This trip started a few weeks back when Clare (UNSW exchange student) sounded the rest of us out abt gg on a trip to Washington as her friend (Joyce) was coming up from Emory Uni to explore arnd NY and its areas.
Clare checked out a few tours and found this one which covers like so many places! Although I don't really like those short planned tours but this one is really economical! In the sense that it covers so many places in 3 days. Let's see, 1000 Islands, Niagara Falls, Corning, Washington and Philadelphia. I actually had plans to visit either Washington OR Philly OR Niagara but since this trip covers all of it and all for only $110 (hotel plus transport), it's super worth it. Although it's only touch and go but well I can't complain!
We had to go Chinatown catch the bus so early man! It was a 8.45 bus but knowing us, we took our time (well at least I did haha). Reached Chinatown and boarded the bus when it came. By right we had assigned seats but we were told to just sit randomly UNTIL this Indian guy complained I think. Ok, I'm not racist but it was such a pain in the ass man. After like 30 mins of attempted sorrting out by the tour guide, it was just too troublesome to change so they said we'll just change tomorrow! Haha dumb.
First stop: 1000 Islands. What does the name remind you of? No prizes for guessing it but yeap the salad dressing. I was like what? BUT apparently it really orginated from there! 1000 Islands like its name suggested has many many islands (some idiot counted and apparently there are 1700ish). Any rock with 2 trees on it counts as an ISLAND! So the area was the playground of the rich and famous. They all have their summer houses on the island. So I cant remember Mr. X had a party and his chefs couldnt find ingredients to do salad dressing and came up with one using materials from arnd the area and created the 1000 Island Dressing!
The main point of travelling almost 6 hours by bus there is to take this hour boat ride. The river actually splits between Ontario (Canada) and New York (America) so I'll be crossing the border! Basically it's just to see the islands and the huge and beautiful houses. The main attraction of the trip was Boldt's Castle (the set of 3 pictures on the right). It has such a beautiful love story to it. The guy bought the island, used explosive to blast the rocks so it resembled a heart shape and built the castle for his wife who unfortunately died before he could complete it. In summary, it was a beautiful and relaxing cruise but tourists being tourists, I probably spent too much time snapping away rather than sit back and enjoy the scenary. I really wished that there was some way to take photos with my eyes or smthing. So i can relax and just enjoy the trip! Happened all 3 days man!
Stop 2: Niagara Falls. Oh did i mention that it's fall now? Since I was small I really wanted to catch the leafs changing color and falling. You know like in the movie and stuff. This trip sort of managed to coincide with the "color-changing" season or whatever you call it. Some shots for your enjoyment. It really is so pretty (man thats a gay term, but i like haha). Just check out the photos on the left which I took at Goat's Island (Niagara Falls). Well it's now day 2 and stop no. 2. The eagerly anticipated Niagara Falls. "Must-Go!" or so everyone who preceded me told me. Words don't do it justice so i'll just bombard everyone with more photos!
Niagara Falls is actually made up of 3 falls - Horseshoe, American, Bridal Veils Falls. They came about as Goat's Island actually splits the river into 3 separate parts. Top collage shows the Horseshoe Falls which is the largest and in the shape of a horseshoe. But the view sucks from the American side. Yilin prob has a zai shot. Next collage are the 2 falls on the American side. But well not to despair! We went on a boat ride (Maids of the Mist) which brings us right up to the 3 falls!
The shots are quite bad coz the power at which the water thunders down creates a perpetual mist around the area! Which makes for super super nice rainbow! Even a double rainbow like above! We had to don blue raincoats for this so we'll not get wet. BUT looking at the picture, you can just imagine how useful it was. Like the wet-look? Haha. The whole experience was quite magical! Plus I had my oakleys so I could stare right into the falls when the boat passed it! The power was quite astonishing (to a mountain tortoise like me)!
Before we headed to our next stop, I managed to grab my first ever krispy kreme! Heard so much about it. And it was well ok la haha. Soft but maybe not very fresh coz it's not a bakery kind. But well my very first one!Stop 3: Corning Glass Museum. Erm it's where like Corning Ware is made? The thing that pple use to cook casserole in. Pretty boring place so just some pictures. Lazy to describe this place.
Stop 4: Washington DC. The highlight of the trip. It's really just to see the sights! White House, etc etc etc. So first up were the Vietnam War and Korean War Memorials. The Vietnam War memorial was designed by a Chinese! Cool man. So many features to it. It must blend in with the surroundings, have the names of all the soldiers. It was deisnged in a V-shape to signify Vietnam or Victory, cant remember already. Kinda sobering and disgusted to know so many lives were wasted just like that. Kinda like Iraq War man. But nobody can say if its right or wrong i guess. Salute the soldiers for the spirit! Maybe coz i served 2 years before thats why i feel it so much. Imagine the men under you man. Sheesh.
After the 2 war memorials, went to the Lincoln Memorial. One comment that I must make is that the memorials are really grand here. The Lincoln Memorial is like WOAH. The scale and size and the aura. Really inspiring. 36 columns to represent the initial 36 states in the US. And across from the Memorial and the long pond (which always appears in the movies) is the Washington Memorial. It's the needle like structure in the photos! It's as magical as in the movies.
Next next, WHITE HOUSE. There is like a lady protesting outside man. What's more comical is that while we were taking photos outside, there was this lady jogger gg past.. AND she was pointing her middle finger the whole time she jogged past it. That's SPIRIT!
Off to the jefferson memorial. Oh its surrounded by this Huge lake.. HUGE! And with Sakura trees flanking it on the side as well. But too bad its not the season yet. Heard its beautiful man when the sakura blooms. Have several arty farty shots of this place haha check out my middle finger shot.
After lunch we went over to Capitol Building, another touristy photo-taking spot. I started taking photo of the reflection of the building over the pond and then everyone came over and wow wah wah seh.. and copied.. I thot that was hilarious. Arty Daniel!
Last stop in DC! We went to visit the hope diamond at the National Museum of History. Largest Blue Diamond in the world. It was part of a larger blue diamond which was eventually cut into 2 and the other was the one that supposedly sank in the titanic! It's amazing how light reflects of it man. Man one expensive piece of carbon there.
Stop 5: Philadelphia. Last stop of this whirlwind tour! This i must really complain. The trip was reversed arnd right at the stop so we thought ok no problem. BUT when we reached philly we couldnt see the Liberty Bell. WTH! It's like highlight la. Did everyone watch "National Treasure"? That is the same bell and the smae place man. We only got to see the stinky Independence Hall, from afar no less.
And this concludes my trip! Wow super super long post. Thanks to all those who tagged along. Really enjoyed the trip. Bonding in a sense I guess. Like one person remarked, "It moved beyond the normal living on the same floor relationship"!