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Published: October 8th 2008
Me & Kyle
Molly's bundle of JoyROCHESTER
Okay, so I made a pit stop on the East Cost on my way to Europe to visit some old friends, Molly & Melissa, in Rochester, NY. It was quite a change arriving in 40 degree weather versus the sweltering 90+ degree heat of Southern California. The air was cool and crisp, trees everywhere with their leaves shades of yellow and orange - Autumn had officially arrived. It was nice to get away from the busy fast-paced life of LA. The highways in Rochster are 2-lanes, and going 45 mph is considered
"traffic". Houses with basements are common and big enough to build a family game room, and there are no wood fences separating neighbors. I was officially on the East Coast.
You can immediately feel the history of Rochester with its Victorian style homes and churches, and old brick layered buildings. For you trivia buffs, Rochester is the headquarters for Xerox and Kodak, and once was home to notable historic residents Fredrick Douglas and Susan B. Anthony. 😊
On the second day of my visit, Molly, Melissa, Jill (Molly's sister), and I headed to Niagara Falls. We parked on the American side and took a
short walk across Rainbow Bridge to Canada, ay. And there it was in all its spectacular natural grandeur. We hopped on a
Maid of the Mist boat tour to get the full experience. The boat puts you right at the bottom of the Falls, which is actually divided in two: the American Falls on the US side, and Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side. As long as you don't mind getting wet, it is worth the 30-minute tour. Before crossing the border back to the US, we stopped at a
Duty Free shop. For those not familiar with the term
Duty Free , it means that foreigners can shop for things like novelty items, perfumes, make-up, snacks, drinks, etc. minus the sales tax. Intriguing. I observed in envy as the girls took advantage of this and stocked up on liter bottles of liquor. If there was any inch of room left in my backpack, I too would've endulged without hesitance. 😊
The weekend was wrapped up with a visit to the Blue Cross Arena where Molly works to join in on the family festivities of open skate and meeting Rochester's AHL Americans professional hockey team
to kick off there 08-09 season. It was a short but sweet weekend spent in good company. Molly & Melissa, thank you for everything. Next stop...NYC.
I LOVE NEW YORK CITY
From Rochester, I took the Amtrak to NYC. It was a 7-hour train ride and though I dreaded the long travel time, it was very comfortable & relaxing. The train stopped through old towns like Poughkeepsie, Hudson, Albany, and ironically through small towns by the name of Amsterdam and Rome. The best part of the trip was the scenic route along the Hudson River all the way to New York City. If you ever find yourself in the Northeast with the time and patience on Amtrak's Empire Express route going southeast, sit on the right side to get the best views of the river. I finally arrived at Penn Station mid-afternoon. Oh how I love New York! Quite a change from being in Rochester. All the the commotion on the streets, the bright lights, tall buildings, and horns honking..the energy of the City is contagious. At the station I met up with Aaron who I worked with at Long Beach CC. We caught up over
beers at Biddy Early's in downtown then headed to the westisde for some french dining at Pastis in Greenwich Village. My first time in Greenwich. Such a cute neighborhood with brownstone homes, brick roads, and small markets, and boutique shops in between. Dinner was good...tried rabbit for the first time. Tastes like chicken. After dinner, it was straight to JFK. Thanks Aaron for taking the time to meet up, your hospitality, and guessing correctly on getting to the airport.
Alright so enough about New York...as much as I wanted to stay, I'll be back to see the City in December. Its time things get real interesting. I'm in London now, my second day, and loving it. Stay tuned for more...
P.S. I've updated my
FAQ's blog entry with some new info on how to stay updated day to day on my travels (happy Eric?). Oh, and for more pictures, click on the link below....
East Coast Photo Slideshow
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guz
Marcus Guzman
show off
Hey kid, ya the falls look great. Nice video entry. Dont let the pound bite you in the arse.