May 3, 2007 - Boston, Massachusetts

This year the American Academy of Neurology meeting is in Boston.  Michael, my partner, wanted to attend a little bit of it, so Lisa and I had to come up mid-week.  We flew up on Tuesday, May 1.  Our flight was at 7.20 AM so we had to get up at 5 AM to be ready by 6 AM when my father picked us up to drive us to the airport.  It made for a long day on Tuesday, but it gave us an extra day to enjoy this great city.

After checking into the hotel and after I picked up my course materials from the conference center, we took the T (what they call the subway here) to Quincy Market.  Most of the market resides in Faneuil Hall, an impressive old building that now houses a lot of eateries.  We had lobster rolls for lunch and chatted with couple of nice Canadians from Niagara Falls, Ontario, in the common seating area.  They, like us, had tickets for the baseball game that night.  They had also done the Fenway Park tour, which they said was fabulous.

After lunch, we walked most, but not all, of what is known as the Freedom Trail.  A red line, either painted or of bricks, on the sidewalk guides the way through Boston's historic sites.  We didn't quite start at the beginning or walk all the way to Bunker Hill, but the highlights of the portion we did incuded:

1) The Old State House - originally the seat of the Royal Governor.  The Massachusetts Bay Colony also had a bicameral legislature, although they were by no means equal with the Royal Governor.  Inside, we got to see the rooms in which these bodies met and debated the Stamp Act.  We also got to see the balcony where Royal pronouncements were made and where, on July 18, 1776, the Declaration of Indpendence was read publicly to the people of Boston,  Inside there is also a nice museum.  The Boston Massacre occured just outside of the building.

2) Quincy Market

3) Paul Revere's House - The only 17th century house still standing.  A tour of the home provides a fascinating portrait of colonial life.  They have a great collection of actual Revere furniture and some of his silver pieces.

4) The Old North Church - where Revere arranged for the lantern signal heralding the advance of British troops toward Lexington and Concord.

After the Freedom trail, we took the T to Fenway where we met up with friends (from residency) Dan, Billy, and Amy at a bar near the ballpark.  I had a beer from Budweis in the Czech Republic called Burgerbrau and a Vesper martini (from Ian Fleming's novel, Casino Royale: three measures of vodka, one of Gordon's and a half-measure of Kina Lillet...).

We had tickets to the Red Sox game that night, which may have been one of the best baseball experiences of my life.  Fenway is a great park.  Small, intimate, and still with a manual scoreboard.  It was built in 1912 and many great ballplayers, including Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Carl Yastrzemksi have called it home.  I remember playing wiffle ball as a kid and we'd always refer to the left field fence as the Green Monster, as if we were playing at Fenway...  We had great seats on the first base line and saw a great game.  Curt Schilling was masterful, pitching seven strong innings and giving up only 2 runs.  The Sox took a 4-2 lead into the 9th, but the best part was the A's actually got to Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.  A base hit and a two run blast tied it in the ninth.  Then Mike Piazza doubled in the tenth and was knocked in on a base hit to score the go ahead run in the 10th.  The Red Sox had David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez due up to start the 10th, but neither got on.  With two outs, the Red Sox did ultimately get the winning runs aboard but could not score and the A's won (YES!!!).  Coco Crisp made some amazing catches in centerfield for the Red Sox.  The atmosphere was electric - a sellout crowd (approximately 37,000) that was excited and pumped.  I miss the days when [Oriole Park at] Camden Yards was like that...

Fenway Park

Yesterday I actually took a class (Neurotoxicology) and Tuesday was such a long day that Lisa and I slept late.  After a fantastic breakfast accompanied by excellent cafe au lait, we wen't to Boston Commons and the Public Gardens.  It was a gorgeous day.  Last night, we went to dinner with Dan and Jeff, another friend of ours from residency, at a lovely Italian restaurant called Mama Maria's that was just across from the Revere House.  That area of the city (the North End) is now little Italy.  In fact, not far from there is an Italian bakery called Mike's that Lisa and stopped at for absolutely incredible raspberry cookies while we were walking the Freedom Trail.

But, today was by far the best day.  I did have a class in the afternoon on the history of neurology, but we got an early start today and were able to take the T out to Quincy to see the homes of John Adams and John Quincy Adams.  For $5 the National Park Service puts on a nice tour.  You pick up a shuttle right near the T station that takes you to two sites.  The first is a small house in which John Adams was born.  Next door is the house in which Adams lived during the revolution.  One room of the house had a separate entrance and served as Adams' law office (although he also maintained an office in Boston).  This is where Adams worked on his defense of the soldiers accused in the Boston Massacre and helped write the Massachusetts Constitution.  One thing I remembered vividly from David McCullough's biography of Adams was Abigail making shot for the Continental Army.  I thought it was awesome to see the kitchen and (at least an example of) the mould she used to make shot from melted pewter.

From there, the bus takes you to what is called the Old House.  This house was purchased in 1780 when Adams came back from overseas and before he was Vice President.  The house remained in the Adams family until 1946 when it was purchased by the Parks Service and it was occupied by direct descendants of John Adams until the 1920's.  Because it has been in the family so long, it has an amazingly intact collection of original Adams pieces and the paintings and wallpaper are all original.  In those days, both John Adams and John Quincy Adams bought their own furniture for the embassies they were assigned to and much of that furniture is in the home.  There are also paintings of the Adamses as well as one of General Washington.  The house was originally seven rooms, but Abigail expanded it and it now has twenty-one rooms.  John Adams' study was impressive and we saw the middle bed room where he died on July 4, 1826, exclaiming, "Jefferson lives," (he was unaware that Thomas Jefferson had died that same day, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a few hours earlier).  The door handle on the front door, Adams attached himself.  The only thing you can touch is the railing of the staircase, but putting your hands where John Adams', Abigail Adams', John Quincy Adams', James Monroe's, and the Marquis de Lafayette's have been is impressive.  In the garden is a stone structure that looks like a chapel.  It's not.  It's a library for the books of John Quincy Adams that he asked his wealthier son, Charles Francis (who married money) to build after he died.  It has two levels of books in multiple languages.  Also, in this first Presidential library, is the desk John Adams used for his law practice and for Presidential business while at Braintree.  Waterford crystal candelabras that Abigail Adams brought back when they moved back to the U.S. from England (John Adams had been ambassador to Great Britain) were also impressive.  Another interesting fact we learned was that John Quincy Adams' wife is the only foreign born First Lady, having been born in Britain to an English mother and a father from Maryland.

The John Adams and John Quincy Adams Presidential Library

For dinner we took the T out to Brookline and went to an Irish pub called Matt Murphy's.  It was a local place, not touristy, and off the beaten path: we had to walk several blocks from the T to get there.  As an experience, though, it could not be beat.  It is tiny and intimate, so much so that when we got there, we had to stand (there were no bar stools) at the bar to wait for a table.  When we were seated, we were seated at a table for four with another couple we did not know.  A two-man band was cranking out jigs and reels in one corner and they poured a pint of stout (Murphy's in this case) perfectly.  I also tried a Scottish ale, Bellhaven, that they had on draught.  And it was excellent.  Although a lighter ale, it was also gassed with nitrogen to give it the same kind of frothy head and creamy texture you would usually expect with a pint of Guinness or Murphy's.  The food at Matt Murphy's was amazing.  I started with potato and leek soup, which was excellent.  Then I had a sesame encrusted pork chop that was divine.  Perfectly cooked and tender, it was served with cabbage, roast potatoes, and a mustard drizzle.  I ate more of it than I should have because it was so good.  Lisa had shepherd's pie, but the beef, instead of being shredded or ground, was large chunks of the most succulent and tender pot roast you can imagine.  Our waitress and the bar man were Irish and if you sit in Matt Murphy's long enough, you'll forget what side of the pond you're on...

October 22, 2006 - Venice, Italy

AUTHOR'S NOTE 2018: This was the first of two days in Venice at the tail end of a Mediterranean cruise with a group from our church that had stopped at Athens, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Dubrovnik in Croatia before returning to Venice.

Ah Venice!  What an interesting place.  Truly like no other city in the world.  I hardly know where to begin.

We had an early breakfast this morning and left ship around 7.45-8.  After getting our bags, Father Jerry hired a porter and all our suitcases were taken to the hotel by boat while we walked!  At the hotel we checked in and checked our bags.  Then we hooked up with Jeff and Stephanie, who have become good friends this week.  Somehow, we figured out how to use the vaporetto to go down the Grand Canal to the Piazza San Marco.

Once there, our first visit was to the Doge's palace (the Doge was the Duke of Venice) for a long, but interesting, tour.  The palace was immense.  There were rows of columns and arches on the outer facade.  Inside were columns from the previous palace.  Most of the palace dates from the 16th century, the older palace replaced after a devastating fire.  It served not only as home to the Doge (the Doge's quarters consisted of several immense and ornate rooms), but also the seat of government.  Venice was governed as a republic, although and aristocratic one, through the middle ages and until Napoleon took over in 1797.  All of the nobles belonged to the council and there was also a senate that consisted only of the higher titled.  When the Doge died, his replacement was elected by the senate in conclave.  The buildings also contained space for the Council of Forty, which later broke into three subcommittees to regulate foreign affairs, military issues, and domestic law.  Their chambers also served, when needed, as court rooms.  In 1317, after an attempted coup, the Council of Ten was formed, which functioned as a state security service/secret police with its own room for trying suspected traitors.

Outer facade of the Doge's Palace

The most interesting features of the building included la Scala d'Oro, the Golden Staircase, consisting of grand stairs with intricate gold work on the arching ceiling overhead that ascended from the courtyard to the Doge's chambers.  One of the most impressive rooms was the Grand Gallery with maps painted on the walls and two immense 16th century (or possibly 17th) globes, one of the world and one a star map.  Equally impressive was the Grand Council chamber, one of the largest rooms in Europe.  Most rooms were decorated with gilded ceilings and paintings, Renaissance masterpieces, really, painted on the walls and ceilings.  The artwork alone in the palace is priceless.  Many of the paintings are either religious or depict scenes from Venetian history.  In the Grand Council chamber, around the top of the walls, were portraits of all the Doges.  Several paintings in the palace depict Doges with Christ or the saints, speaking the the legitimacy of the Doge's just rule.

The tour continued to the armory, which housed an enormous collection of old weapons - swords, crossbows, maces, old firearms, and some weapons that were combinations of firearms and maces or firearms and crossbows...  The tour ended by crossing the Bridge of Sighs and seeing what would be a prisoners last glimpse of Venice (Ah...  Venice) before touring the prison cells where he would have been incarcerated.

The Bridge of Sighs

 After touring the palace, we set out for lunch.  A place called Harry's Bar was recommended by our guide book and was famous for being a hangout of Ernest Hemingway.  However, lunch there was more expensive than dinner at most places, so we went to plan B - a restaurant also recommended in our guide book called Chat qui Rit.  This was a cafeteria style place with excellent and affordable food just north of the western end of Piazza San Marco.

Following lunch, we went back to the square which, by this time, was thronged with pigeons (that tourists are actually encouraged to feed!) and more people than I have ever seen at one place at one time.  It was a chore getting around and staying together.  Things were also complicated by the Venice marathon that was going on and therefore many areas along the Grand Canal and half the bridges were cordoned off for the runners.

Our next stop on the Piazza was Basilica San Marco (St. Mark's Basilica).  St. Mark is the patron saint of Venice, having been chosen in the 9th century to replace St. Theodore (a Byzantine saint who slew a dragon).  Legend has it that St. Mark was shipwrecked on one of the Venetian islands and an angel told him his body would find eternal rest here.  However, he died in Byzantium and his body was kept there after his death.  In the 800's, the Venetians stole the body from the church in the east and brought it to Venice, where it now rests in a tomb under the alter of the Basilica.  St. Mark became the patron of Venice and the lion, used as a symbol of the evangelist, is displayed throughout the city and on the flags of the Republic under the Doges.  In addition to venerating St. Mark's body, the basilica houses an impressive treasure room, most of which is Byzantine loot from the 4th crusade when crusaders sacked Byzantium (at the request of the Doge of Venice) rather than going to Jerusalem.  There were some beautiful chalices and icons.  In addition, there was a relics room which included a piece of the True Cross.  It was not very well marked, but I think I spotted it.

Piazza San Marco with Basilica, People, and Pigeons

The Church itself was gorgeous.  Even outside there were beautiful mosaics, but the artwork of the dome inside was stunning.  Gilded mosaics depicting the Ascension and Pentecost.  The floor was an amazing mosaic tile as well.  The structure itself was constructed of marble in a Byzantine style and dates back nearly a thousand years [1071].

After seeing the Basilica, we stopped for some truly amazing gelato and cappuccino at a little cafe near St. Mark's Square before taking the vaporetto back to our hotel.

About half of us from the Church group that stayed in Venice (some flew home as soon as the cruise was over) went to dinner together in the evening.  Father Marty speaks fluent Italian and, with luck, we were able to find a place on the other side of the canal from our hotel that could seat all of us without a reservation called Trattoria Provoleda.  The restaurant had colour coded menus for men and women - they were the same on the inside, except the women's menu had no prices!  We were able to dine al fresca, it was a beautiful evening, and the food was fantastic.  Lisa and I both had the house white wine (which was good), appetizers of prosciutto and melon, and pizza Margherita (pizza with cheese and tomato).  The prosciutto was to die for and the pizza was truly the best I have ever had with a very thin, traditional, crust.  The company, atmosphere, and conversation were wonderful and in truth it could not have been a more enjoyable evening.

April 9, 2006 - San Diego, California

AUTHOR'S NOTE 2018: The annual American Academy of Neurology meeting brought us to San Diego for the first time.  Billy and Amy were neurology residents with me at the University of Virginia Medical Center in the late 1990's and Academy meetings are always a fun time to catch up with our friends from our time at Mr. Jefferson's hospital.

We leave San Diego today.  Unfortunately, our flight is late and that, plus the time change, is going to make tomorrow morning rough...

We had a wonderful day yesterday.  The weather was perfect, best we've had all week.  We rented a car with Billy and Amy and drove to Coronado and Point Loma.  Coronado is technically a peninsula, connected to the mainland by the, "Silver Strand," but the best way to get there from the city is by the Coronado bridge.  Once there, it is a sleepy small town within sight (and easy drive or boat ride) of downtown San Diego.  It has a beautiful beach and on this beach is the Hotel del Coronado - a grand 1855 hotel that is enormous and ornate.  It served as the set for the Marilyn Monroe picture, Some Like it Hot.  We got some ice cream there, with real raspberries on top, which was delicious.

From Coronado, we drove to Point Loma.  There is a national park at the end of the point that is just beautiful.  The view of San Diego, Coronado, and Mexico from there is breath taking.  We took some great pictures there and watched both fighter planes returning to the Navy air base as well as cruise ships leaving port.  It was fun.

Then, we finished up at Sally's, a waterfront restaurant attached to the Marriott hotel, where we had quite good crab cakes and wine and watched the sun set before Billy and Amy had to leave to catch the Red Eye flight back to Washington, D.C.  It was a fun day.

Hotel Del Coronado

Point Loma

September 16, 2005 - Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland

Today is our 5th anniversary (although we will be celebrating tomorrow).  Yesterday, we went to Ross Castle.  Built in the 15th century as a tower fort and residence to protect from cattle raids, it was just a ruin when the Irish government acquired it in 1973.  They have done a fantastic job restoring it, using other forts of the same era as a guide.  The construction is quite clever doors with metal studs on the outside, a murder hole in the second floor guards' room and uneven steps to discourage invaders.

From Ross Castle, we took a boat to an island in the middle of the lower lake called Innisfallen.  There are ruins of a a monastery of the same name there.  Though the ruins date to the 13th century, the monastery was founded by St. Finian in the 7th century.  In the the 13th century, the community became Augustinian and one of the greatest illuminated manuscripts, the Annals of Innisfallen (a history of Ireland), was written around that time.  The order also ran a school and Brian Boru was educated there.  The lakes of Killarney are beautiful and the island is quite peaceful.  There is a trail around the island we were able to walk.  The island is covered with Irish ferns and there are deer on the island, although we didn't see any of the latter.

Ruins of the Monastery at Innisfallen

In the afternoon, we went to Muckross House and Gardens, a Victorian-era manor.  It was nice, but not as interesting and by afternoon it had started to rain (whereas the morning had been gorgeous).

Last night, we went to a pub called Danny Mann's.  The band was excellent and played all the drinking song standards (Whiskey in the Jar, Wild Rover, Black Velvet Band) - but again, the patrons were all tourists and in our side of the bar there were speakers and video screen showing the band playing on the other side.  All too slick and put together.

Today, we had quite an adventure.  We drove an hour and a half to Portmagee where we got on a boat to the island of Skellig Michael.  It was a beautiful day today, but the ocean was choppy getting out there and back.  On the way back, Lisa and I got to stand in the cabin of the boat while the others had to put water proofs on.  The Skellig itself was quite impressive.  The view was incredible.  The climb to the top of of the island was very steep and very tiring.  At times I didn't think I would make it, even though there were stone steps.  I was also afraid I would be petrified of coming down, but as it turns out, the descent was not quite so scary as I thought.

At the top is a monastery founded in 588 and housing monks until 1222.  The monastery is very well preserved with two chapels, the abbot's home, and monastic cells all intact.  They are all just beehive huts made of stone, without mortar.  The newer chapel was about 3 paces in diameter.  The cells were about half that size and would have accommodated 2 or 3 monks each.

The courage and fortitude of those souls that voyaged out there in a boat made of animal skins stretched across a wooden frame and maintained a community there for centuries is astounding.  Oh, to have that degree of faith!  It was a breathtaking, renewing, and sometimes harrowing experience!

[AUTHOR'S NOTE 2018: Fans of Star Wars may recognize Skellig Michael as the planet on which Luke Skywalker was found hiding at the end of Star Wars Episode VII, The Force Awakens.  The Force did ineed run strong in this place...]

July 4, 2003 - Broughty Ferry, Scotland

Independence Day.

Lisa and I arrived in Scotland yesterday by train.  It was a about a four hour train ride from York to Dundee.  The countryside was beautiful - farms and rolling hills.  Although I missed most of it.  Since the train left York at 7.35, I napped.  However we did cross the Firth of Forth on a railroad bridge, which was beautiful.  Dundee is just on the other side of a smaller bay to the north called the Firth of Tay.  The weather has been glorious since we arrived in Scotland.  Sunny and mild.

We met Lisa's Uncle Peter, Aunt Anne, and cousin Seumas, at a place in Broughty Ferry (a small town just outside Dundee), called the Fisherman's Tavern, for lunch.  Lisa and I had haddock with chips and it was quite good.  Seumas is about my brother John's age and had just finished high school (that day, I believe) and they went out to lunch to celebrate.

Then we took a walk around Broughty Ferry, which is a delightful little town.  You can walk to everything and everyone knows everyone.  Peter and Anne live in an old house, built in about 1820, that looks right out on the Firth of Tay.  Down the street from their house is the ruin of a 15th century castle.  We also walked to an Italian coffee shop for excellent cappuccino.

Broughty Ferry Castle

Last night, we went back to the Fisherman's Tavern.  Apparently every Thursday night they have local music - area musicians just show up and play for free.  Sometimes it is only a handful of musicians, but last night there must have been 15 or 20.  There were fiddlers, Highland pipes, the drums the Irish call bodrhain (I don't know what the Scots call them), tin whistles, flutes, and even an accordion.  There was also a musician from Peru playing a 12-stringed instrument from his local country that looked like an ukulele and he joined right in with the Celtic music!  The music was splendid with lots of jigs and reels similar to Irish music.  There were also rebel songs, but I wasn't familiar with any of those, and at one point, "Scotland the Brave," was going on the bagpipes.

At the pub, we met Peter and Anne's friends and colleagues, Jerry and Kerry.  They were quite nice and fun to talk to.  Some others we didn't know (including one gentleman we couldn't understand) came over to say hello, realizing we were Americans.  We were made quite welcome.  I was drinking a Scottish beer called, "Sixty Shilling," that was quite good.  It was black like a porter with a thick head.  It was smooth to drink like Guinness, but much lighter.  Very tasty.  In all, it was a fabulous evening.  We have been having a wonderful trip, but that was by far the best experience.

Today we had another wonderful day.  The weather is still perfect.  In the morning, we went to Glamis castle, home to the late Queen Mother.  It is on beautiful grounds and has been in the Bowes-Lyon family since the 1400's.  It has been added on to since the the original medieval fortress and much of the interior is Elizabethan and some of it Victorian.  It is as if you walk from the 1400's to the Victorian era over just a few rooms.  Shakespeare set the murder of Duncan by Macbeth at Glamis, although in reality, the events of Macbeth take place approximately 400 years before the current castle was constructed.

Glamis Castle

After Glamis, we went to St. Andrew's, one of the most beautiful towns I have ever seen.  We had a picnic lunch in the ruins of what was once an immense 15th century cathedral - with a mix of Norman and Gothic styles.  It was built on the site of an earlier 12th century church, the tower of which is still standing.  Lisa and I walked to the top of the tower and the view from there was magnificent!  Below you are the cathedral ruins and you have a spectacular vista of the North Sea.  Facing the sea, off to the left is the ruin of St. Andrew's castle and with your back to the sea, you look at the gorgeous campus of the University of St. Andrew's.  We also took some pictures at the 18th green of the old golf course.

The 18th green at Old St. Andrew's

 From St. Andrew's, we went to the small fishing village of Crail.  Also a beautiful place.  We walked along the shore of the Firth of Forth to a little pottery store that Adam and Shannon (Lisa's brother and sister-in-law) raved about from their trip there two years ago.  They did have some beautiful things.

Crail

 Tonight, for U.S. Independence Day, Peter and Anne are taking us to dinner at a restaurant in Arbroath and tomorrow we plan to tour Edinburgh.

In addition to the "Sixty," I have sampled other local foods, such as Scottish porridge for breakfast this morning and Arbroath smokies, which are smoked haddock, for dinner last night (apparently these were a favourite of the late Queen Mother).

July 9, 2002 (0645 hours) - Arnstein, Ontario, Canada

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The following represents about 45 minutes of continued observation from the dock at the lake front of my grandparent's cottage.

I woke early this morning.  It remains overcast following yesterday's rain and still.

I went down to the lake to sit. The water was perfectly still under the grey sky, giving it the appearance of obsidian.  The baritone croak of a bullfrog could be heard intermittently to my right.  All around a variety of songbirds chirped incessantly and discordantly, creating a cacophony of sound reminiscent of an orchestra tuning. To my left, a crow or raven cawed, but I could not see him.

Off to the right, two loons have just come around the large rock that juts out from the shore and has so oft served as a fishing point in years past.  They swim gracefully and silently along, not disturbing the peacefulness of the morning with their haunting call.  One dives underwater in search of food while the other stands watch.  He (or she) remains submerged for a full minute with each dive and emerges several metres away from his original locations (loons swim far better than they fly).  They are directly in front of me now.

On the far shore of the lake, a light fog presses down on the treetops.  To the right, almost midway between the fishing rock and the far shore, rests a small island - an island that I swam or paddled to many times as a child and was the source of whimsical adventure and exploration.  The island is mostly rock with some evergreens whose branches always point to my left (the east), reflecting the prevailing direction of the wind over decades.  It and the far south shore are reflected perfectly in the smooth, still, water.

The bullfrog continues to croak and the birds continue to chirp as the second loon starts making dives.  They are now off to my left; the original diver is still close to my shore, the second loon some distance away and now closer to the far shore. 

The trees behind me are still wet from yesterday's rain and occasionally I hear the soft landing of raindrops that drip from their leaves.

The loons have rejoined each other way off to my left and two-thirds of the way toward the far shore.  The drops continue to patter from the trees behind me.  The bullfrog still announces his presence to my left and the crow or raven still caws to my right.  The birds are fewer now, singing one at a time like soloists in a jazz improv session.

As I gaze across the perfectly still lake and look up into the grey morning sky, I hear for the first time this morning the four note song of the bird known colloquially as the, "O Canada," bird.

It is morning on Seagull Lake, and I am at peace.

Seagull Lake at dawn with island in the distance and fishing rock on the right

                                  

July 5, 2002 - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

A long, but fun, day.  We left Hanover (Maryland) at 8.15 AM and checked into our hotel at 6 PM - not bad considering we stopped for gas twice, stopped for lunch (Fry's Turkey Ranch in Steam Valley, PA - I hadn't been there in years, but still had my usual turkey BBQ sandwich) and had slow crossings at the border and at the Grand Island bridge.  We split the driving - I drove as far as the Turkey Ranch and Lisa drove the rest of the way.  It's been a long time since I have come to the Falls by car, but it was nice to pass some of the old familiar places (the baseball card shop is still there in Williamsport, PA!).

After checking into our hotel, we went for our free dinner at TGIFriday's (included with our two day package) and then strolled down Clifton Hill to the Falls.

Niagara Falls never ceases to inspire wonder.  Its appearance is breathtaking and its power is mighty.  We stopped walking about midway between Clifton Hill and the Horseshoe Falls, having a good view of it and the American Falls.  They sky was clear.  The sun was low in the west, but still bright.  There was a gentle breeze and closer to the Horseshoe Falls you could feel the cool mist off the falls.  The temperature was a moderate 70 degrees F - a far cry from the 100 degree temperatures we had in Baltimore yesterday.  Admiring the view from the midway point, I tuned out the lights and the buildings behind me and focused on the flowing water with its gentle roar, the clear blue sky, and the gulls flying in the gorge.  I imagined the scene centuries ago when the Falls were first seen by those trappers and voyageurs exploring the rugged and untamed North American continent.  What awe it must have inspired then.

We walked down to the brink and watched, mesmerized, as gallons and gallons of water whisked by and over the edge.  Then we walked up past the Falls toward the power plant. 

It grew dark as we walked back again and we picked a spot between the two Falls to stop.  A band played behind us and we watched as lights were shone on the Falls - red, blue, purple, green, and yellow in alternating patterns.  I am so glad Lisa and I chose to make this trip (to Arnstein Ontario) by car and stop at the Falls.  The only time Lisa had been here before was for Jack's (my great-grandfather, or more accurately  my great-grandmother's second husband) funeral last August and we were only here for a few hours.  She really seemed to enjoy hanging out at the Falls tonight, watching the lights.  We miss the Falls flying directly into North Bay...

After dark (10 PM) there was a brief, but impressive, fireworks display, which was a nice finale to the evening.  Then we trudged, exhausted, back to our hotel after a long day!