The Cubicle is empty!!!

8 – 12 – 06

Today we head home for Wisconsin.  A long travel day indeed as we are expected to be in Milwaukee at 1am.

We checked out at our hotel near 10 am and as always with great navigating from Maria, we were at the Canadian/US border alittle past noon!  Alot sooner than I expected, but had planned since we saw the line entering the US last saturday to be long.  We actually beat the rush by mere minutes.  Not a second after we crossed the bridge into the check point the line had backed up all the way to the Canadian side.  Whew!  We got thru customs in less than 30 min.

So our plan was to head to Muskegon and check out the harbor and maritime museum that we saw in from our ferry ride into Muskegon a week earlier.  About half way thru to Muskegon, we realized that we may be able to make the 4:45 pm ferry.  We were booked for the 11pm ferry ride back to Milwaukee.  Although we might be cutting it close, we would give it a try.

We got to the ferry terminal a little past the departure time by about 5min and did not see the ferry.  Assuming that it had left, we nonetheless talked to the guard and asked if the ferry had just left and that we had reservations for the 11pm ride.

He quickly motioned for the check-in person and she mentioned that the 11pm ferry ride had been cancelled and that they are running behind.  We were like Oh S—!  What now.  Then she continued, the 4:45 pm ferry is not scheduled to leave until 7pm and that would be the last for the day.  We asked if we could be added to the 7pm ride.  After 5 tense min of her checking her computer, etc.  She came back with the good news that we are able to make that ride and gave us the tickets.  Lucky I tell you!

So we had a couple of hours to kill.  We lounge in the terminal and checked our e-mail.  I noticed in the junk folder there was an e-mail from Lake Express notifying me that our 11pm ride was cancelled.  The cancellation was to to one of the engines (4 total) malfunctioned and that it now would take longer to cross on the remaining engines.  Also, all the ferry rides on Fri was cancelled due to high waves.  Even though the boat can cross on such condition, the passengers may not like the motion that would result from 9ft waves.  We’re lucky that the last ride on Sat. was not full from Friday’s riders.  We also found out later that they left a message at home.  Lucky that I did not realize the cancellation  ’cause it might have changed our plans.

The ferry ride back was beautiful as Maria and I spent most of our time in the viewing deck.  As we arrived in Milwaukee at nightfall (9pm), the lighted skyline of the city from the lake is a beautiful sight.  Just mesmerizing!

After driving off the boat, we were at Maria’s sisters house in about 30 min and surprised Donny by arriving early.

We were glad to be back in Wisconsin, even though the Packers are losing to the chargers.  Ugggh!  It’s going to be a long season.

Anyway, we were fortunate to have everything go our way today and really for the whole weeklong vacation.  Maria and I had wonderfull experiences on this trip!  We can’t wait for the next one.  All there is left is the drive home tomorrow.

It’s sad that our trip is ending, but happy to be home, almost.

Until next trip, happy travels!

8 – 11 – 06

Today is just one of those days that you’re just excited about.  We certainly were.  But after a long travel day like yesterday, we were bound to oversleep a little.  We didn’t get going until past 10am.  After our free continental breakfast at the hotel restaurant, we headed out to discover Toronto!

Maria navigated us with no problem to downtown Toronto and to the Municipal Parking lot near the CN Tower. 

We headed for Queens Quay Terminal to book a harbor tour.  Since the tour does not depart until 12:15, Maria and I toured around the terminal and do a little shopping.  I finally got my Canadian Patch.  For a big city and with lots of tourists, Toronto is very clean. 

We got on the Oriole for our harbor tour.  We sat top deck.  The tour took you out to the harbor to the Toronto City Centre Airport (the old international airport, until a much larger one was built northwest of the city) and the Toronto Island Park (which is really a wildlife sanctuary park).  On Hanlan’s Point park, no motorized vehicles are allowed.  The only motorized vehicle allowed are the city buses that are used for training.  They train their city bus drivers on the roadways on this park.  We saw some beautiful swans and ducks along the riverbanks and got the history of the Toronto Islands from the tour narrator.  The skyline view from the harbor is very beautiful.  Lots of tall buildings, mostly all of Canada’s banks headquarters, lots of condominiums, and sports facilities and other high rises.  The tour was very relaxing as this is turning out to be a gorgeous day weather wise!  Temps in the high 70’s with a slight, gentle breeze from the west. 

After the tour, We headed to Rogers Centre (fomerly known as the Skydome) for lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Rogers Centre is the home for the Toronto Argonauts (CFL) and the Toronto Bluejays.  It took $258 M of taxpayers money to be built, but Mr. Rogers (the communications mogul from Toronto, not the childrens show person) bought for $25 M.  The city wanted to get rid of doing the day to day operations of the building, but citizens were outraged that they would not get more for their investment.  Oh well, that’s business.  The Hard Rock Cafe is located in the Centre itself and you can look into the field.  The field is being set-up for an AIDS benefit concert that last from this Sunday to next Sunday.  A week long benefit for AIDS.  Oh, the lunch was good.  The view spectacular.

After lunch, we went to the CN tower for a tour.  Maria opted not to go as she has gone up the tower before.  So she went to the harbor and just chilled until I got done with the CN tour.  After purchasing the ticket.  I waited 30 min to get to the elevator to the observaton deck.  The is also a restaurant in the observation deck level.  The observation level is 1,136 ft high.  It took the elevator 58 sec. to get there.  The view from the elvevator was spectacular.  So as the views from the Observaton deck.  I also went to the world famous glass floor.  I have to admit, i was tentative walking to and on top of the glass floor.  It’s all perfecly safe of course, but it took me a couple of min. to walk across it normally.  I then proceede to the Sky Pod another observation level at 1,465 ft.  From here you can really have a spectacular panoramic view.  On a very clear day, you can see up to 100 mile out.  Some has said that you can see the mist from Niagara Falls.  But today is not one of those day.  At the distance, it’s very hazy.  The CN tour was great!  I never thought I’d ever see this structure.  It’s marvelous engineering.  It took 2,500 men working 24 hrs a day for 40 months to completely erect this building.  It is one of the tallest structures in the world.

After getting down to earth and past the gift shop, I located Maria and headed down to the harbor and sat down at a cafe and had a beer and enjoyed the sun and cool breeze.  Relax time.  At around 8, we headed for Chinatown for dinner.

 We took the Streetcar (tram), from Queens Quay all the way to Dundas St. into Chinatown to look for Dim Sum Imperial.  Although we missed the Dundas stop and got off at the College St stop, we were determined to find this restaurant.  We walked back 4 blocks at the intersection of Spadina and Dundas Sts. to look for this dim sum restaurant that the waiter at HRC had told us about.  But we didn’t see it or it’s just that we can’t read chinese.  We asked a few people but they did not know of it.  Anyway, we went to plan B.  Just find any other restaurant from the hundreds of restaurants around Chinatown. 

We started walking down Spadina and stopped at the first restaurant we ran into and checked their menu outside.  Menu looks good and the prices reasonable.  Went inside and ordered.  We had the dinner for two that include the egg drop soup, spring roll, hot tea.  Ordered seafood fried rice with szechuan beef and shrimp with oyster sause.  Very good chinese food.  Excellent is more like it.  The place was hopping at 9 pm!  Looks like we beat the rush.

After dinner, we took the Streetcar back to the harbor to chill.  We walk the boardwalk twice and took some nice picture of the skyline all lit up at nigth.  Listed to a concert and saw several sidewalk performers and also ran into some crazies roaming around.

Got back to the hotel at around 11 pm.

 Overall, one of our best days of touring a city.  I just love Toronto for it’s simplicity and it’s diversity.  Lot’s of food choices.  Aside from Chinatown, there’s also Little Italy and Little India and other assortment of ethnic restaurants that dot the city.  The tour guide mentioned that at one time, the City of Toronto had 2 people from each country of the world living in Toronto.  Amazing, very Amazing.  Toronto not only talks of diversity, they live it.  Wonderful city and I would recommend to everyone to visit this beautifull city.

Tomorrow is another long travel day.  so I better get my rest.

8 - 10 - 06 This morning we said our goodbye's to the McDermotts.  It was sad to leave as we really had a great time with them.  They're such wonderfull people and family.  We really had a blast visiting them ... [Continue reading this entry]

8 - 9 - 06 Today we pretty much just spent time with the McDermott family.    Kevin and I played basketball with Connor and his friend Connor Cody.  We went at around 10 in the morning to the playground near the house.  The ... [Continue reading this entry]

Very sorry to mislead you, but there will be no pics in the blogs until I return.  I'm having problems resizing the photos to post.   Please come and visit later to see our trip pics.   thanks.........................

8 - 8 - 06   Today we overslept a little bit and did not get going until past 9.   Kevin, Carol, Maria, Little Kelly and I got to tour the Rock of Ages granite factory.  The tour included location of the quarry ... [Continue reading this entry]

8 - 7 - 06   Well, our stay in Utica, NY was a pleasant one.  We both had a lenghty sleep recovering from our long travels.  Maria is doing better with her cold.  All the medicine is finally taking effect.    Today, we ... [Continue reading this entry]

8-06-06   Needless to say Maria and I slept in today after the long day yesterday.  We got up around 7 am and got out of the door by 10 am.  Yeah, we hit the snooze a few times.   Before we ... [Continue reading this entry]

8-05-06   Our trip actuall started yesterday when Maria and I got to Milwaukee around 9pm.  Deanna and Donny greeted us but were ready to go to sleep as Deanna will be working the next day.  Maria and I also got to sleep ... [Continue reading this entry]

Well, It's beginning of Aug. '06 and Maria and I will be road trippin' to Vermont. Our plans are set and now we're hurrying up to pack for the trip.  Lot's of small stuff to take care of before we head ... [Continue reading this entry]