Hockey Road Trip - Day 6
Feb. 5th, 2017 04:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hilsWe had a nice, relaxed morning because it was only a short drive to Niagara Falls. So even though we were all awake at 6:30am (because IDEK) we didn't actually get dressed and go down for breakfast until about 9am.
While we were relaxing I was able to Facetime with my 4 year old nephew which was kind of fun. His mum (my best friend at uni - he's not my nephew by blood) was explaining how it's different times in different parts of the world and that although it was gone lunchtime for him it was still morning for me. Then she got out a map and showed him where Canada was and where England was. See, an educational conversation :D
It was nice though. He showed me some of his toys and I don't think it really registered that I wasn't there for my usual Friday visit.
I think breakfast in the hotel in Toronto was probably the best hotel breakfast of all the ones we had. There was french toast which is another one of my favourite breakfast foods and OMG it was so good!
When we left the hotel we were amused to see that in Canada hockey is literally everywhere, even on the sign outside a strip club
There was even a garbage truck with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on it which amused me in particular. There is a long story behind why I don't care for the Leafs. A story for another time. Actually, it's not that short. My favourite Pens player is Phil Kessel who used to play for Toronto, the team itself treated him okay as far as I can tell but the Leafs fans and Toronto media treated him like shit for not single-handedly saving the team from being terrible. So Toronto traded him to Pittsburgh where he was treated well by the team, the fans, the media and helped them win the Stanley Cup the first year he was there.
Our hotel at Niagara was ridiculous. It was a pretty basic hotel but the room was HUGE and had a fireplace :D
There was another bed behind me so we each had our own bed :D
It was absolutely chucking it down with rain so we loitered in our room for a while hoping it would stop. It didn't so we finally just accepted we were going to get wet seeing the falls (we had to leave for Pittsburgh the next morning so this was our only time to go)
There was a cute little train thing that took us down the side of the cliff to the top of the falls
There were some delightfully tacky souvenir shops in the visitor centre but a lot of the restaurants and things were closed because it's the winter.
Now, not only was it raining but it was FOGGY AS HELL. So we got some amazing photos of the view from the falls :-p
Since it was wet, cold, and we couldn't really see anything, we stayed outside for maybe 5 minutes and then scurried back in to seek out hot chocolate. Luckily Tim Hortons was at hand to save us
Once we were done warming up we hit the souvenir shops since this was our last stop in Canada. I bought a delightfully tacky t-shirt and some maple cookies for work which were so nice I was ordered to go back to Canada to get more
When we headed back to the hotel the fog had moved in so you could barely see anything. It was even worse the next morning (I'll post a pic in the next post) so it was probably a good thing we went when we did. Just a risk you take deciding to visit Niagara Falls in January I guess :D
We had a pretty quiet evening. The Pens were playing the Canes so we went out for an early dinner and then headed back to the hotel room to stream the game. They won even though I was in my PJs instead of my lucky jersey :D
I actually timed it really well. Apart from the game that started while I was on the flight from London the Pens won every game they played while I was in the US/Canada (and they got shut out the first game they played that I didn't watch - I'm not saying these facts are connected but...)
While we were relaxing I was able to Facetime with my 4 year old nephew which was kind of fun. His mum (my best friend at uni - he's not my nephew by blood) was explaining how it's different times in different parts of the world and that although it was gone lunchtime for him it was still morning for me. Then she got out a map and showed him where Canada was and where England was. See, an educational conversation :D
It was nice though. He showed me some of his toys and I don't think it really registered that I wasn't there for my usual Friday visit.
I think breakfast in the hotel in Toronto was probably the best hotel breakfast of all the ones we had. There was french toast which is another one of my favourite breakfast foods and OMG it was so good!
When we left the hotel we were amused to see that in Canada hockey is literally everywhere, even on the sign outside a strip club
There was even a garbage truck with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on it which amused me in particular. There is a long story behind why I don't care for the Leafs. A story for another time. Actually, it's not that short. My favourite Pens player is Phil Kessel who used to play for Toronto, the team itself treated him okay as far as I can tell but the Leafs fans and Toronto media treated him like shit for not single-handedly saving the team from being terrible. So Toronto traded him to Pittsburgh where he was treated well by the team, the fans, the media and helped them win the Stanley Cup the first year he was there.
Our hotel at Niagara was ridiculous. It was a pretty basic hotel but the room was HUGE and had a fireplace :D
There was another bed behind me so we each had our own bed :D
It was absolutely chucking it down with rain so we loitered in our room for a while hoping it would stop. It didn't so we finally just accepted we were going to get wet seeing the falls (we had to leave for Pittsburgh the next morning so this was our only time to go)
There was a cute little train thing that took us down the side of the cliff to the top of the falls
There were some delightfully tacky souvenir shops in the visitor centre but a lot of the restaurants and things were closed because it's the winter.
Now, not only was it raining but it was FOGGY AS HELL. So we got some amazing photos of the view from the falls :-p
Since it was wet, cold, and we couldn't really see anything, we stayed outside for maybe 5 minutes and then scurried back in to seek out hot chocolate. Luckily Tim Hortons was at hand to save us
Once we were done warming up we hit the souvenir shops since this was our last stop in Canada. I bought a delightfully tacky t-shirt and some maple cookies for work which were so nice I was ordered to go back to Canada to get more
When we headed back to the hotel the fog had moved in so you could barely see anything. It was even worse the next morning (I'll post a pic in the next post) so it was probably a good thing we went when we did. Just a risk you take deciding to visit Niagara Falls in January I guess :D
We had a pretty quiet evening. The Pens were playing the Canes so we went out for an early dinner and then headed back to the hotel room to stream the game. They won even though I was in my PJs instead of my lucky jersey :D
I actually timed it really well. Apart from the game that started while I was on the flight from London the Pens won every game they played while I was in the US/Canada (and they got shut out the first game they played that I didn't watch - I'm not saying these facts are connected but...)
no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 05:46 pm (UTC)Must admit, since I saw the unaired pilot of Wonderfalls I would like to see them myself; though I think I'll wait until my politics won't get me shunted back on the plane going back :-)
Go JETS for me and, if they're not playing Winnipeg, GO Any Canadian Team! I did notice that Boston has a team in the Canadian Women's League, so go them as well :-)
kerk
no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 05:52 pm (UTC)Yeah, I've had to pretty much put a halt on any plans to visit the US any time soon but I may go back to Canada.
I have nothing against the Jets (I don't think I could name a single player) so have at it :D
no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 06:34 pm (UTC)There's the Sheffield Steelers, and the Nottingham Panthers of course, but I like the Steelers, so maybe see that game when It doesn't matter who wins.
kerk
no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 07:56 pm (UTC)That said, the city's admiration for him is now boundless since he brought the Stanley Cup to a local children's hospital. Class act.
no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 08:29 pm (UTC)What I did see was the Toronto media call him (a cancer survivor) a cancer to the team. Honestly, I am glad they traded him to somewhere he is appreciated.
We may have to just agree to disagree when it comes to Phil Kessel and the Leafs. I have very strong feelings about him :D
no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 08:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-02-05 08:30 pm (UTC)