Lake Placid/Montreal/Niagra Falls

With my sabbatical winding down, we returned Saturday evening from our final vacation of the Summer. We left a week ago Thursday, and our first stop was Niagra Falls—one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We spent a few hours exploring the massive Falls, and particularly enjoyed Cave of the Winds and the “Hurricane Deck”—which enable you to get within feet of the Bridal Veil Falls.

Being a buffalo wing snob, we spent the first night in Buffalo. We visited the Anchor Bar, home of the Buffalo Chicken Wing—and enjoyed some of these tasty treats along with some cold beer. Early the next morning, we headed East to Syracuse (my dad’s hometown) and visited the cemetery where many of our relatives are buried. In typical fashion, we drove by my dad’s childhood home and had the good fortune of finding the Clancy family at home. After visiting with the Clancy siblings, we headed over to Tipperary Hill, where my great-grandfather settled after immigrating from Ireland. We had lunch at Coleman’s, an Irish pub in Tipp Hill. The owner’s brother is the owner of The Dubliner—another fine institution located in Washington, D.C.

We continued our journey through the Adirondacks, and settled in Lake Placid for 6 nights. Cali loved swimming in the lake every morning and chasing the ducks around the property. Having vacationed out West for much of the last decade, we were taken back by the beauty of Lake Placid and the surrounding area. The weather was cool, we enjoyed the clean mountain air, and there was no shortage of things to do. The kids loved the various hikes we did in the high peaks region, swimming in the lakes, kayaking, and the picnics we enjoyed as a family. We went mountain biking at the Olympic Sports Complex, and I managed to get in a few rounds of golf.

Our final destination was Montreal, where we stayed for 2 nights. The hotel, Le Saint-Sulpice, was a tremendous property. A boutique hotel, they allowed dogs—and Cali enjoyed breakfast with us on the terrace. Montreal is a vibrant city—European feel, friendly people, interesting architecture, good food, and women clad in skimpy clothes. We did a multi-hour walking tour of the city and visited Mt Royal, McGill University, Old Port, and various shops and restaurants. I even found a bar televising the Redskins game, which was a real treat. The kids were disappointed we couldn’t stay longer.

Our drive home from Montreal to Bethesda was uneventful until reaching the Beltway. Apparently, there was an accident and two lanes where blocked at Connecticut Avenue. It took us well over an hour to go only a few miles…and we finally exited and took the back roads. After 12 hours in the car, this served as a subtle reminder that my soul belongs in the mountains—or at the very least—on a mountain bike.