Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
October 2026 New Hampshire Adventure
I went on a little adventure the first full week of October. It was a nice get-away! Not too long and not too “busy” – oh, we definitely crammed a lot into the week, but it was a lot more relaxing than most trips I’ve been on. Just what I needed after a very stressful couple of months – full of several unexpected issues, including a pretty serious health scare that landed me in the ER just three week ago and had me wondering if I was going to have to cancel the trip! But – I’m fine – the doctors are on top of it – and I took the much needed time away……with someone else driving to get me there and back safely and someone to tell me when to get up, when to eat, and where to go! LOL
It was a Diamond Tours bus trip offered by First Choice Travel to the White Mountains in New Hampshire! In summary, it was two travel days, three adventure days, and four nights in the same hotel! Perfect! We left Batavia on Monday morning, got to our hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire that evening. Then, spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday exploring and headed back home on Friday. I like that timeline – in fact, if you’ve read my other adventure posts, you may have noticed that I often schedule my little “just wing it” adventures that way…..travel “somewhere” on a Monday, get a rental car, explore whatever catches my eye for three days, and travel back home on a Friday. It works well…..for most things….and certainly did this time, too!
Our Tour Manager Extraordinaire, Kathy – love her – and our driver, Nick – the Back-Up King – that man could back that big bus up through the eye of a needle blindfolded!!! He got us into and out of several spots that were definitely not designed for bus access and didn’t break a sweat!!!
This group photo was taken on the day we did the lake cruise — more on that later! I believe we had just shy of 50, including Kathy and Nick, on the bus. Many were folks I’ve traveled with before and have become good friends with. It’s always a great group on these trips….fun, friendly, and caring people who end up like a family as we get to know each other and see on other trips again and again. It’s a major reason I really like doing these trips with First Choice Travel – I know I’m not traveling alone, even if I’m going solo!
Kathy always has a “theme” for each day of any trip she manages and puts an appropriate sticker on our name tags…..I’ll start the details of each day with them as I write this post.
DAY ONE
We boarded the bus and were ready to leave Batavia by 8:00 am.
Our Theme of the Day was: Be Kinder Than Necessary – if you see someone without a smile, give them yours! and the name tag sticker was a Smiley Face.
It was a travel day, so nothing too exciting was planned….we had a pit-stop in Mattydale, NY on the thruway about 10:00 am. We did run into a bit of a storm….and when I say “a bit of a storm”, I mean a wild one! The winds kicked up and it started pouring — the bus was rocking (not in the way the VW busses rocked in the ’60s) and it was pretty tense for a ways!!! Kathy was looking for a place for lunch – it’s not as easy as it sounds to find a place that will accommodate a motor coach full for 40-50 or so people without notice within a reasonable distance off the planned route! The storm was so intense and she wasn’t having much luck, so she and Nick decided to just get off at the next exit and take what we could get — it turned out that there was a McDonald’s just off the exit, so McDonald’s it was! We were all relieved to be getting off the bus in that horrid wind – no one more so than Nick, I’m sure! As luck would have it, the rain slowed to a drizzle for us just as we started getting off the bus – we seem to typically have good luck that way! The wind was still pretty intense – Kathy’s umbrella ended up inside out and she almost lost it! But, by the time we finished lunch, the sun was out and the wind had died down and we went on our way with less tension and rocking!
I feel the need to include a note, here about the McDonald/s we stopped at. It was a small McD’s stuck beside the exit of whatever interstate we were on — the town was, I believe, Fultonville (or near there). When our bus load filed into the lobby and formed a line to order our lunch, it was noted that there was only one young girl at the register and 2 or 3 in the back – one on the drive-thru and a couple prepping food. But, believe me when I say that these were the most impressive fast-food employees I’ve ever seen! The girl who took all our orders smiled and was friendly to everyone and didn’t look at all overwhelmed. The crew in the back got out orders out quickly and without any mistakes (that I heard about). They got us all served and on our way in record time!!! BRAVO to that efficient and friendly crew!!!
Dinner was at Bertucci’s Restaurant in Framingham, Massachusetts. They put out a selection of salad and Italian food for us (there was more set out after the serving table photo was taken). If you know me, you know I’m allergic to cheese…..I usually don’t have a big problem – I can typically find “something” to eat or I make due somehow. But, every dish on the serving line – including the salad – had cheese on it! And, I was pretty darned hungry — as a side-result of the health scare I mentioned in the beginning, I was on prednisone, so I was even MORE hungry than I would have normally been! So, I went to one of the waiters and told him my predicament and asked if it would be possible to get a plate of spaghetti with just sauce and no cheese — they very kindly apologized and brought one right out — it was enough to feed a growing family of 4, but it was soooooo good!!! I felt bad they gave me way too much to eat – I ate a little less than 1/2 of it!
Our hotel was the Hampton Inn in Manchester, NH. It was a beautiful hotel – clean, comfortable, and friendly staff. My room had two beds and was HUGE!!! AND – I didn’t have to request a step stool to get into the bed – it was just on the verge of being too high, but I was able to get into it without assistance — as you’ve likely read in previous adventure posts, I have had to get step stools to get into beds that were so high, the top of the mattress was about chest high on my 4’10” body!!! LOL And, the bed was very comfortable — I slept well every night I was there!
DAY TWO
Their breakfast buffet was very nice, too – each day had slightly different offerings. I was happy to see they had bananas every day – when traveling, I like to start the day off with a banana, a bagel or some sort of starch like that, an yogurt or some protein. They satisfied that for me every day we were there.
We boarded the bus at 7:45…..7:45……7:45…..(inside joke – my fellow travelers will get it).
The Theme of the Day was a long one…..what I able to write down was: A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition and the Name Tag Sticker was a Cloud with a Smiley Face — the “cloud” theme was in honor of our first stop of the day: “Castle in the Clouds”!
Castle in the Clouds is the Lucknow Mansion in Moultonborough, NH high on a mountain top overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee. The mansion was built in 1914 – the home of newly weds Thomas and Olive Plant. Mr. Plant was the proprietor of the Thomas G. Plant Shoe Company, which by his retirement in 1910 was the largest shoe factory in the world. He married Olive in 1913 and they moved into Lucknow Mansion a year later. Over the years, overspending and poor investments left the couple in financial difficulty and after Thomas’ death, the estate was foreclosed on and Olive returned to her family home in Illinois. The estate has been restored and is now open to the public for tours – a docent told us that approximately 90% of the furnishings in the estate are original pieces. It is a stunning home with magnificent views.
The home included a 1914 player pipe organ with a platform that held other musicians to form a small orchestra for gatherings. The left hand photo above shows the façade of pipes for the pipe organ – the actual working pipes are in the wall behind the “fake” pipes that are only for show. In the photo on the left below, the steps lead to the orchestra platform and organ console. The photo on the right below shows the stairs that go to the second floor – inside the wall between the stairway wall and the “fake” pipes, are the working pipes for the pipe organ that span both floors of the mansion.
The Carriage House now has a restaurant in it with seating areas in the former stables and a massive fireplace.
After we left the Castle in the Clouds, we went to downtown Wolfeboro where we had free time to shop and have lunch on our own. A friend told me about a place in Wolfeboro called the Wicked Loon that she recommended for lunch, so I set out to find it and told a couple others who were trying to decide where to eat about it. We were all so happy with the choice! I got excited when I saw mussels as a sharable appetizer and decided to have that with a shrimp cocktail —- OMG —- it was soooooo good!!! I ate and thoroughly enjoyed every bite!!! My only negative was that it was a bit too windy and chilly to sit outside on the deck to eat and enjoy the view of Lake Winnipesaukee!
Wolfeboro, NH is a quaint little harbor town on Lake Winnipesaukee with lots of lovely shops and views. I spent most of my time enjoying lunch and sitting in the sun looking at the lake. I wandered around some, but I’m not a huge shopper, so I prefer to take in the character of the towns I visit. Wolfeboro (and I noticed at least one other town) had patriotic crosswalks of red, white, and blue stripes and stars. It was a sweet town and I enjoyed my time just looking and snapping photos!
I would have liked to go in to the wine tasting room that the pumpkin people were sitting in front of, but it didn’t open till 2:00 and we were going to be gone by then.
Our next stop on Day Two was the Wright Museum of World War II – WOW! WWII museums are usually very well done and full of wonderful information – always a good choice to explore! But, this one not only focused on the war, but on how the war impacted the culture and life at home in the United States. It was amazing!
Dinner that night was at the Camp Restaurant in Meredith, NH – a VERY nice place – very rustic atmosphere and delicious food…..however, it was nearly impossible for a bus to get into…..but, remember, I said our driver, Nick, was the back-up king…..he backed in from the road up a hill and around a tight turn to get into the parking area designated for busses with no easy way for a bus to make it into – three cheers to Nick!
We had several choices for dinner – I chose the pot roast and it was VERY good – so tender and moist and full of flavor!
DAY THREE
After another good night’s sleep and leisurely breakfast at the hotel, we had a later than usual start – we boarded the bus at 9:30…..9:30……9:30!!!
The Theme of the Day went something like this: Without an anchor in our lives, we can drift aimlessly from shore to shore – the strongest anchor in our lives is hope! Our name tag sticker was…..drum roll…..an anchor! All in honor of the afternoon lake cruise that was planned for that day.
Before the cruise, our morning activity was the New Hampshire Telephone Museum in Warner, NH! You might think – um, OK – that sounds a bit lame…..but it was actually extremely interesting!!!
Copied from their website:
“The New Hampshire Telephone Museum brings the history of communication to life through one of the region’s most fascinating collections of telecommunications artifacts. Visitors can explore the Museum at their own pace or enjoy a guided tour filled with stories, humor, and surprising moments from telephone history. Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff share unforgettable stories — from the famous race to the patent office, to the undertaker who invented the rotary dial system, to the operators and innovators who helped connect the world long before smartphones existed. The Museum proudly features the lifelong collections of the Violette and Bartlett families, who together devoted more than 85 years to the telephone industry here in Warner, NH, along with the remarkable collection of longtime telephone worker Garry Mitchell of Woodbury, Connecticut. The collection continues to grow through generous donations from the public, preserving the technology and stories that shaped generations. More than just a museum of old telephones, the New Hampshire Telephone Museum is an interactive journey through innovation, human connection, and rapidly changing technology. With hands-on exhibits, engaging storytelling, and thousands of artifacts, it has become one of New Hampshire’s “must-see” attractions and a valuable educational resource for visitors of all ages. Stop in and discover why so many visitors walk through the doors and immediately say: “WOW!””
And we sure did say “WOW!!!” The docents at the museum talked at length about the history and fascinating stories about telephones and communications. I was so amazed at the 1000’s of artifacts that was collected by Alderic O. “Dick” Violette, who worked in the telephone / communications industry for over 50 years, that I missed some of the wonderful talk that a lady gave our group…..but, I heard most of it between listening as I walked through the museum and then joining in the group to pay closer attention about 1/2 way through it. She was incredible – the stories and knowledge she shared was impressive, to say the least.
The crows on the telephone wires……LOL…..reminded me of the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds”!!!
I saw these and remembered the blue one I had in my room as a teen…..but, was disappointed there wasn’t a “Pink Princess” phone on display……I thought I had seen all the displays and didn’t see one…..and then…..just as I was about to leave, I went around a corner and there in a prominent spot was the coveted Pink Princess phone — my first phone in my room so that I could talk to my friends with privacy (yeah, it was still just an extension and not really my own private phone, but it was as close to private conversations a teen could have in those days!!!)!!! This display model was dated 1959…..I got mine several years later (I was only 3 years old in 1959), but it was still a major milestone and memory for a young girl in the 60s!!! The blue one above came later – probably early 70s!
Downstairs, they also had the Warner Fire Fighters Museum…..that was small, but very nice, too! Two museums in one and both well worth the time to explore them!
Some of our group also went across the street with one of the docents to tour the Pillsbury Free Library established in 1892 by George Alfred Pillsbury – of the Pillsbury Company – who had lived in Warner for some time and wanted to give back to the community. The building was a unique structure and the group that want inside said that was an added treat! Sorry I missed it…..
Lunch was on our own in Sunapee Harbor in Sunapee, NH. Time was kinda tight and all the restaurants were very crowed with our bus and at least two other busses (I think I heard there were four total in the area), so no time for shopping and barely enough time to have lunch before our scheduled lake cruise. I went with a few friends to the Blue Canoe and had a lobster roll — it was very good!
We sat outside to eat with a wonderful view of the harbor and the boat we were going to be cruising on.
This was our boat — it was also the location where our group photo was taken (the one at the beginning of the post). At first I was disappointed that it wasn’t an open top boat…..I was concerned we would be stuck inside with limited views. But, once the cruise began, we could go outside for better views and photos and go in when we wanted….it was a free-range ride and turned out to be perfect!!! The cruise was on beautiful Lake Sunapee that took over 2 hours and was just lovely! I do love being on or near the water and always get excited when I see there is a boat ride of some kind on the itinerary!!!
And it was a beautiful day for it!!! The cruise was narrated by the Captain and the views included many stunning homes, beautiful blue skies, mountains, and fall colors!
Leaving the harbor…..
Dinner was at Applebee’s in Concord, NH that evening…..I chose the Double Crunch Shrimp from the options we were given and it was another very good meal. They put us at all high-top tables and I wasn’t the only one who struggled to get up on the very high chairs, but I got up there and enjoyed the food and the company I sat with that evening.
DAY FOUR
Another good night’s sleep and breakfast of champions, we headed out to board the bus at 8:00….8:00…..8:00!!! While eating breakfast with Don – one of my fellow travelers, he told me to keep my camera ready today….I didn’t think much of it and just said, yeah – today should be a good day for photos and he didn’t elaborate…..
Leading up to our last full day in New Hampshire, we had a lot of fun wondering about the dinner location for that evening….The Common Man Inn & Spa with Entertainment….the jokes and speculations about what the place would be like and what the entertainment might be based on the name were rampant throughout the week. On the way back to the hotel the night before, Kathy fueled the curiosity by announcing that she called the Common Man Inn & Spa and found out there would be a dress code — that all the men would be required to wear TOGAs!!! We all laughed and figured it was just another joke in the saga of our talks about the location.
Normally, what happens on the bus stays on the bus and I try to respect the privacy of my fellow travelers by not posting photos on this public site where they can be recognized…..but, the next part didn’t happen ON the bus and the guys really did look cute….so, here it is included in the post…..as the best entertainment of the trip!!!
As we were boarding the bus, we heard some male voices coming up from behind chanting “TOGA….TOGA….TOGA!” over and over…..we looked around and here came three guys from our group marching toward the bus dressed in togas!!! OMG — what a riot!!! Kathy was absolutely gobsmacked!!! She had no idea that her little joke would turn into the best thing that happen all week……the look on her face when she spotted them marching up to the bus was priceless!!! Nick said he saw them earlier in the hotel — he said seeing three grown white men in togas going down the hallway and entering a room together gave him a memory for a lifetime!
Don, Bob, and Marty posing with Kathy! The togas were sheets from their rooms and the crowns were made from coffee cups and greens they clipped from the bushes. (this photo was courtesy of Bob’s wife – I thought I got a good shot, but my angle was off, so she happily shared hers)
The guys went back in to change — they didn’t want the hotel security to chase the bus down to get their sheets back! hahaha And we boarded the bus to start our day…..but not without a TON of laughing and appreciation for the creativity and courage of these three guys!!! It was talked about throughout the next two days…..and other busses at our stops said they heard about it and wondered if it was true…..yep — true story….we have photo evidence!!!
The Theme of the Day for last full day in NH was “Grow strong, stay curious, and let your spirit wander like a bear in the woods” (it was in honor of the bear show we had on the schedule, but it also kinda plays into the actions of Don, Bob, and Marty….without Kathy knowing it was going to happen) and our sticker was a bear! I think I need to find a toga sticker to add to mine just for the memory!
So, with no way to top the morning’s entertainment, we were off to our first stop of the day: Clark’s Bears in Lincoln, NH. This is a sweet theme park with rides and an old-time street full of shops and places to eat. they have a train ride and a live bear show that repeats throughout the day – we did both after free time to visit the shops (the rides weren’t open).
The next photos was of a cool thing they had…..you can go behind this “wall” and press yourself into the back of it and it makes a silhouette of your body…..interesting!!! I’ve never seen anything like that before! The one on the left is of a couple ladies from our group and the one on the right is ME!!! It felt really strange to do it, but it was fun!!!
The train had an old fashioned calliope that played music like the old carousels played — lovely!!! Our group — the ever fun loving gang — added the lyrics to some of the songs – including “The Last Train to Clarksville” and “I’m a Believer” both Monkees songs!
The train was a short ride through the woods and a covered bridge. We were warned to watch out for the Wolfman who chases anyone who goes on “his land”…..it was a lovely ride and a fun time trading barbs with the Wolfman as he chased along side of the train on foot and in his rusty old jeep, shooting at us, lighting a bomb to stop us, and yelling out threats…..which we responded to! LOL
The live bear show was wonderful….they had two bears named Darla and Hildie that they had trained from cubs to do tricks and they were amazing! It was very hard to get any decent photos because of the chain link fencing around the performance arena, but here are a few……suffice it to say that the show was very entertaining and I got my “critter fix” – I was a happy camper!!!
Then, we were served a picnic lunch of sandwiches, chips, a cookie, and water. I chose PB&J cause I was surprised to see it as an option and I love PB&J!!! But, I was surprised to see that they were “Crustables” – not that I complained – I LOVE Crustables and usually have a box of them in my freezer…..just was surprised to see they didn’t make PB&Js (the other sandwich choices were meat and cheese on Kaiser type buns)……the good thing was I got TWO – a strawberry one and a grape one…..jackpot (I did mention earlier in this post that I was on prednisone this week and wanted to eat everything in sight, didn’t I?)!!!
And, the Wolfman put in an appearance for photo ops during lunch…a bit hairy for my taste, but he was a nice enough guy when he wasn’t chasing us off his land:
This stunning red-roofed hotel was seen on the way to our next stop — it seemed to go on forever – there were other similar buildings.
Next up was a gondola ride up to the summit of Loon Mountain…..unfortunately, it was drizzly when we got there and for the start of our time at the top, but it cleared up before we headed down. It was pretty up there and the 15 minute ride up was very nice, indeed!
Loon Mountain has an average elevation of 2,441 feet, with its summit reaching 3,050 feet. This makes it one of the notable ski areas in New Hampshire, offering a vertical drop of 2,190 feet. This sign at the top states that where we were the elevation was 2733 ft.
I did NOT climb the observation tower…..there were other observation decks to use to see the beautiful views!
The agenda also included a drive along the scenic Kancamagus Highway with an overlook stop…..we did drive down the scenic highway, but all the overlooks were crowed with nowhere for the bus to safely let us out…..we could see the views from the bus and we saw as good or better on Loon Mountain…..and, we had to get to dinner, so we didn’t stop.
Now….the activity we all waited for and wondered and joked about…..dinner at the Common Man Inn & Spa with Entertainment! It ended up being a great place – good buffet dinner with a DJ after. There were three Diamond Tours busses there – ours from WNY, one from Alabama, and one from Ohio. After dinner there was dancing and singing along….great fun!
YMCA
On the way back to the hotel, we were all wound up, so Nick turned on music for us to sing along to…..it was a good last day of the trip!!!
DAY FIVE
After our last breakfast, we boarded the bus for the last time at 8:15…..8:15….8:15! And we were on our way home! Bittersweet…..always sad for a trip to end, but happy to be getting back home to my own bed and familiar routine!
Theme of the Day: “‘Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home” Sticker: a Piggy — to help us to always remember our fearless leader: Kathy Hamm (as if we need anything to help us remember her…..she’s amazing!)
We had a lunch stop somewhere on the thruway that had both a Chic-fil-A and a Panera Bread — I made a bee-line for the Panera Bread to get their wonderful tomato soup for lunch.
On the long drive home, we played BINGO — something we typically play on these trips — and, as usual, I did NOT win!!!
Another welcomed staple of these trips is Kathy’s Candy Basket…..I always get my fill of Tootsie Rolls!!!
Some scenery along the thruway on the way home:
It was another GREAT trip — wonderful group of travel buddies — fun times — interesting places — good food — and amazing memories!!! The weather cooperated – for the most part – it was mid-60s and sunny most of the time (the storm on the first travel day was nasty, but didn’t last long…..and the drizzle at the top of Loon Mountain didn’t really hinder anything, either). The fall colors were beautiful — some places weren’t quite there, yet, but others were spectacular! They have a lot of pines, so the photos don’t really do the reality justice, but take my word for it — it was worth the trip….and, even if it wasn’t, we did so many fabulous activities that it wouldn’t have mattered!!!
I’m so glad that my health scare didn’t stop me from going and that I decided to go in the first place…..it was a very nice, relaxing trip and it was just what I needed right now!!!
That last morning, the news on the TV in the lobby showed the hurricane getting ready to hit the gulf coast – the other Diamond Tours bus in the area from Alabama was in our hotel — we hope they returned home safely and without major damage to their homes.
One more thing before I sign off and publish this post……when we started the BINGO games, Kathy said I needed to win cause she had a special prize that was “just for me” and that no one else can win it…..hhhmmm — of course, I didn’t win……BUT, she gave it to me, anyway…..this zipper pouch is PERFECT!!! I really need this on a tee shirt that I can wear under everything and rip open to it whenever I need to remind people of this little fact of life! hehehe
And, with that, I’ll post and put this trip in the memory books!
Until the next adventure —- happy travels to you all!
Alpacas and More
On September 27th, my niece, great niece and I visited some alpaca farms as part of Alpaca Days — there were six farms on the trail — two in Albion, one in Waterport, one in Holley, and two in Brockport. We ended up not doing the two in Brockport because we were getting hungry and it was almost the end of the designated time, so we opted to go for Chinese for dinner, instead! BUT….we had a great time at the four we did visit! Here are just a few of the photos showing the precious critters we got to enjoy.
September Daily Photo Challenge
Happy Fall, Ya’ll….Here comes October….tomorrow! But, for now, here are the photos I captured to meet the Daily Photo Challenge Topics for September….with the exception of 9/27: “On My Bedside Table”…there is nothing there worthy of a photo – hahaha!
October’s topics will be based on the alphabet:
August Daily Photo Challenge
Well….today was the last day before the “ber” months begin! I’m not ready! I do love Fall, but I hate to think that Summer is winding down! But…time marches on whether we like it or not! We’ll soon start enjoying the changing colors, pumpkins, sweaters, and all the rest that September brings.
In the meantime…. here are the pics I captured to represent the August Daily Photo Challenge Topics — all but two of them — I missed getting one for “Multi Color” and “Ombre”…..but I got all the rest! August was all about colors…..enjoy!
Here’s September’s list…..looks interesting…..we’ll see…..
July Daily Photo Challenge
The July challenge fizzled out for me….it was all food-related topics and most were hard to get creative on and I was on vacation for 11 days in the middle and the topics those days didn’t highlight what I was experiencing. So…..it was a boring month – for the most part, some of it was good – and I just lost interest!
But – here is what I did capture:
That’s all I got for the official topics…..here are some food photos I took on vacation that didn’t match the topic of the day they were taken, but are actually MUCH more interesting than the pics that went with the topics:
So, July is done and we’re on to August…..here are August’s topics — all color-related! We’ll see if I can stick with it this month! hehehe
2026 Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick Adventure
I went on another incredible bus adventure! This one was an eleven day trip up through Maine and into Canada to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick and back. This was a Diamond Tours package offered by First Choice Travel in Batavia – the agency I have traveled several times with and always have a great experience!
I have been to all the places this trip was going to – sort of….I took a New England / Canada cruise on Royal Caribbean in October 2015 with stops in Portland, ME, Bar Harbor, ME (which we had to skip because of fog), Saint John, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. But, we were in each port just a few hours and only saw what we could see on the shore excursions we chose. I had also seen quite a bit of Maine, including Bar Harbor, when I went on a New England motor home trip with my brother and sister-in-law in October 2017. So, when I first thought about taking this trip, I wondered if it was worth the $$$ to go to places I had been before…..until I read the detailed itinerary!!! We would be seeing soooo much more and spending soooo much more time in soooo many more locations…..I couldn’t resist it! And…..I was not one bit disappointed or sorry I decided to go! It was FABULOUS!!!
A few general comments before I get into the details:
For adventures of this length and as full of activities as it was, I generally break the trip details out into multiple posts, but I’m determined to do this one all in one post…..it’ll mean it’s gonna be a long one, but that’s OK this time…..wish me luck!!! hahaha
A funny story to start us off….I have a friend I went to school with and belong to the same church who now lives most of the year in Florida – I text him now and then to say “hi” and did so a couple weeks before the trip. He said he was going to be up in the area for 5 or 6 weeks or so and I told him we needed to get together when he’s here, but that I was going to be away July 7-17 and told him where I was going…..he said “you’re not gonna believe this, but I’m going on that same trip!!!” What are the odds??? So — it was cool that we got to share some meals and catch up during the trip. We also found out almost the end of the trip that there was another guy on the bus that was just a couple years behind us in school that we knew his older sisters and have some mutual friends with – it really is a small world!
Here is Greg and me at Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park on Day Three.
There were 41 of us — 43 counting Kathy and Rachel! Here is the whole motley crew (minus Rachel – she was busy doing something with the bus and didn’t join in the photo shoot) in our group photo taken at French River on Prince Edward Island on Day Seven:
Several of my fellow travelers hoped to see moose on the trip….and, you know I am always happy when I get to see critters of any kind. Well, we saw lots and lots of pine trees…..some osprey nests (one that had an osprey in it)…..some deer…..but, not a single live moose — we did see lots of moose crossing signs, stuffed moose, moose statues, but none with an actual heart beat that moved!!!
I promised myself I wouldn’t get on the scales for at least a week after returning home to avoid having a heart attack due to all the wonderful food I ate over the course of this 11-day trip (and the food was amazing – every meal – even the ones on the “normal” side)! But, as usual, I didn’t listen to my own advice and got on the scale the morning after my return…..but, was pleasantly surprised to see it read exactly the same as the morning I got on the bus to start the adventure of a lifetime……makes me wonder what might have been the result if I had make more healthy choices along with all that walking!!!???
Mother Nature was VERY kind to us! It rained our first travel day — no big deal cause we were on the bus all day, except for meal and rest stops. For the rest of the trip, the weather was STELLAR!!! Warm, sunny, gorgeous blue skies…..even the days it was quite hot, there was a nice breeze and the heat wasn’t overpowering at all. The morning we were at Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy, it was chilly and damp, but we really only needed a light jacket and then it warmed up for the afternoon activities. Thank you, Mother Nature!!! Also — we were far enough east that the Canadian wild fires didn’t impact us at all — the air quality was perfect and no smoky smog and by the time we got home, the worst of it here was pretty much gone, too! We were so very blessed!
Every one of our hotels were wonderful! I didn’t hear any major complaints and the few little glitches were fixed and all was fine. The rooms were clean and comfortable and very welcoming. I made note of some of the “Best of” categories…..these are just in my never to be humble opinion and in no way take away from the very nice facilities at each of the hotels we stayed at:
Best Bed – Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel, Marlborough, MA – I sunk into this bed and it wrapped itself around me to make for an amazingly comfortable sleep!
Best Outdoor Space – County Inn at the Mall, Bangor, ME – The hotel looked like a southern mansion with a huge front porch with rocking chairs and gardens. Many of us sat outside to chat and enjoy the gorgeous evening after we checked in. Simply lovely!
Best / Most Beautiful Hallway / Interior Design – Quality Inn Garden of the Gulf, Summerside, PEI – the hallway with the rooms facing it had lanterns and gardens and was stunning! Wait till you get to my info about Day 6 and see the photos….definitely deserves this recognition!
Best Shower – Quality Inn Garden of the Gulf, Summerside, PEI wins this category, too! It was a walk-in shower, # 1 – big plus in my book from the get-go! And, the pressure coming from the rain-style shower head was pretty darned incredible!!! I could have stood in it all day!
Best Pillows – Fairfield Inn, Moncton, NB – while the bed in the first hotel was amazing, the pillows in this one were over-the-top fluffy and full and worthy of the dreams they helped bring to life for me!
Best Blow Dryer – Fairfield Inn – Moncton, NB – yep, the Best Pillows place also had the best blow dryer! Pretty much all hotels have one and they are usually pretty basic and do a decent job. But, this one…..well, it had POWER!!! Definitely got my attention in the best way possible!
Best Staff – Best Western Plus, Fredericton, NB – I actually can’t say enough about the staff at all the hotels – any I had any contact with, anyway. But, the front desk staff here just seemed to really love their job or at least give the illusion of it! The girl struck up a lovely conversation with me about where we were going the next day and the trip so far when I bought my bottled water before going up to my room. Then, when she saw me taking photos in the lobby, I heard her say to the other guy at the desk “hey, she’s taking pictures” and when I looked, they both hammed it up for a pic….AND…..the housekeeping staff left me a sweet little note with a positive comment on the night stand….gave me a good giggle and made for a great way to end my day!
Best Name – Best Western Merry Manor Inn, south Portland, ME – self explanatory…..just a cool name!!!
So…now let’s get into the nitty gritty details of the trip, shall we?
DAY ONE – Travel Day
We gathered behind the Quality Inn in Batavia to board the bus about 7:30 am for an 8:00 am departure time. I found out that we had Rachel as our driver – YAY!!! The team of Kathy (tour manager) and Rachel (driver) make for a fun and perfectly run adventure – I’ve been on other trips with this pair and it was great!
Kathy starts off each day welcoming everyone on board with a free hug, a theme of the day, and a sticker for our name tag that represents the theme – and, when possible, decorates the bus accordingly, too! She really goes out of her way to make us all feel special and set the tone for fun and positivity! The them for Day 1 was: “Be Kinder Than Necessary” and the sticker was a Smiley Face!
Our first stop was a NYS thruway service station in Mattydale, NY — I can’t say I’m much of a fan of the new facilities NYS spent the big bucks to put in! They are small and cramped inside, not much of a choice for food if you want to eat, less bathrooms than previous facilities (big negative for buses), and the snacks are expensive! I looked for a fairly healthy snack and picked up a bag of trail mix — it was very good trail mix, but it cost me just shy of $14!!! While I really did enjoy eating it, it was the last thing I bought at any rest area for the duration of the trip! hehehe
Then, as a surprise treat, we found out our super driver, Rachel, brought smiley face cookies that Kathy passed out for our afternoon snack…..just as we passed the exit to Chicopee, Massachusetts…..now the cookies put a smile on everyone’s face….and I got a huge chuckle out from the fact that we had smile cookies in Chicopee!!! (it doesn’t take much to amuse me, can you tell???)
We had lunch at a Chic-fil-A (not sure where we were) and then about 4:30-ish, we made it to our first hotel – the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center in Marlborough, MA (my “best bed” winner). It was raining as we arrived, but not too bad – it was the only real rainy day we had and we weren’t doing any sight-seeing, so we were fine with it.
After we checked in and performed a “brush & flush”, we loaded back on the bus to go to dinner at a nearby Olive Garden. I had the Shrimp Fritto Misto appetizer – I get it often at Olive Gardens as a meal cause it is a lot to eat and is so very good.
I was exhausted when we finally got settled in for the night – I crashed in that amazing bed and literally died!!! I slept like a baby and woke up refreshed!
DAY TWO – Portland, Maine
We got up, had breakfast at the hotel….very nice….and made our way to Portland, ME.
Kathy greeted us with “bee” antennae for the theme of the day: “In a world where you can BEE anything, BEE yourself!” The sign said “Adventure Ahead” and our name tag sticker was a Bee!
After killing some time along the way with some fun trivia games, like guessing the commercial slogans and others, we arrived in Portland about lunch time. There were several restaurant options, but I knew right where I wanted to eat — I hoped that Portland Lobster Co was still there!!! My friend and I ate there the day we were in port on the cruise we took in 2015 and we LOVED it — a classic lobster shack-type place right on the water and the food was amazing! I spotted it as the bus drove by looking for a place to drop us off, so I made a “BEE-line” (see what I did there with the theme of the day?) for it! I ordered a lobster roll with fries and it was perfection in a bun – the kind with butter, not mayo – just the way I like it! Kathy and another fellow traveler – Sue – joined me and we had a lovely lunch together overlooking the waterfront.
After, I strolled around the waterfront area taking photos and enjoying the warm sunshine!
I like to get refrigerator magnets from places I visit – I used to spend a lot of money on souvenirs and gifts and stuff and try not to do that anymore. Just a little something to remember my trip by that doesn’t need to be dusted or take up too much space – a refrigerator magnet is just the thing! I happened to spot a local artist selling some of her painted items and she had the cutest magnets on canvas! I couldn’t decide which one I liked the best, so I got them both!
We made our way to our next hotel – Country Inn at the Mall, Bangor, ME (my best outdoor space winner). We stayed here two nights while in the Bar Harbor / Acadia area.
After we checked in, we gathered to go to dinner at Applebee’s in Bangor. We had to pre-select from three different options: Three Cheese Chicken Penne, Oriental Chicken Salad, or Double Crunch Shrimp – I chose the Double Crunch Shrimp and it was delicious (although, I failed to get a photo before I devoured it)! Everyone seemed to enjoy their dinner. It was still daylight when we got back to the hotel, so many of us thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor space and the beautiful evening.
DAY THREE – Bar Harbor / Acadia National Park
After another full and restful night’s sleep and a good breakfast, we loaded up and headed to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.
Today was our last day in the US before crossing over into Canada, so the theme of the day was Patriotic! Kathy played the Star Spangled Banner while we boarded the bus, had the bus decorated with flags, our sticker was a flag, and she recognized the veterans on the bus! We recited the first verse of America the Beautiful: O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain; for purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea. There wasn’t a dry eye on the bus!!!
We made our way to Bar Harbor where we picked up Mark – our first of several step-on guides. Step-on guides are local people who join us on the bus and tell us all about what we are seeing and take us to cool places. On the way, I spotted this sign and snapped a photo through the window of the bus — it cracked me up! I’m often saying “Not my circus, not my monkeys!”, but I like this one much better and just might steal it!
Here’s another cool pic I snapped on the way to pick up Mark – it went well with our theme of the day:
We picked up Mark at the Agamont Park in Downtown Bar Harbor and proceeded to Acadia National Park.
Our first stop was at a lovely garden park:
I took a few photos from the bus window — they don’t tend to come out too good because of the glare and filtering of colors, but here are some….just excuse the poor quality:
We stopped at Thunder Hole — a spot where the waves crash up into a little cove and explode into the air! The last time I was here in 2017, I was able to walk down the steps and got drenched by the waves! This time, I stayed up on the overlook (my back doesn’t cooperate with some of the fun stuff anymore), but still found the views to be so incredibly beautiful!
A few more “through the glass” shots taken after we left Thunder Hole:
Our last stop in Acadia was at the Jordan Pond House. They are famous for their popovers with butter and jam. We weren’t going to be there very long – we had to decide if we wanted to do the scenic overlook or get a popover……I chose the popover….and I’m not apologizing for that choice – it was a good one!!! hehehe
We got back to Bar Harbor and said goodbye to Mark — he played the harmonica for us – a tune he called “Krusin’ with Kathy and Racin’ with Rachel”! He was a fun guide!
It was lunch time – Mark made a recommendation and said that was where he was going. Several went to join him. I actually had something totally different in mind! Both times I was in Bar Harbor in the past, I had booked a boat cruise that went to all the lighthouses around the harbor and both times, it was canceled due to fog (in fact, the first time, our cruise ship couldn’t even let us take the tenders into the port because of extremely dense fog). So, I went to the tour place to see if there was a chance I could take a boat tour….unfortunately, the one I wanted was just a morning tour and the others either weren’t timed right for me to be able to do it or were full! UGH! So, I headed toward the place that Mark suggested for lunch…..I didn’t make it – another place caught my eye and I had lunch at Stewman’s Downtown and it was AWESOME!!! I had a whole lobstah and a dozen mussels…..yeah, that sounds like a LOT, but lobster isn’t terribly filling and mussels are small….I ate it all!!!
Then, I strolled around to walk off my lunch and get some photos. It was a beautiful breezy day and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!
Dinner that night was Uno Chicago Grill in Bangor – back near our hotel. We had another wonderful meal – I had the burger sliders and they were very good!
While in Bar Harbor, I picked up a bottle of Old Soaker Blueberry Soda – they are famous for it and I had it before – it’s an acquired taste, but actually not too bad once you get past the first sip or two. And I got a moose shaped maple candy. Both went in my suitcase and came home with me – I’m drinking the soda while writing this post!
The next morning, we loaded back up to continue our journey.
DAY FOUR – Travel Day to Canada
Our theme for the day was Canada – Kathy played “O Canada” for us and shared some facts about Canada. Our sticker was a maple leaf and the bus was decorated with alternating Canadian and American flags.
Going through customs was a breeze – we had a very nice customs agent who made the process easy – we didn’t even need to get off the bus – she collected all our passports and declaration forms in a basket and took them inside to process them, brought them back out to us, and she even gave us some suggestions for lunch nearby!
We went to a plaza in Woodstock, NB just after the border that had several fast food type restaurants. I and several others went to A&W – I have never been to an A&W restaurant, so thought I’d try it. It was really good!!! I wish I knew where there were some near here…..it must be like a McDonalds in Canada – they are all over the place! The burger was delicious – like I would make at home. I regret that I didn’t notice that they had root beer floats before it was too late to get one!
It was a long travel day to our destination for dinner in Truro, Nova Scotia and then to our hotel in Enfield, NS. We played Bingo and other things to pass the time…..Kathy’s candy basket got a lot of action! hehehe
They warned of moose crossing….but apparently, none needed to get across any of the road we were on!
We had dinner at Frank & Gino’s Grill & Pasta House in Truro, NS. Our choices were Penne Rustico, Vegetarian Penne Rustico, or BBQ Chicken – I had the BBQ Chicken and it was pretty tasty – I’m not usually a chicken breast fan (I prefer dark meat), but this was not dry and had a good flavor.
Our hotel was very nice – Holiday Inn Express & Suites Halifax Airport in Enfield, NS. The bed was HIGH – it was hip high on me!!! I learned on my last trip that when the hotels have those really high beds, I can call down for a step stool and they bring one up for me so I can get in bed without a major struggle, so I called and they brought one right up for me. We stayed in this hotel for two nights while we explored the Halifax, NS area.
DAY FIVE – Halifax – Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg
After breakfast, we were on our way to Halifax, NS!
I was excited about today’s tour…..Peggy’s Cove!!! I love watching Sullivan’s Crossing on CW and a lot of it is filmed there! Our theme of the day was Lighthouses and our sticker was a lighthouse in honor of Peggy’s Cove. Kathy’s inspirational message was a long one that I couldn’t get all down, but it started “God gives us lighthouses to get us through the storms….”.
We picked up Thelma – our step-on guide for the day. Thelma was awesome! She was with us all day and showed us all around the area. Our first stop was Peggy’s Cove. Thelma told us the legend of an orphaned girl who came to the cove and was “adopted” by the residents. They named her Peggy and that is how Peggy’s Cove got it’s name…..there was a lot more to the story, but I was too busy looking at the scenery and listening to actually type it all into my notes…..but, you get the drift! She told us there are several locally written books about Peggy of the Cove. I’ll have to look them up and read more about it….someday!
It was “Artist’s Weekend”, so there were many artists set up around on the rocks and along the various water fronts painting or sketching or photographing the amazing beauty that is Peggy’s Cove!
I was totally in awe of this place…..the blues were so vivid and the rocks were so majestic and the lighthouse stood statuesque in the midst of it all…..just phenomenal!!!
And there was a guy playing the bagpipes…..what a treat!!!
This rock carving commemorated “something”…..I forget what Thelma told us and I didn’t put it in my notes….my bad! But, it was quite amazing to see!
Some “through the window” scenic shots as we drove from Peggy’s Cove:
Then we drove through Mahone Bay – the home of the Three Churches (you can actually see the steeples of two other churches making it 5 total, but the three in front are the focus):
We arrived in Lunenburg by lunch time — I absolutely love quaint little harbor towns with more character than should be legal!!! This one was no exception – it was lovely! There was a craft fair along the wharf with loads of wonderful offerings.
We had time to eat and wander around or relax and enjoy another fabulous weather day! I went to the Old Fish Factory for lunch and had a lobster roll (this one had seasoned mayo, but not enough to make it taste like it was over dressed – very nice!). The roll was different than you usually get with a lobster roll – interesting and quite good and it was served with the best homemade chips I’ve ever had — still warm, crisp, not at all greasy, and they came with an onion aioli dipping sauce — OMGEEEE good!!!
After Lunenburg, we made a stop at one of three cemeteries where those who died in the Titanic disaster are buried. This is the largest of the three burial sites – the other two are a Catholic and a Jewish cemeteries. There are 121 buried in the one we visited with 150 total buried in Halifax. Thelma explained that the first class passengers were mostly taken to New York City for transfer to their home lands, so most of those buried in Halifax were 2nd & 3rd class passengers and crew members. The bodies were given a number in the order they were recovered and identified, if possible – each stone has the # they were given, the date of their death, and name, if known. The smaller stones are the ones provided by Halifax and those that have larger or more ornate stones were paid for by family members. The graves are laid out in the shape of the bow of a ship – I wasn’t able to get a photo that showed that shape, unfortunately. It was a very sobering stop for us.
Dinner was at Montana’s BBQ – our choices were BBQ Pork Ribs, Country Fried Chicken, or Apple Pecan Salad — I chose the ribs and it was an amazing choice — sooooo good!!! Dessert was a cookie topped with the creamiest ice cream….great way to end another incredible day!
DAY Six – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
On the sixth day we traveled to the “dark, deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean”! The theme is summarized as “We should live deep – live the length of your life and also the depth of your life”. The sticker is a Lobster – in honor of “Lobster Night”. as well as the fact that Prince Edward Island is well known for it’s lobster fishing!
Kathy and I took the “lobster” theme very seriously:
We had to cross the Confederation Bridge – a 8.7 mile long bridge from the main land to Prince Edward Island. PEI is the birthplace of the Canadian Confederation where the first talks took place in 1864 that led to the formation of Canada – much like our colonization and separation from England.
Once we crossed over into Prince Edward Island, we picked up our next Step-on Guide – Norman, who was with us for a little while on day 6 and most of the day on day 7. He explained that Prince Edward Island is known for it’s lobsters, mussels, and oysters and that potatoes are the area’s biggest crop. And, of course, everywhere you look there are references to Anne of Green Gables – the fictional character in Lucy Maude Montgomery’s books that took place on Prince Edward Island.
We stopped at the Milky Way Plaza where we could shop for locally made chocolates and ice cream, among other things. The strangest thing I saw were called “Cow Chips” – chocolate covered potato chips!!! They had samples, so I tried a couple — tasty – salty and sweet – but, not something I would buy a whole package of. We heard that Canada’s chocolate is so much better than ours – their ice cream, too! Our bus took home a ton of Kit Kat bars and other chocolate treats. I admit to enjoying some chocolate from this place and an ice cream the next day and do believe the rumors are true!
I found these two signs in such close proximity to be rather funny……”Cow Crossing” and “Smokin’ BBQ” Hahahah!!!!
Norman then took us to downtown Charlottetown – the capital of PEI, where he left us on our own for the rest of the day. It was a bit too “city” for my taste, but still a very nice afternoon strolling around checking out what they had to offer. It was also our lunch break, so there was that to decide on.
I chose to have lunch at the Olde Dublin Pub – a cool Irish pub with an outdoor patio. I had the mussels and a glass of Guinness (I hoped to get a half pint, it only came in a full pint, so I barely drank much of it, but wanted a wee bit, since I was in an Irish pub). I chose the mussels for a light lunch – I assumed there’d be a dozen on the plate – because later on we were going for our lobster feast, but when they came, there were at least TWO dozen in a big pot!!! But, again, mussels are small, so it wasn’t all that filling…..just really good – so sweet and tender – I ate every one of them!!!
After wandering around a bit, I stopped for ice cream at Cows – Canada’s Best Ice Cream as voted by Reader’s Digest…..I had the blueberry ice cream and it certainly lived up to it’s claim to fame!
The architecture in Charlottetown is incredible!!!
There was a water front area, too, but I didn’t make it down there.
We ended our time in downtown Charlottetown and drove about an hour or so to Fisherman’s Wharf in North Rustico, where we were scheduled to have our Lobster Feast….and a grand feast it was! They brought out drinks, chowder and rolls, and there was a salad bar loaded with salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw, fruit, mussels, and so much more…..then, we had our choice of the main event for the meal: lobster, steak, scallops, jumbo shrimp, haddock, or chicken…..of course I chose the lobster – DUH!!! And there was also a huge dessert bar with several different kinds of pies – I had the blueberry! It was a feast fit for a king…..and everything was so good!!!
This trio were playing the washboard and spoons and they sounded really neat — a bit loud in an already loud room, but it was the atmosphere and they were part of that, so it was OK!
After sending my brother a picture of yet another lobster meal (I sent him a pic of every lobster to tease him), he asked me if I was sick of lobster yet…..I was at a loss — I had zero idea of what he was asking me!!!
We took our stuffed bodies on to our next hotel – Quality Inn Garden of the Gulf in Summerside, PEI (my choice to win best hallway/indoor design and best shower awards).
DAY SEVEN – Prince Edward Island / Anne of Green Gables
Theme of the day: “Friends are the stars that light up the dark night – friends are gems”. Sticker: a Green Gem – in honor of Anne of Green Gables and friends (Anne was big on friendship)
Norman returned as our step-on guide for the day. He took us around Summerside, French River, Cavendish, Cavendish Beach in the PEI National Park on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, The PEI Preserve Company (a locally make jam and jelly place) and, the highlight of the day for me – Green Gable Heritage Place!
I was looking forward to visiting the Green Gables Heritage Place – I didn’t read the Anne of Green Gables books when I was a kid – not sure why, just didn’t! I, of course, heard of the stories, so at first the thought of going there was intriguing, but not likely a highlight. Well…..in the month or so leading up to the trip, I started hearing quotes and references to the books it seemed like everywhere I turned! So, I thought I should at least watch one of the movies. I found a four movie series on PBS with Martin Sheen as the brother of the brother/sister team who took Anne in – they lived at Green Gables on Prince Edward Island. By the time I finished the fourth movie, I had fallen hopelessly in love with the stories and the characters and was suddenly VERY excited to get to see the place that inspired the books by Lucy Maude Montgomery – the author who lived on Prince Edward Island. I was not at all disappointed – it was so sweet to go there!
Our first stop, however, was not Green Gables — it was French River – a scenic overlook where we stopped to have our group photo taken by Norman. I put the group photo in the beginning, but will put it here, too, to show how nicely we fit right into this stunning scene!
THEN, we got to go see Green Gables!!! WOO HOO!!!
To answer the following question – a quote from Anne – is “YES IT IS!!!”
A couple young girls portraying Anne and her friend, Diana — they were having the sweetest conversation about their day.
They had stuff to put on for photo ops…..so, yeah….I donned a hat and red pigtails for a selfie (I already had the sun induced freckles – haha)! I also treated myself to a Raspberry Cordial — it was good!!! It, of course, wasn’t the alcoholic version in the book that Anne mistakenly served her friend and made her tipsy, resulting in her friend’s mother saying they couldn’t see each other again….until Anne, in perfect Anne fashion, smoothed it over with the mom!
As we drove off after leaving Green Gables, we saw the osprey nest that had a osprey in it!!! That was thrilling to see!
Our lunch stop was just down the road from Green Gables in Avonlea — a recreation of the fictional town from the books. It was really cute — all the buildings: the church, the train station, etc. are shops and restaurants, but it was still quite sweet. There were several options for lunch – I chose the Turkey Tavern and had the BEST turkey soup with a homemade biscuit – perfect lunch!
We also drove by Lucy Maude Montgomery’s grave site — it is blanketed with flowers, just as it should be!
In the afternoon we finished touring Prince Edward Island with a stop at a beautiful overlook in PEI National Park on the Gulf of St Lawrence, a demonstration on how a lobster trap works and talk about the lobster fishing industry, lots of beautiful potato fields, and time at the lovely PEI Preserve Co (local jams & jellies). Whew!!!
At Gentleman Jim’s we had a wonderful experience…..the guy who greeted us and the waitress were an awesome service team and he kept us in stitches! Our choices were Homemade Fish Cakes & Clam Chowder, Pan Fried Haddock Dinner, Roast Beef Dinner, or Turkey Dinner…..I chose the roast beef (I ate too fast to get a photo….imagine the most tender, juicy roast beef dinner you’ve ever had)!!!
Then we headed back over the Confederation Bridge to leave Prince Edward Island and on to our next hotel – Fairfield Inn & Suites, Moncton, NB (my choice for best pillows and blow dryer).
DAY EIGHT – Bay of Fundy and Saint John
After a good night’s sleep and breakfast, we loaded up the bus and made our way to our next adventure!
Theme for the day: Flowers / Flower Pots and the sticker was a Flower! This was the theme because the Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy are also known as the Flower Pot Rocks because of the foliage that grows out the top of some of the rocks. This was our only chilly day — it was quite cool and windy in the morning and felt damp, but warmed up later in the day.
Our first stop was The Bay of Fundy and Hopewell Rocks….This is the highest tide in the world! During low tide, you can walk on the ocean floor around the Hopewell Rocks….then, a 46 foot tide comes in (52 foot on the Nova Scotia side of the Bay of Fundy) and floods the whole area for kayakers to enjoy!
There was an interactive visitors center with a restaurant that put out a very nice soup and sandwich lunch for us. I had a tuna sandwich with chicken and dumpling soup and a biscuit – very good!!! Since it was so chilly out, we ate inside instead of on the open patio….but still had a wonderful view while eating.
After lunch, we drove to Saint John where we picked up our last step-on guide – Rod! He took us around Saint John and told us all about the city. Some of the things I saw when I was there in 2015 were gone! So, I barely recognized the city — with the exception of the reversing rapids and the sculpture at the place where we had our dinner.
We visited the Saint John City Market — it reminded me of Seattle’s Public Market (Pike Place). Funny – when I was there in 2015, we hopped off the hop-on-hop-off bus we took around the city in the park where Rachel parked the bus so we could get photos on the band stand built for the Queen’s Jubilee, but then just sat on a bench waiting for the next bus – we didn’t know that a block away was this sweet little market place! Go figure….
Then, we went to the Reversing Rapids – as I understand what Rod told us…..the raging tides of the Bay of Fundy comes in and then goes back out with such force that it literally reverses the flow of the mighty Saint John River. Twice a day, you can see the river actually stop flowing as it reverses it’s flow direction! You have to catch it at just the right time to see the phenomenon. But, even during free flow times of the day, it is a monstrous rapids flowing over a gorge that was formed by the collision of continents millions of years ago. These photos don’t really reflect what I actually saw — the rapids were really powerful as they cascaded across the various levels and cavities – the photos look almost calm, which is disappointing. In reality, it was pretty cool!!!
Here are some other photos taken from the bus window as we drove around Saint John:
Many of the streets are lined or have medians with marigolds planted by school students….I took several photos from the bus window, but only one came “unfuzzy”….however, thanks to a friend who shared the photo they took, I now have TWO good shots!!!
Our dinner was at Lily’s in Lily Lake Park — the sculpture I remember from my other trip here was still there and I was happy to get to see it again – it is quite impressive. It commemorates the National Day of Mourning which is observed annually on April 28 in Saint John, New Brunswick, to honor workers who have died, been injured, or suffered illness due to work-related incidents. This day serves as a reminder of the importance of workplace safety and the impact of these tragedies on families and communities
Dinner was in a beautiful room that looked like it was used for weddings or conferences. Another Diamond Tours bus arrived not long after us, as well. Our choices were grilled maple glazed Atlantic salmon, Honey Garlic Beef Stir Fry, or Alfredo Chicken & Broccoli Pasta…..I had the stir fry and it was amazing! Dessert was an apple crisp with blueberries….also very good!
Our next hotel was the Best Western Plus Fredricton Hotel & Suites in Fredricton, NB (my choice for Best Staff)
The front desk staff hamming it up for the photo!!! We all laughed after…..
The note left on the night stand from the housekeeping staff — first time I’ve ever had that happen in a hotel — simple message, probably took them all of two seconds to write it, but it definitely made my day!
DAY NINE – King’s Landing and Return to USA
Theme of the Day: Royalty is something you’re born into, but leadership is something you earn and the Sticker was a Crown! This was because we visited King’s Landing in Prince William, New Brunswick.
After I had my usual butter and peanut butter filled nooks and crannies (no banana, though…..boo hoo), we set out for the day.
King’s Landing is a historic farm village like Genesee Country Museum in Mumford, NY, but on steroids!!! We were met by Miss Sear who lead us on a walking tour of the property. She explained that the residents in period costume actually do live there and work the farms.
I broke away from the group here because I had walked about as far as I could…..and rejoined them for the last building – the school house! I’m glad I didn’t miss that one — Mrs. Jewett runs a strict classroom — she repeatedly reminded us that there is no talking in her classroom! We had a math lesson and then she did an inspection of hands – the boys were not to come to class with dirty hands from working the farm and the girls were scolded if they had dipped their fingers into dye…..I was the first to get a lecture about dye on my fingers (nail polish)! The girls were released from class first and we all had to curtsy and say “good day, Mrs. Jewett”! I’m not sure what she made the boys do…..haha
We left at lunch time and stopped at a nearby Denny’s — I was a bit skeptical about Denny’s, but they took a bus load of 43 people on almost no notice at all and very efficiently served us all with a smile and positive attitude! And, I had the French Toast Monte Cristo sandwich – eggs and ham (it also had cheese that I asked them to leave off) on thick brioche French toast dusted in powdered sugar and hash browns…..WOW – I would go back to Denny’s any time to have that sandwich again — it was that good!!!
We then had cross through customs to return to the USA…..this time we had to get off the bus and go inside to show our passports and turn in our declaration forms – it was very efficient and didn’t take too long at all (I was impressed at how quickly they processed 43 people all at once), but it was still a let down after the smoother process going the other way!
Dinner that night was at Buffalo Wild Wings in South Portland, ME…..the only dinner and location that I felt wasn’t as “special” as the rest – even the fast food stops! It was OK…..I had the boneless wings and tater tots that were fine, but the acoustics were horrible, so it was VERY noisy – even in the closed off room we were in and the service wasn’t great…..but, like I said, it was OK, just that we were spoiled by all the totally amazing food and venues up to this point! (BTW – there were more wings and tots – I just didn’t remember to get a pic till I ate about 1/2 of it – ooopppsss)
Our hotel that night was the Best Western Merry Manor Inn (my choice for Best Name….gotta love staying at the Merry Manor)! Another very comfortable and nice hotel!
DAY TEN – Travel Day / Casino Stop
Theme of the Day: “The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket” and the Sticker was a dollar sign $ – all in honor of the visit to Turning Stone Casino at the end of the day!
We drove all day with a couple pit stops and a quick lunch at McDonalds somewhere enroute. We arrived at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY about 4:30-ish for our dinner stop (and whatever else everyone wanted to do – wink wink)
Turning Stone is a HUGE and beautiful facility! It was fun just walking around and looking at the place!
For dinner, there were restaurants, a buffet, and a food court. I checked online on the way and saw they had a delicatessen in the food court that had hot corned beef sandwiches on the menu!!! That got my attention! So, that’s where I had my dinner – the hot corned beef was incredible — tender, juicy, full of flavor on the freshest rye bread I’ve ever had and just enough brown mustard…..it was served with chips and a deli dill pickle that was utter perfection – super crispy and crunchy and tasted like heaven!
I just wandered around for a bit…..I wasn’t going to gamble – I’m not really a casino type of person – I’ve played some slots in the past, but never really got into it. But, I decided that since I was there and it was such a beautiful place, I should at least say I put a couple quarters in to give it a go…….well, I found out you don’t put quarters in, anymore (that’s how long it’s been since I’ve played any slots – I had to get someone to show me how to do it) – they are cash machines, but they take bills now, no coins! So, I had $15 in my pocket and I put it in a penny machine…..my total just kept going down, down, down, until it got to zero! hhhmmm — didn’t even give me the excitement of going up some before it zero’d out!!! hahaha So — I donated $15 to the cause at Turning Stone and had a bit of fun with it. Some on the bus did get back on with more than they had when they got off, but I don’t think we went home with any millionaires! hehehe
There was a bakery that had a display case that could not be resisted…..I got a cookie croissant that looked amazing….it turned out to be a chocolate chip cookie baked on top of a croissant – it was quite good, but not as crazy good as it looked. I had a few bites of it in my hotel room later and tossed the rest – a little too sweet. But, I did very much enjoy a few bites of it!
Our final hotel of the trip was at the Holiday Inn in Auburn, NY — you might wonder why we had another hotel stay so close to home, but it was late and Rachel has strict rules about hours she has to follow….another hour and 45 minutes would have been too much – even for us, since we got into the hotel late. So — one more great hotel and an awesome night’s sleep —- I slept like a log every night I was gone — every hotel was so comfortable and I was so tired by the end of the day that I fell into bed and got the best sleep!!!
DAY ELEVEN – HOME!!!
We got up, had one final breakfast, loaded our luggage on the bus one final time, said our good byes to Kathy and Rachel (to avoid the chaos that comes with unloading when we get to the last stop), and boarded the bus to start the hour and forty minutes or so drive back to Batavia to get in our cars and disperse to our homes near and far!
Theme of the Day: “‘Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam
Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home” Sticker: Miss Piggy — to help us to always remember our fearless leader: Kathy Hamm (as if we need anything to help us remember her…..she’s amazing!)
So…..after 11 days, 2 countries, 8 great hotels, many amazing meals, tons of lobster and mussels and shrimp, so many great sights and experiences and memories, 43 old and new friends, countless pine trees (but zero moose), 11 stickers on our name tags, a zillion laughs, and I believe I heard Rachel say just shy of 3000 miles, we are all back to our normal routines – each of us just a tad better off for having participated in this great adventure together! Thank you to First Choice Travel, Kathy, and Rachel for making this trip available and for getting us all there and back safely and with as much humor and fun as a person can stand!!!
I’m not sure why it always amazes me that these trips put 40+ people together from different backgrounds and personalities and we quickly bond and become friends……while there are people on each trip that I’ve traveled with on prior trips and on this one there was even a surprise old friend on board, it still gives me the “warm fuzzies” when I share a table with new folks or get to know the people sitting around me and find that we have so much in common and so much to talk about…..it’s a great thing to experience!
I’ll leave you with two parting photos to end this with a chuckle…..I saw these signs in two different bathrooms in different locations on the same day. The first I was grateful for – I’m not sure I would have known what to do without it…..and the second I’m thinking apparently means it is for those who really, REALLY gotta go….anyone dancing with their legs crossed are allowed to use this facility!!!
Till the next great adventure…..
July 2026 Mystery Day Tour
It’s Mystery Day Tour time, again! On July 1st, I got on a bus with about 40-ish other adventure seekers and we departed Batavia about 7:00 am with no clue where we were going or what our Tour Guide, Kathy, had in store for us! It was another wonderful adventure put together by the good folks at First Choice Travel in Batavia, NY. Up until a couple days before, we were experiencing nice, pleasant temperatures, so I was hopeful that we’d have nice weather for the day. Then, the forecast said it was going to be extremely HOT and MUGGY!!! UGH!!! But, it did turn out to be a perfectly lovely day, weather-wise….yeah, it was hot, but where we went was a tad cooler than here at home and there was a constant perfect breeze to keep the heat at bay….and NO rain until just a little on the way home and even that stopped when we got back to our cars and had to get off the bus!!! PERFECT!!!
Wanna know more??? Well, here are all the deets and pics:
We boarded the bus, it pulled out about 7:00 am, and we headed east on the thruway. That was our first “clue”….anything to the west of us was eliminated as a possibility! hehehe
We had a quick pit stop at a rest area in Fort Byron on the Thruway. Some grabbed a snack because Kathy let us know that lunch was going to be a bit later than usual.
Sometime after Syracuse, we took an exit that was just after several billboard signs for a place called “Old McDonald Farm”…..my heart did flippy flops — I thought “oh, we’re gonna go see some critters”!!! But, we kept going and it was obvious that I guessed wrong…..that was a bit disappointing – but just temporarily, cause it wasn’t much longer before we found out where we were REALLY going and it was definitely NOT just a consolation prize!!! (although, I’m gonna be looking up “Old McDonald Farm” to see if it’s worth a drive to visit it someday.)
We arrived in Clayton, NY – a village in the Thousand Islands area about 10:30-ish. I was happy to see where our first stop was…..I’ve been to the Thousand Island area many times – Henderson Harbor, Alexandria Bay, etc., but to my recollection, I’ve never been in the village of Clayton. We were dropped off downtown and given a couple hours on our own to explore the town, shop, or relax along the St. Lawrence River to watch the boats and jet-skis. I did a little walking up and down the main downtown street, checked out a few shops, and got some good pictures, but mostly I sat by the river and enjoyed the beautiful breeze and views! What a perfect way to spend the morning.
The downtown district is so quaint with lots to see and do!
I spotted that popcorn shop and decided to grab a bag to eat on a bench overlooking the river…..but, it was closed…..probably a good thing – it saved me from spoiling my lunch! But, I did go into a great candy shop to get some fudge (for later….it’s a rule to take fudge home from most trips) and I also got a salted vanilla caramel bon bon to enjoy on that riverside bench and enjoy it, I did – YUM!!!
The river side area was pretty awesome, too…..lots of places to sit and watch the boats go by – some shady areas and some areas for basking in the sunshine! The breeze coming off the water was a blessing on a hot day!
We boarded back onto the bus and headed out to stop # 2 about 12:45. The next mystery spot was just up the road a ways – still in Clayton – to take a ride on a glass bottom boat out on the St. Lawrence River! Color me happy — I got to get out onto the water — always a good thing in my book — put me on or near the water and I’m in my happy place!
We got off the bus and picked up our bagged picnic lunches and boarded the glass bottom boat. We ate our lunches on the ride to Rock Island Lighthouse! OK – so, now I’m even happier…..I have a “thing” for lighthouses and always enjoy seeing one up close.
There were several different sandwiches to choose from and I picked the BLT — good choice!!! It was delicious, lots of filling, and the bread was sooooo good – fresh and a really nice flavor! The cookie was pretty good, too! Very nice for a bagged lunch – I’m glad I didn’t get that popcorn earlier and spoil my appetite!
This is our captain and guide — the guide talked all along the ride telling us all about the Thousand Islands and stories about the area. He did a good job! We went right to Rock Island Lighthouse, but had to cruise around a bit because there was another boat there getting ready to head out. We saw and heard about several of the Thousand Islands on the way to Rock Island and after on the way back to Clayton. This wasn’t a full Thousand Island boat tour, but it was a really nice cruise and Rock Island isn’t a stop that has been on any of the previous Thousand Island boat tours I’ve been on, so it was a real treat!
Some of our folks getting off the boat to explore Rock Island…..I took this from the shore after I got off the docks.
They allowed anyone who wanted to climb up the lighthouse to do so….I just went inside and took a photo up the spiral staircase! Definitely not something I am able to do anymore – plus it was hot and they said it was VERY hot inside the staircase! Nope – I was fine just looking up and enjoying it from the outside! LOL
There was a little museum and gift shop inside the light keepers house. I got a t-shirt and a refrigerator magnet.
We saw several big ships going down the river in both Clayton and here at Rock Island. Very cool!!!
This was the glass bottom that ran the entire length of the boat down the center — the guide had us look down when we were passing over particular points of interest.
Here are some points of interest I captured during the cruising time:
After we left the boat ride, we headed out for dinner. The skies were getting ominous looking and the wind really started picking up. But, we managed to outrun the storm that was about to dump onto the Clayton area (apparently, they had a bad storm that morning before we got there, it cleared up for our visit, and then it looked like they were going to get another one after we left).
Dinner was an hour and a half or so away in Syracuse at a place called “Coleman’s” – an authentic Irish Pub. What a cool place that was! Smack dab in the middle of a residential section of Syracuse outside the main city area. It looked awesome and even more so once we got inside. They had an outside area where they were showing the World Cup games on a big screen and there were LOTS of young people partying and watching the games. Looked like fun!
Once inside, we were seated in a private area off the bar and they finished setting up a really nice buffet dinner for us. The buffet had rolls, salad, vegetable medley, rice pilaf, individual shepherd’s pies, roast turkey slices, and a fish of some kind (I think they said cod, but I’m not a fish fan, so I didn’t pay that much attention and didn’t take any). Everything was SOOOOO good!!! Those little shepherd’s pies were great – a cool way to serve them. The turkey was moist and full of flavor. We ate till we were stuffed and then they brought out dishes of ice cream with chocolate syrup…..!!!!….WOW!!! Our waitress was so sweet and she did an awesome job taking care of our big group. Bravo to Coleman’s in Syracuse – a place I would definitely recommend and remember if ever in the area again!
These old-timey telephone booths were outside the restaurant…..the small one says “Leprechauns Only”! LOL What a hoot!
So – another great Mystery Day Tour in the history books! It was a long day — left Batavia at 7:00 am and returned about 10:00 pm….I was exhausted and full of new memories! It was so much fun and I loved how relaxing and peaceful this one was……I love the “busier” ones, too, but it was nice on such a hot day to be a bit more laid-back. I loved being on and near the St. Lawrence River and dinner was awesome! All-in-all, a fantastic day!!! Thanks to the staff at First Choice Travel for putting it together, to Kathy Hamm for always making our adventures so special, and to our driver (I have no clue how to spell his name, so I won’t embarrass myself by trying – I apologize to him if he happens to read this) from Bedore Tours for getting us there and back safely!
The next one is in October…..unfortunately, I have a conflict and can’t do that one unless my schedule changes….in which case, I’ll definitely check to see if there is a seat still available! I do enjoy these mystery days!
June Daily Photo Challenge
June is now history…..can you believe it??? And summer has pounded on the heat over the last few days — it went from nice, pleasant temperatures to 90’s in a flash! July is here in full force!
Here are the June Daily Photo Challenge pics — this month we were to post a “Glimmer” that gets our attention each day. I dropped the ball a few of the last days of the month, but for the most part, I did find something to capture each day!
For July, it looks like I’ll be posting a lot of food related pics……I wonder how long it will take to get bored with that…..hahaha! Enjoy summer!!!
May Daily Photo Challenge
And that’s a wrap for May….here is the May Daily Photo Topic List and what my interpretation for each day was….enjoy!
And, for June…..we doing little “Glimmers” each day…..not specific topics! Come back to see what I capture!
April Daily Photo Challenge
Goodbye April…..Hello May!
Here’s what caught my eye or represented my day to meet the Daily Photo Challenge in April:
And on to May…..I’ve decided to use the May FMS PAD Daily Photo Challenge Topic List for May…..here it is:
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