Monthly Archives: July 2018

White Mountains, New Hampshire

Update

     My oldest son and his wife invited me to join them and their 13 year old son,  for a weekend in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Day 1 ….FIRST Stop …. America’s Stonehenge   105 Haverhill Road   Salem, New Hampshire  603-893-8300.    A 10 minute video in the Visitor Center is jam packed with history, science, theory and speculation.   If your not sure of exactly what your about to see this is a good place to start.   Bug spray is provided before entering the trail.   On this trip we didn’t need it,  but sprayed our ankles as a tick preventative.   The trail is clear,  well marked,  a little rough and a bit uphill at times.   Areas of interest are labeled and the map provided is easy to read and follow.    A downloadable app is also available.   Wherever your interests lay,  there is something for everyone here …   scenery,   history,   science,   astronomy,  mystery and plenty of exercise.

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Dinner is at The Treehouse / Little Red Schoolhouse restaurant   1994 Daniel Webster Hwy  Campton, N.H. 603-726-6142.    Location, location, location!!!   Take An Old Schoolhouse on the edge of a mountain with beautiful views,  add a patio,  some picnic tables and a yummy menu …. vwalla!  Success!

     Our accommodations for the weekend … an  Air B and B in Woodstock, N.H.   Ironically,  it was an “Old Schoolhouse”  converted to condominiums.   Hmmmm,  do I see a theme forming here  🙂

     Our plan for the evening is an after dark (8:30 p.m.) Lantern Tour at the The Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves   1712 Lost River Road North Woodstock, N.H. 603-745-8031. Reservations are necessary,  The Lost River is otherwise closed.   We joined twenty two other guests and were led by two tour guides and followed by another one on an amazing adventure.
  Down, up and all around,  1 1/14 miles of twisting, turning  paths and boardwalks (over approx 1,600 stairs).   In the dark using only headlamps we bend,  duck, crawl and squeeze through 11 boulder caves.   I skipped the three most difficult …  These all contained “belly crawl”  in the description.
#1 (in difficulty)  The Lemon Squeeze  … if you could fit through the Squeezer Gauge you could make it through the cave without getting stuck!

#2   … The Dungeon,  follows the Lemon Squeezer.   If you wanted to bypass the Lemon and still do the Dungeon you decent using these stairs.

 #3 … Smitty’s Bear Den,  there is actually a plastic tube inserted in the exit to help those that need a little help sliding through.
      My two favorite boulder caves contained underground waterfalls.  I did have to crawl and get my knees wet,  but it was well worth it.
     A nice touch at the end of the tour was a bond fire and the makings for smores.
       Day 2 …   We return to Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves …  Our Lantern Tour ticket included free admission back the next day.     Our daylight visit was not as mysterious, enchanting or challenging as our nighttime adventure,  but it was great fun going back and seeing what we had only heard and felt the night  before.   If we had gone during the day first,  I might not have been as adventurous as I was at night and missed out on some awesome thrills.
      The boardwalks and stair cases are built without disturbing the natural beauty of the trees, rocks and ledges. 
      Next Stop … The Mount Washington Cog Railroad …  6 miles from Rt 302 and Bretton Woods (follow written descriptions on web site vs undependable GPS)   … advance reservations recommended www.thecog.com or 800-922-8825.
     We had opted for the eco friendly biodiesel locomotive vs the coal fired steam locomotive.
     We also opted for the $10 discount per ticket on the less popular  1:00 p.m. departure time. ($15 discount is offered for the last trip of the day).
      A 45 minute prior arrival time is recommended.    I strongly suggest using part of this time (after picking up your tickets) watching the 20 minute video offered in the Visitors Center.  It begins with how the Cog Railroad came to be and evolved to what it is today.   The screening is in a tucked away corner,  if you’re not looking for it you might miss it.
      It takes approximately  1 hour to ride to the summit (elevation 6,288 ft).  One hour is allowed at the summit before your scheduled approx 1 hour ride back to base station (round trip approx 6 miles).   Be watchful for the flying squirrels at the Tip Top House.   Enjoy the slideshow!

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     A one way ticket is available either up or down.   This is a great option for hikers that prefer to just hike three miles.
     Day 3 … Clark’s Trading Post  110 Daniel Webster Hwy  Lincoln, N.H.  ….. This is NOT the Clark’s  I remember from over 40 years ago!  It has quadrupled in size and entertainment.
Yes,  the bears are still there, but instead of sitting outside on poles, they perform in a comfortable. shaded arena.
Arevik and the Yandong Acrobats was an alternate show.

Water rides,  a climbing tower,  mystical mansion,  giant checkers …. shops, restaurants, museums … all add to the entertainment.

My favorite of the day was the Segway Park.   I’ve always wanted to try.   It’s great fun and easier to balance than I had expected. !
 For  those that remember the Train rides with the Wolfman in pursuit … he’s still there!
This was a great trip filled with fun activities.   The area has a lot to offer.   It’s easy to go back again and again experiencing new adventures each time.   About 15 years ago, as I was bicycling a trail in Franconia Notch State Park,  I was lucky to see the Old Man in the Mountain, before it crumbled.   Over 40 years ago I had visited Clark’s Trading Post, when it was mostly just a Trading Post / Souvenir Shop.
Special Thanks to my son and daughter in law for the invite,  all the planning and preparation.
Excellent  choices … great  fun … lots of laughs … awesome memories !!!
Places we ate and I highly recommend:
Peg’s Restaurant  86 Main Street  N.Woodstock (breakfast)
Pemi Public House  115 Main St N. Woodstock (dinner) (dogs welcome on outside patio only)
Coneheads  104 Main St N. Woodstock (24 flavors of soft serve ice cream)
Peak Moon Market – Farm Store,  Bakery, Cafe   Main Street Lincoln, N.H.  (delicious  egg sandwiches!)

Cruising the St Lawrence, Montreal, Canada to Bar Harbor, Maine

Update
July 16 – 24, 2018.
I’m calling this my  “TOUR DU FIRSTS” … it is my,
  FIRST time going on a cruise, FIRST time going to Montreal, Quebec;  Quebec City, Quebec;  Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;  Sydney, Nova Scotia;  Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada)  and Bar Harbor, Maine (United States).
  FIRST kudos goes to  Barbara and Donna from Friendship Tours, The Ship Shop, my FIRST time cruising with them and I’m looking forward to my second.   I must have called the office 15 times with questions, between booking and departing and each and ever time, they were patient and always helpful. We were  lucky enough to have Donna as one of our tour guides.
   Next kudos goes to Holland America and the staff of the Maasdam, especially Melanie (Guest Relations), Ryan (Cruise Director), Alfin (dining room server) and Trey, who left me a cute little towel treat every night on my bed.
Day 1 …    This adventure started out leaving Connecticut, on a Peter Pan motor coach driven by  Bob and his luggage assistant, Zach, who very graciously did not cringe, grunt or snarl while lifting, storing and transporting my “1,000 pound”  suitcase multiple times from car to coach, coach to hotel, hotel to coach, coach to ship …  FIRST tip:  after packing for your trip,  take out half of what you’ve packed out,  then cut that pile in half and you will have more than you need.   Example: Of the six pairs of shoes I packed, I wore two.   I left wearing  sandals, wore sneakers for exercising and excursions and dress shoes for the two Gala nights.
      After a comfortable, nine hour bus ride,  including three break stops and a border crossing  … we arrive in Montreal …
     FIRST stop,  Dinner at the Vieux-Port Steakhouse 39 rue St-Paul Est, Vieux-Montreal 514-866-8080 ext 300.  Five stars for food, atmosphere and service.  An excellent representation of  “The Flavor of Montreal”!
     FIRST night was spent at Le Westin Montreal 270 Saint-Antoine Quest, Montreal 514-380-3333, again five stars.
    Day 2 … Back on the bus with a tour of Montreal, with a stop at the Notre-Dame Basilica and a little time to walk around the square.  The two sculptures below,  The “Englishman and the Pug” stands on one street corner and the “Frenchwoman and the Poodle”  on the opposite corner,  both facing away and snubbing each other.  The message being implied using humor,  the English and the French living in harmony.

Noon Time … All Aboard the Maasdam!  Bon Voyage!

Day 3 … FIRST port of call, Quebec City,  Quebec Canada…  we’ve chosen a tour to Montmorancy Falls and St Anne de Beaupre Cathedral.
    It’s Sunday and we arrive in time to catch part of a Mass and hear the glorious sound of the 700 pipe organ.  . For those that have followed my previous adventures, most have been of the “wing it” nature.  It’s going to take a bit of adjustment adhering to a tour time schedule.  On my own,  I would have made time to attend the entire mass.
   I used my 25 minutes of  “time on my own”  to quickly walk across the street and admire the 14 life size sculptured, Stations of the Cross,  that wound their way up a paved path along the hillside across from and overlooking the Cathedral … absolutely heavenly!   I could have spent half a day here.  Pierre, our tour guide was kind enough to allow me a little extra time to run to the gift shop and purchase a St Anne rosary and have it blessed,  another perk of being there on Sunday after Mass.
     Montmorency Falls ….  approximately 98 ft taller than Niagara Falls.  I would have either liked to have taken the tram to the top of the Falls and walked across the bridge at the top or walked up the spectacular stairs and across the bridge.   Time on this tour only allowed me to take a quick walk along the paved path to the falls and go about a third of the way up the spectacular staircase to the top.  I wondered if the beautiful rainbow, at the bottom of the falls, was always there,  or if it was just because it was Sunday 🙂
      Views from the Maasdam …

Day 4 … Is our only full day at sea. It is jam packed with “flavor”. eat, eat, eat .. .. The Mariners Luncheon with the Captain, our FIRST Gala dinner, FIRST class entertainment and spectacular views.  I’ll take a minute here to say that, the entire cruise, it was difficult to find time to enjoy everything offered on board.  Setting the food aside … My favorite was the nightly entertainment,  particularly the Maasdam Singers and Dancer.   Another daily activity on board was  Americas Test Kitchen.   Being an aspiring amateur chef,  I was disappointed,  I only found time to see one demonstration.

A tip to my Mahjongg playing friends,  always pack your National Mah Jongg League Card.  I packed four cards and my mahjong set.  Fortunately, there were two sets on the Ship.  By the end of the cruise, our “Drop In” games included 12 players,  four playing the Chinese version and eight sharing cards and playing the American version.  Good Times!

    Day 5 …  Prince Edward Island … the tour we chose was Island Drive and Anne of Green Gables.   I had never read the book,  written by L.M. Montgomery,  or seen either the original or 2016 remake of the movie.   Our Ship Shop tour guide,  Donna,  had the forethought to bring and show the 2016 remake on our bus ride to Montreal.   I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and it made visiting the Farm House,  that inspired the book,  so much more enjoyable.   If you have no knowledge of the story,  the gardens and two trails,  Lovers Lane and The Haunted Wood,  make this an enjoyable stop.   Hurray!  Enough time was allowed to see and do everything … if you didn’t dilly dally.

Our tour also stopped at PEI National Park,  Cavendish Beach.  This adventure is just a little more than half over and I am running out of adjectives to describe the magnificently, gorgeous scenery.  

Day 6 … Sydney, Nova Scotia … If this adventure hadn’t included so many FIRSTS for me,  I could have called it,  The Scenic,  Historic,  Cultural Tour.

For my Sydney Tour,  I chose “Kickin’ Ceilidh: A Nova Scotia Kitchen Party”.   This was a walking tour,  a 20-30 minute,  mostly uphill,  guided walk to “The Casino” where the Ceilidh was held.   OOPS! No photos here,  I was totally enchanted by the music and dancing.   I should have at least taken a photo of the delicious oat cakes that were served with tea,  before I ate them all!  Celtic music and step dancing while eating something yummy.  Does life get any better?   After the Ceilidh,  time was allowed to peruse  The Casino and then walk back with the tour guide.   I felt comfortable enough to walk back to the ship on my own.   I meandered through a little of the Historic District,  enjoyed some of the local art and enjoyed strolling the Harbor Boardwalk.

This was a lucky day for me,  while talking to a  local merchant,  he was kind enough to mention that the Canadian Naval Tall Ship, The Blue Nose 2,  would be sailing into harbor at 2:00 p. m.   Not full sail,  but very majestically,  it was spectacular to watch it glide into port.

Day 7   Halifax. Nova Scotia …   Today’s tour was called The Heart of Historic Halifax.   FIRST stop was a visit to the Fairview Lawn Cemetery where many victims of the Titanic are buried.  The movie, The Titanic, was a heart warming story, but stories of the victims and survivors are heart wrenching.

      Next stop,  The Halifax Public Gardens,  I’ll let the photos speak for the beauty of the gardens.  Yes, that is a cactus garden in Canada.  The plants are brought into the greenhouse when the weather cools.
     The Halifax Citadel was alive with activity, as Cadets muster and drilled.
     Guides are valuable sources of local information and happenings.  Had I not been on this tour and listening carefully  🙂  …   I would never have ventured out on the, “longest oceanfront boardwalk”  and been treated to the sounds of “Keonte’ Beals” performing (R&B and Modern Soul), a Free concert, hosted by the Halifax Jazz Festival.
      The “longest boardwalk”  is,  I think,  about  1 1/2 miles.   It’s packed with  views, artwork,  shops,  restaurants,  kiosks.  You can rent a bike, but it was a nice level easy walk.    Another great day at port.

Day 8 …  Back in the U.S.A.!    Bar Harbor, Maine.   Today’s tour was  “The Best of Both Worlds”.   Acadia National Park has been on my list of places to visit for a long time.   I couldn’t wait to see the views from the top of Cadillac Mountain.

The other world on our tour was at the Bar Harbor Oceanarium.  From the outside this doesn’t look like the “cat’s meow” of tourist attractions.  The true attraction is 84 year old  Lobsterman, Bob.  Approximately 40 tourists filed into an oversized garage already 2/3 filled with the top half of a lobster boat, a scattering of lobster traps and a bucket of lobsters.  Seated on metal folding chairs we were all transported into the world of lobstering and mesmerized by Bob’s storytelling and knowledge of lobsters.   Did you know lobster’s don’t have brains?  I do now!

Day 9  Boston, Massachusetts  and Home Sweet Home!

This was a GREAT adventure, start to finish.  I was already to sign up and do it all again next year.  Then I heard that,  Friendship Tours The Ship Shop.  has a cruise planned for next year going  from San Diego, California to Anchorage, Alaska.      All Aboard!

     Honorable Mention   …    exc tours …   Special Thanks to Debby for your patience and kindness.
     I had originally hesitated to book excursions through the cruise line affiliate,  they were pricey and I like to be frugal with my spending when I can.   The week before boarding I buckled and booked a tour in each port.   As it turned out this was a very smart move.
#1  Our port arrival time and all aboard times changed several times during the cruise.  Cruise line affiliate tours will not start until all ship passengers arrive.  ex: The Historic Halifax start time was 8:30 a.m.,  we were not able to disembark until 9:00 a.m..  The tour guide and bus driver were waiting for us outside the terminal.  The tour length did not change.   The Ship will not leave without you if your tour isn’t back on time.   ex:  All Aboard time in Bar Harbor was 4:30 p.m.  The Best of Both World Tour returned at 4:35 p.m. and we still had to take a tender out to the Ship. (Bar Harbor port cannot accommodate large ships so you have to take a “tender” (a little boat) from the ship to port and vise versa.
#2   The tour guides were all “locals” and plethora’s of information.  Because of all I learned from them,  I have the confidence and know how, that if I came back a second time there are things I would enjoy doing on my own.
#3   I don’t know if I was just lucky, but  ALL the Tour Guides were awesome.   They all had their own schtick  … the  “Wanna be Comedian”;  “Passionate Historian”;  “True Frenchman”;  “Mr. Nice Guy”;  “The Sentimentalist”.