This weekend we (Myself, Alfred, Sasi) went for a trip to Thousand Island, Toronto and Niagara Falls. First time in my life i opted for packaged tour instead of planning on myself. Not becoz i have become lazy (though i have become in someway) but becoz of money crunch ...
We started on Saturday Morning around 7:30 AM from place de Armes along with 55 other passengers all from almost all part of the world. Entire tour was organized by two ladies Huo, the tour guide and Diana the driver. I am very happy to see how these ladies organized and kept the harmony of the entire passengers which i feel it is missing back at my home. I will really love to see this kind of scene in India.
Among the passengers there was group of girls of Indian, African American and European Origins. It was a great to see them together. During the entire trip we kept seeing them, and in fact took few pictures of them without their permission and finally when i went and requested a picture of all four of them together the Indian who seemed to be the group leader denied it. And i liked it so much. Though i felt a bit bad, but i liked it. A bit sad that she might have misunderstood my intentions. Though my main intention was to get a picture where i could clearly show a unity in diversity. Any way we had pictures of them but could not get them all together. :(
May be if my lines cross hers any time i would be really happy to make my intention on that day clear to her. Hope we meet ...
Thousand Island
So we set our journey towards Thousand Island a place which is around 2 hrs from Montreal. It was one of a very beautiful place i have seen. We took a ferry to see the islands. Entire place is full of island from as small as 1 sqm or so big ones. Those islands belong to both US and Canada. And there are people who owns islands in both countries.
Interesting Facts
And one of the CEO of GE bought an island in canada and built a home. He felt it is little small so he decided to buy another island that was near to this and he bought it and built a small buridge of 9m between them. And that belonged to US. So it is the shorted bridge between two countries ... Interesting isn't it ...
Toronto
From there we went to kingston and had our lunch in a chinese restaurant which was very good with lots of desert items (the best part) and they had few good vegetarian items too (surprising but true ... ) Then we set forward towards Toronto. The city is easily identified by huge huge traffic and huge huge buildings.
We first went to the City Hall and took few good pictures in front of old and new city hall. The new city hall is in the shape of an eye. It was good. Then what we expected not to happen happened :) (Proving the Murphy's law once again). There was only 60% chance of rain and it was sunny afternoon. But out of the blue the climate changed completely and started raining with heavy wind.
Then a couple in the bus did not return to bus in time we waited for sometime and went to Parliment building. There first time we saw few people protesting (for what - who cares) by being nude. But becoz of rain we could not get down and see (damn rain .... ). Cursing our fate we went to CN Towers, with mind thinking about the parliment building :)
CN Towers is truly amazing. We went to the top and it was a great sight ... There was a glass floor from where we could see below ... truly amazing ... In there we met an indian Tamil coimbatore family ... It was very nice talking to them .... where ever we go we can find an Indian.
Niagara
From there we set about towards Niagara. We reached there around 9 PM and it was pouring. So we went to hotel after having a glimpse of it from the Bus. I was very unhappy that i could not spend more time there. Then we had our dinner in Dominoes then slept off. At around 3:30 AM i woke up. I did not set any alarm but could get up and went out to see Niagara at night. I was totally alone in the streets. But here and there could see few pairs coming out of casino and bar. Then i saw Niagara in night. Though it was not clear but i could see it a bit. It was awesome and the sound it is too good. I stayed there for around 1/2 an hour and set towards hotel. I lost my way and roamed here and there for about 1 hr. Luckily i met an indian who was working as a security guard he guided me to the hotel. Then reached hotel around 6 and the alarm was about to start which we have set so as to get ready to go to skylon tower.
After getting fresh and having break fast then we went to skylon towers, but unfortunately there was huge mist and from the tower we could not see anything. Cursing our fate once again we came down. Many were curing the tourist guide as they took there early than at afternoon. I felt sorry for Huo. Then we went to see Niagara but there was huge mist we could barely see it. Still now luck was not on our side. Even the girls rejected taking photos of them. :(
Then we saw the 4D movie. It was good. First time having the experience. Everyone loved it. Then we set towards ferry Mist of the Maid to takes near to Niagara. By the time we reach ferry the mist was cleared from american falls. Slowly clearing from the Horshoe falls of canada also. We had a really good time in ferry and after that. Though we had very less time spent with niagara, it was great.
Then pushed by Huo to go to the bus, reluctantly we reached bus and set forth towards Montreal. From then on i decided never to go on for the packaged trip. I am not blaming them for anything. With ours we always have the luxury of changing the plans based on what we want to see. We could have stayed longer in Niagara and left late. Alls well ends well. It ended well and we could see Niagara very well.
I would like to visit once again by staying there for couple of days. Enjoying every bit of the city, the night life, and niagara. I would also like to visit during winter to see how it looks. May be i am asking for too much to be for a single life time. :)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Day out in Montreal
April 18th 2009
This weekend myself, three of my collegues went out to have a look around in montreal. The weather was extremely pleasing for travellers than it used to be. We also noticed a slight drizzle in the morning. After having our regular meal of bread and doughnut with honey, milk, and muffins and a cup of cornflakes ( which we are having for past 7 days without any change in the menu ) we set out towards Old city of Montreal.
We walked our way to the bus terminal in Dorval (near our Travelodge where we stay) from where we took a bus 211 towards a place called lyonel Groulx. The journey was quiet good and mostly it was good becoz the bus was driven by a young beautiful lady with a dark glass driving at a speed of 160 km/hour. She was very good.
After getting down there we got into metro and after changing couple of trains we reached our metro station PIE IX. We saw first time the Big O, the olympic stadium. I was really impressed the architecture of it. I could not believe it was constructed in 1976.
The slanting tower nearby it is too too good. We took the cable car to the top of it. The city looked simply beautiful. Later after reaching our hotel back i read about the history of the slanting tower i was shocked to hear that it has fell twice :) and it was rebuilt.
Neary by that there was a biodome which used to be the olympic stadium i suppose. It had many species of monkeys, birds, trees, fishes. The one thing which i was very happy to see was penguin. As a Linux user i am every where connected to use penguin in my wallpaper, icons .... but for the first time i saw penguin. I loved it so so much ... But bad thing was it was on water. After seeing these penguin in water i would love to see it on ice. what a sight it would be ...
From there we went to Basilica of Notre Dame, one of the very beautiful church in the city. It had a very nice interiors. A place worth visiting.
After leaving the church we went roaming, there we find a guy doing some tricks in the center of the road. He said he is doing it for past 15 years. The tricks were pretty common ones but how he markets himself and how makes jokes out of everyone and maintains crowds, is simple amazing. May be this what is the difference between Indians doing street tricks and canadiens doing it.
From there we went to a place called Peel and McGill for shopping. The place was very very costly. I am not an exception for the ongoing recession. So we just did window shopping :)
Next we went to Mont Royal and just roamed around for 1 hour and then finally returned back to hotel. Overall it was very nice to see the old montreal.
April 19 2009
After having the same food for the 8 th or 9 th time and expecting 21 more days of similar food, we set again towards old montreal to do some shopping. Montreal has a very good underground city. So went there hoping as the place is sub ground level the price will also be a level less. On seeing the price our hopes got shattered. Be it above the ground or below the ground the price is just the same. So another 3 hrs of window shopping :) hoping to find something cheap.
Next we went to the St.Joseph Oratory and saw it. It was spectacular in size. Though its interiors was not that great but it was amazingly large is size built on the rocks.
After that we scrambled through the map to find china town and finally with some help from a chinese guy we went there but as it was sunday afternoon almost all shops were closed. So on the way we finally bought some curd and Sprite that is what we could buy :). Then we rode back to hotel
Overall the two days was very good and we had very good feel of old Montreal. The only thing i missed in old montreal was snow. I really would like to see the entire city again place by place during winter time. I think it would be really really good. Hope my company calls me to Montreal during December :)
This weekend myself, three of my collegues went out to have a look around in montreal. The weather was extremely pleasing for travellers than it used to be. We also noticed a slight drizzle in the morning. After having our regular meal of bread and doughnut with honey, milk, and muffins and a cup of cornflakes ( which we are having for past 7 days without any change in the menu ) we set out towards Old city of Montreal.
We walked our way to the bus terminal in Dorval (near our Travelodge where we stay) from where we took a bus 211 towards a place called lyonel Groulx. The journey was quiet good and mostly it was good becoz the bus was driven by a young beautiful lady with a dark glass driving at a speed of 160 km/hour. She was very good.
After getting down there we got into metro and after changing couple of trains we reached our metro station PIE IX. We saw first time the Big O, the olympic stadium. I was really impressed the architecture of it. I could not believe it was constructed in 1976.
The slanting tower nearby it is too too good. We took the cable car to the top of it. The city looked simply beautiful. Later after reaching our hotel back i read about the history of the slanting tower i was shocked to hear that it has fell twice :) and it was rebuilt.
Neary by that there was a biodome which used to be the olympic stadium i suppose. It had many species of monkeys, birds, trees, fishes. The one thing which i was very happy to see was penguin. As a Linux user i am every where connected to use penguin in my wallpaper, icons .... but for the first time i saw penguin. I loved it so so much ... But bad thing was it was on water. After seeing these penguin in water i would love to see it on ice. what a sight it would be ...
From there we went to Basilica of Notre Dame, one of the very beautiful church in the city. It had a very nice interiors. A place worth visiting.
After leaving the church we went roaming, there we find a guy doing some tricks in the center of the road. He said he is doing it for past 15 years. The tricks were pretty common ones but how he markets himself and how makes jokes out of everyone and maintains crowds, is simple amazing. May be this what is the difference between Indians doing street tricks and canadiens doing it.
From there we went to a place called Peel and McGill for shopping. The place was very very costly. I am not an exception for the ongoing recession. So we just did window shopping :)
Next we went to Mont Royal and just roamed around for 1 hour and then finally returned back to hotel. Overall it was very nice to see the old montreal.
April 19 2009
After having the same food for the 8 th or 9 th time and expecting 21 more days of similar food, we set again towards old montreal to do some shopping. Montreal has a very good underground city. So went there hoping as the place is sub ground level the price will also be a level less. On seeing the price our hopes got shattered. Be it above the ground or below the ground the price is just the same. So another 3 hrs of window shopping :) hoping to find something cheap.
Next we went to the St.Joseph Oratory and saw it. It was spectacular in size. Though its interiors was not that great but it was amazingly large is size built on the rocks.
After that we scrambled through the map to find china town and finally with some help from a chinese guy we went there but as it was sunday afternoon almost all shops were closed. So on the way we finally bought some curd and Sprite that is what we could buy :). Then we rode back to hotel
Overall the two days was very good and we had very good feel of old Montreal. The only thing i missed in old montreal was snow. I really would like to see the entire city again place by place during winter time. I think it would be really really good. Hope my company calls me to Montreal during December :)
Friday, April 17, 2009
My First US Trip
I got an opportunity with my company . I was sent to US for a month ... With lots of plans (like visiting niagara, grand canyon , etc etc ) i landed in California, the so called silicon valley.
For the whole period we worked like anything ... no time for even go out and enjoy the weather ...
On top of that we got fired :) on Feb 13th ... Then we were promised a lot about being paid for the work we do in US and got cheated terribly (May be this is called business acumen by the CEOs) .
Hurried back to india ... Not even a glimpse of even Golden Gate Bridge in California ... Leave alone grand canyon and niagara ... May be some day i will see it ...
Such a horrifying experience i dont wanna go for work there ... yack ... its not my fruit ...
For the whole period we worked like anything ... no time for even go out and enjoy the weather ...
On top of that we got fired :) on Feb 13th ... Then we were promised a lot about being paid for the work we do in US and got cheated terribly (May be this is called business acumen by the CEOs) .
Hurried back to india ... Not even a glimpse of even Golden Gate Bridge in California ... Leave alone grand canyon and niagara ... May be some day i will see it ...
Such a horrifying experience i dont wanna go for work there ... yack ... its not my fruit ...
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