Day 8 - US Roads (Countryside)

Day 8 (11th July) - Here are some snaps of roads throughout the journey on Niagara Falls. These pictures were taken on the way from 1000 islands location to our hotel (where we stayed for overnight ) in Rochester.

Entering the site for Thousand Island Cruise Tour

Our Tour Bus

The roads are so clean

This is the place, where we stopped for evening snacks and dinner.

If you can spot there is a Indian restaurant - Haveli Indian Restaurant. I didn't notice it when I get off from the bus. So I went to Burger King and purchase two burgers and Coke. Once I came out and walked towards our bus, I found this Indian Restaurant. I thought why I didn't find it earlier. However, I went there and ordered two Aloo Naans. They took $10 for this. But the stuff wasn't good and eventually I haven't eaten even one of them.

Day 8 - Niagara Tour - Thousand Island Cruise Tour

Day 8 (11 July): I had three days remaining for my return flight to India. As advised to me, I booked the 2 days tour package to Niagara Falls. I had taken leave from office on Friday (11th July) and left the hotel early in the morning for Canal Street in Chinatown from where I was supposed to catch the bus for the Niagara tour. Chinatown, Manhattan is home to the largest enclave of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere. Most of these Niagara bus tours are being operated by Chinese people. I purchased 2 days tour package that cost me $110. Then there are additional charges if you want to view sub segments like Thousand Island Cruise Tour, Niagara Fort, Niagara George park etc. I opted for all of them and it cost me additional $80 something. Apart of this, a total of $8 / day / person should be paid in cash to tour guide and the bus driver as a service fee. I reached there on time and boarded the bus. The tour bus was in good condition except the fact that it didn't have the power plug for phone charging. Rest, everything was well - Air conditioning, cleanliness, tour guide, driver etc.

Our first stop during our journey to Niagara Falls was Cruise Tour of Thousand Islands.

"The Thousand Islands (1000 Islands) Region is an International tourism destination, encompassing communities on both sides of US and Canada border along the St. Lawrence River and the eastern shores of lake Ontario.  The region takes its name from the more than 1000 islands that dot the lake and river along this international waterway.  The region extends from Kingston to Cornwall on the Canadian side, and from Oswego to Massena on the US side, reaching inland to foothills of the Adirondack mountains to embrace the communities that are west and north of the Andirondack park,and the four NY Counties of Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence. "            - 1000islands.com

Here are the snaps from Thousand Islands:

Starting the tour.

What a view!!

Mother Nature

With sun shining from top, it seems like pearls scattered on water surface.

Wish I could stay there for a day.

A must visit place during Niagara Tour

Clicking photographs

Say 'hi' to them.

Wow! what a view.

This tour will be remembered always.

At the cruise. Along with the guide.

Bye - Bye. It was a memorable trip.

Day - 4, 5, 6, 7 All Official Stuff

Next 4 days (from  7th July to 10th July) were spent for the reason I went to USA - to attend Executive Meeting. It was a good experience to interact with those people whom we talk daily on phone through India office. So it was all official and corporate stuff in these 4 days. Number of meetings, interacting with new people, lengthy discussions with my boss.

I had three days remaining for my return flight to India. As advised to me, I booked the 2 days tour package to Niagara Falls. I took off from office on Friday (11th July) and left the hotel for Canal Street in Chinatown from where I was supposed to catch the bus for the Niagara tour. 

Day 3 - Finding Indian Food

Day 3 (6th July) - If you are Vegetarian Indian and want to eat some authentic Indian cuisine and if you stay at 39th Avenue Long Island City in New York, there is one place where you can get Indian cuisine. It is just couple of step away from 36th Avenue Sub way station. I found it on the 3rd day itself. In $15, you can have sufficient stuff to eat. Quality wise, well you cannot expect the same taste as you get in India.

Here is the address of the Indian restaurant near Holiday Inn Manhattan View Hotel in Long Island City:

Samossa Bites

Phone: 718-606-9150

35-27, 31st Street,

Long island City, NY 11106

 

 

Day 3 - Visiting 9-11 Memorial

Day 3 (6th July) - The last sight seeing place on day 3 was 9-11 Memorial. From the location where BIG Bus dropped me, it was around half kilometer stretch to reach this place. A must visit place in my itinerary. Some facts about this place:

"On September 11, 2011, a dedication ceremony was held at the memorial, commemorating the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. The 9-11 memorial officially opened to the public on September 12, 2011. Three months after opening, the memorial had been seen by over 1 million visitors. " - Wikipedia

"The National September 11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.

The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations"

- http://www.911memorial.org

Here are the snaps of the visit:

"The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history." 

- http://www.911memorial.org

"The memorial is located at the World Trade Center site, on the former location of the Twin Towers, which were destroyed during the attacks." - Wikipedia

Pray for Peace