down WestBroadway, the way we had come, looking for a taxi to return us to the hotel.  There's no question of walking back to the hotel.

A few hours later we walk to the observation tower, which was not very far from the hotel,

a place where we could get a 360-degree view of the city of Vancouver although it was very difficult to see any of the old buildings because they were hidden by the newer buildings, nor could we see the distant mountains because of the haze.

After leaving the tower we walked down Water Street to see the steam clock and the old world charm of a cobbled street and old buildings

We stopped at the Spaghetti Factory Italian restaurant for dinner and is so popular that we have to wait, 10 minutes to start with.  It doesn't take all that long to order and have the food delivered to the table.  Inside the restaurant, there is an actual cable car but we didn't get to sit in it.

I have steak, rare, mushrooms, and spaghetti with marinara sauce.  No, marinara doesn't mean seafood sauce but a very tasty tomato-based sauce.  The steak was absolutely delicious and extremely tender which made it more difficult to cut with a steak knife.

The write up for the marinara sauce is, 'it tastes so fresh because it is made directly from vine-ripened tomatoes, not from concentrate, packed within 6 hours of harvest.  We combine them with fresh, high-quality ingredients such as caramelised onions, roasted garlic and extra virgin olive oil'.

Oh, and did I mention they have a streetcar right there in the middle of the restaurant

I'm definitely going to try and make this when we get home.

After dinner, we return to the observation tower,  the ticket allowing us to go back more than once, and see the sights at night time.  I can't say it was all that spectacular.

Another day has gone, we are heading home tomorrow.

Away for the holidays - New York - Day 5

We decided to have lunch in a traditional Diner.

On an early morning walk, I discovered the Brooklyn Diner, a small restaurant tucked away in a street not far from Columbus Circle, perhaps a piece of history from the American past.

After all, if you're going to take in the sights, sounds, and food of a country what better way to do it than visiting what was once a tradition.

This one was called the Brooklyn Diner.  It had a combination of booths and counter sit down, though the latter was not a very big space, so we opted for a booth.

The object of going to a Diner is the fact they serve traditional American food, which when you get past the hot dogs and hamburgers and fries, takes the form of turkey and chicken pot pies among a variety of other choices.

Still looking for a perfectly cooked turkey, something I've never been able to do myself, I opted for the Teadition Turkey Lunch, which the menu invitingly said was cooked especially at the diner and was succulent.  I couldn't wait.

We also ordered a hamburger, yes, yet another, and a chicken pot pie, on the basis the last one I had in Toronto was absolutely delicious (and cooked the same way since the mid-1930s)

While waiting we got to look at a slice of history belonging to another great American tradition, Baseball, a painting on the wall of the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets field, long since gone from their home.

The Turnkey lunch looked like this

which didn't seem to be much, and had this odd pasta slice on the plate, but the turkey was amazing and lived up to the menu description.

The Chicken Pot Pie looked like this

And looked a lot larger in reality than the photo shows.

But, sadly while it was not bad, it was a little dry, and could possibly do with using the more succulent thigh part of the chicken.

All of this was washed down by Long Island Ice Teas and Brooklyn Lager.

AS for the Diner experience, it's definitely a 10 out of 10 for me.

Going to an Ice Hockey game in Newark, which of course is in New Jersey

That meant we had to make the journey from New York to New Jersey, by train.  It involved the underground, or as New Yorkers call it, the subway, from Columbus Circle which by any other name was really, 80^th street, to 34th street which apparently was the New Jersey jump-off point for us to get overground, well a lot of it was overground.

So, were we going uptown or downtown?

Apparently, it was downtown, and to 34th Street on the A train.

You would not think this to be a difficult task, but for people not used to the subway, and where they were going other than some internet derived instructions, but without the help of a man at the station, just getting tickets may have stopped us dead in our tracks.  With his help, we determined the return fare for three of us and then get through the turnstile onto the platform.

We get on the A train, but soon discover it was not stopping at all stations.  There was for a few minutes, a little apprehension we might just simply bypass our station.  Luckily we did not.

Now, finding your way to the New Jersey transit part of Penn station might appear to be easy, on paper, but once there, on the ground, and mingling with the other passengers which all seemed to be purpose going somewhere, it took a few moments to realize we had to follow the New Jersey transit signs.

This led to a booking hall where luckily we realized we needed to buy more tickets, then find the appropriate platform, and then get on the right train, all of which, in the end, was not difficult at all.

Maybe on the return trip, it might be.

At Newark Penn station it was momentarily confusing because the exit was not readily in sight, so it was a case of following the majority of other passengers who’d got off the train.

This led us to exit onto the street under the train tracks.  Luckily, having been before to Prudential Stadium to buy the tickets, we knew what the stadium looked like and roughly where it was, so it was a simple task to walk towards it.

We were early, so it was a case of finding a restaurant to get dinner before the game.

So was a great many others, and we passed about 6 different restaurants that looked full to overflowing before we stopped at one called Novelty Burger and Bar.

It looked inviting, and it was not crowded.

It was yet another excuse to have a hamburger and beer, both of which seemed to be a specialty in American.  I could not fault either.

And soon after we arrived, this restaurant too was full to overflowing.  Thankfully there were other Maple Leaf fans there because being in a room full of opposition teams supports can be quite harrowing.

That was yet to come when we finally got to the stadium.  I was not expecting a lot of Maple Leaf fans.

We went to this game with high hopes.  New Jersey Devils were not exactly at the top of the leader board, and coming off the loss in Toronto, this was make or break for whether we would ever go to another game.

It’s remarkable in that all the Ice Hockey stadiums are the same.  Everyone has an excellent view of the game, the sound systems are loud, and the fans passionate.

Here it seems to be a thing to ride on the Zambonis.

At the front door they were handing out figurines of a Devil’s past player, and it seems a thing that you get a handout of some sort at each game.  At Toronto we got towels.

And, finally, we were in luck

The Maple Leafs won.

And it was an odd feeling to know that even though their team lost, there did not seem to be any rancor amount the fans and that any expectation of being assaulted by losing fans was totally unfounded, unlike some sporting events I’ve been to.

Perhaps soccer should take a leaf out of the ice hockey playbook.

That also went for taking public transport late at night.  I did not have any fears about doing so, which is more than I can say about traveling at night on our own transport system back home.

Oh, and by the way, there are train conductors who still come to every passenger to collect or stamp their tickets.  No trusting the passenger has paid for his trip here.  And, if you don't have a ticket, I have it on good authority they throw you off the train and into the swamp.  Good thing then, we had tickets.

It was, all in all, a really great day.

Away for the holidays - Philadelphia - 2

The Philadelphia Bus Tour, what we did see

Big bus tour, Stops 1 to 8

Stop 1 was on the corner of Filbert and 5thStreets, not exactly where the map says to go, but it’s on 5^th street and you can see the busses, so it was not much of a problem.’

The problem was when we had to find our way there from the City Hall.  Having a handheld navigator, i.e. a mobile phone doesn’t necessarily make the task any easier, and I have been known to walk in the wrong direction.

At any rate, just up the way is Market street, and opposite the bus stop, is, you guessed it, a market.  Alas,, constrained for time, we didn’t get to visit it.

But...

There’s a bus waiting, and we’re on it.  New driver, different tour guide, an older person who may have a different slant on the history of the city.

It’s cold, gloomy, and not a dearth of people about, and that prolonged wait for more tourists to materialize has failed, and we’re off.

Stop 1

This is just a short hop, step, and jump from the Independence National Park where we could, if we had walked in that direction, seen the Liberty Bell, though I think the first tour guild had told us it was not the actual real bell.  I wasn’t quite sure what to make of that, because didn’t we come here to see the real deal?

Aside from the market, on our way along 5^th Street, and reaching Arch street, is the 5^th Street Burial Ground belonging to the Christ Church, and established in 1719, and where Benjamin Franklin was buried in 1790.

There are four other signers of the Declaration of Independence in the graveyard.

Further on there is the US Mint where free tours are available.  The original mint stood on this site from 1792 after the Coinage Act was passed, and build in Philadelphia because it was the nation's capital at the time.

I think I would have preferred to see the old building, not the new, and currently the fourth iteration of the mint.  The third had not been demolished and is now the Community College of Philadelphia.  Something to see on another day, perhaps.

Stop 2

After going around the block, and up some narrow streets, we finish up back in Arch Street, not exactly the widest of streets, and arrive at Betsy Ross house.

Of course, Betsy Ross was the maker of the first American flag, which is an interesting way to gain notoriety, and whom it seems may have been incorrectly credited because there is no archival evidence she was asked to make it.

She did, however, make flags for the Pennsylvania navy at the time of the American Revolution.

The house we get to see, albeit briefly from the bus, is purportedly where she made the flag.  The house sits several blocks from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

Stop 4

Still in Arch street, this has both the National Constitution Centre and the Independence Visitor Centre nearby.

The National Constitution Centre has just about everything about the US Constitution within its walls, including a hall with 42 bronze statues of the founding fathers.

Stop 5

Chinatown, what more needs to be said?

Stops 6 and 7

Bookends for City Hall, and Love Park, well, it might not be actually called Love Park but the sign certainly makes a statement.

Stop 8

This is us, right here.

The thing is, if we had more time, I would have probably seen more, even visited a few of the places along the way.

Maybe next time.

Lake Louise, Canada - A winter wonderland - Part 2

We survived the first night and woke the next morning to look at the sun rising, and the fact everyone else was not lingering in bed when there was ice, snow, skating, skiing, and walking on (perhaps) thin ice to be done.

I was the first to brave the elements, it was about mins 10 still, or maybe a little colder, but I had come prepared with a hat, gloves, multiple layers of clothing and a (maybe) windproof jacket.

Of course, there was no wind, just cold.

Stepping out of the warm inside of the hotel to the cold outside was a shock, but after a minute or so to get used to it, I still didn't think I'd be out too long.

First, a photo of the hotel, it was immense, and it explained why there were so many people about.

Then it was the partly frozen trees.  I suspect there had been a little thawing of the snow on the branches

Then of the frozen lake, and it is quite a large lake, and incredible one so large could completely freeze.  I'd like to see it in summer.

Then the brave adventurers who, in summer would be rowing to the end of the lake, who now were taking a hike, and praying no doubt, there was no thin ice

Were they trying to get a close look at this mountain, or considering climbing it.  Yes, there were actual mountain climbers staying at the hotel, and though we didn't know it till later, there was a frozen waterfall which proved the most adventurous with an interesting challenge

More of course, on a unique feature at this hotel, the ice castle.

Lake Louise, Canada - A winter wonderland - Part 1

And,

Bloody freezing.

We arrived mid-afternoon in a heated car, taking the last 500 yards up the icy, snow-covered, entrance to the hotel very slowly.

Outside, it was cold, and it took a minute or so to pluck up the courage to get out.  Of course, the approach of the concierge staff, looking very much like they wanted to unload the car and get back inside, hastening our entrance to the hotel.

Believe me, I thought it was quite possible to freeze to death in that short distance between the car and the front door.  After all, it was somewhere around minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

The foyer was cavernous, and thronging with people.

It seems the freezing cold does not deter a great many people.

So, what was our first view of the lake and so-called wonderland, much preferably taken from the window of our room,

An ice skating rink, an ice hockey rink, and a frozen lake.  Not to mention the astonishing and breathtaking view of the sun on the snow capped mountains.

Nothing and I mean nothing, can prepare you for the magnificence of the view.

And this was just from our room!

Later, it appears some very brave individuals were about to go on a sleigh ride.

That is probably the epitome of what I believe is central to being in the middle of a winter wonderland,

But it was not only one group of brave souls, but there were also quite a few groups.

At least they were all suitably rugged up.

I have to say I felt sorry for the horses.

Away for the holidays - New York - Philadelphia - Day 3

We are up early and I mean early because we decided to take on Philadelphia the next day, and instead of taking public transport because all the fares I could find were ridiculous, we hired a car.

Again the words 'or similar' foiled us.  All charged up and excited its quarter to eight in the morning we arrive at the Avis center just a five-minute walk from our hotel.

Shock number one.  We finish up with some crappy Nissan the desk lady was using as her personal car.

She lied about the car being full of petrol, it was not.

We asked for a GPS and all it was was a glorified phone.  She switched it on, the first didn't work but the second displayed a screen and that was enough for her to say it was set up and working.

You guessed it, another barefaced lie.

We put it in the car, switched it on, and it was in French.  She hadn't checked the language of the last user.

We took it back and she had the audacity to call us 'stupid', blaming us for breaking it, and then she couldn't fix it so she gave us another one which I'm sure she checked for English.

Question, if she could set these things up, why couldn't she instantly fix it.

Sorry, the woman was arrogant and very nasty, and not a good advertisement for Avis or the U.S.A as a place to visit.  I shall never use Avis in America again if she's the best they can put at the front desk.

Still seething from that encounter it was a good thing I wasn't driving.

I remember when I was writing Echoes From The Past I had a sequence of events starting in Lower Manhattan and ending up in Philadelphia.  In that narrative, I was not sure if the main character used the Lincoln tunnel, which, on this occasion, we did.

As it turned out the drive was reasonably accurate in that we also followed the i95 turnpike and a number of tolls along the way.  Unfortunately, our mode of transport was not quite as luxurious as my characters.

Once in Philadelphia, we managed to find the Swann Memorial Fountain at Logan Square

 and parked the car outside the Free Library. 

From there we walked to the city center, what some might call City Hall, a rather large and impressive stone structure, and then ended up at stop number six of the big bus tour.

Big bus tour

There are 27 stops of which we got on at 6 and got off at 1, managed by a miracle of fate to get back on at 1 and got off at 8 where our car was parked.  By then we were frozen solid.

But...

There's always an intervening adventure with our outings and the quest was to find the best place to have a Philly Cheese Steak.

Between stops 1 and 6 when we were not on the bus, we hailed a cab, deciding not to wander around the city looking for a Philly Cheese Steak place ourselves.

We had a side mission to the side mission and got the cab driver to take us back to the car so we could lengthen the parking time.  This done, he took us to what he believed was the best Philly Cheese Steak place.

It was a long and convoluted ride that showed us the real Philadelphia, where the citizens live, not the showpiece tourist attractions.

It was somewhere in little Italy. A place called Geno's steaks, a new and shiny restaurant where there was only seating outside.  Mid-afternoon, it was cold.

But were they the best Philly Cheese Steaks.  I'm not an expert so I don't really know.  What I do know is the cheesy steak in a roll was absolutely delicious.  Freshly cooked in front of you, the steak slices were still dripping juices as they were put on the roll with a layer of cheese and onions which you have to ask for.

And at ten dollars each, it turned out to be less than the cab fare to get there.

Of course being dropped in Little Italy in America on the 20th Anniversary of the Sopranos, conjured up too many nightmares to be walking the streets in the fading afternoon lights.

Two boys on bikes who looked like thugs in hoodies scared us into a cab and back to the bus stop to do the last eight stops before going home.

All in all, a very interesting if not at times scary adventure.

And...

As you would expect, the adventure didn't end there.  Since the Maple Leaf's were playing the New Jersey Devils at the Rock, otherwise known as Prudential Stadium, it was someone's bright idea we should go there and see if we could get some tickets.

We got there at 4 minutes to 6.  The door to the box office closed at 6.  We make it by four minutes, get the tickets for considerably less than those for at Scotia Stadium at Toronto, and went home happy.

Until...

We returned the car to Avis.  You see, if it doesn't come back full they charge you like wounded bulls for the petrol you didn't put in it, which because we couldn't find a petrol station on the New Jersey side, and the only Manhattan station was in the middle of a fuel delivery, so the eventual cost for the days hire was close to 300 dollars.

Not something I would do again without knowing all of the pitfalls, which I hope we now have covered.

Back at the hotel, all we had to do was figure out how we were going to get there on Thursday.  Public transport was the go so investigations would be necessary before then.

Away for the holidays - New York - Day 2

Today we have a mission and get up earlier than yesterday.  I can't remember how much earlier though.

My early morning walk has now been dubbed the coffee run, running the gamut of New York's finest baristas to get Rosemary what we call, in Australia, a double shot decaf skinny latte.

Ok, they get the double shot, they get the decaf, and they get the latte.  Skinny milk, never heard of it.  Here I think there is whole milk, 2%, and 1%, which I think refers to the amount of fat.  I'm still not sure.

And when it comes to the size of the cup, small medium or large, not even pointing directly at it gets what I want. Day 1 was right, day 2 I got a small.

Then, just to totally take the 'barista' out of the comfort zone, I asked for a small Black.

What the? 

You mean an expresso in a small cup.  Is there such a thing?  Fearing the worst I finally get what I asked for.  I guess some things they can't get wrong.

Oh, and by the way, the art of the true barista has been lost because all they do is press a button.  No wonder the coffee is sometimes terrible.

Our mission since we accepted it, is to find Toys R Us in Times Square.  Years ago we went there with Catie our eldest granddaughter and she rode in a Barbie car on a huge Ferris wheel inside the shop.

If it's still there, we need to buy a pixmi unicorn, an expensively priced stuffed toy unique to North America.

We all get to walk down to Times Square via 7th Avenue, and when we get there it appears to have undergone major changes since our last visit, and where toys were, hoardings and a 'to rent' sign.  We'd heard the company had failed and closed down but we expected some of the franchise stores would still be open.

Not so for the Times Square store.

What was an eye-opener was the number and size of the advertising signs most of which are almost television screens.  Certainly, they advertise not only Broadway productions but also cable tv offerings, with the odd McDonalds and Hershey on the side.

And then there was the one advertising razors.  It was borderline when it comes to being too risque.  Still, it got the message across, even if it does offend some sensibilities.

Far from being exhausted from that quest, and seeing we haven't had breakfast, and, equally, it was about lunch time, we went to the Ruby Tuesday restaurant in Times Square.  It was opposite a Red Lobster, but we didn't go there.  Not today.

I started with a large Samuel Adam's lager, the first of many over the coming week.  This was followed by their Classic American burger, medium rare, and it was simply meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and it was delicious, probably one of the best burgers I've ever had.

To burn off some calories after lunch we walked back to Central Park, and this time ventured as far as the Sheep Meadow before deciding that was enough exercise.

Heading back up 7th Avenue we stumbled upon Rockefeller center and a confectionary and toy store called FAO Schwartz.  A lot of confectionary.  It gives us ideas for the granddaughters when we return another day.  The most interesting, a large slice of Pizza made up of confection.

It is near the skating rink at Rockefeller Center, so we watch the adventurous and not so skillful skaters for a few minutes before heading back to the hotel.

Away for the holidays - New York - Day 1

After arriving latish from Toronto, and perhaps marginally disappointed that while in Toronto, the ice hockey didn't go our way, we slept in.

Of course, the arrival was not without its own problems.  The room we were allocated was on the 22nd floor and was quite smallish.  Not a surprise, we just needed space for three, and the fold out bed.  It was tight but livable.

Except...

We needed the internet to watch the Maple Leafs ice hockey game.  We'd arrived in time...

But...

There was no internet.  It was everywhere else in the hotel except our floor.

First I went to the front desk and they directed me to call tech support.

Second, we called tech support and they told us that the 22nd-floor router had failed and would get someone to look at it.

When?

It turns out it didn't seem to be a priority to them.  Maybe no one else on the floor had complained, whatever the reason,

Thirdly, I went downstairs and discussed the lack in of progress with the night duty manager, expressing disappointment with the lack of progress. I also asked if they could not provide the full services we'd paid for, I would like a room rate reduction or a privilege in its place as compensation.

He said he would check it himself.

Fourthly, after still no progress we called the front desk, there was still no internet, so we were asked if we wanted a room on another floor, where the internet is working.  We accepted the offer.

The end result, a slightly larger less cramped room, and the ability to watch the last third of the Maple Leaf's game.  Can't remember if we won.

We all went to bed reasonably happy.

After all, we didn't have to get up early to go up or down to breakfast because it was not included in the room rate, a bone of contention considering the cost.  I'll be booking with them directly next time, at a somewhat cheaper rate, a thing I find after using a travel wholesaler to book it for me.

As always every morning while Rosemary gets ready, I go out for a walk and check out where we are.

It seems we are practically in the heart of theaterland New York.  Walk one way or the other you step on 7th Avenue or Broadway.

Walk uptown and you reach 42nd street and Times Square, little more than a 10-minute leisurely stroll.  On the way down Broadway, you pass a number of theatres, some recognizable, some not.

Times Square is still a huge collection of giant television screens advertising everything from confectionary to TV shows on the cable networks.

A short walk along 42nd street takes you to the Avenue of the Americas and tucked away, The Rockefeller Center and its winter ice rink.

A further walk takes you to 5th Avenue and the shops like Saks of Fifth Avenue, shops you could one day hope to buy something.

In the opposite direction, over Broadway and crossing 8th Avenue and beyond that Columbus Circle, is an entrance to Central Park.  The approach is not far from what is called the Upper West Side, home to the rich and powerful.

Walk one way which we did in the afternoon, takes you towards the gift shop and back along a labyrinth of laneways to 5th Avenue.  It was a cold, but pleasant, stroll looking for the rich and famous, but, also, they were not foolish enough to venture out into the cold.

Before going back to the room, we looked for somewhere to have dinner and ended up in Cassidy's Irish pub.  There was a dining room down the back n and we were one of the first to arrive for dinner service.  The first surprise, our waitress was from New Zealand.

The second, the quality of the food.  I had a dish called Steak Lyonnaise which was, in plain words, a form of mince steak in an elongated patty.  It was cooked rare as I like my steak and was perfect.  It came with a baked potato.  As an entree, we had shrimp, which in our part of the world are prawns, and hot chicken wings, the sauce being hot, and served on the side, for those who are a little wary of how hot that sauce can be.

The beer wasn't bad either.  Overall given atmosphere, service, and food, it's a nine out of ten.

It was an excellent way to end the day.

Away for the holidays - Toronto to New York

After leaving Toronto, we just had enough time to have breakfast and get to the car, another sedan, just managing to fit everything in.

By now we have finally realized the booking agent at Flight Centre had made the wrong type of car bookings for us in Canada, and I will be waiting with interest what cars we get in New York.

We went to a special section of the airport where Air Canada planes depart for the USA, and where the customs and immigration were completed on the Canada side and we just walked out of the terminal into the USA.

The plane trip was undertaken in an Embraer 175, twinjet, a small plane with 27 rows of 2 x 2 in coach, the American equivalent to economy.

Today we are traveling from Toronto Pearson to Newark Airport, somewhere near New York, USA.

The flight, a relatively short one, was supposed to take 56 minutes flying time, but as we all know, that's not usually where the problems lie.

Here is the flight's running sheet:

Boarding completed at 12:08

Push back at 12:18

Advised of a 45-minute wait at 12:41, something is holding us up.

Engines are shut down and we are sitting on the tarmac somewhere within the airfield.  Snacks are handed out.

Take off is at exactly 1:30 pm

Landed 2:40 pm after taking the long way to Newark.  Follow the course tracker as we approached Newark was like watching a drunk wander home from the pub.

Taxied for 8 minutes only to discover our parking bay is still occupied, so waiting to see if it is a long or short wait.

We have been plagued with difficulties.

Engine shutdown, or so I thought, at 2:56 means we are in for a long wait for a gate.  Turns out the engines were on slow idle so they could power the lights and air conditioning.

Here we sit on the tarmac at Newark airport and going nowhere.  Other planes are seen to come and go.

A 3pm announcement, another 20-minute wait for a gate.

3:40 pm we can now go to our gate.

4:15 we exit the terminal and find the car, and set off for the hotel in New York

Suburban 7 seater, very sedate driver, didn't go over 45mph.  Finally, we get a car that fits us and our luggage.

As for the ride from the airport to the hotel...

We were picked up by a Chevrolet Suburban, driven by the most cautious driver in America.  Hoping to get a glimpse of the US countryside on the way from Newark to the hotel, arriving after 4 and getting dark by 4:30, most of the drive was in the dark

As far as I could tell, after taking the Manhattan tunnel, we drove around the outside of the island till we reached the nearest street to our hotel.  It took about 45 minutes but at least it was warm, comfortable and better than any limousine we've had so far.

And then the Manhattan club...

I can't help but think on first sight that this was once a night club, you know, the type that existed in the 40s and 50s where it wasn't a social crime to smoke and drink and then drive home though I suspect most of the customers those days had nearby apartments.

Yes, a different and now lost forever, age.

As for the truth...

Away for the holidays - Toronto - 3

The touristy things

On the way to the Hall of Fame, we found an ice skating rink

The Hockey hall of fame

The hockey hall of fame is a very large exhibition which would take a whole day to see everything.  We sat through a very informative history of the game and the origins of the NHL, which for people who do not have hockey as a sport in their country, is saying something.

We follow the Maple Leafs, coincidentally Toronto's franchise in the NHL, and we have been here before for a game, which they lost.  It didn't matter, I was staggered by the energy and enthusiasm both the players and the fans put into making it a memorable experience.

I'm hoping for a repeat experience.


St Lawrence Market

We walked 1.8 km to the market and it was closed which is about right for us as we have a knack for turning up and the place is closed, for instance, the Canadian club distillery in Windsor, Canada.

Perhaps tomorrow, before or after the game.


Red Lobster

Ok, we've been here before and it was beyond any expectations anyone could have for a restaurant chain.

This was no different from the last.

What more could you want, scallops, shrimp, and a fired lobster tail all drowned in a superb garlic butter sauce.

Add a side of mash potatoes, and a 20oz glass of beer, and there is the definition of heaven on a plate.


St Lawrence Market, again

Snowing, but not heavily

St Lawrence market, everything is very expensive, crab legs 120 per kg, lobster, 50 to 80 per kg.  Oddly everything is quoted per pound, and it's a good thing that we can convert lbs to kg.

It is, to say the least, a disappointment.


Ice Hockey at the Scotiabank Arena

There was a definite buzz in the air, and heading towards the stadium was both us, and many other Toronto supporters.  Blue Maple Leaf jerseys were in abundance.

We've been before, and the last time the Leafs lost.

What else is new?

They have had a very good season so far, and are second on the ladder overall, so it was not without expectation that they might win this one.

 

Never have an expectation.

They lost.

But...

It was an incredible game that was none stop action.  It seems to me that you require a lot by of skill and skating talent to play this game.  I certainly couldn't, and freely admit that I'd probably last about five minutes. 

The score didn't reflect the play, but in the end, the Leafs lost 4 - 3, at the end of the three periods.


Souvenir hunting and other stuff

Woke tired and exhausted, not looking forward to walking around Toronto.

Got up early to do the walking.

Oh, did I tell you, this hotel has a laundry and it is the bugbear of staying in major hotels, not being able to wash clothes?

Breakfast is included, but it is the main meal of the day so we feast.  The selection is incredible.


We had to go back to the maple leafs franchise shop to exchange a Maple Leafs Jersey, which was no trouble.

So near to the CN tower, we go in to shop for souvenirs, of which there were plenty.  I like the mooses and beavers.

We've been up the tower so it's back to the Union Station and a short stay at upstairs, a little bar overlooking the Toronto Pearson train line.

Time for tasting some Canadian ales, the first a Mill St tank house ale, the second a Mill St hopped and confused.  Seriously, that's what they were called.

The drinking mood music was old hits like Queen, and a little bit of country and western.

A good view of the trains, too.

Union Station

Like all main stations very large very tall ceilings and openings that lead to the tracks of which there are about 24, and an underground system

Much the same as all large railway terminals and probably far busier in times gone by.


Dining, but not necessarily dinner

Not far from the station, opposite clock tower belonging to the old city hall was a restaurant called Bannock.

There I had a Moosehead cracked canoe lager, a light ale, and a house special since 1929, a chicken pot pie, and it was very good.