A history conference in the Rochester area was on our calendar and as always, became a great excuse to do some additional sightseeing. My husband and I packed our car the night before and then joined the early morning commuters on the highway. Our pre-sunrise departure allowed us to arrive just as The George Eastman…
Millions of visitors each year make their way to view the spectacular Niagara Falls. If you’re looking for something else to do in the Niagara area the Welland Canal is just 15 minutes or so from the falls and is a fascinating way to spend some time watching ships, large and small, pass through the…
Day #8 Monday, June 3, 2019 Free breakfast at the Quality Inn for me consisted of Raisin Bran and coffee. It was our last day on the road. Leaving New York behind us we drove into the little sliver of Pennsylvania that touches the lakeshore. Rory and Kay had previously been to a little place…
Day #7 Sunday, June 2, 2019 Breakfast at the Butterfly Manor began at 8 a.m. and started with yogurt, orange juice and coffee followed by scrambled eggs, sausages, and toast. Also on our breakfast plate, a bit of an oddity, a salad. The young couple running this house were very sweet and accommodating. They did…
At 3 a.m. I was awakened by a loud humming. Excited to see what was happening, I went out onto our balcony. It was the middle of the night and on my side of the street everything was dark and quiet. I stood alone on my balcony watching the scene at the lock. Lights blazed.…
Day #5 Friday, May 31, 2019 I woke at dawn and slipped out onto our hotel balcony. A ship had entered the lock from the north. I had not seen it enter and it was hidden by the lock walls. I was unable to tell if it was a small boat or a big ship.…
Day #4 Thursday, May 30, 2019 Breakfast at the Idlewyld Inn in London was not your typical free hotel breakfast. There were no Styrofoam cups or plastic forks here. No powdered eggs. No Fruit Loops. Entering the elegant breakfast room we were greeted by a friendly hostess and tables set with white tablecloths, cloth napkins…
Day #3: Wednesday, May 29, 2019 It was raining when we left the Sea Cliff Inn but I wasn’t concerned. As I always tell my husband “It never rains on my vacation.” He laughs at that claim. But it doesn’t rain on my vacations. Or at least it doesn’t rain at any time that matters.…
I had recently taken an interest in the Underground Railroad after discovering that my great-great grandfather had been named after the escaped slave and abolitionist, William Parker. One of the routes of the Underground Railroad also passed very near my home. I knew the story of the Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania and Ohio. It would…
I had not expected my phone to work once we crossed into Canada. I also didn’t expect that to be a problem. I never call anyone while on vacation and I would have Wifi available each evening so my family could contact me through e-mail or Messenger if they needed me. It turned out that…
It was our longtime friends, Rory and Kay, who first proposed the idea of making a drive to circumnavigate the entire 629-mile coastline of Lake Erie. For a few months the idea floated in the back of our heads. We juggled the maybes and kicked around the how-tos. The pondering and possibilities grew until one…
