ScottAnnieUH

Up and out bright and early today :) We took a walk through Chinatown to Downtown, a very peculiar experience. Our first stop was Union Square with all the big shops, unfortunately we had to postpone a visit to the Cheese Cake Factory having just filled up on bagels at the hostel, but we are definitely going back! Then we hit pier 39 – Waw! With chowder, sea lions and chocolate shops at the plenty, this city was certainly off to a flying start! Even Annie tried the clam chowder and surprised us both by liking it and helped Scott with finishing it off. We soon realised why the piers were so bustling with people; anywhere with views of Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge and entertaining sea lions would pull the crowds in. We came across a ... read more

Another busy day in New York! We headed to Central Park for a couple of hours which was so stunning we’re going back there Sunday before we leave for the airport :) It’s crazy that such a huge, natural and peaceful place exists in the middle of this bustling city! We also saw a celebrity there; Zeus, the world’s tallest dog and his family were strolling through and drew a lot of attention! The poor guy had to have pictures with about ten people while we were admiring him. He was MASSIVE! They had a few little art stalls in the park, nothing like New Orleans, these were just photocopied prints and posters put in a frame. Hopefully there will be more unique ones on Sunday… At 2p.m we had reserved passes for the 9/11 memorial ... read more

First of all, we think that Wales should invest in a subway system! It is so fast and reliable, a tad squished at times but at least you’re only squashed for a short time! We didn’t get round to all we had planned today because the Statue of Liberty took up more time than we anticipated but it’s been a great day! As we walked through Battery Park toward the ferry docks for the Statue of Liberty we saw this big copper sculpture which used to sit inside one of the twin towers. It was damaged and burnt from the 9/11 attack but was placed there as a “temporary memorial” to those who lost their lives; it was beautiful. We got on the ferry across to Liberty Island which had great views of the city! It ... read more

Our early day didn’t start off too well with the company picking us up an hour late and then being rude to Annie on the phone, but she gave them a grilling when we arrived at the office and gained an apology :) This minor setback didn’t stop us having a brilliant day at the falls though! It was totally surreal and a little scary to be standing under it on the boat, getting drenched by the mist and even more so looking over the edge at the top. We have some really good pictures of the view we had from the top but it was really difficult to get a good one on the boat because we were getting so wet even in our snazzy smurf blue macks!! It was actually quite emotional to leave ... read more

Toronto is quite the diverse city! The scene changes around every street corner. After a 15 hour bus journey we arrive at our host’s flat which is colourful and quirky. Sean is really friendly and offered us breakfast and made us feel right at home. He gave us loads of ideas for things to do on our first day which we ended up doing! We headed down to Kensington Market which was very bohemian with one of a kind shops. After a browse we sat in a bar and enjoyed a beer and a cider for Annie :) You can take the girl out of the valley! Sean suggested we visit the Distillery District which used to produce whisky but is now a square full of art galleries, vintage shops and bistros all built in the ... read more