June 30 2011 JFK New York / Los Angeles

Now sitting at JFK airport. Just heard that the flight is delayed  by half an hour.

Left Boston at 10.00am and drove for five hours forty 222 miles, to arrive at Dollar rentals. Tried to sort out some reimbursement for the inconvenience we had with the car. Got back $219.00 not a lot considering all the time loss and hassle.

So much traffic between Boston and New York, Quite stressful for Pete but was relieved when we had handed the car over “undamaged”. And just to make things worse we had left something in the car so poor Pete had to get on the air train back to the  Rental Car Co. By then the car had been taken away for cleaning so he had to run round looking for it. Could have done without that. Then we heard that the flight was delayed a half hour.

As we were approaching the airport  in the car we could look back over Manhattan. Brought  back all those memories. We really did enjoy it there and all that nice weather, although Boston really put it on for us and it was just as hot.

We drove 4,407 miles in all  which cost US $688.77 in  fuel.  Drove  into  13 states (including Canada). We spent $42.95 on road tolls.

As we left  JFK through security Dad got pulled over , hand luggage drug tested and next  thing everything  was taken out of the bag and put into trays and sent back through the X-ray machine again. Got no idea what they were looking for and just left everything out for us to re pack our bag. What a mess.

Later—Just taken off, full plane, even people on stand by probably due to all the cancellations that Qantas have had over the volcanic ash. JFK is such a huge airport  seemed to take forever taxing down the runway before we took off. Same type of plane as we came up on  An Airbus  A330-200.  Very  nice,  roomy and quiet. It has seat configuration of 2..4..2.. and we have the two seats next to the window. And while we have been on the flight now 2 hours the kid in front of us has only just  stopped crying.   We gain three hours to L.A. Although we left a little late the captain has announced that he will make up the time. WE thought that we were changing planes at LA but we were going through on the same plane with about two hour stop over.

To summerise our five weeks away We both had a great holiday. Probably the highlights were New York what a buzz. Niagara Falls, the roar of the water, Toronto catching up with Denis and  Wanda  So nice to see you guys and thanks for all you did for us. Hope you can make it down to NZ some time. You will have to retire Wanda. We thoroughly enjoyed Quebec  City  with all its French influence. The use of free Wi-Fi was excellent and always available except the trouble we had in Baddeck. Had to go and sit under a tree for reception. It really paid doing all my pre  bookings  for our  accommodation. Places like NY and Quebec City saved heaps and just about everywhere we were better off except  Boston.

 The rest of the holiday had unsettled weather until we got down to Bath/Brunswick where it warmed up and by the time we reached Boston it was like been back to New York with the heat.

Probably once we hit PEI, Nova Scotia and down the East coast was more like NZ, beaches, and coastal drives.

I will try and post this from LA between flights.

No chance at LA Airport too tired to think, by now it was our 2.00am. Didn't board the plane until  3.30am and didn't want to sleep until the meal had been served.
Finally got to sleep about 5.00am and slept for about six/seven hours until they served breakfast which by now it was 5.30am NZ time arriving in Auckland  at 7.40am. As we were  awake nearly all night yesterday our sleeping pattern worked in well with adjusting  to NZ time.

At Auckland airport just not to  be out done the sniffer dog came up to me sniffed my bag and immediately sat down. I knew then  here we go again. My bag (which was the same one as Pete got pulled to one side for in JFK, as we only carry one hand luggage bag between us.) was opened and she pulled out some  blueberry herbal tea, which I had declared as having food. She looked at it, I said I thought that tea was O.K. and her reply was this is  fine but just had to check that it didn't have any citrus in it. Clever dog even trained to sniff tea.

2nd June---------Home felt good all day no tiredness  seemed to have adjusted well by been awake nearly all night yesterday.

THE END --  of our very enjoyable five week holiday  through north east USA  and Canada.

June 29 2011 Last day in Boston.

Last day in Boston. Looked out the window and saw that fog but by the time we got the train into town it started to lift and turned out a very hot day.

We did the freedom trail which is a guided walking tour full of all the old history of Boston. It took 1 1/2 hours.
It was interesting also to learn that 75% of all Old Downtown Boston was built on reclaimed land.
After this we caught the train back out to Cambridge as I felt that I missed a lot about Harvard University and needed to go back to see more. We managed to find what they call the Harvard Yard. Beautiful setting nice green grass and old trees surrounded by all the old university buildings, what an area.

Some of the places we passed on our freedom trail walk. State house and below Faneuil Hall.

                                                Entrance to Quincy markets. 

             The old State House building where the Boston massacre took Place. It is also on that balcony where the   Independants Documents were signed.

                                                        

The church above and the old graveyards below where many very important people are buried around the time of the 1600-1800 century. People like John Adams, Otis and many more.

                              Above and below downtown Boston

           Above and below some of the gates to the Harvard Yard.

Above and below inside the Harvard Yard note the lovely old trees and lawn area.

                              Memorial Library in the Harvard Yard.

                                        Opposite the University in Cambridge town.

I was glad that we went back to Harvard just to complete putting together Dad's and our lives over there.

Came back to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon to sort out ourselves to leave tomorrow for JFK airport to return our car and hopefully fly out at 7.00pm if Qantas is flying. Its going to be a long day. I will see how I go tomorrow as to whether I write any more!

June 28 2011 Cape Cod

Left hotel at 9.45am late for us. Still good weather so drove out to Cape Cod for the day. Its just over two hours to get there. We didn't get back until 6.00pm with all our stops and starts. 232 miles.

We couldn't believe all the traffic on a week day all seemed to be heading to the cape whether it be the beaches or going to the furthest town, Provincetown. We were told that its always like this on a good day and triples in the weekends.

Cap Cod has nine lighthouses but we only visited two. Before we got too far up the cape we stopped at an information centre and got some good advise to come off the main highway 6 at exit 7 and take 6a and for about 400 metres along that stretch of road (which they call captains mile) we would see some very old houses that used to belong to sea captains from the big old sailing ships. Many captains operated services between the Cape ,Boston and other east coast ports provided the main transportation for both cargo and people between these ports. The operated until the arrival of the railroad in the late 1800's.

                           The next three photos are some of the old sea captains houses in Yarmouth on the Cape.
                            In 1966 the area was declared a national historic district.

                                        Beautifully kept and have so much character
                                           

                                There are about sixteen of these houses along this part of the street.

This is the harbour entrance and bar. The sailing ships were anchored off and smaller ships brought their trade into the landings.

They built a 300 metre boardwalk out over these waterway in the same harbour. You can just see the railing. I walked out nearly to the end. Very pleasant. Saw  a hugh bird's nest on top of a pole, probaly an eagle of some sorts.

Further along stopped at one of the many beaches in Cape Cod Bay. Lovely white sand but quite tidal.
Its just amazing how people flock to these beaches and its a week day.What also amazed us it that all the carparks at the beaches are for residence only and they have to have a permit to park. So nobody else can park and use the beaches and it is usuall too far to walk where you would be allowed to park.
A young boy was the gate keeper to make sure only permit cars where allowed in. I asked if we could park for a few minutes to have a look and a photo. He said sure thing. We also noticed all along the shore their was no access for the public to get to the beaches. Up the top of the cape on the western side there were rows of houses on the shores and no acess for the public. Amazing. Wouldn't be allowed in NZ. Except for Hone.

This beach is on the eastern side, surf beaches. You wouldn't believe it but the sea fog came in just before we arrived. You would think that it was following us. Anyone could park at this beach but it cost you $15 for the day but guess what they let us in just to go down and look at the beach for 5 mins. This photo shows the steps you have to climb down to the beach, big high cliffs. Again lovely sandy beach, if you can see through the sea fog.

In the same year two of the lighthouses on Cape Cod were close to falling into the ocean from sand erosion and9needed rescuing. For Nauset  Light (above), and Highland light (below), 1996 was the year of relocation.
Highland proved to be more daunting of the moves and it is a much heavier brick lighthouse. Nauset had already been moved once from Chatham-it is a former Chatham twin Light, built in the 1920s, and made out of iron sleeves. Both were successfully moved and continue to be working.
Not sure what happened to the below photo size but will leave as is for now.

                                       Sand dunes on the east coast nearer the top of the Cape.

                                    Provincetown, village at the top of the Cape Very busy.

Looking along Provincetown beach on the west side of the cape. Notice all the buoys made up as a display. We see alot of these. You can even buy them in the touristy shops. People display them round their houses.

Zoomed in to the tip of Cape Cod. Too far to walk out there so this will have  to do.

Above looking down the jetty at Provincetown and below looking back at the town.

Looking along part of the Cape Cod Bay.

June 27 2011 Cambridge / Boston

Left Brunswick 8.15am drove down to Boston via Cambridge.
Woke up and wow a beautiful sunny day not a cloud in the sky and so warm, back to the shorts.

These are some of the remaining houses in Grant St Cambridge. Mel did our flat look lik these. And below looking down the steet the other way you can see the new apts. at the end.

              Apartments on cnr of Grant Sts and Dewolfe St. Just around the corner on right
                                    we walked a few yards to the river bank.

  This is the foot bridge over the River Charles opposite Dewolfe St. does this look the same one Mel.

                                       Looking down the Charles River from the foot bridge.

         Part of Harvard University just across from the river  bank on left.

                  Around the the area we lived in Cambridge.
                                   Same area in photo below

Looking back at the foot bridge. University on right behind the trees

                                       Quincy markets

                                Area outside the Quincy markets. Notice the old cobbles.

            Area down on the waterfront Next four photos all in this area. Very nice.

         Kids playing in the water fountain.

Went throught to Cambridge to see where my family lived for eight months in 1952/53 when Dad went to Harvard University. I found out our address 30 Grant St. thanks to Mel and Helen although Mel had worned me that the flats had gone and the University had built a high rise dorm. It must have been so handy for Dad right next to the Uni. Walked down a few yards from our street to the Charles River bank where we spent time in the park and walking over the river. Not sure if the walking bridge I walked over today would have been the same one then or wether it had been built more recently. It was just across the road  from the end of Dewolfe St where we would have walked down to the river. Mel or Helen could you E-Mail me and tell me if this is the same bridge we would have walked over, and if the houses left in the street were anything like our flat. (for those who don't know who Mel and Helen are, they were our neighbours in the same block of flats in Grant street.Also the people we met up with in New York).
Tried to look for my kindy which I still have a vision in my mind to what it looked like but had no idea where it was. Mel I should have asked you if you knew.
It was great fun walking over the land that I once walked on especially down on the river bank. It was a nice area and I would think that Mum would have enjoyed it as much as Dad.

We then headed off to our accom. Comfort Inn Boston. Hard work dealing with all the traffic and roads but we finally made it. Too early for our room so sat & waited. We got upgraded to a suite on the top floor. We have stayed at six Comfort Inns and been upgraded five times just by talking my way round it as I have a Choice Privileges card which I flash at them when checking in.I arranged this card before leaving home and it works.

After checking in dropped our bags off and went out caught the train to downtown. A bit of a circus sorting out train lines, then buying our tickets in these machines but people were very helpful. We finally got ourselves to downtown Boston. Had a good walk round, mainly in the Quincy Market/ Faneuil Hall area. (thanks Mel for the advice.) Mel we looked for the glass flowers but they told us that they had recently packed up and left. Nice area all around here. Wondered down to the watefront lovely on this beautiful day and very hot just like being back in New York.

Got the train back to our hotel at five. So far Boston seems a nice city. We are here for three nights so hope to see more but tomorrow going to drive down to Cape Cod for the day. Its just over two hours away.

June 26 2011 Brunswick / Bath ME

American Boxer with pointed ears, whom we met.

Left Bar Harbour at 8.30am after another great breakfast in their Restaurant up on the hill. This morning was the first time we got a look at the view as the mist lifted. The cruise liner that was there on Friday had returned first thing.

Had a great lobster meal at the Jack Russel pub last night 1 1/4 pound lobster whole. The best one I have tasted. Pete had a good steak.

We were thinking of doing the drive through Acadia National Park before we left but decided no it was still too foggy over Cadillac Mountain so wouldn't get any view.

As we left town we felt that the weather might improve now that we were leaving. Drove our final time out through the stone wall lined and tree covered road, one of the nice places to visit.

Drove for just under three hours 189miles, to reach the town of Brunswich where we were booked in for one night at the Comfort Inn. Very nice property. Old style building but very well maintained and the rooms where well presented. The best Comfort inn we have stayed at. Nice big room even with a couch, coffee maker and frig.

Checked in had a coffee and drove over to Bath about nine miles, as they have a marine museum there which we were keen to see as well as the old Historic town of Bath.

The museum was very interesting explaining the history of Bath's ship building on the Kennebec River which was and still is hugh. They started building steamers in1820's. Wooden hulled steamers were build as late as early 1900's.
Three adjacent shipyards operated along the river where the Museum is now. Bath so called the city of ships is now building war ships for the US Navy.
Had a drive through Front Street Bath, along the river side and through some old residential streets. On the way back drove around Brunswick before going back to Hotel at about 5.00ish. We have been recommended a place to eat along the road for dinner tonight.

As we headed south we noticed that it was getting warmer. got quite hot walking around Bath. Too hot in our jeans, hopefully back to shorts tomorrow although we haven't seen any sun today.

                                    Last nights meal. Petes having the steak.

                    On resaurant balcony where we ate, which is above our unit down the hill in front.

                           This mornings view from restaurant. It was starting to clear up.

At the marine museum. The mould loft where they built the hulls of the ships. In front is the pitch oven.

These white steel scrulptures show the size and length of the six masted schooner Wyoming the largest wooden vessel built in the US. right on this bit of land. Just short of 500ft and carried 6000tons of coal.

                                      The caulkers shed  1899

                                  Front street in Bath. Very quiet today being Sunday.

 

                                     Ship building yards on the Kennebec River.

                                     Waterfront. Pleasure boats. Crossed the bridge to see what we could see and came back again. Couldn't see much so came back and walked up it a little to get photo of ship yards.

Comfort Inn Brunswick where we are staying tonight.