29.09.06
Posted in Sport, America at 7:28 am by AB
Hi Everyone!!
I am back in NYC for… Well until early tomorrow morning when my adventures out East are done and it’s back to Vancouver and Calgary for just over two weeks (with two nights in Seattle too) before 10 in Hawaii and then my return to Australia.
Anyway the last little bit i have been to Washington and Boston. Two very interesting cities in two different ways. Washington obviously has it’s tourism built around being the National Capital and it full of important buildings, Museums and Gallerys. Boston almost feels like the birthplace of America, important in the Independance Movement in the Late 1700’s and the history of the city dates back to the 1600’s. I enjoyed them both, and I would have to say that Boston has been my favourite city that i have visited on the Eastern side. Marginally infront of Montreal.
Washington
Washington was a nice city, it felt a little like a bigger version of Canberra. That being, it is obvious that the city runs because of the Government and that the tourists there are interested in seeing the Museums, memorials and Government related aspects. Like Canberra too everything is a lot cleaner than other cities, well especially compared to NYC where i had just come from. There is lots to see and do in Washington and my feet hurt from walking around all day. I easily found myself passing 5 hours in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and even I was surprised that I spent 2 and a half hours in the National Portrait Gallery, and i only left because i was meeting others at the Hostel to go to an NHL (Hockey) pre-season game. I also took in while i was in Washington: The US Capitol, Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetary, The National Archives, The Lincoln Memorial, Numerous War Memorials, The Post Office Museum and as well as the Hockey a Baseball game between Washington and Atlanta to name a few.
The White House
The US Capitol Building
The Lincoln Memorial
Arlington National Cemetery
The US Marines Memorial (Iwo Jima)
Boston
A lot of the time in Boston was spent soaking up the history and in doing so learning more about America. Boston is full of it, history that is, pubs too. Although i didn’t go to many, you would have been had pressed to not to find one. I did go to “Cheers” and was just slightly disappointed that they didn’t know my name. We also went on the Sam Adams Brewery Tour. Sam Adams is a bit like Coopers back in Australia. Fighting against the big mass produced beers. The tour there was enjoyable and at the end you got to sample 3 of there beers and we are talking quite reasonable sample sizes too. Best of all entry was by donation to charity. Had i known the tour was going to be so good, i would have donated more that $1. It left me feeling a little cheap, but i got over that in 5 seconds as I remembered I tend to be cheap anyway. I also went to Fenway Park, which is the home of the Boston Red Sox, one of America’s most famous baseball teams and probably (along side Yankee Stadium) the most famous ballpark in America. It dates back to 1912. I did both a tour and also to saw Boston play Tampa Bay. Throw in Harvard Univertity, a guided tour of Boston’s famous historical sites, a cruise out in Massachusetts Bay and it all added up to give me a good feel for the city.
Boston from the Water
Where everybody knows your name
On the Fenway park Tour
Game Time
Harvard University
Anyway enough of my ramblings for now. I have to go and try and fit everything into my backpack for my flight tomorrow morning. The flight leaves at 7:45. It isn’t helped that tonight is AFL Grand Final and i am off to a function at Planet Hollywood in Times Square, hosted by the NY Magpies. The game won’t start until 12:30am here, and as it is at least a 45 minute trip to the Airport plus security delays in the US, i don’t think i’ll have time to see the second half.
OK i am off. Check out the photo gallery for more photos. See you in Vancouver.
Aaron.
Permalink
14.09.06
Posted in Canada at 8:06 pm by AB
… I got a few seconds to sit down and let you all know what i have been up to and what i have seen and done while i have been here on the Eastern side of North America.
New York!!
New York is crazy! It’s big, loud, fast paced and non-stop. Could i live here? No! But i am having a lot of fun here. It’s easy to get around, the subway runs everywhere 24 hours a day and you barely wait for long on the platform. The crowds of people just keep coming. There is plenty to do though and you don’t find yourself without much to do. It easy to keep yourself busy. Especially if you are like me and just like to wander around and explore and see what you stumble across. So what have i been up to and seen here in New York. Here are a few photos.
The US Open Tennis
Riding the Subway
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge
Ground Zero
Lady Liberty
Times Square
Montreal
After a few days in NYC, i headed to Montreal with Skye in tow. It was a lot of fun in Montreal. It’s an interesting mix of cultures in Montreal and it was a little odd to see people of Asian backgrounds speaking French. Although it did make me feel a little inferior as i could not speak french and here were people speaking 2 or 3 languages. Montreal was also divided into neighbourhoods of many different backgrounds. Old Montreal had the whole old school French feel with Narrow streets and cobblestones, while downtown was young, hip and cool, influenced in part by the many universities in and around town. It was a different feeling to the rest of Canada, but really cool all the same. A town I enjoyed spending time in, I just wish i could have spoken French to get the whole feel of it.
Downtown Montreal
Part of Montreal known as the Latin Quarter
Old Montreal
More Old Montreal
Ottawa
We also took the opportunity to get to Ottawa. Ottawa is the Canadian Capital. We had a day there and checked out the parliament area, the markets and had a quick stroll before driving back to Montreal.
The Canadian Parliament Building
The Ottawa River, Ontario on the left, Quebec on the right
Enjoying some Beaver Tail in Ottawa
Vermont
Finally before coming back to NYC yesterday i spent two days in Vermont. Natali, who used to work at Forerunners, and her husband Mark had moved to Vermont so Mark could take up a new job at Middlebury College. So i stopped in Vermont to see them. Talk about totally different to where i have been of late. The biggest town in Vermont is only 50,000 people and Middlebury is 5,000. I think i walked past 5,000 people in thirty seconds after arriving back into NYC for peak hour on the Subway.
Natali and Mark’s house in Vermont
Middlebury College, Vermont
Downtown Middlebury, Vermont
Thats an update for now… I got plenty of photos which i am working on putting online. That will be happening over the next few days. So keep checking the gallery for photos over the next few days.
Sunday i am off to Washington DC for another adventure.
Hope everyone is well. Email me…
Permalink
12.09.06
Posted in Canada, America at 7:45 am by AB
Hi All,
Another quick update… this time from Middlebury, Vermont a small town of 5000 people. I am in Middlebury to catch up with Natali and Mark. Natali used to work with us at Forerunners until her Husband took a teaching position at Midlebury College and they moved here to Vermont.
Since last time i have been to Ottawa, and then after another night in Montreal headed south to Vermont. Tomorrow i will be heading back to NYC. Once there i’ll post a decent write up of what i have been up to since i left Vancouver complete with photos and such. So stay tuned.
But for now i am alive and well and enjoying the rural setting here in Vermont. A relaxing place for some down time before heading back to the big cities.
More to come…
Aaron.
Permalink
07.09.06
Posted in Canada at 2:40 pm by AB
Hello Everyone.
I still haven’t had much of a chance to sit down and type out anything of meaning, i am also still to upload any photos of my trip. I will get to that in a few days when i get back to New York or perhaps Middlebury, Vermont.
We are still enjoying looking around Montreal, tomorrow we are likely to hire a car and drive to Ottawa for the day. Ottawa is only 150km away, so the plan is to drive down there and scope out Ottawa in a day.
Saturday is likely to be shopping day. The main street here in Montreal is lined with clothing shops, i guess being a French City they are trying to be fashionable. And Skye has some things to correct from the past and is insisting on going to the chinese lantern festival here in Montreal to spite her mum!! (Skye says take that Sandy!)
Sunday i am off to Middlebury for a few days.
Photos and more of a write up will come.
Cheers,
Aaron
PS. My new mate Dylan started his 13th round of Chemo on Tuesday. It sounds like shite when you read about it. Check out his blog for all the gory details. So think of Dylan and keep him in your thoughts. Be strong little guy!! 
Permalink
05.09.06
Posted in Canada, America at 2:13 pm by AB
Hey All,
After a few days in NYC, where i toured the town, did some shopping on 34th Street, wandered 5th Ave, strolled through Central Park, rode the subway, went to the US Open, visited Ground Zero, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn just to name a few, i needed a break from the Hustle and Bustle. While NYC is a pretty cool place and one could easily spend a month there, the whole point of the trip was to get to a few places. One being Montreal, and that is where i am now.
Yesterday Skye and I caught the train up from NY, which was pretty cool, with Autumn colours already starting to dot the country side. Today we wandered through Old Montreal which is very French. Well from my limited knowledge of france, and that is what i have seen in photos. Lckily we are in Canada, and people will still speak English because i have zero knowledge of French. It ends at Bonjour, although today a shop assistant taught me to say “Sorry i do not speak French” so i have one phrase. With a French influence there are lots of cafe’s to choose from which is perfect for someone like me that loves the coffee. And what quality coffee it is. No offence intended, (ok maybe a little) but on the whole coffee in Nth America is pretty average! Granted there are exceptions, but on average, not great.
We are up here for a few days, and then i will travel back to NYC via Middlebury, Vermont where Natali who used to work with us at Forerunners is now living. So that should be a change from NYC, as Middlebury is a small college town of a few thousand people.
As well as some more time in NYC, i am also working on DC and Boston.
So plenty to keep me occupied.
When i get back to NYC and have my laptop with me i’ll do photos and more of a write up. Until now i’ll make the occasional blog entry on here.
till then…
Aaron
Permalink
01.09.06
Posted in America at 3:43 pm by AB
On my first night i had the honour to dine with Dylan Hartung. Dylan has been over here in New York for a while now living at Ronald McDonald House as he receives treatment for Neuroblastoma, which is a relatively rare cancer of the sympathetic nervous system.
I was impressed at how full of life he was for a 7 year old that has been through so much in only a young life. Dylan’s website is at http://www.dylanhartung.net and is well worth a look. It details his treatment so far including 12 rounds of Chemotherapy.
Dylan it was fun to meet you, even if i had to shoulder ride you all the way to the restuarant. (luckily for me the roof of the subway was to low so i could have a rest) AND ESPECIALLY AS YOU RUINED MY HAIR BACK INTO AFRO MODE!!!
Permalink
Posted in America at 8:45 am by AB
So i have arrived in New York City.
Just a quick post to let you all know that i am here and have ridden the subway, caught a cab, taken a quick stroll in Central Park. Had a quick look at a tiny part of this big city on Wednesday. Went to the US Open Tennis yesterday and saw Lleyton play.
Full details and photos will come, but for now i am off to spend another day out exploring. I might do some shopping today.
Have fun everyone. I am
Cheers
AB
Permalink