SQL Server World

After much planning and cajoling, we finally were on our way to vacation to Canada.

Saturday, Jun 13^th

We left home (Glenview, IL) at 7:30 AM (half hour later then planned) and arrived in Detroit, Michigan at 1:30 PM. Time moved ahead one hour. On the way, we stopped for 30 minutes for gas and food. We stayed at La Quinta Inn and Suites hotel and were very impressed by the high standards of this place. They offered free parking, breakfast, outdoor pool and a small gym.

We checked in and changed and left to see Belle Isle, a 36 minute drive from the hotel. We saw the oldest North American aquarium, fishing pier and a conservatory. We took lots of pictures; some of which I will share here. We then just drove to downtown Detroit and looked at the city’s architecture. Tigers (Detroit’s baseball team) was playing against Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. We saw stadium was full and people cheering.

We at fishing pier at Belle Island near Detroit, Michigan

Belle Island Conservatory

For dinner we went to Chilli’s restaurant and afterwards we did some shopping at GAP and T.J Maxx stores.

We came back to hotel, changed and went to the fitness room and worked out for 30 minutes.

Sunday, June 14^th

Everybody was refreshed after the comfortable night’s sleep and substantial breakfast in the morning. We resumed our driving at 9 AM and arrived at Niagara Falls, Ontario at 1:30 PM.

We stayed at Marriot Gateway on the Falls hotel. Our room was on the 26^th floor with full view of the Niagara Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. We could see the New York side of the Niagara Falls Park also. Weather was cloudy so the usual fireworks at 10 PM was cancelled that night.

We booked a fully guided and narrated tour with Magnificent Tours and they took us to the 3 attractions; Skylon tower, Journey Behind the Falls and HornBlower Niagara Cruises. There were 12 people on the bus including us. We met a very nice family of 3 consisting of a grandson (age 16) and grandparents on this tour and most of the time we stayed together.

Skylon tower was 775 feet tall and gave us the crystal clear views of the city of Buffalo, NY and Toronto. We could see the falls from the top, Rainbow Bridge, Goat Island etc. We took lot of pictures.

View from the Skylon Tower

Niagara Falls Behind the Scene tour was an exciting and humbling experience. Tunnels were built under the falls and there were different viewing windows where you can see the falls from under them and can experience the power of them.  It was like a hands on Falls museum with various historical facts about the place such as how those tunnels were built how deep was the fall in 1676 and every hundred years after that, showing how much corrosion and erosion has happened etc. Many times I feared that if this tunnel caved in today, there will be no sign of us.

Behind the Falls

Behind the scene view of the fall

Look! how much fun I am having.

Observation deck at “Journey Behind the Falls”.

The 25 minute tour on the boat which took us close the Horseshoe fall was once in lifetime one.

Falls from the boat

We dined at the magnificent Milestones restaurant at hotel where we were staying.

We in the elevator mirror, en route to Milestones

Monday, June 15^th