December 12, 2024. Traveling with Maple Leaf Tours to see “Alight at Night Festival” at Canada’s Upper Village

 Picked us up at 3:30 and oh my goodness it was freezing -17 Celsius today but the sun is shinning. The bus ride was 2 hours and we just sat back and relaxed.

 

Over a QUARTER MILLION lights adorn the heritage buildings, trees and fences of Upper Canada Village creating a one-of-a-kind magical backdrop for its annual Alight at Night Festival…a true winter wonderland! Bundle up for an evening stroll through this picture-perfect postcard setting! The Village Store will be open nightly, featuring fresh-baked bread for sale at the Village Bakery and there will be time after dinner for you to explore this true Winter Wonderland on your own but please dress for the weather. Come experience the enchantment of horse-drawn wagons, or hop on board a life-size Toy Train. Holiday music, festive dining, shopping and other seasonal surprises all add to the ambience of the event. The Alight at Night Festival has become a favourite family tradition, and one of the region’s main attraction

TOUR SUMMARY

• Admission to Upper Canada Village
• Roast Turkey Dinner with all the fixings
• Services of a Professional Maple Leaf Tour Director
• Deluxe Motor Coach Travel with WiFi, air conditioning, TV/VCR, reclining seats, drink holders and seat belts.
• A portion of the proceeds from this Maple Leaf Tour helps to support Indigenous Scholarships
• All taxes and service charges are included (except for Tour Director and Driver gratuity).

All this for free because Bob won this at their travel show in November.  It was truly a wonderful evening except it was so so cold.  

December 10, 2024. ~ Bob turns “83”

 I knew I wanted to do something special for Bob’s 🎂 birthday.  So in mid November the planning began.  But what to do for his 83rd?  I knew I wanted it to be small and intimate.  So my brain at night wouldn’t stop brain storming.  I knew I wanted to get out of town, but stay somewhat close by.  Not to expensive but nice.  Googling around on the iPad at night on things to do I found a great getaway.  The Waring House in Picton Ontario about 2 hours away.  Cute little Inn

I wanted this to be a surprise for Bob so I couldn’t consult him on anything.  That was the hard part.  Looked on their website for availability and it was quite expensive.  But I found out that I could cash in some Aeroplan points for 1 night.  Perfect, and the planning begins.  So I cashed in 27,000 points for 1 night at the Waring House.  December 10 done 1 night booked.  Now I didn’t want to tell him because I thought it would be a nice surprise and maybe just maybe his kids would meet us there for lunch at the Inn.  Weather was getting colder and nasty around the 8th and 9th of December. Kids sent a message that it wasn’t going to happen for them something has come up.  That was ok I would just make it a romantic day now. Packing our bag for the overnight was easy I packed his favourite drink and of course a bottle of wine, nibbles etc.  so the morning of Dec 10th I told him that we are going for a drive somewhere for a birthday lunch.  Not sure he really liked that because Bob loves to stay home and not go out in bad weather.  As we are driving he kept asking how much further are we going?  I told him we are going to Picton for lunch. That’s pretty far to go for lunch he said.  Yes but honey your worth it. On the way we stopped at one of the stores in the Indian Reservation where we bought him new leather moccasins.  They are very nice, okay onto Picton.  Arrived safely at the Inn. I had to tell him that this was his birthday surprise.  A overnight here at the Inn.  We went to get all checked in and then to the pub for lunch.  We decided to share some nachos because we thought it was getting a little late to have a full meal.  They were so dang good

After lunch we went back to checkout our room.  It needed some updating but it was cute.  We had some drinks and talked and laugh so much.  We weren’t hungry for any dinner so we skipped dinner and ate some of our snacks that I brought.  Tomorrow morning our breakfast is included and we were looking forward to that.  We needed to go back to the main dinning room for breakfast and it was very icy.  

So it was a very enjoyable 83rd Birthday for Bob.  I know he appreciated every minute of it.  Happy Birthday Sweetie

August 25 2024. ~ Ottawa production of “Come From Away”

 Not sure we are ready to get back on a bus again but we committed ourselves before we new we would be going to Newfoundland.  Maple leafs tours picked us up at the Gananoque car park near the casino right on time at 9:30.  Full bus and we made it to the back.  Tour host was Richard whom we had met several times.  Nice guy and Chuck was the driver. 

  We got to Ottawa at 11:30 so we walked around the Byward Market for awhile then I just decided to call our  long time friends that we cruised with several times.  They were home so we walked about 10 minutes to their condo.  We had a 20 minute visit then it was a walk back to the bus at the market meeting place.  

Then it was back on the bus for a 5 minute drive to the NAC. The play was fantastic 100 minutes of full energy.  Teared up a couple of times not because it was sad but because it made me proud to be Canadian, and what the Newfounderlanders did for the Americans and European people that day.  38 planes landed and 7,000 people all fed, showered, clothed, help out with anything they needed.  Very impressive.  it was a proud moment for me.  After the show we had dinner at the Mandarin Restaurant on hunt club then straight home.  We were home by 8:20. 

Early to bed by 9:30 both of us are still tired from our 21 day trip.  Hugs from Bob & Leslee

Day 21 ~ August 21, 2024 Home Again

 Good sleep last night and up early for a served breakfast.  In the bus and on our way for our last leg.  Long drive back to Ontario from River de loop.  We stopped at a wood working place and not many got off including us.  We just want to get home.  People are really getting sick. It was a executive decision due to weather that we do just a drive by in Old Quebec City.  Wise choice.  So hear are some pictures of the last day before getting to Kingston 

Home feels so right.  Night night. Bob & Leslee

Day 20 ~ August 20, 2024. Headed for Rivière Du Loop

After another great breakfast we walked across the street to see the tidal bore at 7:40.  Is was getting low already.  Irish Memorial as well

Brief drive by tour of Fredericton the capital of New Brunswick.  We drove by the Christ Church Cathedral very old church, the Legislative Assembly of NB.  Also drove by Fredericton City Hall.  Also the Old Government National Historical Site of Canada.  Then it was lunch at a mall for variety.  We didn’t do lunch instead on my way to the restrooms I noticed a soft moc store and Sketchers  slip ones were 15 to 25% off.  So I went in and bought Bob a pair.  Wish we had done this before the trip started.  2 people had left in Halifax not feeling well and family came and got them.  About 12 people out of 50 now are sick with a cold.  A lot of them are not wearing masks that are provided every morning.  We put ours on long time ago and so far so good we just gotta get home.  It’s been a wonderful but way too long on a bus.  Sometimes we are on and off the bus 10 times a day.  It will be good to get home.  Some pictures of are day.

1 more day to get home.  Nighty night.  Hugs Bob & Leslee