THOUSAND ISLANDS : DAY 8

Cruise trip

After checking out from Holiday Inn, Rochester at 8 am, we proceeded towards Thousand Islands, a drive of 2 hours after having breakfast.

Castle on the Island

A cruise trip with a guide was available at 11am at Thousand Islands and all tourists boarded the cruise and it was viewing different tiny tiny islands with houses, mansions and dwelling places at various islands.

Another mansion

Though the property owned by rich individuals, some living and others dead and gone.

In the island woods

The cruise also crossed into Canadian waters at one point and returned to dock after about 80 minutes. It is believed that there are about 1890 islands, though it is called thousand islands.

Amazing view of the mansion

Leaving from there, last leg of the journey, headed back towards New Jersey and New York and stopped over at Syracuse for lunch. We had  to be satisfied with pizza at a papa John outlet.
The bus had a flat tyre, we had to wait around for an hour to repair.

with Aiyer family

We reached Parsippany at New Jersey at 7.30 pm. Just when we got down from the bus, B K Nagaraj with Supritha were just arriving to pick us. The timing was perfect and it was just co-incidental.

with another Indian family

Supritha was on wheels, drove back to Edison, a distance of 40 miles, reached Nagaraj home by 8.30 pm.
Chatting with Nagaraj, Nostalgia of Dubai Days...... dinner and tour completed successfully

NIAGARA FORT : DAY 7

We are on the third day of the tour and checked out from the hotel at 8 am all were taken to Niagara Fort on the bank of lake Ontario.

Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near  Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario. The fort played a significant part in the French and Indian War, and fell to the British in a nineteen day siege in July 1759, called the Battle of Fort Niagara.

After visiting the place for an hour in cold wind and rain, clicking photos, we returned to Niagara Falls are to see the day view and also from the viewers gallery. The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is more developed for tourist attractions with hotels,casinos and malls. The American side of Niagara has been kept as a park and free place.

We also witnessed a 30 min IMAX show a theater about the stories of Niagara Falls.
It was lunch time by then and we ate in an Indian Restaurant, some vegetarian stuff and we left the place to Niagara Outlet Mall by 2.30pm.for shopping.

It was not until 6.00 pm and after having dinner, we left the place and after a drive of one hour, we reached Holiday Inn International Hotel at Rochester. It was a nice hotel with all facilities in the room and we could retire for the day comfortably.
written Friday, 23 pm 4.45 pm

NIAGARA FALLS : DAY 6

at Hershey's Chocolate factory

Having got ready from the hotel before 7 am, checked out and the bus with all the tourists headed towards World famous Niagara Falls in New York State. After about 2 hours the bus made a stop at Hershey's Chocolate Factory. The production and manufacture of famous chocolate was shown on a moving chairs, and also variety of chocolates and gifts for sale in the outlet. The price was NOT competitive.

Corningware glass museum

The journey continued after a couple of hours, we reached CORNING, where the famous corningware glass products were manufactured. The live demonstration of how an odd shaped bottle could be made by heating and blowing, which was a sophisticated workmanship.

Live demo of glass works.

After visiting the place and stopped for lunch break, the reached NIAGARA by 5.30 pm and immediately headed towards the falls, which was a walking distance.

Niagara with lights at night

As it was getting dark, colourful lights were making the falls even more fantastic. After few clicks here and there, we headed back to live NATIVE AMERICAN SHOW at the auditorium.

Live native American Show

The show was for 30 min, with heavy costumes, native songs and dance performance. It was not all that impressive and it was paid show.

with the actors of the show

Vegetarian food was very scarce, we had to be satisfied with some bread, vegetables and milk.
We all reached The Millennium Hotel at Buffalo and a room was allotted for the night stay. It was a nice hotel with all facilities, coffee, milk, sugar and a kettle for morning coffee.
written on Friday, 23rd May 2014, 4.00pm at Peoria

EAST COAST TOUR: DAY 5

Tour guide Holly

The East Coast tour through TAKE TOURS for 3 nights + 4 days trip for Washington DC, Niagara and Thousand Islands was booked through the internet few days ago for $392 for two. Today, Monday 28th April was the first day of the tour. The pick-up was at Edison and Mrs Lakshmi on her way to the office dropped us at 8.30 am at the departure point.

Liberty Bell at Philedelphia

The bus came around 9.30 am with more than 30 tourists, mostly Chinese and about 4 Indian/Sri lankan families. Holly, was the tour guide, fluent in English and Chinese language was active and enthusiastic in giving explanations and advance briefing of the places to visit.

Smithsonian Aerospace Museum

First stop was at Philadelphia, one time capitol of United States,where we saw the Independence Hall and Liberty bell. After having little lunch, proceeded to Washington DC at about 2,30pm

Capital Hill

First was the visit to Smithsonian National Aerospace Museum, quite huge, spent more than an hour seeing exhibits on aeroplanes, rockets etc.

We went around Capitol Hill, seat of the US Congress, White house, US President's official residence, from a distance. It was appeared to be small house compared other buildings.

at the Wax Museum

President's Gallery or Madame Tussaud's wax museum was another attraction, where we spent more than an hour, seeing the celebreties and taking pictures.

Jefferson Memorial

Afterwards, we proceeded walking tour of Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial.heroes in the US History.
It was raining and the weather was cold, the bus proceeded to Maryland, Gathersberg for dinner at 8 pm.
It was a Chinese restaurant, where we could not enter due to awful smell.

Lincoln Memorial

Looking around the area, to our surprise, there was a Madras vegetarian restaurant, which we could not believe..... but it was there. Without looking either ways, we straightway proceeded to the hotel. There was buffet dinner for $12.25 each with more than 15 items in the menu.  It was time to fill our stomach. We did that sincerely.
Then it is time to reach the hotel and bus took us to CAPITAL HILL SUITES, nice hotel. We retired for the day after completing the first day of the tour.
written  Friday, 23rd May 2014, Peoria.

MORE TEMPLES IN NJ: DAY 4

Balaji Temple at Bridgewater, NJ

It was Sunday, 27th April..... Our host Nagalakshmi Nagaraj was very enthusiastic to show us more temples around New Jersey and we were always ready and supportive.
First was the visit to Balaji temple at Bridgewater, NJ and the place is beautiful, elegant and lots of people visit the shrine. Inside the temple, very spacious, neat and clean.

Diamonds and stones outlet

We had the darshan of the dieties and left from the place for little shopping at ABSON, stones and diamonds shop.

Guruvayoorappan Temple at Morgan Ville, NJ

Back to the house, had lunch and again set out visit another temple at Morgan Ville, NJ. This time it is SHRI GURUVAYOORAPPAN TEMPLE, This is another immaculate, beautiful and more than elegant. The exterior of the temple is fantastic and interiors is simply marvelous. The people who built this temple have real taste for finest details and is well maintained.

with Deepthi Family....

After the visit of the shrine, we also met a relation, Deepthi's family from Jercy City.
After chatting with them some time we headed back to Edison, a distance of 20 miles.
written on Friday, 23 May 2014

TEMPLE VISITS: DAY 3

Sri Krishna Vrindavan, Puttige Mutt, Edison NJ

It was Saturday, 26th April, incidentally happened to be KRISHNA DWADASHI, 12th day of krishna paksha, auspicious day.... Nagalakshmi, devotee of puttige mutt at Edison mentioned about this and we were ready at 5.00am in the morning to go to Shri Krishna Vrindavan, at Edison, a temple established by Sri Sugunendra Thirtha Swamiji of Udupi Puttige mutt in 2002.
A church building was converted into hindu worshipping place, a nice building and the surroundings. We were at the temple at 5.30 in the morning and witnessed the pooja, mangalathi and thirtha prasada.
Afterwords, there was a nice dwadashi oota (breakfast/lunch) and the hall with payasa and sweets. at 7.30 am. That was a rare opportunity for us witness an occasion like that,

Hidden Grounds, New Brunswich, NJ

Later, we were at HIDDEN GROUNDS, at New Brunswich coffee shop of Spoorthi Kumar, owner, surprised her with sudden visit. It was a pleasant surprise for her too.

Sri Sringeri Mutt, Staoutsnerg, Pennysylvania

Later, we proceeded to another temple, a distance of 100 miles from Edison with Nagalakshmi and Akshatha, d/o Janardhan, one time close family friend. The temple was established long ago by Sringeri Mutt at Stroutsberg, at Pennysylvania, in the woods of the county, beautiful landscape. The new temple is even bigger and beautiful, we had the darshan of Sharadamba and also as food as prasadam.  The drive back was nice with Akshatha at the wheels and reached back again to New Brunswich.

Mythri Sisters, Sporthi & Varsha

Usha-Suresh's daughters, Mythri, Spoorthi and Varsha were all together, purely by coincidence and we two were with them.

at the Princeton University Campus

We visited their apartment, went round Princeton University campus, had dinner together at Guru Prasad Hotel, had good time. Later we were dropped back at Edison.
written Friday, 23 May 2014 at Peoria

EDISON. N J, DAY 2

on the way from train

It was Friday, 25th April,,,,,, our next destination was Edison in New Jersey....... a distance of more thank 100 miles...... with complex mode of transportation available choosing the the budget and easy mode was required. Whole morning was utilized in searching and inquiring the best possible solution.

at Allendale Drive, Delaware

Harsha's wife Shwetha prepared nice dosa for morning breakfast and after lunch, at 1 pm,  we set out to reach Edison somehow......   took our two pulling bags and reached the road and waited for the local city bus to go to Wilmington rail station. Harsha was there...... waited for an hour and finally bus came and half an hour's time reached the station. Inquired about the Amtrak rail to Trenton...... the lady said it would cost $79 for each ticket. Alternatively we could go on SEPTA, another regional rail system up to Trenton Transit Centre and take another rail to Edison. and the ticket cost was just $8.50 for each ticket.

with Shwetha......

So I purchased the tickets and train was there..... said bye to Harsha and we were on the move. After 45 minutes, we reached 30th Street station, we had to get down, go to another track and the next train was also easily available, The next journey was about an hour, when we reached Trenton city.

residential quarters

We were out from SEPTA rail and looked for NJ TRANSIT ticket counter purchased two tickets costing $9 each. to reach Edison. The train was available after 5 minutes, a double dekkar train, we boarded and reached after an hour at 5 pm to Edison station.  Nice place outside the station, waited for 5-10 minutes, our host Nagalakshmi Nagaraj came in her car and took us to their residence, where we stayed.

with Vidya Rao & family

Later after 8 pm we visited one Ms Vidya Rao in North Brunswich. She was mom blog ADIGE follower and FB friend, delivered a baby a month earlier and her parents were there from Bangalore.
After spending an hour we were back to Nagalakshmi house, had dinner and rested with a sense of achievement.
written Thursday, 22nd May 2014 

DELAWARE DAY 1

We set off from Peoria, Illinois, Mid West on Thursday, 24th May 2014 in the morning and was dropped at Bloomington station by Raghu on his way to office at Morton. The uptown station at Bloomington was neat and elegant, only few passengers waiting in the lounge. Few minutes before the train was to arrive, people assembled on the platform.... no rush, no pushing.....

waiting at Bloomington railway station

The train AMTRAK came, few minutes.... we were on the train, lots of comfortable seats..... we were the only Indian looking people.....  It was not a fast train..... reached Chicago Union station around 12.30pm
The Union Station Chicago, is a busy railway station, lots of incoming and outgoing inter-state trains.
As our destination was Midway airport, I inquired about reaching there at the information desk. A fat, bulky, American black guy, came out from his seat.....and said showing to the exit.....
" you people exit from the door, on to the street, walk four or five blocks across the bridge on the Chicago river.... you will reach Quincy Jackson Metro station..... get on the stairs, buy a ticket to Midway.... and then you will reach there..."

on the way to Jackson station

So, we started walking on the street in the cold blowing wind ..... and reached the station, went up on the station.... had to buy the tickets, from a machine,  as no ticket counter.... somehow with little confusion managed to get two tickets to Midway, got into the platform, when the train came.... we were on our way to Midway Airport......

in the train

We reached there by 3pm and had to waited for Frontier flight to Wilmington till 6pm
After the security and check in formalities, we were off and reached Wilmington at 7.30pm. It is small airport. Harsha was waiting with an engaged taxi, and went to his house at Delaware by 8.30pm.... His wife, Shwetha had some food cooked, ate and slept.....
written Thursday, 22nd May 2014

28 DAY U S TOUR

The US tour for going round for visiting places, including visiting friends and relations was planned by Raghu, Shubha and ourselves. The plan finalized for travelling to East Coast from Chicago by Amtrak Rail from Bloomington, Illinois. A return flight ticket by Frontier Airlines , Chicago-Wilmington-Chicago. for Thursday 24th August and returning on Tuesday 6th May,

at Bloomington railway station

Further for West Coast trip, Chicago-Los Angeles-Chicago was booked by United Airlines for Wednesday 7th May and returning on Tuesday 20th May. The final lap of Chicago-Peoria was by bus by Peoria Charter.

in AMTRAK rail to Chicago

A total of 28 days tour has been worked out and plan was ambitious and to explore places.
The plan was in our hands to implement and with limited resources and to cover the maximum areas.
However, when we returned to Peoria on Wednesday 21st May, there was feeling of achievement, satisfaction and happiness.....
WE MADE IT................