New York City - The Big Apple

Only a very short stay in NYC, one afternoon and one night before our tour departs. June's priority was to visit the 911 Memorial. This is a ticketed event with crowds of people and security jut like an airport. Construction on the sitet is well advanced as can be seen from ths photo.

The memorial consisys of a well designed park to facilitate quite meditation and there are signs asking for people's respect and consideration. The main feature of the park consists of two very large waterfall fountains which are located on the footprint of the twin towers. Could not fit into one photo. Around the walls of the waterfalls are nscibed the names of the victims, not only from Neww York, but also from the other sites eg pentagon and Philadelphia - including the victims from the much earlier attempt on the buildings.

June sitting in the memorial park in respectful reflection.

Brian with the Survivors Tree - the tree that survived- has been carefully nurtured and replanted,

A compulsory visit to Times Square. Very very crowded and busy - it is the city that doesn't sleep

Some of the local characters.

Bright lights everywhere. Fans of Spiderman well catered for.

We found a place in Times Square to have meal - we leave for Washington DC early in the morning.

Boston Photos

We spent three very busy and enjoyable three days in Boston ( 31st July, 1st & 2nd August) a very beautiful and historic city. They celebrate the start of their independance from the English.There are many tourists there and they all - including us -walk the Freedom Trail - highlighting the journey to Independance.

 

The must do "hop on hop off trolly tour started on the harbour foreshore right near our hotel.

This is the USS Constitution the oldest commissioned war ship in the US Navy. Interesting tour of the ship with serving sailors in period costume. The ship is based in an historic naval dockyard which is now a National Park.

An interesting innovation - a speed boat witrh wheels. Easy to launch and land.

The compulsory amphibious bus ride in Boston harbour.

Boston is a large and very busy city - huge emphasis on Education - University campus everywhere including the famous Cambridge District where Harvard is located. There are many tourists in Boston with lots of things to see and do. Traffic is horrendous - much larger and busier than Sydney

A city view from the harbour - I took many photos - too many to put here.

I had a beer next to Carla in the Cheers Replica bar in Boston. June & I also had dinner there. Very pleasant.

We spent a considerable amount of time in the Museum of Science. Highlight was the planetarium - too complex to start to explain here but it was a spectacular show. Also had an interesting discussion with the presenter of the session on climate change after his session was completed.(June made me promise not to ask questions or comment during the session.) I was able to make some very important points to him, quite politely about his incorrect use of graphs and statistics. He had no answer - he just smiled - slightly embarrased.

Mauritizios may have closed in Wetherill Park but his Boston branch is doing very nicely.

The Amtrak electric locomotive taking us to the next stage of our adventure - New York City.

June sitting comfortably in Business Class.

Train had WIFI so Becky and June shared some Face Time at speed.

 Some photos of our overnight stay in Portland on the Bay Maine on the way to Boston.

Spectacular view from our hotel room in Portland - Holiday Inn by Hilton

Portland is very similar to The Rocks in Sydney.

We decided to do a sunset cruise on this vessel.

Sun starting to set.

Sunset over Casco Bay Portland

Night view from our hotel room.

June relaxing in a very comfortable hotel room in Portland. Next day we are off to Boston to return our car, spend three days in Boston and then off to New York to start our coach tour to the southern part of USA.

Photos of our stay with Nicole in St John New Brunswick Canada.

Approaching St John Harbour from the sea.

Cruise ships regularly visit St John. We had to share the city with 3000 plus cruising tourists

Nicole, looking as beautiful as we remeber her, taking June shopping in the Harbourside market.

Brian & June photographed with some St John characters

Nicole took us to the Reversing Falls

Tourists take speed boats up the falls. This can only happen when the incoming tides are equal to the river flow out. When the outgoing tide is matched with the river out flow it is a different matter.

Brian at play in the St John Hotel pool area

Giant water slide

Brian at top

Brian at bottom

Appropriate protective dress when eating at a Ribbs restaurant in St John

Nicole cooked us a bar -b-que lunch at her holiday cottage - delicious

June & Nicole doing a river crossing on a small vehicle ferry to Catons Island where  her son Austin,  is a camp counsellor.Unfortunately for us and the young campers it was a wet day. After this June and I left the next day for  Portland on the Bay in Maine USA.

We arrived safe and sound in Boston on 31st July after 3,500 miles through USA and Canada - no dents or scratches on the car. All clear on return. Quite a relief and only two close calls.

Spent three days in Boston - a beautiful city but the traffic is horrendous and they are quite aggressive drivers who use their horns too much. They continually block intersections, run red lights and cut in on others. I was so very grateful I survived driving into Boston and safely returning the rental car. I will post photos of Boston later in chronological order after Canada photos.

Have been behind on the blog due to computer and internet problems.

We are off to New York City tomorrow by Amtrak Train.

I will post some photos of our days in Halifax with Amy and will try to do another post tonight after dinner of our days in St John with Nicole.

 The road to Halifax from Sydney Nova Scotia - coastal road - very picturesque.

 We stayed in a very historic old hotel  in Halifax - lots of antiques, including our bed.

We met up with Amy and her partner Robin for dinner on the Halifax waterfront. Note the Rotary memorial in the paving.

 We had dinner in a very nice restaurant called "The Bicycle Thief" - Italian Cuisine.

 Amy doing what she likes best.

I cant work out why the following shots came out sideways

 -Following day, Amy took us to Peggy's Cove - quite a famous place for the lighthouse and the scene of a Swiss Airline disaster. June and Amy with me at Peggy's Cove

Another view of the surrounds at Peggy's Cove

A nice relaxing stop for lunch at White sails Diner with great views

Halifax Harbour ( Photos are out of sequence - I don't know why!)

 

The fishing village at Peggy's Cove

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the scenerary at Halifax waterfront

June and Amy with our very outgoing guide on the Harbour Hopper

Roof top dining in Halifax

Amy's house from the front

Inside of Amy's house with renovations quite evident

 The River at the bottom of Amy's backyard

Amy's backyard taken from the river

 June on the fore deck of the car ferry to New Brunswick to visit Nicole in St John

Swiss Air Flight 111 Memorial