Sabbatical -- Day 64: Buffet, Buffet, Buffet

August 28

The sun came up over Niagara Falls this morning. Literally.

Sun rising over the Falls, from hotel room on 24th floor

We went to breakfast at the Milestone Restaurant in the hotel - which overlooks the Horseshoe Falls. They had a large buffet for breakfast which Kelly chose. I opted for a smaller selection of food but did enjoy the Canadian Bacon for breakfast. The Buffet was $25 Canadian. In the short time in the country I have not acclimated to the exchange difference.

After breakfast we went back to the room and sat a spell, gazing out the windows at the Falls. Realizing we probably won't ever visit again we breathed it in. The natural wonder of it is inspiring. To see it, feel it, hear it, and to sense something of it that isn't received by the senses but understood through intuition has left a lasting impression on me.

We checked out of the hotel and were launched by a near 30 MPH wind into the car, the trunk lid a weapon. As we cruised around looking for a suitable souvenir shop we stopped at the light in front of Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Cafe and the wind buffeted the car to the point it felt like we were on a roller coaster -- while completely stopped. My guess is that with the wind, the tall hotel buildings crammed together and the Bernoulli Effect, the street became a venturi, accelerating the winds above 40 MPH as they buffeted the car in front  of Jimmy Buffet's.

Getting back into the USA at the border was very simple. We made our way back to the Courtyard  where we had stayed on Sunday night. I had left my two nice Land's End pullovers in the closet. We went to see if they had found them, and they had. That was a relief.

Back through Buffalo. Back to western New York. We stopped at the Barcelona exit off of I-90 and visited the lighthouse there.

 This trip we have walked the shores of both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Something I really wanted to say I had done.

We made our way southwest to Wooster, where Kelly's cousin, Bobbi Douglas lives. We had a nice dinner with Bobbi, her son, Jaden, and her brother, Wes. We spent the night there. Bobbi's hospitality was wonderful. We gave her the Cream Candy I had purchased in Stanton, and to Wes, a bottle of Blanton's. It was a meaningful visit for Bobbi and Kelly. Their mothers were cousins, but they grew up almost as sisters. It was a stop worth making.

Bobbi, Jaden, Wes, Jerry, Kelly

One more day of sabbatical remains.

Peace and Love,
Jerry