Canadian sojourn: Thunderbay and around

This summer we took a one week vacation to the town of Thunderbay in Canada. Thunderbay is a town in the state of Ontario close to the US border, and on the banks of one of the Five Great Lakes: the Lake Superior. Our week long trip there was more a family trip, visiting relatives but we did some touristy stuff there too. And it turned out to be such a delightful place! Was quite a welcome surprise!

Thunderbay is quite a small town, with a population of about a lakh or so. So with so few people around, you can imagine how much untouched beauty there would be, specially given how much Canada is known for its natural beauty? Huge pretty houses with well maintained lawns, just staying there is an undefinable luxury.

Just next to where we were staying was a ski trail through the jungles, which during winters is used for cross country skiing, and in the summer is good for walks in the woods. The jungle was dense, with some small wildlife like jackrabbits, bears, hedgehogs and different types of birds. The walks in those woods were the best part of the days, Quiet walks with just nature around..

Stunning views of the jungle and around. And scary too, especially if you hear about how dangerous the bears there could be! We many times did find the bear paw prints too, but managed to avoid any encounter with them:)!

Of the places to see nearby, we visited the Kakabekka falls one evening. (A lot of the names in this area are the original Red Indian names itself, and sound quite different!). The falls were not huge, but so pretty and calm. (I think after the lack of calmness in the last falls we had seen, Niagara, this place seemed like heaven). The area around was green and the pleasant weather added to the perfect ambience! The water in the falls was yellow in colour due to the minerals flowing through them. Here are some photos.. showing the surreal ethereal beauty of this area...

Our second touristy visit was to the Ouimet Canyon. It is a 100 feet deep canyon and the interesting fact about this Canyon is that the vegetation at the bottom is Tundra vegetation which is found at much higher latitudes, in the Arctic region. This is so because the plants at the bottom of the canyon never get sunlight and so have the characteristics of those growing in the Tundra region without sunlight.

Within the canyon also is this natural rock formation, similar to a human figure and was formed over the centuries by water and wind.

We also went to see the Mount Mckay Lookout, which is one of the highest mountain in the area. It is also an Indian reserve where the Indians are allowed to stay as they want without interference from the Canadian government. It was interesting to know how the reserve functions: the Indians who stay there don't pay taxes, and are not governed by the normal laws of the state. They are even allowed to run casinos in the reserve! The view from the top of the mountain was pretty, you could see the entire city from the top, as well as the Sleeping Giant park and the Lake Superior. The Lake Superior is near the city, and apparently there are lot of water based activities to do there which we were not able to do.

Other than that we also visited a cheesefarm, which was a normal Canadian animal farm. The whole visit was very relaxing and fun. And am definitely impressed with Canada, such pristine beauty at every turn! Am sure a lot more Canadian trips are to follow soon:)

Niagara and Finger Lakes region

The Niagara Falls are the largest falls in the world, and located on the border of US and Canada, on the Niagara river. The drive from New York to the Falls is about 7-8 hours, while its much closer from Toronto, about an hour or so. They are one of the most popular places visited by tourists who come to New York and we also saw the falls this summer, from the US side of the border itself.

We drove till the Falls from New York, passing through upstate New York and the state of Pennsylvania. The drive was pretty, especially because it was summer. Lush greenery everywhere, mountains covered with a carpet of green, in varying hues and shades. If the sun is out, the drive becomes a bit too bright, but on a cloudy covered days, its just wonderful to drive through this area. You pass small lakes and drive next to rivers and so on.. The drive sometimes gets too boring and sleepy, but that I think would be true of any long highway drives in western countries. To be truly attentive and awake at all times, you need to drive on the Indian highways I guess, where you don't know when a cow or a goat or a child comes on the road, you do not know:)

Once at the town of Niagara, the place to go is the New York State Reservation on the US side or the Queen Victoria Park on the Canada side. Apparently the view from the Canada side is better, but we did not get a chance to see the Canadian side.

So once at the Reservation Center on the US side, the first realization you have it that it is a proper touristy place! People, shops, eating places, hotels, high rises everywhere! Its just all around you! And the second realisation is the number of Indian tourists there! My guess would be that more than 50% of the tourists there are Indians! Anyways the park is well maintained, green and covered with flowers: good to sit around in the park and view the falls from.

There are a couple of good view points in the park to view the two falls: the Horseshoe Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls.  One from the park itself, one from a viewpoint tower and another from the Goat Island. The falls look regal from each of these viewpoints and are a pleasure to see (and hear!). Here are some photographs of how majestic the falls look from these places!

There are two activities which are popular here: the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds. Maid of the Mist is a ride in a huge boat which takes you near both the Horseshoe falls as well as the Bridal Veil Falls.

Its soo surreal there, under the falls where you see the full force of the water falling from above you! The whole region is misty here, the sounds are loud and the feeling dreamy! The boat feels so small in front of the huge falls, and while there you also see multiple rainbows along the falls. Other than that, you can walk upto the bottom of the falls and in some caves there, to get a more real feel of the water falling from above: this is called the Cave of the Winds. We did not get a chance to do that though.

After the stop at the Falls, we drove towards the Finger Lakes area and stayed there for the night. This area has a couple of big and small lakes, shaped like fingers.. The area is very very pretty, with small villages here and there, holiday homes on the lakes and a true vacation spot. The whole area also has a very English countryside feel to it, with many old British bungalows in this area.

We stayed in an old Victorian house here, with gardens and flowers all around. We also drove around the Canandaigua lake, a huge elongated lake running for miles. The drive next to the lake took us through winding narrow roads, lined with summer homes of the rich and the wealthy! There was greenery around, with cattle grazing here and there, the typical idyllic English countryside... Sublime and relaxing.. totally serene and calming..! We also visited one of the small villages around for a short stop to see a local town fair and then the pretty drive home!

Fairy tale world at Disneyland

Disneyland is one place which since a kid I have had dreams of visiting, and somehow it always felt just too far away, in a different world altogether, unreachable... And even though I had the opportunity to visit the Disneyworlds in Hong Kong or Paris, it always never happened. Guess for a reason! 

So that I could see the real thing, even if too late in life:). And there it was, the place we've seen in countless movies and photographs, and imagined ourselves there..Finally.. I was there! For real!! Seeing that fairy tale world in brick and the cartoon characters of those childhood days walking all around you everywhere.. What an out of this world experience it was!

Disneyland in Orlando is a world by itself. There are some five-six differently theme parks all spread out in a huge area. 

And all these Disney Parks are linked with Disney's own personal rail and ferry system. There is also an area called Disney Downtown, which is the perfect place for the evenings; to spend time at the shops and restaurants relaxing after a long day at the park! 

And then there are multiple Disney Resorts also located nearby, where you can stay near the parks themselves and enjoy a Disney theme based environ. 

When you approach towards the Disney area, you get an idea about how huge this whole project is and why everyone who comes to the US does end up visiting this place! The Parks are just so huge, and amazing! You can spend many many days just enjoying all the different kind of fun and entertainment they offer. It makes sense to go to more than one of these parks if you have the time. And of course try to spend as much time in each as possible.

Anyways we had just one day, so we went to Magic Kingdom. So let me just start with how the experience of that day was. Disneyland is slightly out of the city. You drive there and park in a massive parking space giving you enough of an idea how many people to expect! You then take the mini train to the ticket counter. Beyond that, you have the option of taking the ferry or the overhead train to the island which is the Magic Kingdom. The first view that you get of the island is of the castle and what an impressive view it is. The whole buildup feels so fantasy-like, you are already at a high by the time you land in the park!

One thing to remember of course when you go there, is that this is a theme park for children, not for adults! So no hair raising scary rides, just plain old-fashioned good fun! Initially we did make this mistake, expecting phenomenal rides, but slowly we got into the mood and once we were fully in the fantasy childhood they had created, we had a blast.. Like children who enjoy the small and fun things around, anything new is enjoyable!

Anyways, once in, you will be bombarded with different sights everywhere, with you trying to take in as much as possible. The moment we entered, a musical show was being shown on the stage in front of the castle. All the Disney characters were there, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Daisy and Donald Duck, Cinderalla and her Prince, Snow White and her Prince and Aladdin and his princess. They all sang and danced and performed, and mesmerised us. And this was just the beginning...

Thereafter we started walking around the compound, through colourfully decorated roads, as if out of a fairytale, characters walking around and rides and experiences everywhere. Most of the rides are fit for kids, so they are not really scary. And many of those rides are based on a  different cartoon character. 

The whole park is divided into 6 main areas, all based on different themes:

Main Street, USA : This is the first street that you walk on when you enter. They have grand buildings on both side, which houses shops to buy Disneyware. There are also multiple restaurants in this area, as well as the Disney rail to take you to the different parts of the park.

Adventureland: You can walk around a sample treehouse built in this area. We also went to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, which takes you in a boat through scenes from the movie, and tableux of various characters of the movie. Outside, you also have a person impersonating Jack Sparrow and giving out tips on how to be a good pirate!

Frontierland: The Splash Mountain was the best of the rides we did in Disneyland. The boat takes you through Brer Rabbit's place, and then splashes you into water from a height! 

In the same section is also the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, similar to a mine train through the old west. Its a rickety ride, and scary for kids probably. 

Liberty Square: The haunted mansion was a bit of a let down though! There are some 999 ghosts in this mansion, and all different types. Some moving in paintings, some appearing out of thin air and then vanishing away.. This house is quite well designed, So worth a look still but not at all scary:)!!

Fantasyland is completely for kids, with Snow Whites adventures and Cinderalla's world and so on. We skipped this section entirely:) but I guess with children around, you do have an excuse to see those kiddy rides too:).

Tomorrowland: The Space Mountain was an indoor rollar coaster, where you zoom on without being able to see anything! The Spaceranger Spin was part of toy story, where you shoot some of the aliens. Both rides were just ok.

As I said, the rides were not really out of this world, but the whole experience was! Other than the rides, you have the cartoon characters walking around here and there. We saw Winnie the Pooh and also photographed ourselves with Mickey and Minnie. There was an all day party happening where Goofy and Pluto were on the stage teaching the crowds dance moves from the 40s to the 90s! 

There is generally a long line for all the major attractions, but you can use the Fastpass to  work out your rides more efficiently. We went on a weekday and the place was still full. So I guess whenever you go, you will always find crowds there. Filled with children and the adults trying to keep them under control!!

There are also two parades which happen within the park, one in the afternoon and a lighted one in the evening. They were both mesmerising, with singing and dancing and music; and definitely not to be missed. All the characters walking past you on decorated trailers. It was just so mesmerizing to see all these childhood characters dance and walk past you all dressed up! Here are some snapshots from the two parades....

The castle in the center is the main spot of all these activities. In the evening you have the fireworks just behind the castle and the place looks like from another world. They also have a musical show where they showcase photos on the castle from all day long. 

The whole Park is lighted up at night, like a dream.. By this time, the whole world around you becomes so fascinating and lovable.. Its just amazing, how this place transports you to your childhood.. You are just dazed by this time.. in a different zone... 

The whole day was so tiring but still at the end, you still want to see a little bit more, experience a little bit more! I enjoyed every bit of my time here.. What a day it was, something to remember forever.. As they say at the Park, 'Let the memories begin...'.

Florida: Sun, sand and drives...

Our trip to Florida was more of a cross country driving trip than a touristy one. Miles and miles, you drive on.. passing by towns and cities and what not.. Landscapes which keep changing from dry lands to thickly forested areas.. and the roads cutting through them.. Guess now I know what American road trips would be like! Long and expanded travels, from one scenery to another...

This road trip started in Orlando, in Florida upto the Keys through Miami and then back through Florida, Georgia and North Carolina to Durham. So essentially we did cover half the east coast (I guess!). 

Anyways our first stop was Orlando. There wasn't much to see in the city though, the downtown was as boring as it can get. We did walk around through their cafes and the famous Eola lake park. We also took the free hop-on hop-off bus shuttles running around the downtown area. The town just seemed so dead! I guess Orlando is just famous for the numerous theme parks it offers, some five or more Disneyland parks, Universal studios, Waterworld and so on. There isn't much else to do there other than these! Of these, we visited the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland and what an out of this world experience that was! I guess a repeat trip of Orlando is for sure, to see the other parks it has to offer.

After a day in Orlando, we drove on across Florida to the beach and party town of Miami. The best part of Miami I guess was the drive till there! South Florida is quite densely populated especially the areas next to the sea, and quite a rich population too. Looks like all the loaded people like to have a winter home in this area; away from the work world, in this world of sea, sun and relaxation!

Instead of driving on the interstates, we took the smaller roads and those were all along the sea. We did get down at some beaches too on the way, all sunny and isolated, with the whole beach to yourself. Ah, what a life.. Especially when you have just landed from a cold and snowy New York! This whole route is dotted with beach houses and mansions, all reflecting the wealth of the people who stay here. You can feel it in the air...  

The drive was quite enchanting, and then you reach the Palm Beach area which gets even more rich. The drive from then on is laced with huge palaces, of the rich and the famous. They were so huge, so well decorated, at night you can even see the lights and how well done they all are. Was good to drive through it all:)!!

Miami was a let down though (or guess we did not do it enough justice!). We stopped in Miami just for a couple of hours, and walked on South Beach which is the party area of the town. It surely is, but it felt too loud for our tastes. So after a round of the area, we just left the city. On the whole though, Miami feels like a commercial touristy place, rather than a nice vacation place. Do not like!

Anyways the next two days were spent in the Keys which is the southmost tip of Florida. The keys are a group of some 100 or so islands, all pretty small but connected with bridges. This whole area is geared towards a nice lazy vacation! A few beaches, lots of eating places, diving, snorkeling, swimming with the dolphins and the sea lions and such water based activities. There are umpteen types of water sports around, and the best of course would be to rent a boat and go around island hopping! And of course driving on and on over and onto island after island is something else the islands offer.

We did not do most of it though:), we were more looking to just having a nice relaxed vacation! Lazy beach time! Though the beaches were the toughest to find! Anyways, the first day we drove along the islands, and spent some time on Anne's beach (which wasn't much of a beach though!). The water was shallow though, which was nice.. And of course the emerald colour which so entices the water lover! We also stopped at a couple of haunts on the way, including at the the world's best Tiki bar. They had live music playing in the evening, which was just perfect.. Sitting next to the beach, watching the sunset and live music playing with people dancing to it. Isn't that the perfect end to a vacation day?

The next day we did some more stuff though, all inspired from the Frommers Guide! First we went snorkelling which was good. There is a lot of aquatic life to see, and we even saw a turtle swimming there! The area was better for diving though, as at some places it was too deep to see much during snorkelling. 

We went to a cafe where you can see and feed the tarpons for a dollar! Was interesting, and this is how they look! Mind you though, feeding them can get a bit scary!

The next stop for the day was the Sombrero beach, which was just perfect for relaxing! We saw the sunset there, next to the palm trees. Even saw a person catch a baby shark! and skin it!! 

In the evening afterwards we finished at the Lorelai cafe (again from Frommers), and it was so pretty (and cheap!)!!! Good food, great location next to the sea, pleasant lighting, sounds of the waves coming in and awesome music to complement it all! Was another relaxing evening spent next to the sea. Sad though that places close down so early in the Keys, they all close down at 10pm itself!!

During the two days, we drove a lot also around the Keys, which was pretty.. Driving through narrow connected islands. Sometimes you can see the sea on both sides, and sometimes you are just on a bridge connecting two islands! Both sides there are islands splattered here or there.. Might even be better to take a boat and go to all the islands. Also we could not go to Key West, so that's for next time I guess:).

Anyways the last day was just the drive back across Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. We took the interstates for faster commute. Stopped at the standard eating haunts, IHOP, Waffle Place, Subways, Taco Bells and all. The landscape wasn't as interesting with the interstates as it had been with the smaller routes, so was just a usual drive across the country, from one landscape to another.. Anyways guess we had seen and done enough, and all we wanted to do was go home and rest.. !