On Monday we didn’t do much other than catching up on things, doing washing and just hanging out. It was Victoria Day here so not much open anyway. On Tuesday we set off in the morning for a trip to the USA. We crossed the border at Thousand Islands and although Chris and I have our visa waivers the girls had to get theirs. It wasn’t very busy there and so we were through in about 20 mins and into the USA.

We stopped off at Syracuse and visited the Carousel Centre where we all spent a few hours shopping. Stacey found Abercrombie & Finch and was very happy. We left the centre late afternoon and traveled to Buffalo where we had booked hotel rooms for two nights. The girls had wanted to go to Canada’s Wonderland last week, but due to the bad weather at the beginning of the week couldn’t, so we suggested Darian Lakes instead. We planned to go the following day, however upon arrival at the hotel discovered it was only open at the weekends. We decided to go out for dinner and decide what to do after.

We went to a great restaurant a short walk from the hotel, had a fabulous meal which was very cheap considering the huge plates of food we got! We then all went back to our room at the hotel to discuss what to do the next day. We had always thought that the American side of Niagara Falls was inferior to Canada and so had never been, but decided as we were so close it would be silly not to.

So the next morning we met for breakfast and then travelled to Niagara Falls for the day. We purchased a Discovery Pass at the information centre for $33 each and off we went.

First we went on the Maid of the Mist boat ride. We had done this before, but it really is the best way to experience the falls so it had to be done. Also it was included in the ticket price. This is me and the girls in our best outfits!

After the Maid of the Mist we went to the Cave of the Winds walk. We weren’t sure what to expect from this but it was brilliant. Once again you are given rain coats (yellow this time) and you have to wear the footwear provided. They give you a plastic bag to put your own shoes in to keep them dry. You then walk along a walkway underneath the falls. This is also a nesting colony for gulls and so there are thousands of gulls in the cliffside. We saw lots of chicks in their nests which were really cute.

The walkway takes you right under the falls and you do get very very wet, but it is awesome. This is Stacey & Amy getting wet.

We then wandered around the area as there is some beautiful parkland and of course stunning scenery. You can stand on the edge in between the American Falls and the Bridal Falls and literally be part of the waterfall. We felt that this side of the falls was in fact much better than the Canadian side as you get to be a real part of the whole thing.

We also went to the Niagara Aquarium, which to be honest was pretty poor and not really worth the effort, but again it was included in the ticket price. All in all we had a brilliant day in Niagara Falls, NY and I would recommend anyone in the area to visit and not miss out on what the American side has to offer.

We ate again at the same restaurant that night and after a terrible night at the hotel (Do not stay at the Comfort Inn University it is terrible) we then went across the border at Rainbow Bridge and back into Canada.

We then spent the day in Niagara Falls again, but this time in Ontario. When we got there it was very misty and the falls were almost invisible so we decided to go to the Butterfly Conservatory first to let the mist clear. There are thousands of free flying butterflies here and we always love to visit. It was the girls first time here and they loved it too. This is Stacey with one of the butterflies.

When we came out of the Butterflies we drove down to the falls and parked in the car park then wandered over to the falls. Took lots of photo of the Canadian Falls as well as the American/Bridal Falls from Canada. Then we walked down to Clifton Hill.

The girls wanted to go to Ripley’s believe it or Not, so we all went. It was very interesting with lots of interesting facts. Our ticket also included the wax museum and the movie theatre, so we did those too. The wax museum was hilarious. Every wax figure had a name tag on, and believe me they were needed. I have never seen so many bad models in my life. Having been to Taussauds in London many times, this place is just a laugh and needs to be viewed that way. The 4D movie experience was pretty good though.

This is Chris auditioning for Star Trek. Yes that really is Spock and Captain Kirk – honestly!

After wandering round town we went to Bird Kingdom and spend an hour admiring the many birds here. It had changed from the last time we went and there was another room with some parrots and lizards etc. Worth a visit if you like birds.

After this we went to Planet Hollywood for dinner. The girls loved their lasagna but Chris and I were very disappointed in our meals which cost twice as much as the restaurant in Buffalo but nowhere as good.

When we left the restaurant it had been raining so we walked back to the car (approx. 2km). During the walk it started to rain again and by the time we got to it we were all totally soaked. After this it was a drive back to home via Toronto which turned out to be a doddle, traffic-wise. We sailed through and got home in about 3.5 hours.

Friday we went into Belleville so the girls could spend the last of their money and then went home where they cooked us lasagna which was vey nice.

Saturday was the last day and as their flight was not until midnight, we were able to spend the day together before setting off at about 6pm for the airport. Once again traffic was great and we arrived at the airport at 8:20. The girls checked in their luggage to get rid of it then we all sat in the restaurant and had drinks before they had to leave. This was the worst bit – the goodbyes. Lots of hugs and tears and we finally had to say goodbye at around 10pm. The drive home was very sad and quiet.

Sunday the house seemed deserted and we already missed them being around. We hope that they can come back soon, although work commitments for them means it will not be until next year unless we win the lottery before then.

Phoned my aunt and uncle on Monday morning and told them all about the visit. They were very happy for us all but also jealous that they were not here. Once again we are all awaiting that lottery win!

Final photo of Chris & the girls.

Once there we checked out the falls themselves. Although we had visited the falls several times we had never visited in the summer so this was a new experience for us. We had only seen it before with snow and ice and on this visit it was warm and sunny with no snow in sight!

The Canadian Falls

The American Falls

Once we had given the girls the lowdown on where everything was we separated and arranged to meet later in the evening. We when decided to go on the Maid of the Mist boat ride as it had never been operating when we had been before.

Fortunately there wasn’t much of a queue and after paying our $14.50 each we were given a rather attractive blue plastic poncho and on board we went.

Sailing past the American Falls

And approaching the Horseshoe Falls

We really enjoyed the ride even though you do get very very wet!

After this we took the people mover bus to the butterfly conservatory. The buses run all day and you can get a pass for $7.50 which allows unlimited use all day. The butterfly conservatory is 9 km away so unless you choose to drive (and loose your parking space) the people mover is the best bet.

The butterfly conservatory is pretty large and there are thousands of butterflies of all sizes and colours. I love butterflies so really wanted to do this and was so glad we did. here are some of the beautiful butterflies on show.

Lots of Blue Morphos feeding on fruit.

A Blue Morpho in all its glory.

A Banded Peacock

Beautiful orange and black one

Owl butterfly from the top.

Even butterflies have to do it somewhere! These are Common Mormons

After the butterfly conservatory and stopping off for some dinner we wandered back to the falls and managed to see several rainbows.

We also visited the new ride in the visitors centre called Niagara’s Fury. This is a film made in the Ice Age animation theme showing how the falls were formed. You then go into another room onto a platform and take a ride down the falls. You are given a rain poncho before entering with the promise you will get wet. However if having a tiny amount of spay on your face constitutes getting wet then I suppose technically they are right. We were disappointed with this ride and would not recommend it.

We waited until after dark to see the light show which unfortunately started nearly half an hour late. We then drove home and got there about 1 am. Phew what a day.

I will post these pics and more in my photo album in due corse.

On Wednesday we stayed in for a rest, other than taking the hire car back to Avis. On Thursday we drove up to Ottawa. We set out nice and early and too highway 7 as it is far more scenic than going along the 401 etc. We stopped off in Perth for a Tim’s and got to Ottawa late morning. Although we couldn’t check into the hotel that early we left the car there and got the bus into the city. The hotel is outside the main city area so it cost us just $3 each to bus in.

Once in the city we walked to Parliament Hill which looked great. The sun was shining it was 25C and everything looked beautiful.

The views across the Ottawa River were great too.

Once we had done the sightseeing on Parliament Hill we went to the Byward Market area to look around the stores and the stalls. We also went into the main shopping centre.

After all this we were hungary so we took Judy & David to the Hard Rock Cafe as they had never been to one before. They really liked it and we had a great meal. After this we headed back to the hotel and checked in. We met up an hour later in the bar area for a couple of drinks and a chat then went to bed exhausted.

Next morning we decided we didn’t want to shop and decided to visit Gatineau Park on the Quebec side of Ottawa. We found it quite easily but also found than many areas were still covered in snow and some were inaccessible.

Some of the lakes were stunning however!

After a few hours at the park we drove back home.

Saturday we didn’t do much and Sunday we sat on the deck in the morning as the weather was so nice. In the afternoon I took my aunt to a couple of local open houses. We are still tentatively looking and she was really interested to see the different styles of house, so we have a good couple of hours house hunting.

In the evening we went to Montanans for dinner and then relaxed in the evening.

Today they return to the airport for the journey home and it is poring with rain and thundering, so could be an interesting drive!

BTW, both have decided they love Canada and want to live here – is this what happens to everyone when they visit this country?

As I mentioned we went to Presqu’ile Park on Wednesday. Here are some of the pictures I took.

As you can see the weather was great.

On Thursday we were going to Charleston Lake and 1000 Islands area, but at the last minute we decided to take them across the border to the USA as neither had been before. Judy was so excited she could hardly sit still in the evening.

We set off in the morning and drove to the border crossing at 1000 Islands and managed to get through customs etc pretty quick with visa waivers in hand. They were very excited to get a USA stamp in their passports. We drove down to Watertown which is only a few miles over the border and stopped at the mall as it was a convenient place to stop. We had a coffee in the book shop and then spent quite a while in the book shop as both Judy and David and indeed myself all love books. Contrary to what we are led to believe the books are still cheaper in America.

We wandered round the mall for a while and drove through the town then decided to drive back over the border to visit the 1000 Islands whilst we were there. The views over the river when you cross the border are truly spectacular. We drove down by the riverside and took some more pics.

As you can see the temps were even better than the previous days – they certainly brought the Spanish weather with them.

On the way home we stopped off in Kingston to eat at Kelsey’s as they fancied a burger. They ordered the peppercorn burgers and they loved them. We have been spoilt this week with David cooking as he is fantastic – me thinks I will have to up the ante when he goes home or Chris will be moving to Spain!

On Friday we were all flaked out so we spent the day at home relaxing on the deck. One again temps were in the high 20′sC and we just sat outside reading and chatting, it was lovely. J & D cannot believe the weather here, they expected it to be really cold and wet. They also expected us to live in an igloo, but that is another story!

On Saturday we took David into town so he could pick up their hire car to travel to Niagara in. He had ordered a Pontiac G6 which he thought was really cool, but ended up being upgraded to a Pontiac Grand Prix – he was like a dog with two tails. I drove home with him so he could get used to using cruise control and find the way home from the 401.

Here is the dog and if you look carefully you will see his tails wagging!

In the afternoon we drove down to Picton to show then around this lovely little town. Judy loved all the little shops so much I suggested we drive onto Bloomfield which is known for its quaint little shops full of all sorts of nic nacs. Although the men didn’t seem too impressed, we ladies loved it. After, we drove home and relaxed.

On Sunday they drove down to Niagara Falls in their new car and our sat nav which apparently came in very handy. They come back on Tuesday evening so we will catch up on their tales then.

We have been snowed on, rained on, ice pelleted and the sun had been shining this week. We have fluctuated between -25C with wind-chill to a barmy +11C the other day. When you have been used to very cold temps, eleven degrees felt like the height of summer. However it did not last and the very next day we were back to wintery weather and it is snowing as I write with another 15cm promised over the next day or so.

The deer don’t seem to like it as they haven’t been round nearly as often as they have been. The squirrels are still using the multitude of tunnels they have dug all over the garden. Some people are reporting having seen robins, but we haven’t yet. They would be a sign that spring is on the way but none here yet.

Next month my aunt and uncle are visiting from Spain. I cannot belive that it is next month as their flights have been booked for so long it seemed they would never get here. They are getting more excited now and we are planning their itinerary so that they have places to visit etc. They are going to drive down to Niagara Falls for a couple of days and we will probably take them to places such as Algonquin Provincial Park which we love, Ottawa and other places. We are hoping the weather will have sorted itself out by then. After all, they are coming from Spain and will really feel the cold if it is not at least 20C. Talking of Spain, anyone want to buy a villa in a lovely hot location? It is very tempting!!

Well I had better go an batten down the hatches ready for the next snowy onslaught.

We parked up by the Horseshoe Falls and wandered round to the viewing platform. It was very cold, especially with the wind chill taken into account. The falls were spectacular though. Last time we visited, two years ago in April, it was also cold, but lots of sun. This time we had no sun, just snow, but it made things very pretty.

We then went on the Journey Behind the Falls. The noise is quite something, it is very loud and cold – had I mentioned it was cold? We walked under the falls to the viewing platform there and to the portals actually under the falls themselves. It is quite spectacular and something you should definitely do before you die as they say.

After this we went into the gift shop, more shopping for the girls! We then wandered down to the American Falls which the girls thought was a bit of a downer after the Canadian ones. For once the Americans got the short straw!Canadian Falls

American Falls

After this we got back to the car and drove into the main town to go to the aviary. If anyone likes birds, this is a must see. We visited on our last trip, but they have improved it since then and it is even better now. If you are not keen on birds, don’t go, as they are all free flying.

The first section has lots of smaller birds such as finches and similar species. Then you go through a nocturnal section with bats and owls etc. Then you enter the main aviary where you will see toucans, parrots and many other birds just flying around. They are quite oblivious to the humans chasing them around with cameras!
Once we had done the aviary (via the gift shop), we got back into the car to journey back to Toronto. The weather picked up as soon as we left Niagara and soon we were driving in sunshine. The traffic was bad though. The nearer to TO we got, the slower it became, but eventually we got there and found the hotel we would be staying in.

The hotel was a Marriott Courtyard and was on Yonge Street, so well situated, however we were not too impressed with the room. Our room was just down the corridor from the girls and it turned out their room was twice the size of ours – never mind!

That evening they decided to go out clubbing, whilst we went out for something to eat and then crashed out in the hotel.

The following morning the girls were complaining that they had frostbite. They had been out clubbing and not got back till early morning and had only gone out in t-shirts and light jackets. Baring in mind the temperature was low even before the night settled in you would have thought that they would have dressed accordingly – but no! It also turned out that they had got lost and not thought to take a map with them – kids!

On Saturday we took them to the Eaton Centre and basically left them there for six hours! We went shopping too, but after a couple of hours had had enough and went back to the hotel. At four in the afternoon we met up with them again and went to the Hard Rock Café for dinner. We had a really nice meal and after we went back to the hotel and once again crashed out – we must be getting old. The girls decided to go to the cinema across town and this time with a map!

Sunday we checked out of the hotel and drove down to the CN Tower. We went up to the observation deck and freaked the girls out with the glass floor, then went up to the skypod. Fortunately the weather was brilliant with clear skies and sunshine, so we had great views. We had a drink in the café and then after all this we went to the gift shop and purchased some of the many photos that are on offer as you go to each level.

After all this excitement it was time to head home, via Ikea. We wanted some bits and pieces from there and popped in on our way home. Then finally late Sunday afternoon we got home again.

Haven’t done too much Monday or today and off to New York tomorrow.

We started off in Toronto and stayed there for four nights. We really loved Toronto. We have been to many other cities in both the UK and USA, but Toronto was by far the best. It was very friendly, everything you could want from a city was there, shopping – lots of it, attractions such as the CN Tower, lake views and even islands…what more could you want.

Whilst we were there it was pretty cold, but quite a lot of sun, so really nice. We stayed in a great hotel – Cambridge Suites which was within walking distance to pretty much everything, we didn’t use our vehicle the whole time we were there.

After Toronto we drove round to Niagara Falls, staying at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Wow, we had the most magnificent view of the falls from our room. Thankfully the hotel was right at the side of the Canadian falls and well out of the way of Clifton Hill which looked to us like a cheap and tacky version of Vegas. Shame to have this in such a naturally beautiful location. We spent two nights here and really loved it. It was very, very cold here – snow still on the ground, but it was beautiful.

After Niagara we then started our fact finding mission. We drove down to London Ontario and stayed at the Residence Inn in the city centre. We used this as our base to visit the surrounding area and towns. We had previously been in contact with a real estate agent who we met on our first day there. He had some properties to show us and agreed to pick us up from our hotel the following morning.

True to his word, he took us to about four properties which really gave us a good idea of the sort of properties that were available to us in our budget – a lot more than you can get for the same in the UK. Kevin, the realtor said he would pick us up the following morning to view some other properties. In total, he took us out for about five days house-hunting. We were not expecting this as he knew we could not buy at this time, but he went out of is way to help us and not only show us houses, the the area in general.

By the time we had to head home, we had been down to Post Stanley, up to Grand Bend and visited many towns in between and to the east & west. We decided that this was the area we wanted to settle in, although which area specifically remains to be seen.

Two weeks after we returned to the UK we received our Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) which is the first confirmation from Canadian immigration that they have received your application and that it at least contains the minimum required information. It stated that it could be at least 15 months before we heard from them again…..more waiting!