Trip to Boston, Canada Cruise, and Philadelphia

This is a photo of Laura and Marguerite at the Lexington Battlefield. Very interesting here and we learned that this first battle of the revolutionary war was more an accident than a planned battle. Many of the original buildings surround the Lexington Green.

One of the things Marguerite wanted on the trip was some real New England Lobster. So we went to Rockport, Mass. and had dinner at a local tourist spot. Since it was end of season not everything was open (this was around October 20th). One thing we did learn was that the New England folks take their Halloween seriously. Salem was a zoo with people from all over celebrating the coming of All Hallows Eve. Because of the traffic, poor Marguerite did not get to go into the witch house exhibit nor the House of the Seven Gables.

Here we are having dinner at Neville and Dune McCaghren. Neville is Marguerite's sister's #3 son. They live near Harvard University where Dune recently completed her MBA and Neville is going to MIT for his Master's Degree. We went to their wedding a few years ago in the Hamptons of New York. See photos on this website.

Just before we boarded our ship in Boston, Laura took us out for lunch in the Prudential Building (highest restaurant in Boston). I of course was concerned about finding our ship before it sailed without us. And looking out the window of the restaurant there it was, just waiting for us of course. That ship was home for 10 very nice days of cruising.

Our first stop on the cruise was Bar Harbor, Maine. Here Marguerite is resting after a city walking tour and lunch. We were about to separate with me taking the launch back to the ship to watch CNN in our stateroom and Marguerite to attack the hundreds of gift and antique shops in this tourist city.

Our next stop on the cruise was Halifax, Nova Scotia. This was a large city and all I remember is the fort and I forgot to take pictures. So the picture to the left is that of Marguerite on the ship in the Centrum, which is center of activity. There is usually a two or three piece band playing here for mood music.

Our next stop was Sydney, Nova Scotia, which was founded by the loyalist who got kicked out of the USA when it won the Revolutionary War. During WWII it was the last point for forming the convoys that went to England. The waters around Sydney were full of German submarines during WWII.

Our ship docked along the St. Lawrence Seaway in Quebec City. A very nice city, which we enjoyed. We toured the city, Marguerite had a crape in a restaurant that specializes in them, we went on an evening tour/dinner of a small family Maple Syrup factory and then called it an evening.

After Quebec City we went to the Saguenay River just north of Quebec City. This is the only fjord in eastern Canada and was interesting. They had a religious statue at the inner most end of the fjord and the ship just floated there playing religious music over the loud speakers. Close as I want to get to heaven for a few years. The photo is of Marguerite in the Solarium (and indoor pool area) that was nice because it was 50 degrees outside. We swam in the pool and relaxed in the spa ... but we like our spa at home better.

St. John, New Brunswick, is at the northern end of the Bay of Fundy which has some of the largest tides in the world. While we were her we saw the Ocean actually higher than the St. John River and therefore was flowing into the river, rather than the other way around. This happens twice a day for two hours.

Here we are on the Duck, an amphibian bus. In the tourist season this vehicle takes folks out into the Portland, Maine bay. Compared to the Canadian Maritime Provinces the US cities seem more alive and energetic. I was surprised.

When we completed the cruise we went to Plymouth, Massachusetts, and toured Plymouth Rock, Mayflower II, and the Plymouth Plantation. Here you see Marguerite on the Mayflower II all dress up like Nanook of the North.

After driving to Philadelphia from Boston we were very tired and ready for home. A nice trip but as always too much for too long.