Michelle's Journey to USA, Middle East & Europe

June 30: Not happy Jan! In all seriousness, I love being in the US and am having a great time in New York City too - there's something here for everyone. Except for not having my friends around it feels like home - so I'm just disappointed that I have to leave on Monday (it's now Thursday) to go to Israel. Thinking I may come back afterwards though... play it by ear.

Today I decided it was time to clean up my messy hostel room, before heading to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the Upper East Side. Remembered I had been here before three years ago, so did a highlights tour, saw a few notable pieces, and decided to enjoy the not-as-hot less-muggy weather outside instead. (It's been around 90 degrees Farenheit with 95% plus humidity all week - they even said the humidity was 100% the other day!!!).

Met up with a friend I met last night too - Morris. Chilled at the Central Park Zoo for a few hours... something I have always wanted to do - like Jennifer Lopez in 'Maid in Manhattan'.

Had a browse in a few stores including Bloomingdales, before heading to "Jewtopia", a very funny play about guys wanting to date Jewish girls and the whole NYC dating scene. Very well written, hilarious... great acting too (the two leads are the guys who actually wrote the play), could easily see it again... highly recommended.

Did the usual hot chocolate at Starbucks before calling it an early-ish night.

June 29: Spent half my morning queueing for tickets to see the musical, "Wicked"... then briefly saw the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) which recently reopened - great but didn't have enough time there, hoping to return - and then saw the matinee Wicked performance.

Walked the streets afterwards, did an "Inside CNN" tour at the Time Warner Building up on Columbus Circle, and then did the "Skyride" simulator (of NYC) at the Empire State Building.

Went to a couple of Jewish singles parties that I heard about... met a few people whom I hope to stay in touch with, and well, what can I say - they love the accent!
Chilled out with some people I met afterwards at Times Square... great night. I love this town!

June 28: Today was one of the best day's I've had in New York City. Relaxed in the morning... was going to go to museums this morning as it was meant to storm all day due to recent 99% humidity, but the rain held off, so I did a 'downtown' sightseeing loop. Went passed Soho, Greenwich Village, South Street Seaport, walked through Battery Park, visit Ground Zero, some cathedrals, and even got to see a rally in support of the NYC 2012 Olympic bid, being decided next week in Singapore, with the delegation leaving tomorrow. I got to see Mayor Bloomberg, Condoleezza Rice, and all the journos covering the press conference in City Hall Park. I watched on and enjoyed the experience.
Had a walk down 5th Ave, checking out Saks 5th Ave, Tiffany & Co, Trump Tower, Disney Store, among other buildings, and then headed to the Ed Sullivan Theatre for the (late afternoon) filming of The Late Show with David Letterman. Coincidentally, Julian McMahon (an Aussie) was on promoting a new movie, as well as some high school kids in town for a national bird calling competition and a new musician Raul Midon. Was on TV in the audience shots but not sure when it will air back in Australia. Lots of fun, and went into 'Hello Deli' too to visit Rupert Jee.

Also tried checking out how to get work in NYC should I wish to get sponsorship and return...

Then headed to "Spelling Bee" (a musical on Broadway), and then saw the movie, "Bewitched". Very well written (Nora Efron), good fun too.
Great day, getting used to the humidity. Shame though that the streets smell from it.

June 27: Today, I went south for a day trip (by train) to Philadelphia (Pennsylvania state). Didn't get the chance to try a Philly cheese steak, but did get to see the famous Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Indepedence was approved on July 4, 1776). Saw city hall, the museum, various fountains and murals, as well as the house of Betsy Ross who supposedly designed the original US flag. Learnt a lot about Benjamin Franklin and William Penn too.
My train ride also included a scenic trip through the state of New Jersey - can I now say I've been to NJ despite not setting foot in the state?
In the evening, I did a night tour of New York City - Manhattan and Brooklyn - looking at the lights and city skyline.
Unfortunately it rained all day in Philly and the heavy fog in NYC made it hard to see the buildings. Still having a great time though. Caught up for coffee with a friend (Adam) later in the evening too.

June 26: Today I decided to play everything by ear. Took a walk round my neighbourhood, Gramercy Park, down 3rd Ave, passed a number of markets, round the Lower East Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, Canal Street, Orchard St and East Village. Checked out Katz's Delicatessen as well as other very Jewish shops in the E Houston St area, Eldridge St Synagague, and did a tour of the Lower East Tenenment Museum.
Then did a sightseeing tour to Brooklyn, however we went over the Manhattan Bridge. Saw the Town Hall, jail, Supreme Court, botanic gardens, Fulton Mall, Prospect Park, Junior's Restaurant (known for its cheesecake) and again many Jewish references. The guide turned out to be a former Israeli too.
In the boiling heat I then walked from Brooklyn to Manhattan across the Brooklyn Bridge. Unfortunately though my camera battery died so I have no photos to prove it.

My highlight today was going to a Yankees vs Mets (two New York teams) baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Atmosphere was awesome with over 55,000 people and the Yankees won too in the final innings 5-4. Got to see them sing the US Anthem, God Bless America and the 7th inning stretch ballgame song which was also cool, and the atmosphere on the train home was just as good!
Loving New York.

June 25: Yes I'm finally in New York City, and having a great time... but have had issues trying to find an internet cafe. Moved into another room in the hostel, this time from a dorm to my own room with a single bed - not bad... for the next 6 nights.
Did a few touristy things today - including going up the Empire State Building (great day to do it, could see for miles!) and a cruise that went the whole way around Manhattan Island, and of course passed Ellis Island and the State of Liberty. Also did a sightseeing tour of upper Manhattan including Central Park, Harlem, Dakota Apartments, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, 5th Avenue, Times Square, various Museums and more.
Very hot again today, trying to live it up in the heat!
Met up with a friend, Adam tonight and went to a nice lounge bar to celebrate a friend's birthday. Great hanging out with the locals... another side to NYC.

June 24:
Early flight out of Orlando, then a complicated attempt to get from La Guardia airport in NYC to my hostel, but finally made it. Greeted by high humidity, sunshine and 30 degree plus temperatures... think I'm getting colour without even trying :-)
Did some errands today (including buying the very useful New York Pass), before attending a very reform shule service uptown at Temple Emanu-El (with organs playing and female rabbis) and then a more Orthodox, very similar to home shule service at 5th Ave Synagogue. Heard there's heaps of Jews in NYC but only slowly seeing the fact for myself.
Met a really nice girl at the shule, Rachel (and her boyfriend), who invited me for dinner. Went to her house later but first attended a Jazz Festival performance from Dave Brubeck's quartet at Carnegie Hall. (Dave is now in his 80s, plays very well still and did 'Take Five' which made the audience very happy!) Very worthwhile!
Late in the evening I met up with a friend of Heely's who lives here now - Adam Price. Great guy, sounds like he will be very happy to show me round Manhattan and chill if I want company while I'm in town. Very much appreciated Adam!

June 23: Sea World!!!
Unfortunately rain set in again today and some shows had to wait for rain/lightning reports before deciding to run, but lots of fun was had overall.
Saw the 'Shamu Adventure' show with killer whales, the dolphin Blue Horizons (new) show, the sea lion and otter show where a walrus was also involved, the water skiing show, a pet show where the animals do tricks, a shark and stingray encounter, dolphin cover where baby dolphins are kept (there was a 1-week old and a 1-month old - very cute!)... polar bears, flamingos, ducks, turtles, sea lions, harbour seals, penguins, puffins, manatees and other exhibits too. And yes, after patiently waiting I got to pat a dolphin (another highlight!!!). Also did a ride which simulates storm conditions in the Artic, and attended 'Beer School' to learn about Budweiser's brewing process and that the owners of this beer actually own Sea World and Busch Gardens theme parks across America (and that they're US-owned).
Missed some of the animal's night shows as I did some shopping at the factory outlet mall, but returned to see the fireworks and to get my shuttle back to the hotel. Enjoyed watching TV and seeing Tom Cruise on The Late Show too.

June 22: My day today was spent at the John F Kennedy Space Centre (caught a bus from Orlando). Did an additional tour where I got to see the International Space Station exhibit and get closer to the launch pads at Cape Canaveral (which actually had a fuel container and one launch engine attached as a Delta satellite mission was meant to be leaving this Friday but now got postponed to July some time), as well as the Vehicle Assembly Building, but we weren't allowed inside it. In one building however, we did see the vehicles that are loaded up and sent to space (through a viewing platform) - that was really interesting, as one is meant top be leaving in August sometime to go up to the International Space Station (ISS). Lots of replicas around the place too of rockets previously used and what the ISS currently looks like.
As part of the general admission you got to see a simulation of a shuttle launch, the 1969 moon landing and the Saturn V rocket used in many Apollo space missions, as well as Imax movies about space - I saw the 3D astronaut experience one.
I also touched a piece of 'moon rock', Mars, saw the Astronaut Memorial (including one for those who died in the 2002 Colombia accident where the shuttle disintegrated upon its return to Earth)... and I met a real-life astronaut (David Baha) too. That Q&A session was very interesting... he has done 7 missions into space.
On the drive home, saw some interesting birds and eagles, alligators in the Banana River and dolphins swimming passed too.
Had a great day.
Tonight, I also headed to Downtown Disney to have dinner and check out the shops at the Marketplace... as well as dance the night away at Pleasure Island. Lots of fun, enjoyed a comedy show at the Adventure Club too, and surprisingly met some Aussies in town for a conference.

June 21: Today was spent at Magic Kingdom and Epcot again, as well as the final moment at MGM.
Got to do a few rides at the seven lands - Adventureland (Jungle cruise, Pirates of the Carribean), Main Street USA, Frontierland, Liberty Square (Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion), Fantasyland (Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Cinderellabration show, Peter Pan, It's a Small World), Mickey's Toontown Fair (where yes, I got to meet adn hug Mickey Mouse - my highlight!), Tomorrowland (Walt Disney Carousel through the last 100 years of technology and society).
At Epcot, saw the rest of the countries briefly, liked USA (saw a show about American History set in a building replica of Philadelphia's Liberty Hall), Morocco and Canada (film promoting Canada and its beauty), among other things... before the rain hit again.
Returned to MGM to buy some cartoon cels (which are about one-third the price compared to my Australian guy I buy them through), and to see the night show, Fantasmic! - which it was.

I'm a bit over the crowds, weather and theme park idea, but had lots of fun and I got to meet Mickey, which was my goal!

June 20: Turns out, now is the wrong time of year to come here - hot, humid, rainy season (ie thunderstorms here every afternoon for about two hours) - and well the internet costs at my hotel are huge! - hence won't be updating this till I get to New York on June 24.

Other than that, making the most of my Disney World experience... hoping to meet Mickey Mouse some day....

Today, I went to Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Discovered there's line everywhere I go, so trying to avoid them isn't working... other than grabbing a 'fast pass' here and there. At Epcot, I got to see some interesting stuff at Innoventions (but some of it was closed for updating), The Underwater exhibit with manatees, fish and more; Honey I Shrunk the Audience; and the Land exhibit which has a ferry ride through a greenhouse with lots of growth techniques for fruit and veges, as well as a great new ride "Soarin'" - a simulator which has you hang gliding over various parts of the world.
Also got to check out a few of the World Showcase country exhibits, including Mexico, Norway and China. I returned later too, to see the night show which involved lasers, lights and fireworks over the lagoon.

At Magic Kingdom, I missed the afternoon parade, but got to see the night Spectromagic one, so too the fireworks off the Castle, as well as other exhibits.

June 19: Today, I head from St Louis to Orlando, Florida (via Chicago). Will try to go to Disney/MGM Studios in the afternoon if there's time. I have a feeling that I will run out of days to do everything I want to do in Orlando - including Sea World, Disney-MGM, Epcot and Magic Kingdom, as well as a day trip to the Kennedy Space Centre - but in the boiling heat, I'm told I will be over going to theme parks after four days - see how I hold out!?

Okay, so I had a few issues getting from the airport to my hotel, but thanks to Adge I am staying in a really nice place for the next few days.
Went to MGM-Disney Studios theme park but due to the lateness and crowds, I really didn't manage to see as much as I would have liked - including the 'Indiana Jones' stunt show and 'Who wants to be a Millionaire'. I did get to see the Great Movie Ride, 3D Muppet Vision, One Man's Dream, Backlot Tour, Star Wars events happening this weekend, Lights Camera Action show, and various Disney characters wandering about too.
I also discovered that it is currently rainy season - ie. thunderstorms occur every afternoon... and the night show was unfortunately called off.

June 18: In St Louis today - enjoying the local way of life. Sun is shining, birds are chirping, the usual Saturday morning atmosphere. Lisa, a friend of hers and me, walked for about 90 minutes all up, down a beautiful tree-lined street and through the neighbourhood to get to Clayton Markets. A small local-produce market full of interesting things to try and buy.

Hoping to spend some time with the boys again this afternoon, and with Lisa at the Botanical Gardens, before heading to dinner somewhere in Forest Park and maybe a movie afterwards.

June 17: Today, I headed to St Louis for a very last-minute organised weekend with some family friends very close to my heart. Will be returning to my planned itinerary on Sunday when I head down to Orlando, Florida.

In short, Lisa is like my god-mother, Alan is her husband, and Ben, Josh and Dan are like younger brothers to me. They moved to the USA a few years ago and I really haven't spent much time with them since they left Syndey over 12 years ago (where they then headed to Melbourne).

After being greeted at the airport, I got a scenic route home of St Louis and the beutiful homes and tree-lined street of Clayton (suburb). With Ben and Josh (university age, home for the summer), we went down to 'the loop' for lunch at the famous Blueberry Hill cafe/bar where Chuck Berry started his music career (and I got to taste toasted ravioli, which is a specialty here), and drove around the well-known Washington University campus area.

We then went over to the city downtown area, to walk along the riverfront of the Mississippi River (where I saw that the state of Illinois is literally on the other side of the quite narrow river), and visited The Arch - St Louis' most famous site. It's the largest monument in the USA standing at over 630 feet tall. It's a massive arch made of steel, and it symbolises the 'gateway to the west'. Underneath is a museum about the Westward Expansion, Lewis & Clark's journey along the Missouri River (note: The Mississippi and Missouri Rivers meet in St Louis), and we watched a documentary on the making of the arch, which was quite interesting, but due to a few late nights lately, I almost fell asleep!

Had a great afternoon with the boys, it's been a long time coming. I've heard a lot about St Louis and their lifestyle here, so it's great to finally be here, spending time with the whole family. I think I'm spoilt having them all here at once, as nowadays the boys are usually at college or away in the summer - just good timing I guess.

Dinner was a nice home-cooked meal... and my first shabbat dinner while away. A nice relaxing evening was had, along with a good long night's sleep.

June 16: Boiling hot today again. Packed a box full of stuff to send via sea mail back to Australia (so mum, you should get it in 6 weeks time), so I headed afterwards to the post office to send it.

My morning and early afternoon was spent in the sun, relaxing, walking around Lincoln Park Zoo, which was free admission - I could have happily paid $10 or more to visit. I saw a range of animals including zebras, giraffe, leopard, hippo, rhinocerous, monkeys, the new apes exhibit, a variety of birds (eg kookaburra, flamingo, owl, hornbill, South American birds), penguins, sea lions, reptiles, bears and even polar bears swimming around in their water enclosure as it was so hot! Highlight: definitely seeing the polar bears!

Went into town to take in the glorious skyline view of Sears Tower. Queues were quite short, so I was up the tallest building in the USA in no time. Great views - similar to the John Hancock Building perspective the other night, but a daytime view instead - also reminded me of being at the top of Sydney's Centrepoint Tower.
The sun was shining, Lake Michigan was glowing, blue sky - it was heaven!

Went for dinner with my friend, Jason, before heading home to spend time with Gila, Joe and the family. Went passed the lake shore and beach area - lots of people were playing beach volleyball and dodgeball on the sand, as well as people running and rollerblading along the promenade. Very pretty area along Lake Shore Drive.

Didn't get time to do as much shopping as I would have liked, nor go to a Blues lounge to hear the music this area is known for, but at least that will give me something to do next time I visit!

Overall comment on Chicago - absolutely loved it, lots to see and do, great summer weather, good shopping... if it weren't for the freezing cold winter I hear so much about, I could easily live here.

June 15: Wow! I feel like I've been travelling for ages, yet it's only been just under three weeks.
I have decided I am going to visit some close family friends in St Louis, hence spent the last 24 hours rearranging my plans and buying air tickets etc... but all is now resolved and I am excited.
Today, I went to see some relatives I have heard about since I was a child. Grandma always told me about my Chief Rabbi of Chicago cousin and well now I got to meet him and his wife - and I am staying with their granddaughter who is my age, married with two children. It was very special having lunch with them.

Saw Shedd Aquarium this afternoon - lots to see, including a crabs exhibit, beluga whales (which very were friendly), a dolphin show with pacific white-sided dolphins, different water-dwelling animals from around the world, fish, sharks and more. My highlight: the whales.

Went back up to Michigan Ave to look at a few more shops, bought some books from Borders and checked out the TV series available on DVD, then returned home.
Weather today was pretty cold, raining and overcast - would have otherwise gone up the John Hancock Building again or Sears Tower.

June 14: Okay, so I've worked out that summers round here are just hot and humid and it doesn't change, as today it's the same!
First, I went with the group down to Navy Pier to do an architecture cruise. Learnt about the four styles - School of Chicago, Art Deco, Modernism, Post-Modernism - and saw a variety of buildings from the river, including the John Hancock Building, Wrigley Building and the Sears Tower from bottom to top. Hard to describe, but the architecture here is amazing and the diversity is one of a kind.
Said farewell to my Contiki tour (it officially ended yesterday but I was allowed to do the optional cruise)... before walking down to the Pier.
Then I headed to the Art Institute of Chicago, to get out of the heat and because it's free on a Tuesday. There, I saw miniature houses, sculptures, Egyptian/Asian/African/Greek artefacts, impressionist art, modern day American works, photography exhibitions and more. Learnt a little about Frank Lloyd Wright there too as well as other famous architects.
(By the way, even though Chicago is known as 'the windy city', the name has nothing to do with wind - it was about gaining popularity for Chicago after the great fire, and with all the amazing architecture.)
Had brief walk down to see the very large Buckingham Fountain, before enjoying a shopping experiece along Michigan Avenue (Gap, in particular).
In the evening, I managed to get tickets to the sold out Cubs match at Wrigley Field. Jason came too. Great to see the Cubs win 14-0 against the Florida Marlins. The atmosphere was electric, and this field is one of the most historic and well-known in the US. (The Contiki group went to a White Sox match at US Cellular Field as they couldn't get ticket to this one.) Had a drink at the famous 'Cubby Bear' pub afterwards before returning home.
Had a nice chat to Gila and Joe, had a moment holding the 2-month old Azriel (Adin was asleep already), showed them some photos of friends, family and Sydney, as well as our family tree. Loving Chicago.

June 13: Very hot and humid once again... we drove along the East-West toll road to Chicago, while travelling through Ohio, Indiana and then into Illinois.
Seeing Chicago was brilliant! My initial thought was again, I'm finally here! It's strange - within an hour, I decided I loved the place and that it felt like home. The people, the streets, the culture, etc. Shame it gets so freezing cold here in winter (as bad as -40C).
We did a brief city tour of Chicago when we first arrived (by bus), and saw many tall buildings including the Water Tower (where Oprah Winfrey lives), John Hancock Building, Sears Tower (tallest tower in the US), Michigan Ave (known as the 'magnificent mile' for all it's shopping), Navy Pier (with a replica of the first Ferris Wheel in the world), and more.
Caught a taxi to my cousin's place (whom I met for a first time) to settle in and leave my bags before returning to town to have dinner with the group. We went to "FoodLife" - food court where you get given a credit card and just order whatever you want - soup, salads, stir fry, burgers, potato, sweets, etc and then pay at the end. Interesting concept.
We then headed to the Sky Lounge on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building (third tallest building/tower in Chicago) to get a great view of the city, and to have a drink for those that were happy to spend $10 a pop.
Jason, a friend, also met up with us there. We then headed off for a coffee and to check-out the brand new "rock n roll" McDonalds which opened last week - did you know the first McDonalds opened in Illinois 50 years ago? - before meeting up with the gang at the Excalibur Club. Very touristy so we didn't stay long. Instead, Jason gave me a tour of the city - we went passed the lake, beach, Lincoln Park, Wrigley Field (very famous, where the Chicago Cubs baseball team plays), Rush St (lots of nightlife) - before dropping me home.

June 12: Okay, so had breakfast at the Denny's next door before heading along the Rainbow Bridge into the USA. Some of us claimed the taxes on our receipts (we only heard about this yesterday but luckily I had kept most of my receipts), before clearing immigration. Heard the day song, like we do every morning, while driving along Lake Erie. This morning, we drove through New York state, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Arrived in Cleveland around lunchtime and spent over three hours at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. A must for anyone who comes here. Lots to see, lots of fun! There was information on the people who influenced rock 'n' roll in the early days, exhibitions on Elvis Presley, The Beatles, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, teenage stars (eg Britney Spears, Hanson, New Kids on the Block), a video on the hall of fame inductees since 1986, and a huge amount of memorabilia - costumes, guitars, album covers, just to name a few.
Had a brief glimpse at the shore front before rushing to get to the hotel. Shame about having 2 hours free time there as it would have been nice to stay at the museum longer or walk along the lakeside.
Hey Adge, I am finally here - you're right, there isn't much to see.
Our group dinner was at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and the night was very relaxing, spent playing cards downstairs in our hotel. (I caught up on my washing, diary and phonecalls too.)
ps. Happy Queen's Birthday to all of you Down Under.

June 11: Well today is a Saturday and I wouldn't even know it if I wasn't keeping a diary. I am definitely on holidays!
Had only a short drive this morning to Niagara Falls (Canadian side) which was nice for a change. I will never forget my first reaction when I saw the falls (known for the volume of water which flows) - Wow! I am in Niagara Falls! It was a beautiful sight to see. There's three falls - American and Bridal veil (on the US side) and the Horseshoe Falls further down (Canadian side). We did a 'Maid of the Mist' boat ride down to the falls to get a better view. We got so close that we were drenched - lucky for the ponchos - plus it was very refreshing on such a hot (35C) day). A spectacular sight! There's so much water flowing it looks like a water main has been broken and you wonder when it's going to slow down... but it just keeps on going!
Adge, thanks for calling - it was perfect timing sharing the moment with you!

Had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe before walking up Clifton Hill to see the tacky Las Vegas-style of shops and entertainment - it's a shame to have such beauty opposite such tackiness... still, Niagara Falls is a huge tourist destination, especially for honeymooners.
Walked along the park by the river, saw the Rainbow Bridge where you cross over to the US, before going with a few tour members to do an optional helicopter ride over the falls. The view from above was just as spectacular - the best bit was the perspective - seeing the exact horseshoe shape, where the water comes from and where it ends up. Highly recommended for anyone who comes here... Magical!
Did some shopping at the factory outlet nearby, including Roots Canada, before heading to Mick & Angelo's (cool name, hey?!) for a pasta meal with the group. Afterwards we heading to the Beer Garden downtown to have a few drinks and watch people do karoake. Yes, we got up and sang "Down Under".
My Niagara Falls experience was only short, but definitely worthwhile and memorable!

June 10: Okay, so it's now stinking hot and very humid in Toronto, with overnight temperatures around 24C.
As a group option, we walkted down to the Sky Dome, the home of the Baseball's Blue Jays team. Did a tour of the moderately new stadium, saw how they put together a baseball field, an explanation of how they open and close the (4-part) roof, the view from a private box and the restaurant... as well as hotel rooms that overlook the field, and their Blue Jays hall of fame and memorabilia. Now know as Rogers Centre due to sponsorship. As much as I love sport, the tour was very average.
We then headed up the CN Tower (next-door practically). CN stands for Canada National, but used to mean Canadian Networks as it was owned by a telecommuncations company before being handed to the government. Views were brilliant but a little hazy from the top. Still, it's the tallest tower in the world (approx 540m I think)! On the floor below there was a glass floor you could walk on and look down to the street. Too chicken to lie down on the glass floor, but was able to psych myself up to breifly walk along it... there's a similar one of these at Sky Tower in Auckland which I did a few weeks ago.
I then headed off to do my own thing on our day off. Went to the Hockey (ice) Hall of Fame, but it didn't look like my thing and the hall of fame was closed due to an awards ceremony using the auditorium next to it... so instead I went to the Bata Shoe Museum. There, they had an exhibition on the history of footwear and shoes as well as religious beliefs associated with shoes (eg Judaism - remove shoes when mourning), a temporary exhibit on how Inuits make shoes and more. There were also hundreds of pairs of shoes belonging to famous people including Tiger Woods, Princess Diana, Ronald McDonald, Marilyn Monroe, Shaq O'Neill, Fred Astaire, Pierce Brosnan and more. Anyone who loves shoes would love this place. On the other hand, I was dying of heat exhaustion so absorbing the information was a little hard.
I then headed back downtown by train to meet up with a few people down at the Harbour front to catch a ferry over to Toronto Island - Centre Island stop. View of the city skyline was amazing, and it was nice relaxing for a hour.
Heely, you must know exactly what I'm talking about - is it bringing back any memories?
In the evening, I met up with Brenda - someone who did work exchange at the ABC for six months on Lateline, who works at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Nice catching up with her at a local pub for dinner, and eating a decent meal!
I then met back up with the group to go clubbing at "Republik". Was very tired after a full-on day, so didn't stay very long, but it was great seeing where the locals go.
Tonight, we also said goodby to the Contiki people doing the Grand Canadian tour - they now fly to Calgary to see the western side of the country.
Unfortunately one of our tour members also had to go to hospital today. I think he was a little overwhelmed by everything.

June 9: So we left Montreal (Quebec province) early today to head for a long drive to Toronto (Ontario province).
Great sunny weather which was nice to see - even a little hot.
Had a beautiful cruise on the St Lawrence River in the morning to see some of the 1000 Islands and Boldt Castle - interestingly there are over 1,800 islands and we cruised over both Canadian and US waters. Surprised no one tried to jump out to try and swin their way into the USA!
Due to time restraints we didn't get to go for a brief drive passed Canada's capital, Ottawa... but we did get to have lunch at a major tourist attraction, "the big apple" - similar to our big banana etc... and what a waste of time it was! Still, it was nice to get off the bus and into some cooler air.
Arrived in Toronto in the late afternoon, had a brief drive around and got to see the CN Tower from the bus. Have a full day of sightseeing tomorrow, and very much looking forward to it!
Had a couple hours of free time so checked out Eaton Centre (shopping) and the Olympic Spirit shop from when Toronto recently bid for the Olympics and didn't succeed.
Had a simple dinner with the group at the hotel before walking downtown to the "Crocodile Rock" pub. Need I say more!? Watched the San Antonio vs Detroit basketball play-offs on the TV there too.

June 8: First, hi dad, happy birthday!
Unfortunately we were meant to go to Monmorency Falls but due to time restraints in Montreal, we continued on. Was a little disappointed, but turned out I loved Montreal, so having the extra time was great!
Did a brief city tour and had a group photo taken at the Kindiaronk lookout (unfortunately though it was overcast and drizzled all day)... and drove passed La Criox (the steel cross) and the Oratoire St-Joseph (a massive cathedral/basillica). Also saw some Jewish areas, Chinatown and the main streets of town.
Most of the group went jet-boating on the St Lawrence River, but I didn't as I did a heap of that in New Zealand recently. Instead in my free time, I saw a number of cathedrals and old buildings (but didn't have time to go inside - including the Notre Dame Basillica where Celine Dion was married), had a look at the Olympic Park area (Montreal had the summer olympics in 1976), went up the world's tallest leaning tower (mind you view was not so good due to weather), and had a look at the Botanical Gardens, in particular the Chinese and Japanese exhibitions. Loved the bonsai gardens too!
They say the locals are 50/50 French-English speaking... but interestingly all the signs etc are in French, but the people are bilingual.
The Canadian Formula One Grand Prix is this weekend, and what do you know it's in Montreal - so all the streets were colourful, car displays everywhere, promotions and concerts in the streets - very exciting. Had a quiet walk through the old McGill University and a brief look at some exhibitions in the McCord Museum, before taking another quick walk to Place Royale, Place Jacques-Cartier and the pier/foreshore area - the old part of Montreal is very beautiful and interesting.
Was so engaged in my sightseeing today that I missed my bus to the hotel! Lucky I had the address and a day ticket for the train as I made my own way there.
Later, a huge group of us went out for dinner to a very cheap but tasty place - $2 soups, $5 pasta, $8 steaks - need I say more! Then a taste of the nightlife. Won't elaborate here.
Had a walk later through Rue Saint-Laurent to see some locals hanging in their area of the woods (at clubs, bars, restaurants) before retreating back at the hotel at some ungodly hour of the morning.
Seems everyone else had a big night too. Thank god we have a long drive tomorrow, and well, I can't say I didn't make the most of Montreal!

June 7: did a bus tour of the city, then a walk around the historic areas. Saw the citadel, St Lawrence River, the Battlefields Park /Abraham Heights (where the British fought the French), the old city wall (unique to north america), various cathedrals and churches, the boardwalks and parks where people going skiing and sled-riding in the winter (when the streets are lined with snow and ice), the famous hotel Chateua Frontenac, and the quaint Rue du Petit Champlain. There's also a very pretty mural on a apartment block wall which is stunning, to say the least! And yes, everything looks French - like a piece of France has mysteriously been dropped into a part of Canada. The locals are 98% French speaking.
Haven't tried any French chocolates, crepes or maple syrup yet - will see what I can do.
Hope to visit an Inuit Museum before heading out later tonight with the group to a revolving restaurant at the top of town called Loews Le Concorde.
Weather is drizzling, a little cold.
Okay, so the museum I wanted to see doesn't exist anymore, but I didn't manage to have chocolate crepes for lunch and somehow I didn't get sick - god knows how?!
Dinner at the revolving restaurant was very nice, the view was even better. Even though it rained most of the day the sky was clear in the evening.

June 6: woke up not feeling too good but slept a lot on the bus.
Drove through New Hampshire and Maine (states) ... and saw a few moose by the side of the road. Watched "Good Will Hunting" set in Boston and did our Contiki introductions today too.
Rain mosted of our drive up to Quebec City.
Didn't realise you can do duty free shopping at the US/Canadian border - but what do you know, you can!
Yippee!!!! I am in Canada - I have added another country to my travelling belt!
The drive from the border was very picturesque including the St Lawrence River. Did a brief city tour by bus in early afternoon. Very beautiful streets. Had dinner at a local french seafood restaurant with the group, nice to hear the French language. Again, partied in town at night.

June 5: boiling hot, got some colour.
Did a trolley bus tour with the group, where we got to hop on/off during the day. Did most of the Freedon Trail walk (recommended to me), saw Old State House, learnt about the Boston Tea Party, went into Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall. Walked around Beacon Hill (the cultural area) and Boston Common (like Hyde Park in Sydney) and saw the Holocaust Memorial.
Had lunch at the Cheers Bar on which the TV sitcom was based... and later that night had dinner at the replica bar where Cheers was filmed.
Crossed over to Cambridge and caught the train to have a look around Harvard University. They were setting up for graduation ceremonies, as they are all on this week - an amazing site - 19,000 chairs for one!
Managed to get a seat at the sold-out Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Angels baseball match later, and sat behind home plate. Red Sox won. Interesting to see the atmosphere at Fenway Park and hear about the Yankee v Red Sox rivalry (that is, don't mention you like new york).
I also saw them do the official baseball song during the stretch break, so too a tenor sing 'god bless america'.
In the evening, went to Cheers with a few people and then sang the night away at a karoake bar downtown, with a number of locals. Fun night, but I think I'm getting the flu.

June 4 - Today is the beginning of my ten-day North by North East Contiki tour (the first half of the 'Grand Northern' tour) - starting in New York, going north to Boston, then into Canada to see Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, then back into the US via Cleveland, finishing up in Chicago on June 13.
Met up with the group in New York... there's 57 of us (mostly Aussies surprisingly, good mix of ages, and girl/guy ration), not a spare seat on the bus - literally!
Jordan is our tour manager, Ray is our driver. For those who know what I mean, our day song is 'the remedy' by Jason Mraz.
Drove up Route 95 through northern New York state, New Hampshire and Conencticut, before stopping in Newport (in Rhode Island state) for lunch. Very nice town with lots of history, set on a harbour. They also had a chowder festival cook-off on this weekend. Saw the church where Jacquie and JFK were married, city hall and more. Nice to see the beautiful sunshine too!
Drove through New England area and into Massachusetts to arrive in Boston. Long day's driving. Watched the first episode of the TV sitcom "Cheers" on our way in.
Did a quick city tour in early afternoon. Will do more tomorrow. Hotel was nice but unforutnately a long way from town. Had a group dinner, then hit the town to party.

June 3: unfortunately it is pouring in maryland, washington DC and also new york! got up early this morning and said my goodbyes to Beth. Arrived in New York mid morning (by plane), to be greeted with overcast skies and 15 degrees C. Met a nice couple at the airport, with whom I shared a taxi to midtown. My hostel is nothing too exciting, but it will do for the night.
Caught the subway down to Macy's to buy some more comfortable shoes, but ended up getting nicer ones at Skechers nearby.
Trying to avoid the rain and casually appreciate the concrete-high busy new york city life. Meeting up with someone for dinner tonight (meant to be going up Empire State Building too, but don't know if we will with the weather the way it is), then off to the hostel to try to get some sleep before starting my Contiki tour tomorrow.
Well it decided to keep on raining the whole day of my New York experience... so I didn't go up the Empire State Building. In the end, I chilled with a friend, Jeremy, round Times Square and had dinner at the funky ESPN Zone restaurant. Met some other Aussies round the place and even saw a National Geographic program on TV about a crocodile farm that is having to compete against Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo in order to survive. Surprised to see this on TV, then again, that's the US for you.

June 2: My last proper day in the DC area! It has gone so quickly and I can't believe I have to say bye to Beth so soon...
Due to many high recommendations, I decided to venture into Washington DC again to check out the International Spy Museum. It was actually very interesting and I would recommend it too, especially any 'Alias' fans out there. It spoke about the history of spying, gave you an identity, spoke about bugging, picking locks, disguise, weapons and equipment, various spies and cases well-known where spies were caught, WWII and D-Day, Berlin Wall and even modern times. My summary doesn't give it justice, but I spent a good few hours in there.
Then I met up with an old friend from Melbourne who is now living/finishing studies/working in Washington DC. Had lunch at the District Chophouse, a restaurant which also makes its own beer - nice place and in all the tourist guides.
Ran some errands before visiting the White House one last time, and heading back to Beth's to pack.
Went out with some of her friends for dinner to "Firefly" near Dupont Circle as a final farewell.
Up till all hours of the night chatting, a great week overall. Weather was sunny every day except today which was overcast.

June 1: Wow! I can't believe it's June. Today, I went into DC again. This time I went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum and visit both the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Saw the information about Nazi Germany from 1920s till 1945, the persecution of Jews and others during WWII and the wall full of tiles made by US children to remember those children that died in the Holocaust. Also lit a candle in the Hall of Rememberance and heard a Holocaust survivor speak, in a weekly series held by the Museum called 'First Person'. Also went to the survivor registry, and printed off relevant family information.
I then headed to the National Museum of American History where I saw varoius dresses, gems and china belonging to passed First Ladies, artefacts from the White House, information about past Presidents, and so too a lengthy exhibition about war the US has been involved in over the years - both within the US (north v south, indians, etc) and US v England.
Also got to see really old musical instruments, the original US flag from Fort McHenry, the US flag draped over the Pentagon building when it was hit on 9/11 (2001) which was later donated to the museum. I also enjoyed seeing Kermit the Frog and Oscar the Grouch exhibits, reminding me of my childhood.
In the evening, I met up with Beth to go to the gym - where I attended a genuine 'Tae Bo" class. Very interesting, good to get a work-out. Ran some errands before returning home. Another long day.