Day 9 - Thursday, October 1st
We arrived in New York City for the next 2 days. Had a city tour of the Big Apple, saw the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Greenwich Village, visited the World Trade Center Memorial and then had time to do some shopping. They were filming 30 Rock at Rockefeller Center so some of the group saw Alec Baldwin. We saw Grant’s Tomb, the building where Martha Stewart and the Food Channel broadcast from.
There are 20,000 restaurants in NYC, 37,000 cops and they need 3,000 more. There are 600 McDonald’s, 200 Starbucks, 13,000 yellow cabs, 200 languages are spoken in NYC and 45,000 traffic lights. The Empire State Building is the tallest bldg. in NYC and gets 500 lightning strikes per year. They also have cameras mounted on most corners in NYC. We saw Donald Trump’s Trump Towers with all the marble walls and the water wall inside. Drove down 5th Avenue and visited St. John’s Cathedral. The Statue of Liberty can fit in the middle of the cathedral without its base because the ceilings are so high. It's magnificant inside with the stone work and statuary.
Staten Island has the largest Italian community in the city. Any building that is over 6 stories high, has water towers on top needed for water pressure. It’s a common site to see old water towers – a landmark in NCY. We drove through Hell’s Kitchen which is the theatre district in New York City. Saw Lauren Bacall and Bernie Madoff’s apartment buildings. Also were Jackie Kennedy lived at 1040 West Park Ave. and John Lennon.
Drove around Central Park. It's 2 miles long and ½ mile long with a total of 840 acres. The New York Marathon begins in Central Park. It contains a zoo, lake, tennis and soccer fields, 2 ice skating rinks and of course, Tavern on the Green, which was a sheep barn at one time where we had lunch. Also saw Yoko Ono’s tribute to John Lennon, Strawberry Fields, located just inside Central Park.
Went to a Broadway musical at 8 PM. Saw Jersey Boys. Jersey Boys is a musical biography of the Four Seasons—the rise, the tough times and personal clashes, and the ultimate triumph of a group of friends whose music became symbolic of a generation. Far from a mere tribute concert (though it does include numbers from the popular Four Seasons songbook), Jersey Boys gets to the heart of the relationships at the center of the group—with a special focus on frontman Frankie Valli, the small kid with the big falsetto. In addition to following the quartet’s coming of age as performers, the core of the show is how an allegiance to a code of honor learned in the streets of their native New Jersey got them through a multitude of challenges: gambling debts, Mafia threats and family disasters. Jersey Boys is a glimpse at the people behind a sound that has managed to endure for over four decades in the hearts of the public.
Day 10 - Friday, Oct. 2nd
We had a 9 AM NBC Studio Tour so headed back into New York City. We were staying in New Jersey because prices are cheaper. The tour was very interesting. I saw where Saturday Night Live broadcasts from, where Jimmy Kimmel's stage is (Johnny Carson also had his show there) and I got to be an anchor and read off the monitor. The make-up people have 90 seconds to get
guests ready for appearances. Saw Robert Bazell, one of the reporters for NBC and Amy Bodard, the TV anchor with Lester Holt on Saturday’s Today Show. Also stood behind the desk of Brian Williams where he does the nightly news. After the tour we started to head home. Had a farewell dinner en route to Cleveland, Ohio, our nights destination.
Day 11 - Saturday, Oct. 3rd.
A day of travel homeward bound allowing us time to reminisce about our experiences in New England, the sights we saw, the meals we enjoyed and the priceless friendships we made. Arrived home in Appleton around 8 PM.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
New England Splendor Tour-Day 7 and 8
Boston and Plimoth Plantation
Day 7 - Tuesday, Sept. 29th
We arrived in Boston and picked up a local guide. As we were waiting for the guide, you'll never guess who I saw walking downthe sidewalk right past our bus?? Stephen King! You cannot mistake him. He looked at me and smiled. Too bad I wasn't thinkingfast enough, I could have invited him on the bus to say hello. We followed the Freedom Trail on the way to the Old North Church, Paul Revere's house and a host of other historic sites. We drove down Beacon Street, saw where they filmed Cheers at the Cheers Bar and there’s a part of Boston on Boston Hill where the glass in the windows turns purple. We saw some of those windows. Saw the State Capitol and the gold dome on top done by Paul Revere. Paul Revere learned the silversmith trade from his father and his work gained quick attention in Boston. After the revolution he expanded his business to include metal works and copper plating. Boston is a lovely city, very clean. Saw a guy vacuuming the sidewalk!We spent some time at Quincy Market. We drove past Ralph Waldo Emerson’s home, saw the site of the Boston Tea Party and we also
saw Massachusetts General - it’s the large teaching hospital with 1200 beds.
How many of you remember the TV series Banacek? It was an early TV
detective series starting George Peppard. The opening scene was of a man rowing on the Charles River – that river is in Boston. I WENT TO HARVARD. We walked around the Harvard Campus and rubbed our hand on the toes of John Harvard for good luck. All of the students rub his toes before taking an exam. The statue is bronze but his foot looks gold from
the wearing away of the bronze with all the people rubbing it.
Three U.S. Presidents went to Harvard. Can you name them?
John Adams, John Quincy Adams and John F. Kennedy.
Drove along Boston’s waterfront. Saw the yacht owned by John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox. Boston has the fifth largest Chinese population. Toronto is first, Montreal second, San Francisco is third and New York is fourth. The street lights and phone booths in Boston’s Chinatown are in the shape of pagodas. We saw Mary Baker Eddy’s Science Church complex with the reflecting pool, Boston Hall - home to the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony Orchestra and MIT.
Day 8 - Wednesday, Sept. 30th
We traveled back in time to Plimoth Plantation where the colonists lived. People were dressed in period clothing telling you all aboutthe living conditions back in the 17th century. I met the mayor of the town - he was quite the character.
The people we met at the Wampanoag Homesite talked of the past, but their story is also a very current one, told from a modern perspective. . Surrounded by soft furs, flickering firelight, and artfully woven bulrush mats, we learned about traditional Wampanoag family life as well as the arrival of the English. You can walk around outside and enjoy the scent of stew as it simmers over a wood fire. Discover traditional Wampanoag plant remedies or help scrape out a mishoon (boat) using centuries-old techniques. Gaze upon the tranquil waters of the Eel River and take this time to glimpse the world of the Wampanoag in the 1600s.The Wampanoag People have lived in southeastern New England for over 12,000 years.
One of the interesting sites at the Wampanoag Homesite was the hut or wetu
they lived in. It’s made out of bark from the trees. I asked how they removed the bark to make the huts. In the spring when the sap is running, they cut a circle around the base of the tree and also one about 6 feet up. They then cut a line from the top cut to the bottom cut right down the middle and the bark is pliable enough to pull it off the tree and place it on a structure
they have made out of tree limbs in the shape of a long oval. They continue
adding these pieces of bark in rows around the wetu until it’s completely covered. Inside the wetu are roughly made bunks where they sleep with a fire pit in the center to keep warm. Both men and women took part in the building of a house and the making of a home. The men were responsible for the actual construction, and the women gathered cattail and bulrush reeds to make mats for covering, lining and insulating the houses.
Also toured the Mayflower II. The ship is a reproduction of the one that first brought English colonists to America. Visiting Mayflower II is an extraordinary experience. The details of the ship, from the solid oak timbers and tarred hemp rigging, to the wood and horn lanterns and hand-colored maps, have all been carefully recreated to give you a sense of what the original 17th-century vessel was like. You go aboard and learn about the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower, the perils of maritime travel, and the tools of 17th-century navigation. We explored the cramped quarters of the ship's passengers. Peered down into the lower level "hold," where the food, clothing, furniture, tools and other items necessary to start a colony were stored. Admired the "spacious" Master's cabin, and compared it to the wet and windy accommodations of the common sailors. The ship is very small and narrow. They had 102 people in the lower bowels of the ship including the animals. I don't now how they survived. In fact, 20 women were along on the ship and only 2 survived to make it to America.
The recreated Mayflower II sailed from England in 1957 and is docked at the State Pier in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
History of Plymouth Rock;
Historians say the Pilgrims stepped on the rock after they rowed ashore from the Mayflower on December 21, 1620. The rock lay unnoticed for 121 years when an elderly Plymouthean, Thomas Faunce identified it in 1741 as the landing place of the Pilgrims. In 1775 the rock split as it was being raised from its bed by oxen. The upper part was hauled to Town Square and the remainder left on the waterfront. The rock stayed in Town Square until 1834 when it was moved to the front lawn of Pilgrim Hall on Court Street. The first section remained in its waterfront bed and in 1849, a granite canopy was raised over it. In 1880 the part which had rested on the Pilgrim Hall lawn was returned to the waterfront and the two parts were cemented together. In 1921, as part of the tercentenary observance, the present granite portico was erected over the historic site by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.
Had a wonderful lobster dinner at Wood’s Seafood Market and Restaurant
at the Town Pier in Plymouth for only $9.95. Do you know how to tell the difference between male and female lobsters? The female lobster has a wider tail which she uses to dig holes in the sand to lay eggs.
All in all it was a wonderful day of adventure.
Tomorrow, Day 9, New York City
Day 7 - Tuesday, Sept. 29th
We arrived in Boston and picked up a local guide. As we were waiting for the guide, you'll never guess who I saw walking downthe sidewalk right past our bus?? Stephen King! You cannot mistake him. He looked at me and smiled. Too bad I wasn't thinkingfast enough, I could have invited him on the bus to say hello. We followed the Freedom Trail on the way to the Old North Church, Paul Revere's house and a host of other historic sites. We drove down Beacon Street, saw where they filmed Cheers at the Cheers Bar and there’s a part of Boston on Boston Hill where the glass in the windows turns purple. We saw some of those windows. Saw the State Capitol and the gold dome on top done by Paul Revere. Paul Revere learned the silversmith trade from his father and his work gained quick attention in Boston. After the revolution he expanded his business to include metal works and copper plating. Boston is a lovely city, very clean. Saw a guy vacuuming the sidewalk!We spent some time at Quincy Market. We drove past Ralph Waldo Emerson’s home, saw the site of the Boston Tea Party and we also
saw Massachusetts General - it’s the large teaching hospital with 1200 beds.
How many of you remember the TV series Banacek? It was an early TV
detective series starting George Peppard. The opening scene was of a man rowing on the Charles River – that river is in Boston. I WENT TO HARVARD. We walked around the Harvard Campus and rubbed our hand on the toes of John Harvard for good luck. All of the students rub his toes before taking an exam. The statue is bronze but his foot looks gold from
the wearing away of the bronze with all the people rubbing it.
Three U.S. Presidents went to Harvard. Can you name them?
John Adams, John Quincy Adams and John F. Kennedy.
Drove along Boston’s waterfront. Saw the yacht owned by John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox. Boston has the fifth largest Chinese population. Toronto is first, Montreal second, San Francisco is third and New York is fourth. The street lights and phone booths in Boston’s Chinatown are in the shape of pagodas. We saw Mary Baker Eddy’s Science Church complex with the reflecting pool, Boston Hall - home to the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony Orchestra and MIT.
Day 8 - Wednesday, Sept. 30th
We traveled back in time to Plimoth Plantation where the colonists lived. People were dressed in period clothing telling you all aboutthe living conditions back in the 17th century. I met the mayor of the town - he was quite the character.
The people we met at the Wampanoag Homesite talked of the past, but their story is also a very current one, told from a modern perspective. . Surrounded by soft furs, flickering firelight, and artfully woven bulrush mats, we learned about traditional Wampanoag family life as well as the arrival of the English. You can walk around outside and enjoy the scent of stew as it simmers over a wood fire. Discover traditional Wampanoag plant remedies or help scrape out a mishoon (boat) using centuries-old techniques. Gaze upon the tranquil waters of the Eel River and take this time to glimpse the world of the Wampanoag in the 1600s.The Wampanoag People have lived in southeastern New England for over 12,000 years.
One of the interesting sites at the Wampanoag Homesite was the hut or wetu
they lived in. It’s made out of bark from the trees. I asked how they removed the bark to make the huts. In the spring when the sap is running, they cut a circle around the base of the tree and also one about 6 feet up. They then cut a line from the top cut to the bottom cut right down the middle and the bark is pliable enough to pull it off the tree and place it on a structure
they have made out of tree limbs in the shape of a long oval. They continue
adding these pieces of bark in rows around the wetu until it’s completely covered. Inside the wetu are roughly made bunks where they sleep with a fire pit in the center to keep warm. Both men and women took part in the building of a house and the making of a home. The men were responsible for the actual construction, and the women gathered cattail and bulrush reeds to make mats for covering, lining and insulating the houses.
Also toured the Mayflower II. The ship is a reproduction of the one that first brought English colonists to America. Visiting Mayflower II is an extraordinary experience. The details of the ship, from the solid oak timbers and tarred hemp rigging, to the wood and horn lanterns and hand-colored maps, have all been carefully recreated to give you a sense of what the original 17th-century vessel was like. You go aboard and learn about the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower, the perils of maritime travel, and the tools of 17th-century navigation. We explored the cramped quarters of the ship's passengers. Peered down into the lower level "hold," where the food, clothing, furniture, tools and other items necessary to start a colony were stored. Admired the "spacious" Master's cabin, and compared it to the wet and windy accommodations of the common sailors. The ship is very small and narrow. They had 102 people in the lower bowels of the ship including the animals. I don't now how they survived. In fact, 20 women were along on the ship and only 2 survived to make it to America.
The recreated Mayflower II sailed from England in 1957 and is docked at the State Pier in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
History of Plymouth Rock;
Historians say the Pilgrims stepped on the rock after they rowed ashore from the Mayflower on December 21, 1620. The rock lay unnoticed for 121 years when an elderly Plymouthean, Thomas Faunce identified it in 1741 as the landing place of the Pilgrims. In 1775 the rock split as it was being raised from its bed by oxen. The upper part was hauled to Town Square and the remainder left on the waterfront. The rock stayed in Town Square until 1834 when it was moved to the front lawn of Pilgrim Hall on Court Street. The first section remained in its waterfront bed and in 1849, a granite canopy was raised over it. In 1880 the part which had rested on the Pilgrim Hall lawn was returned to the waterfront and the two parts were cemented together. In 1921, as part of the tercentenary observance, the present granite portico was erected over the historic site by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.
Had a wonderful lobster dinner at Wood’s Seafood Market and Restaurant
at the Town Pier in Plymouth for only $9.95. Do you know how to tell the difference between male and female lobsters? The female lobster has a wider tail which she uses to dig holes in the sand to lay eggs.
All in all it was a wonderful day of adventure.
Tomorrow, Day 9, New York City
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
New England Splendor Tour - Day 6, New Hampshire
Day 6 - Monday, Sept. 28th
We cruised Lake Winnepesaukee and then on to Castle in the Clouds. Castle in the Clouds is located in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. It was built by the eccentric millionaire Thomas Plant. It is now part of the 5000 acre Castle Springs estate which is the location of the Castle Springs water bottling plant. We drove the bus so far up the mountain, got out and boarded a trolley for the rest of the ride up the mountain to the castle.
'Castle in the Clouds' is built on the rim of an ancient volcanic caldera. It's hundreds of millions of years old. The Ossippee Mountains are a circular mountain range; they are the eroded rim of a giant, prehistoric volcano. Few people think of volcanic formations in the Eastern U.S., but the castle site affords a great place for visitors interested in rocks and volcanoes. The rock around the castle, and the castle wall itself, is lava. Construction on the castle began in 1913. At one time over 1000 workers were on the property, stonemasons, carpenters, etc.
The castle is actually a house that was built by Thomas Plant for his young second wife. You could see for 75 miles in all directions. Mrs. Plant, her name was Olive, was actually quite tall. Mr. Plant, on the other hand was about 5'4", and had the house built so that door knobs and such were at his height. Even on Olive's bedroom door. In his office you will find a suit of armour he wore to costume parties, which will give you a good idea just how short he really was.
In addition to having a phone, and electricity (which was powered by his own water powered generator), he had the first fire truck in Moultonboro, as well as having fire hydrants IN the house. He also had a central vacuum system, a self cleaning stove and a brine cooled refrigerator.
A little more information for you- Now this has to be the most popular story about Mr. Plant and his first wife. They lived in a beautiful house in Massachusetts. They had a very rocky marriage, but did stay married for quite a while. Mr. Plant went away on a trip to France, and asked the first Mrs. Plant to go with him, however she declined. While in France, Mr. Plant met Olive, a bankers daughter and many years younger, and fell in love. After he returned to the states, the first Mrs. Plant came down to breakfast to find a million dollar check in her napkin roll, and Thomas walked out the front door. Needless to say, she gave him a divorce!
He made "Queen Quality Shoes", and his factory was way ahead of it's time- there was a floor with a cafeteria and gym for the workers to use for free. When the factory burned down (years after Mr. Plant sold it, and had died), it was the hottest fire in Boston's history.
The kitchen floor is actually a jigsaw puzzle. When it was put down there was no glue used. The pieces were made to fit together very tightly and the floor still exists. Teddy Roosevelt often visited the castle and was a friend of Mr. Plants. Mr. Plants fortune was lost on advise given to him to invest in pork bellies. The person who gave him the advise was Teddy Roosevelt. In the end Mr. Plant had to sell the castle and pay off his debts and when he died his friends had to take up a collection to pay for his burial. It is believed he also lost money in the stock market crash.
Tomorrow - Day 7, Boston
We cruised Lake Winnepesaukee and then on to Castle in the Clouds. Castle in the Clouds is located in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. It was built by the eccentric millionaire Thomas Plant. It is now part of the 5000 acre Castle Springs estate which is the location of the Castle Springs water bottling plant. We drove the bus so far up the mountain, got out and boarded a trolley for the rest of the ride up the mountain to the castle.
'Castle in the Clouds' is built on the rim of an ancient volcanic caldera. It's hundreds of millions of years old. The Ossippee Mountains are a circular mountain range; they are the eroded rim of a giant, prehistoric volcano. Few people think of volcanic formations in the Eastern U.S., but the castle site affords a great place for visitors interested in rocks and volcanoes. The rock around the castle, and the castle wall itself, is lava. Construction on the castle began in 1913. At one time over 1000 workers were on the property, stonemasons, carpenters, etc.
The castle is actually a house that was built by Thomas Plant for his young second wife. You could see for 75 miles in all directions. Mrs. Plant, her name was Olive, was actually quite tall. Mr. Plant, on the other hand was about 5'4", and had the house built so that door knobs and such were at his height. Even on Olive's bedroom door. In his office you will find a suit of armour he wore to costume parties, which will give you a good idea just how short he really was.
In addition to having a phone, and electricity (which was powered by his own water powered generator), he had the first fire truck in Moultonboro, as well as having fire hydrants IN the house. He also had a central vacuum system, a self cleaning stove and a brine cooled refrigerator.
A little more information for you- Now this has to be the most popular story about Mr. Plant and his first wife. They lived in a beautiful house in Massachusetts. They had a very rocky marriage, but did stay married for quite a while. Mr. Plant went away on a trip to France, and asked the first Mrs. Plant to go with him, however she declined. While in France, Mr. Plant met Olive, a bankers daughter and many years younger, and fell in love. After he returned to the states, the first Mrs. Plant came down to breakfast to find a million dollar check in her napkin roll, and Thomas walked out the front door. Needless to say, she gave him a divorce!
He made "Queen Quality Shoes", and his factory was way ahead of it's time- there was a floor with a cafeteria and gym for the workers to use for free. When the factory burned down (years after Mr. Plant sold it, and had died), it was the hottest fire in Boston's history.
The kitchen floor is actually a jigsaw puzzle. When it was put down there was no glue used. The pieces were made to fit together very tightly and the floor still exists. Teddy Roosevelt often visited the castle and was a friend of Mr. Plants. Mr. Plants fortune was lost on advise given to him to invest in pork bellies. The person who gave him the advise was Teddy Roosevelt. In the end Mr. Plant had to sell the castle and pay off his debts and when he died his friends had to take up a collection to pay for his burial. It is believed he also lost money in the stock market crash.
Tomorrow - Day 7, Boston
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
New England Splendor Tour - Day 5, New Hampshire
Day 5 - Sunday, Sept. 27th
We had rain on and off all day. Drove along the beautiful Kancamangus Highway and through the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. I was on the lookout for moose but saw nothing!
Our stop for today was the Mount Washington Hotel. What a magnificent place.
As grand as the history behind it, The Mount Washington Hotel, located in Bretton Woods, NH, is gracious in ambiance and generous in amenities. A favorite retreat of presidents, poets and celebrities, the Hotel delights every sense with enchanting music, refined dining and luxurious décor.
The Mount Washington Hotel was built by New Hampshire native Joseph Stickney, who made his fortune in coal mining and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Stickney spared no expense in building the imposing hotel. The latest design and construction methods were used. Innovative and complicated heating and plumbing systems were installed. To this day, the Bretton Woods Hotel has its own private telephone system and Post Office.
Ground was broken in 1900 and construction was completed in 1902. Two hundred and fifty Italian craftsmen, skilled in masonry and woodworking, were brought to Bretton Woods and housed on the grounds.
On July 28, 1902, the front doors of this Grand Hotel opened to the public with a staff of no less than 350. The most luxurious hotel of its day, The Mount Washington catered to wealthy guests from Boston, New York and Philadelphia. As many as fifty trains a day stopped at Bretton Woods' three railroad stations. You can see Babe Ruth's golf locker at The Mount Washington Hotel. The Hotel has been host to countless celebrities, including Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Babe Ruth and three U.S. Presidents.
In 1944, The Mount Washington hosted the Bretton Woods International Monetary Conference. Delegates from 44 nations convened, establishing the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, setting the gold standard at $35.00 an ounce and designating the United States dollar as the backbone of international exchange. The signing of the formal documents took place in the Gold Room, located off the Hotel Lobby and now preserved as an historic site.
Throughout its history, the Hotel has been renowned for natural beauty and luxurious extras. Indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzis and fireplaces are just a few of the amenities comforting year round guests. From the Tiffany stained-glass to the crystal chandeliers you'll find the interior is just as impressive as the exterior.
The Hotel's elegant 4-Diamond Dining Room serves four-course dinners with orchestra accompaniment nightly. Every detail, from the serenading orchestra to the menu that changes daily, reminds you that this is a place unlike any other. The lunch we had was $50 per person, buffet style. We ate like pigs! What an experience.
The Mount Washington Hotel is located in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, only 2-1/2 hours from Boston.
We had rain on and off all day. Drove along the beautiful Kancamangus Highway and through the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. I was on the lookout for moose but saw nothing!
Our stop for today was the Mount Washington Hotel. What a magnificent place.
As grand as the history behind it, The Mount Washington Hotel, located in Bretton Woods, NH, is gracious in ambiance and generous in amenities. A favorite retreat of presidents, poets and celebrities, the Hotel delights every sense with enchanting music, refined dining and luxurious décor.
The Mount Washington Hotel was built by New Hampshire native Joseph Stickney, who made his fortune in coal mining and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Stickney spared no expense in building the imposing hotel. The latest design and construction methods were used. Innovative and complicated heating and plumbing systems were installed. To this day, the Bretton Woods Hotel has its own private telephone system and Post Office.
Ground was broken in 1900 and construction was completed in 1902. Two hundred and fifty Italian craftsmen, skilled in masonry and woodworking, were brought to Bretton Woods and housed on the grounds.
On July 28, 1902, the front doors of this Grand Hotel opened to the public with a staff of no less than 350. The most luxurious hotel of its day, The Mount Washington catered to wealthy guests from Boston, New York and Philadelphia. As many as fifty trains a day stopped at Bretton Woods' three railroad stations. You can see Babe Ruth's golf locker at The Mount Washington Hotel. The Hotel has been host to countless celebrities, including Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, Babe Ruth and three U.S. Presidents.
In 1944, The Mount Washington hosted the Bretton Woods International Monetary Conference. Delegates from 44 nations convened, establishing the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, setting the gold standard at $35.00 an ounce and designating the United States dollar as the backbone of international exchange. The signing of the formal documents took place in the Gold Room, located off the Hotel Lobby and now preserved as an historic site.
Throughout its history, the Hotel has been renowned for natural beauty and luxurious extras. Indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzis and fireplaces are just a few of the amenities comforting year round guests. From the Tiffany stained-glass to the crystal chandeliers you'll find the interior is just as impressive as the exterior.
The Hotel's elegant 4-Diamond Dining Room serves four-course dinners with orchestra accompaniment nightly. Every detail, from the serenading orchestra to the menu that changes daily, reminds you that this is a place unlike any other. The lunch we had was $50 per person, buffet style. We ate like pigs! What an experience.
The Mount Washington Hotel is located in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, only 2-1/2 hours from Boston.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
New England Splendor Tour - Day 4, Vermont
Day 4 - Sat., Sept. 26th
We left the hotel in Lake Placid and traveled to Essex, NY to catch the ferry.We boarded the Lake Champlain Ferry for an hour crossing to Charlotte, Vermont. We stopped at Ben and Jerry’s, the home and factory of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. Of course we all had to have 3 scoops of their famous ice cream. We also drove past the famous Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne, VT. Gasoline was $2.64 a gallon. The weather was beautiful and the scenery was incredible. Colors were at peak with lots of reds because of the soft maples.
We met our step-on-guide in Stowe, Vermont for a historic tour of the town.We stopped at the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters where they are the only roasters who make the coffee for Air Force One - Jamaican Blue coffee - around $24 a pound! We visited the Trapp Family Lodge and gravesites. Eight mountain ranges come together at the Trapp Lodge. They built there because it reminded them of Austria. The farm is 450 acres and 7 family members are buried on the property including Maria Von Trapp. Maria’s youngest son is still there. He’s in his 70’s.
The next time you watch the Sound of Music with Julie Andrews, it’s one of the beginning scenes where she’s singing in the street, look behind her, you’ll see Maria Von Trapp walking behind her.
Vermont is the second largest state in New England. There are no McDonald’s in Vermont and no billboards on the highways. More people speak Arabic in NYC than the total population of Vermont. Burlington is the largest city in Vermont. Stowe is the ski capitol of the east. The highest mountains are located in Vermont. We drove past Christopher Reeves house
outside Stowe. Bob Keshian, Captain Kangaroo lived in Waterbury, VT. Eleanor Roosevelt climbed Mount Mansfield. Mount Mansfield is famous for the “man laying down” on top of the mountain. The shape of one section of the mountain looks like a man actually laying down. There are no chain hotels in Stowe and Four Seasons with Carol Burnett and Alan Alda was filmed in Stowe. Land prices run from $300,000 to $l million. The March of Dimes started in Vermont as did the Boy Scouts of America.
Vermont had some famous people – Rudy Vallee, Michael J. Fox, Charles Bronson, Carlton Fisk.
Moscow, Vermont has the shortest 4th of July parade in the U.S. It’s .2 miles long. The Maple Vinegarette dressing Emerill Lagassi uses is made in Vermont. Vermont was the last state to get a Walmart store and Newman’s Own is made in Vermont. The number one attraction in Vermont is Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream with over 300,000 visitors a year.
Two U.S. Presidents came from Vermont – Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge. Vermont is the first state to outlaw slavery, had the first copper coin, 60% to 80% of the trees are maple trees. Vermont has the largest granite quarry in the world. Pencil erasures came from Vermont, the first blackboard was used in Vermont, first laser eye surgery was done in Vermont, first air traffic control course taught in Vermont, the Diamond Back fly rod sold at LL Bean is made in Vermont.
We drove between the Wooster Mts. and Mansfield Mts. To get to the haunted covered bridge. The story tells of a young girl named Emily who was to meet her lover at the bridge because they were planning on eloping. She was waiting for him at the bridge but he never showed up so she jumped off the bridge. People who visit the bridge say weird things happen there.
Hats blow off on calm days, some people see white lights and some hear a woman calling for help.
Rudyard Kipling lived in Vermont. He had his own zip code because he got
so much mail. He lived in Waite, VT. His neighbor agreed to get his mail in her mailbox.
Vermont is the birthplace of the U.S. Navy. Lake Champlain is 485 feet deep, deeper than the Great Lakes. We stayed in Morrisville, home to the horse Hildalgo in the movie called Hildalgo.
Day 5 - The Mount Washington Hotel
We left the hotel in Lake Placid and traveled to Essex, NY to catch the ferry.We boarded the Lake Champlain Ferry for an hour crossing to Charlotte, Vermont. We stopped at Ben and Jerry’s, the home and factory of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. Of course we all had to have 3 scoops of their famous ice cream. We also drove past the famous Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne, VT. Gasoline was $2.64 a gallon. The weather was beautiful and the scenery was incredible. Colors were at peak with lots of reds because of the soft maples.
We met our step-on-guide in Stowe, Vermont for a historic tour of the town.We stopped at the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters where they are the only roasters who make the coffee for Air Force One - Jamaican Blue coffee - around $24 a pound! We visited the Trapp Family Lodge and gravesites. Eight mountain ranges come together at the Trapp Lodge. They built there because it reminded them of Austria. The farm is 450 acres and 7 family members are buried on the property including Maria Von Trapp. Maria’s youngest son is still there. He’s in his 70’s.
The next time you watch the Sound of Music with Julie Andrews, it’s one of the beginning scenes where she’s singing in the street, look behind her, you’ll see Maria Von Trapp walking behind her.
Vermont is the second largest state in New England. There are no McDonald’s in Vermont and no billboards on the highways. More people speak Arabic in NYC than the total population of Vermont. Burlington is the largest city in Vermont. Stowe is the ski capitol of the east. The highest mountains are located in Vermont. We drove past Christopher Reeves house
outside Stowe. Bob Keshian, Captain Kangaroo lived in Waterbury, VT. Eleanor Roosevelt climbed Mount Mansfield. Mount Mansfield is famous for the “man laying down” on top of the mountain. The shape of one section of the mountain looks like a man actually laying down. There are no chain hotels in Stowe and Four Seasons with Carol Burnett and Alan Alda was filmed in Stowe. Land prices run from $300,000 to $l million. The March of Dimes started in Vermont as did the Boy Scouts of America.
Vermont had some famous people – Rudy Vallee, Michael J. Fox, Charles Bronson, Carlton Fisk.
Moscow, Vermont has the shortest 4th of July parade in the U.S. It’s .2 miles long. The Maple Vinegarette dressing Emerill Lagassi uses is made in Vermont. Vermont was the last state to get a Walmart store and Newman’s Own is made in Vermont. The number one attraction in Vermont is Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream with over 300,000 visitors a year.
Two U.S. Presidents came from Vermont – Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge. Vermont is the first state to outlaw slavery, had the first copper coin, 60% to 80% of the trees are maple trees. Vermont has the largest granite quarry in the world. Pencil erasures came from Vermont, the first blackboard was used in Vermont, first laser eye surgery was done in Vermont, first air traffic control course taught in Vermont, the Diamond Back fly rod sold at LL Bean is made in Vermont.
We drove between the Wooster Mts. and Mansfield Mts. To get to the haunted covered bridge. The story tells of a young girl named Emily who was to meet her lover at the bridge because they were planning on eloping. She was waiting for him at the bridge but he never showed up so she jumped off the bridge. People who visit the bridge say weird things happen there.
Hats blow off on calm days, some people see white lights and some hear a woman calling for help.
Rudyard Kipling lived in Vermont. He had his own zip code because he got
so much mail. He lived in Waite, VT. His neighbor agreed to get his mail in her mailbox.
Vermont is the birthplace of the U.S. Navy. Lake Champlain is 485 feet deep, deeper than the Great Lakes. We stayed in Morrisville, home to the horse Hildalgo in the movie called Hildalgo.
Day 5 - The Mount Washington Hotel
Monday, October 12, 2009
New England Splendor Tour - Day 2 and 3
Day 2, Thursday, Sept. 24th
Left the hotel at 7:30 and spent driving through Ohio and up into New York
along Lake Erie to our destination of Watertown, New York.
Watertown is home to the safety pin, has the largest continually running county fair in the USA, is the smallest city to have a park designed by Frederick Olmsted who designed Central Park in NYC. Watertown is located 31 miles south of Canada.
Day 3, Friday, Sept. 25th
Today we drove through the countryside of Upstate New York. The leaves were at peak color. Gasoline was $2.79 to $2.89 a gallon. Passed Buffalo, NY on I90, they have bronze statues of buffalo grazing on the hillside.We arrived in Lake Placid, had lunch and then met our tour guide.Had a guided tour of the Lake Placid area including the site of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics. Lake Placid is a quaint town nestled in the Adirondack Mountains. It’s surrounded by mountain peaks and lakes with Mirror Lake located in downtown Lake Placid. I rode the chair lift to the top of the hill, then took an elevator 8 stories up and finally climbed 2 flights of steps to the top of the ski jump where the starting gate is. My legs and knees were shaking as I took pictures from there. We were 26 stories up. What a view but I couldn't wait to get down to level ground! We also watched them practice their jumps and flips down a couple of ski jumps, landing in a swimming pool. They use the facility all year round. Also saw the Jack Shea Stadium Olympic skating rink and saw the Russian pairs couple who won in 1980, Irina Rodnina and Aleksandr Zaitsev. They were out on the ice practicing. The tour guide told us he's 70. We saw the speed skating oval where Eric Heiden won five gold medals. We spent the night in Lake Placid.
Left the hotel at 7:30 and spent driving through Ohio and up into New York
along Lake Erie to our destination of Watertown, New York.
Watertown is home to the safety pin, has the largest continually running county fair in the USA, is the smallest city to have a park designed by Frederick Olmsted who designed Central Park in NYC. Watertown is located 31 miles south of Canada.
Day 3, Friday, Sept. 25th
Today we drove through the countryside of Upstate New York. The leaves were at peak color. Gasoline was $2.79 to $2.89 a gallon. Passed Buffalo, NY on I90, they have bronze statues of buffalo grazing on the hillside.We arrived in Lake Placid, had lunch and then met our tour guide.Had a guided tour of the Lake Placid area including the site of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics. Lake Placid is a quaint town nestled in the Adirondack Mountains. It’s surrounded by mountain peaks and lakes with Mirror Lake located in downtown Lake Placid. I rode the chair lift to the top of the hill, then took an elevator 8 stories up and finally climbed 2 flights of steps to the top of the ski jump where the starting gate is. My legs and knees were shaking as I took pictures from there. We were 26 stories up. What a view but I couldn't wait to get down to level ground! We also watched them practice their jumps and flips down a couple of ski jumps, landing in a swimming pool. They use the facility all year round. Also saw the Jack Shea Stadium Olympic skating rink and saw the Russian pairs couple who won in 1980, Irina Rodnina and Aleksandr Zaitsev. They were out on the ice practicing. The tour guide told us he's 70. We saw the speed skating oval where Eric Heiden won five gold medals. We spent the night in Lake Placid.
Friday, October 9, 2009
New England Splendor Tour - Day 1
Hello - I'm back!
What a great group of people to travel with and wonderful sights to see. My New England Splendor tour began on Wednesday, September 23rd and ended Saturday, October 3rd. In the next few days, I will highlight some of the places we visited and things we did. Keep your eyes
tuned to this spot!
Day 1, Wdnesday, Sept. 23rd
Left Appleton at 6:30 AM and drove move of the day. Drove through Chicago. Saw the Willis Tower (Sears Tower) in the distance. It’s the world’s tallest building with 110 stories with 6,500 to 7,000 occupants, 1.5 million tourists visit the Sears Tower sky deck annually. There are 22 TV and radio broadcast services in the Willis Tower, 25,000 miles of plumbing, 796 lavatory faucets, 43,000 miles of telephone cables, 2,000 miles of electric wires and the building is 12 stories below ground or 48 feet down. Nine separate buildings make up the Sears Tower. It has 16,100 bronze-tinted windows. They have 6 roof-mounted window washing machines to clean the windows 6 to 8 times a year. You can see 4 states from the top and there are 2,232 steps from the ground floor to the top. It’s 253 feet tall and cost in excess of $150 million to build. It opened in 1973.
Chicago also has the largest population of Polish people. They held the 1893 World’s Fair and from that we got the Ferris Wheel. Chicago is home to baseball, jazz, the revolving credit card and the name “the loop” came from the “L” train that goes around the city.
We spent the night in Fremont, Ohio. Fremont is the Tree City of the World and President Rutherford B. Hayes came from Fremont. Before heading to our hotel, we stopped at Lynnwood Kennels for a catered meal served in dog dishes and a presentation on "Jaws with Paws Enforcing Laws". This was the most interesting part of the trip. A master trainer as well as being a retired police officer, Brian Woods showed us how they train dogs to sniff out drugs.
How long do you think it takes to train a dog to sniff out drugs? The answer is 4 to 5 days! How do they train them to find the drugs? What is the one thing dogs love to do???? Play fetch. They put marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines in a PVC pipe, seal up the ends so nothing can leak out. The object has to be something the dog cannot bite through because if he does get any of the drugs on his body or in his mouth, it will kill him. That's why they use the PVC pipe. They begin by throwing the pipe and have the dog fetch it over and over until he loves doing nothing but fetching. A dog can detect the odors of each individual drug because their nose is 200 to 2,000 times more powerful than a humans. It is thought that dogs get just as much information from scent as we humans do from vision.
Once the dog is comfortable with the smells of the different drugs, the handler plants them in various places. How does the dog let you know when he has made a "strike"? Does he bark? No. Does he run back to you and bark? No. Does he run around in circles? No. He does one of two things.....he sits and stares when he finds the drugs or some dogs will start digging in the area where they sniff the drug. Once you get the drugs, you play fetch with the dog because that's what makes him happiest. Gets his mind off the drugs. Dogs are started at 1 or 2 years of age and will work 8 to 10 years. Most of the dogs are purchased in Europe from a dog broker. They must herd and hunt before being registered as working dogs. The American Kennel Club has destroyed most breeds of dogs so they are not good drug sniffing candidates. The breeds are not kept pure. Poodles are water fowl hunters, beagles chase rabbits, retrievers retrieve and border collies are herders. The Kennel Club does not award these breeds for what they can do but has dummy downed the breeds. The dogs they get from Europe cost between $4500 and $5500 each. They usually are Belgian Malinois. They look like a German Shepherd, only smaller in size. Did you know the dogs are not trained in English?? If the dog comes from Poland, the commands are in Polish, if from Holland, then commands are in Dutch and if they come from Germany, naturally they learn the commands in German. The reason?? Because any criminal can give a command to the dogs in English. I would definitely go back, it was most interesting.
Stay tuned for day 2 on Monday.
What a great group of people to travel with and wonderful sights to see. My New England Splendor tour began on Wednesday, September 23rd and ended Saturday, October 3rd. In the next few days, I will highlight some of the places we visited and things we did. Keep your eyes
tuned to this spot!
Day 1, Wdnesday, Sept. 23rd
Left Appleton at 6:30 AM and drove move of the day. Drove through Chicago. Saw the Willis Tower (Sears Tower) in the distance. It’s the world’s tallest building with 110 stories with 6,500 to 7,000 occupants, 1.5 million tourists visit the Sears Tower sky deck annually. There are 22 TV and radio broadcast services in the Willis Tower, 25,000 miles of plumbing, 796 lavatory faucets, 43,000 miles of telephone cables, 2,000 miles of electric wires and the building is 12 stories below ground or 48 feet down. Nine separate buildings make up the Sears Tower. It has 16,100 bronze-tinted windows. They have 6 roof-mounted window washing machines to clean the windows 6 to 8 times a year. You can see 4 states from the top and there are 2,232 steps from the ground floor to the top. It’s 253 feet tall and cost in excess of $150 million to build. It opened in 1973.
Chicago also has the largest population of Polish people. They held the 1893 World’s Fair and from that we got the Ferris Wheel. Chicago is home to baseball, jazz, the revolving credit card and the name “the loop” came from the “L” train that goes around the city.
We spent the night in Fremont, Ohio. Fremont is the Tree City of the World and President Rutherford B. Hayes came from Fremont. Before heading to our hotel, we stopped at Lynnwood Kennels for a catered meal served in dog dishes and a presentation on "Jaws with Paws Enforcing Laws". This was the most interesting part of the trip. A master trainer as well as being a retired police officer, Brian Woods showed us how they train dogs to sniff out drugs.
How long do you think it takes to train a dog to sniff out drugs? The answer is 4 to 5 days! How do they train them to find the drugs? What is the one thing dogs love to do???? Play fetch. They put marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines in a PVC pipe, seal up the ends so nothing can leak out. The object has to be something the dog cannot bite through because if he does get any of the drugs on his body or in his mouth, it will kill him. That's why they use the PVC pipe. They begin by throwing the pipe and have the dog fetch it over and over until he loves doing nothing but fetching. A dog can detect the odors of each individual drug because their nose is 200 to 2,000 times more powerful than a humans. It is thought that dogs get just as much information from scent as we humans do from vision.
Once the dog is comfortable with the smells of the different drugs, the handler plants them in various places. How does the dog let you know when he has made a "strike"? Does he bark? No. Does he run back to you and bark? No. Does he run around in circles? No. He does one of two things.....he sits and stares when he finds the drugs or some dogs will start digging in the area where they sniff the drug. Once you get the drugs, you play fetch with the dog because that's what makes him happiest. Gets his mind off the drugs. Dogs are started at 1 or 2 years of age and will work 8 to 10 years. Most of the dogs are purchased in Europe from a dog broker. They must herd and hunt before being registered as working dogs. The American Kennel Club has destroyed most breeds of dogs so they are not good drug sniffing candidates. The breeds are not kept pure. Poodles are water fowl hunters, beagles chase rabbits, retrievers retrieve and border collies are herders. The Kennel Club does not award these breeds for what they can do but has dummy downed the breeds. The dogs they get from Europe cost between $4500 and $5500 each. They usually are Belgian Malinois. They look like a German Shepherd, only smaller in size. Did you know the dogs are not trained in English?? If the dog comes from Poland, the commands are in Polish, if from Holland, then commands are in Dutch and if they come from Germany, naturally they learn the commands in German. The reason?? Because any criminal can give a command to the dogs in English. I would definitely go back, it was most interesting.
Stay tuned for day 2 on Monday.
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