Last day - New York

So I flew back from New York and that meant a long old drive back to JFK to park up, not long because of distance but long because of the insane traffic. It was just gridlock almost the entire way. It was Kim's birthday too so to say sorry for making her drive to JFK and back and to wish her a happy birthday we went to a spa in New York called Aire Baths. It was all fancyyy. We walked in and got special wristbands that unlocked out lockers where we had a robe and slippers and a towel. There was this attendant there that was hovering over us trying to be helpful (which she was) but it was like having a servant, she even insisted that she squeeze out our swimsuits after and put them in little ziplock bags for us. 

I had to steal this photo of the baths cuz I didn't take my phone in there. There were all different pools, a tepid one, a hot one, two freezing cold ones, a jacuzzi one and a salt water one where you floated. There was also showers and a really big steam room, a warmed marble seating area and curtained areas for massages, candles were absolutely everywhere. We each had a massage, mine was really good and relaxing.

You got two hours in the spa which was just the right time and then we got out and got showered and dressed. All the showers had shampoo and conditioner etc and there were mirrored areas with make up wipes and hair dryers and straighteners. There were even hair brushes you could borrow (um... no.. ) and a swimsuit drainer machine with purple ziplock bags. 

So that was really cool, we both left smelling gorgeous and we walked a little way to the Crosby Bar where we had booked afternoon tea. I hadn't realised other countries never did afternoon tea, the whole bar was English themed. 

They had lovely Wedgwood china, Kim got flowering tea and I got Earl Grey. 

And we had nice pink tiered plates. It was a lot less formal than afternoon tea at the Goring in London. 

But it was still fancy, even the bathrooms looked fancy. Sorry America... rest rooms... they even had a little chair should you wish to rest (ugh... why do they call it this?). 

Then we decided to go to ground zero and see the 9/11 monument... which wasn't really that interesting. If you wanted to read any information or do anything other than look at the fountain you had to pay to go in the museum. There weren't even many places to sit there so we were only there 5 minutes.  

Then I had a lovely long delay on the plane for 4 hours before an overnight flight with a screaming baby... oh joy. 

Back in Connecticut

So after the state fair it was back to CT for a day or two so. Random thing that's weird about America point one - in Connecticut they call off licences 'package stores'. 

Look what came as a side to my breakfast omelette at IHOP one morning; pancakes. As a side. I could not finish them as much as I wanted to. 

Random thing that's weird about America point two - all toilet seats have a chunk missing... and no one seemed to know why... mysterious. And yes I made you this photo montage of toilets, isn't it lovely?

Not surprisingly I am no better at mini golf across the pond then I am here. Boo. 

It was Kim's birthday, I co-made this funfetti cake, isn't it beeeeaaautiful?

Random thing that's weird about America point two - Americans are weird about religion... This was on TV when I switched it on in the New York Hotel whilst I got ready. It was a man promising that god would forgive people's sins if they paid him $1,000. No mention of where the money went or what it was used for. So weird. 

I found this on a table in a coffee shop. 

This came through Kim's mailbox. 

And this was in the mall.

Isn't that just so intrusive? Like... I don't want to join your religion, stop bugging me. It's so in your face. 

New York State Fair

On the drive back to Connecticut we dropped in on the New York State Fair which was near Syracuse, it started off pretty cloudy but ended up hot. The state fair was a little bit like the Norfolk Fair (for those of you from East Anglia) if it was bigger and run by cowboys.

There were lots of agricultural things like livestock and shows and displays.  

Including butter sculptures? For some unknown reason. 

Nahhow.... How does I say thais... Summer thaim folks wurr a lidl reyad neyck. And iffin I pleeased I cudda done gots me mai vurra own cunfederrat flayag bearin hayat! Ahem... So yeah... That was a thing. There were lots of cowboy hat wearing people shall we say. 

I decided I'd try some of the Fair food, there was SO MUCH FOOD. This is Hawaiian shaved ice which I had never even heard of, it was so tasty! They literally shaved ice off a block and moulded it into a little tower then you could pick syrup flavours which they poured on. It was delicious.

I liked going into the animal barns, they had signs up everywhere saying don't touch in case they bite but they were so cute you could help but pet the ones that came up to you. 

Some of the animals were a little unusual...

They had cloudy lemonade slushies, they also had wine slushies and cider and beer. I really wanted a wine slushy but it was just so hot I already had one of those headaches you can get in the sun so I avoided it.

This is a funnel cake I tried, it was tasty, it's like a mess of fried dough that you can get coated in icing sugar or cinnamon.

Look how cute!

The funniest thing I thought was the pig races, they all had been given names like Jennifer Lopig and Lindsay Loham. The audience had to call out 'sooie' and the pigs dashed out into their starting pens. They were so sweet and I thought it was funny to watch them race to be the first to get to eat an oreo biscuit. But on one race the pigs were so excited to be first back that it was the last pig that got the prize, the others ran straight past it.

Then it was time for some State Fair mac'n'cheese (don't you just hate how so many Americanisms look like they were written by dyslexic people then not spellchecked? I'm not saying there's anything wrong with dyslexics, only putting them in charge of writing signs).

Road Trip - Back to Syracuse

On the drive back to Syracuse where we stayed we stopped off at the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara to break up the journey. 

I don't know how to say this without sounding obvious but there were butterflies EVERYWHERE. Huge ones, weeny ones, ones that landed on you, ones that just ate the entire time. They were everywhere. You had to check where you walked so you didn't step on any that had flown to the ground for a rest. 

They seemed to like the people with hats best but I wore a shirt with butterflies on it (in an attempt to confuse the butterflies) and they landed on it! So exciting. 

Then we went to a sports bar before we rested up, you could tell they meant business because they had entire rolls of paper towels on the table as well as napkins. Needless to say I couldn't finish my meal but it was insanely cheap. 

Road Trip - Niagara Falls & Toronto

Well hello fine readers, let me tell you a tale of a road trip which began with pumpkin pie and ended dining in the dark. 

By the way, pumpkin pie is delish. My dear travel companion and I decided to make the drive from Connecticut to Toronto, and what a long drive it was. We broke up our journey at Syracuse in New York State and stopped at many toll booths (boo), and service stations that looked like this. 

Aw... A bear. Also guess what... I saw groundhogs! Tons of them! Anyway we finally made it to the falls (yay). And it only took like 410 miles!

We got cool plastic ponchos and rode maid of the mist. We got right up close, I got a couple photos in but it was more than mist, we got drenched. 

But that was nothing compared to cave of the winds, a walk way that gets up close and personal with the American side of the falls, you get another poncho AND, very cool sandals (exhibit A, my feet are the fat little stubby ones). Guys, I don't even have photos of cave of the winds, that's how wet it was. At the top of the walk way it had a 'hurricane deck', I went to touch the back railings of it and it really was like walking into an insane hurricane. My clothes stayed nice and dry under the poncho but I was not risking the phone. Apparently in the winter when the falls get icy they have to dismantle it for safety reasons as massive chunks of ice fall down.

And then we made our way over the border... Eventually, it took ages. I don't know if it's cuz the Canadians are kinda slow eh? But all I know is that I was stuck on a bridge for bloody ages. 

And then we got to Toronto juuuust in time (literally minutes before our booking) for our dinner reservations at O Noir, a restaurant where you dine in the dark and your waiters are blind. They lead you to your seat and tell you where your drink is, bring you your pre ordered food, everything! It was so good, I kept waiting for my eyes to adjust but they never did. There was not the tiniest slither of light. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the blind. Also the food tasted so good, I didn't even spill any - a miracle!

That's a photo of the lobby, if you want to see a photo of inside the actual restaurant just close your eyes and you'll have an exact likeness. 

Boston - Day Two

Day two was a bit manic, we got the subway (no rats sadly) to downtown Boston. 

Then we went to take a historical freedom trail tour through parts of the freedom trail for an hour and a half. 

It was really good, the guide was dressed up in period costume (he must have been so hot in the sun!) and was very funny.

As the only English person on the tour I was the enemy of course but it was all in good fun. 

Then we took a really quick trip to Salem, we'd planned to spend the afternoon there and left our luggage at the train station but the left luggage place closed at 5 (lame) so we only got to spend an hour and a half looking round. 

And buying tat... And watching witches get dragged through the street. 

The graveyard was interesting and sad, there were lots of children and young people that had died.

Then it was time for ice cream (this was a small).

And a walk back to the train station where we had to wait for five long hours

:( 

The Melting Pot

I thought this post deserved to be separate, this is where we ate in boston - The Melting Pot. It's a fondue restaurant and each table has a hot plate on it per two people.

And the waiter brings ingredients to your table and makes the fondue in front of you. 

And you get things to dip like veggies and bread. 

Next they brought us like this stock and you had things like prawn and chicken and potatoes and you added them in then took them out to eat a few minutes later. 

Here's some of the stuff we had to cook.

Lastly the chocolate fondue... I was so full but I powered through just for this.

Milk chocolate and peanut butter fondue... Then I had to be rolled down the street back to our hotel. Yum.