Falling for you!

After our week and a bit in Canada, we were southbound, via Niagara Falls. The Canadian cousins had alerted us to the fact that there were two perspectives from which to view the Falls - the Canadian side (Ontario), and the US side (New York).

The seagulls obviously enjoyed the views as much as we did ... or perhaps they just enjoyed the fishing opportunities the churning waters afforded them!

We surveyed the views from the Canadian observation deck and saw that both countries' boats ventured as close to the fall as each other ...

The boat ride looks a lot scarier than it was ...

We opted for the Canadian side, where we had amazing views of both the Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls, along with a boat ride in the churning waters and mist from the falls to fully experience the power and thrill of this majestic natural wonder. Of our trip thus far, this would have to have been the highlight - it was exhilarating, slightly terrifying, but utterly memorable!

The kids enjoyed it, for the most part, but Daniel did cling limpet-like, to me while we were closest to the Falls, and obviously in the full thrust of its spray. (The Canadian cruise, "Hornblower", were decked out in red fashion ponchos, while the American cruise, "Maid of the Mist", wore the blue.)

 

 

 

Uncle Bernie took the ride with us and acted as family photographer on board, while Jean stayed back at the viewing centre - this being her 4th trip to Niagara!

Bye bye, Niagara Falls!

While discussing our return route home, Dave and I had both thought Pennsylvania would be interesting - for different reasons.

Dave wanted to make a little stop at the towns of Williamsport, home of Lycoming (aircraft engines), as well as Lock Haven, home of Piper Aviation.

As for me, my Linguistics MA supervisor, Dr Kate Burridge, who had done her PhD on Pennsylvanian Dutch, as spoken by the Amish communities, had piqued my interest and I'd always been fascinated about a community who could happily live a traditional, and to us, rustic lifestyle in the 21st century.

Aviation and Language & Culture - that pretty much sums up our interests!

Unfortunately for Dave, Lycoming, being aircraft engine manufacturers and with very stringent security, would not let us into the factory without an appointment, so that was a little sad, for someone. 

A sad smile, if ever I've seen one!

We had more luck at Piper Aviation, where we could wander around their private museum and find out about how this experimental aircraft manufacturer got started. Dave was extremely fascinated, Daniel a little less, and Bernie, Jean, Isabella and myself a little less again.

This shirt looks a lot like one of Daddy's!!

 

Sounds like a fun guy!

After that we headed out on our "Amish Hunt", driving through gorgeous, lush farming countryside, searching and scoping for that elusive sight of a beard and hat in a horse-drawn buggy. We stayed on the more local roads avoiding the highways, around the townships of Loganton, Middleburg, Harrisburg and Gettysburg, and were rewarded for our patience!



Bear in mind that we didn't want to be too obvious and disrespectful, so some of the shots I took were in a hurry, with moving targets, and usually while Dave was yelling at me "there's a car coming - I have to move!"

 

And no, he wasn't pedalling a Garmin SatNav - just where it happened to be when I clicked!

 

 

We soon recognised "Amish laundry" by its lack of colour and shape - or should I say, by its consistent and uniform colours and shapes?!

 

There was so much beauty in the simple contrasts of the red barn against the white houses, and the green of the corn, not to mention the blue and black of the Amish clothing.

 

 

 

 

It was fairly common for the Amish people we encountered to turn their heads away from us, while overtaking them on the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And with that we bade farewell to the Amish and their farms, continuing south east through Maryland, towards Virginia ... but first, lunch!

 

 

The Bridgeside Café, offered a genuinely retro casual dining experience ... burgers, fries, and shakes!

 

I'm afraid I don't remember where this bridge was, but it was impressive ... perhaps, one of the "Burgs"? Harrisburg? Gettysburg?

 

 

 

We finally arrived in Arlington, Virginia, around 7.30pm, which was unfortunately a little late for cousin Richard and Carolyn's previously booked dinner arrangements at one of their favourite restaurants, the Liberty Tavern, so we ate at the Cheesecake Factory instead - a loud, buzzy cafeteria-style place with an extensive menu and an even bigger cake cabinet! We were all pretty satisfied with out mains - or "entrees" as they're called over here - so we had our Key Lime Cheesecake "to go"!!

The next morning, we walked a block uphill from our hotel, to the Bayou Café, a very groovy, Southern-style café, famous for its beignets - gorgeous, fluffy, doughy pillows of sugary deliciousness - and its "biscuits" - again, in the Southern-style of biscuits, which are much like very buttery, crumbly scones to us! Also very tasty!!!

Never wanting to miss a "This Is The Life" food opportunity, I insisted Dave order both beignets and biscuits ... we did, after all, have a day of sightseeing to fuel, and this was as good a place as any to carb-load!

 

So here's our breakfast: biscuits with bacon, egg (that square, sponge-looking item), and cheese; beignets; oats - for something healthy(!!); milk for the kids; coffee for Dave; and tea for me, of course!

Daniel spent a lot of investigative time exploring all the sensory spoils of the beignet, including its texture, smell and taste!

 

While we were enjoying our breakfast, Richard, Jean and Bernie joined us ... albeit at another table. (Their polite distance might have had something to do with Daniel's table manners?!)

 

 

It was a breakfast of champions, and we were more than ready to hop onto the subway and traverse the Potomac River to Washington, DC, for a day of exploration.

Cousin Richard, Jean and Bernie decided to take a trolley tour around the major sights and monuments.

The Washington Monument, commemorating the first American president

 

It was uncomfortably hot, and we were quite surprised at the scale and distances between the main monuments and museums, which we didn't think would be of much interest to the 3 and 7 year olds!

We decided that with our two, the easiest itinerary - and therefore, least painful for all - would be to head to one of the Smithsonian Museums, where the kids could be stimulated and interested for a few hours.

Not the clearest of pics, sorry, but you can see the Washington Monument to the left,
and the various Smithsonian museums lining the National Mall.

Smithsonian: National Museum of American History ... not this time

We'd heard that it can take days just to see one of the Smithsonian museums, which we didn't have, unfortunately, so we had to make a decision, and thought the National Museum of Natural History would be of most interest to the kids, along with the fact that it houses a live butterfly enclosure ... yes, we're fast becoming experts at these, having visited one at Callaway Gardens, western Georgia!

Isabella never tires of standing like a flower and trying not to blink, while hoping a fluttery friend will deign to rest on her for a magical moment! She has great faith in her trusty floral hat and we had brought it along especially.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even yours truly scored one ... was my freckly arm mistaken for a (very) ripe piece of fruit?

Tah! Dah! Finally!!!

 

These two must have bathed in honey before they'd arrived ...

 

 

 

Getting close and personal with the wildlife at the interactive show ...

 

 

Daniel hasn't featured in many of these pictures as he decided to sleep for about 1 1/2 hours while we were there. He was awake long enough to pour the contents of his drink container over the middle of the floor of the "Mammal Wing" of the Smithsonian, and after searching fruitlessly for a staff member we ended up using one of his nappies to mop up the mess - very absorbent, those "big boy nappies"!!  

Australian Aborigines even got a mention ...

 

Tired, hot, but happy!

 

The Smithsonian Museum gift shop was great for browsing, and I couldn't help noticing what a contrast this book display was to the religious propaganda usually on display at our local supermarkets in middle Georgia!

In the end, Isabella only really wanted some Origami Paper, while Daniel scored a "Clifford Goes to Washington, DC" book, Dave got a vintage aircraft bookmark, and I may have bought some chocolate and stationery - a couple of my addictions!

 

Before we came to the US, the kids had never heard of Sponge Bob Square Pants, but after three months in an apartment with one crappy kids channel, we became quite familiar with his disturbingly chirpy visage. Can't say I miss him ...

 

 

 

 

After the Museum, we wandered across to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, and being a Friday, were lucky enough to enjoy a little Jazz in the Garden!

 

Some of the sculptures required a double-take, but not this one, by Spanish artist,

Joan Miro.

 

 

 

The jazz band was set up on the edge of a central water feature, and we all joined the locals in cooling our heels ... and toes ... and soles!

 

 

 

Yes, that does look a long way away ... best take a few pics and leave it for another trip!

To wrap up our lightning trip of DC, we shared pizzas with Richard and Carolyn in their gorgeous and quirky apartment in Arlington, home of the internet!

When there's not one, but two artists in a home, there's always something interesting and/or beautiful to look at.

I was particularly taken with Carolyn's bookshelf, where every single book had been hand-covered in brown paper with the books' titles written in a variety of fonts on the spines - giving the collection a strangely uniform, yet individual look!

Jean enjoying the arty ambience

Richard's fine workmanship in bespoke wood-crafting and furniture design was on display as well, with a beautiful coffee table and a very cute, retro-styled illuminated ampersand ("&") - one of my favourite symbols!!

Isabella & Daniel & Uncle Bernie!

 

One of Carolyn's witty and whimsical creations!

The kids had a ball with Carolyn's little box of tricks - that's not a euphemism for anything rude - she literally had a box of interesting little bibs and bobs for the entertainment of small children, including a unicorn horn and tiara ... not sure who enjoyed playing with these more - the Big Girl or the Little Girl?!

For the last leg of our return trip to Middle Georgia, stay tuned ...