I"m Back!

I'm finally back from my 2 week trip. It was so fun and relaxing. Here's a quick recap:

We left at 1:30 AM Saturday, August 22. We drove straight to Upstate New York and spent Saturday and Sunday night at MAB's sister's house. It was soooooo relaxing. About an hour from the house we met a fierce storm. We pulled over at a rest area and sat for about 20 minutes waiting for the rain to calm down enough to go further. After it calmed down, we started again. In a few minutes, it got bad again. We pulled off at an exit and sat for over 30 minutes. It finally calmed down enough for us to get there. We ate a quick bite and went to bed. Sunday, we sat around for a few hours. We went to the next town to see a photography exhibit of one of MAB's sister's friends. We hit a few shops and then came back to the house and took a nap. We then went to see the friend's recently renovated house. After dinner, we watched a movie and then went to bed.

The next morning (Monday), we set out for Quebec. We got there about dinner time. We stayed at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. I highly recommend it. It is convenient to almost everything in the Old City. Tuesday, we went on a walking tour/river cruise. We learned a lot about Quebec's history and architecture. Wednesday, we walked around the Old City, hit a few shops and then went to a museum. I was disappointed in the shopping, but the food was outstanding.

Thursday, we drove to Saint John, New Brunswick. On the way, we all of a sudden smelled this horrible smell. It was so bad that we started screaming. We tried to close off the vents and air out the car. It got worse and worse. We then discovered that a hog truck was driving in MAB's blind spot. It was awful! We spent the night in Saint John, and the next morning we drove to Halifax, Nova Scotia via Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy. We hiked and hiked until we got to the ocean floor. It was low tide and we were able to walk on the ocean floor.

In Halifax, we went to the Maritime Museum and on a Harbour Cruise. We both wanted to see the Titanic exhibit and the Halifax Explosion exhibit. It was a good thing that what we wanted to do was indoors, because it poured down rain all day. That night after dinner, the weather got really bad. Tropical Depression Danny was passing through. Sunday, we intended to take the ferry to Portland, Maine, but it was cancelled due to Danny. We decided to drive to Portland instead. It actually worked out better. We got there 4 hours earlier, plus we saved $400.

In Portland, we stayed at the Portland Harbor Hotel. The room was small, but the service was excellent. Monday, we walked around the area and hit many shops. Tuesday, we went to Bath and Freeport shopping. MAB's mother collects pink luster china. MAB found a set of six cups and saucers in an antique shop in Bath. She got them at a good price. Our last stop was LL Bean, of course. Wednesday, we went to Cape Elizabeth and Kennebunkport. In Kennebunkport, we shopped and took a ride on the Schooner Eleanor. I had to eat at Allison's before we left town. The food was casual, but delicious. Thursday, we went to Dover, NH for MAB to do some genealogy research. We then went to see a garrison that dated back to the early 1600's. That was fascinating. We then drove to the Canterbury Shaker Village and did the tour. After that, we drove to North Conway and did a little outlet shopping.

Friday, we left Portland and drove to Harrisburg, PA. On the way, we stopped at the Kittery, ME outlets and at the New Hampshire liquor store. Saturday, we drove to Bristol, TN with a stop in Staunton, VA. We always have to stop at Arthur's when we drive through. Sunday, we got up early and drove on in. We stopped at the Pendleton outlet in Pigeon Forge. Traffic in Pigeon Forge was awful, but it was worth it. We both found some good things at Pendleton.

I got a lot of things at the Brooks Brothers outlet, Talbots outlet, and Pendleton outlet. I'm going to have to lose some weight, so that I can fit into them. I think I may have gained a few pounds on my trip.

Today, I have laid around and caught up on all of the shows that I missed while I was away.

Tomorrow, it is back to work.