Hiking the Adirondacks

Since we've been in the Adirondacks region of upstate New York, one of our main activities has been to be outside hiking, enjoying nature, and seeing some spectacular views.  We did a little bit of hiking in Lake George, but it's been a mainstay of our activity in Lake Placid.  We're exclusively day hikers. Whether it's a 30 minute out and back at some overlook along the road or a 12 hour all-day hike in the mountains, we like to hike and then come back to a nice room and a hot shower.  I know a lot of people who love to camp and definitely see the appeal, but it's just not our thing.

This trip has been a lot of 1-3 hour hikes in different parts of the region.  We're actually staying in Wilmington, a little hamlet next to Lake Placid that is the home to Whiteface Mountain, a major ski area and host of the Lake Placid skiing events.  We could drive to the top of Whiteface, but then it's another 20-30 minute climb up to the summit -- a steep incline of rocks and stairs.  Fortunately, they've put railings up to help you as there were sections you needed it to help pull you up.  We were well rewarded with spectacular views of Lake Placid and the surrounding valleys.

Summit of Baker Mountain at Saranac Lake

On Sunday, Lake Placid was hosting it's annual Ironman Competition so many roads were closed and it was difficult to get in and around the town.  We drove over to the Saranac Lake area which is only about 30 minutes from where we're staying but took almost an hour because of the roundabout way we had to drive because of the road closures.  We hiked Baker Mountain and had more wonderful views.

High Falls Gorge

Two more unique hikes we did involved hiking down instead of up.  High Falls Gorge was a short hike down to see waterfalls in a section of the Ausable River.  These falls are right next to the main road between Lake Placid and Wilmington, but because of the angle of the road and the the trees, you can't see them from the road.  While this was a fun little hike, the most impressive was probably Ausable Chasm.

We had to drive back towards Vermont as Ausable Chasm is next to Lake Champlain. Self-proclaimed as the Grand Canyon of the East, the Chasm isn't remotely close to the depths and wonder of the Grand Canyon, but relative to the surrounding area, it's impressive and unlike the Grand Canyon, it's easy to access and walk in the canyon and it's towering walls.

Ausable Chasm

Both High Falls Gorge and Ausable Chasm are actually privately owned and charge admission.  We didn't mind paying as they've built stairs and walkways to get you closer (and safer) to the action and access to areas wouldn't otherwise be possible. Ausable Chasm also has opportunities to float down the river and see the chasm from a whole new perspective as well as adventure areas including rope bridges and zip lines over the chasm.  We didn't have time to do the adventure activities as we arrived too late in the day.  That will be top of the list on our next visit.

Olympic Fever

Herb Brooks Arena -- Site of Miracle on Ice

Lake Placid has hosted two Winter Olympics -- 1932 and 1980.  Many of the sites from these games are still used today for training and hosting World Cup events.  For $35, you can buy an Olympic Passport that allows you to visit and tour all of the various sites, including the Olympics museum, the ski jumps, the bobsled and luge tracks, and the hockey rinks -- both the 1932 and 1980 rinks are still in use.

Actual 1980 Goal in the Museum

We took advantage of this passport and visited all of the sites, including riding the gondola to the top of Whiteface Mountain where all of the skiing events took place.

We also relived the "Miracle on Ice" USA hockey victory over Russia.  The video of the game was playing on a loop in the museum and we watched the US score the final two goals.  The actual goal and net and other memorabilia are on display in the museum. 

Final Turn

Our most fun adventure exploring our Olympic history was taking the bobsled experience and riding a bobsled down the actual Olympic track with a professional driver and brakeman.  This was an extra expense from the Olympic Passport, but well worth the experience.  We rocketed down the track the track and really experienced the g-force as we went through the turns.  Seeing these sites has given us new appreciation of the skill and dedication it takes to be an Olympic athlete.

Looking Down the 120m Ski Jump from
the top -- 26 stories high.

Vermont Detour

After leaving Fort Ticonderoga, we started our drive up to Lake Placid, but not before taking a brief detour into Vermont.  One of Mona's coworkers has family in the Crown Point area north of Ticonderoga and said they would always drive over the bridge into Vermont for some ice cream.  Home to Ben & Jerry's, Vermont is certainly known for good ice cream.

Our detour took us over Lake Champlain to the Bridge Restaurant.  Packed with people at 2:00pm, we were able to take one of the last two tables for lunch.  They didn't have the choices that Martha's did, only vanilla, chocolate, and a vanilla-chocolate swirl.  We opted for one cone of the swirl to share and our waitress showed up to our table with three ice cream cones -- one vanilla, one chocolate, and one that had the tiniest bit of swirl.  Apparently the machine wasn't working correctly, so she brought us some of both.  We certainly weren't going to let good ice cream go to waste, so of course we ate it all.  It was very good, but it was no Martha's.  No need for dinner tonight.

We could see a lighthouse from our vantage point in Vermont, so once we crossed back into New York, we stopped and visited.  The Samuel Champlain Memorial and Lighthouse was built by both New York and Vermont in 1909 to commemorate his discovery of the lake in 1609 that bears his name.

Cool bridge -- Great Food -- Historic Lighthouse.  All in all, well worth the detour.

Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga and Lake Champlain, seen
from atop Mount Defiance

After saying goodbye to our new friends at Romeo & Giulietta's, we drove to the north end of Lake George to visit Fort Ticonderoga. Another important fort in our country's early history, it was the site of a British victory immediately before their defeat and surrender at Saratoga.  Originally built by the French and called Fort Carillon, it was renamed Ticonderoga after France's defeat in the French and Indian War.  The fort was strategically located between Lake Champlain and Lake George, along the border of present day New York and Vermont, and was a key outpost in the the early development of the United States.

As with other historic sites on this trip, you would assume it is a part of the National Park Service; however, it is privately owned and maintained by a non-profit.  The earliest act of preservation of this fort was undertaken by the Pell Family in the 1820s.  Less than a century later, the non-profit museum was created and the fort restored making it one of the earliest preservation efforts in the history of the United States.

Lake George

Southern end of Lake George

This is our first trip to upstate New York and we know several people who highly recommend Lake George, including a couple of folks whose families come every year.  The Village of Lake George is at the southern end of the lake.  While the main drag through town is tourist central with lots of motels, gift shops and tchotchkes for sale, it only takes a block or two to get into the residential neighborhood where it is much quieter and where you'll find most of the locals.  We found a great B&B -- Romeo & Giulietta's Hideaway -- located about 3 blocks off the main drag and a 3 minute walk to the lake.  This was our base for three nights in Lake George.

Summit of Sleeping Beauty Mountain

After the rainy day down in Albany, the weather broke and we enjoyed temps in the 70s with no humidity.  My kind of summer weather!  We hiked to the summit of Sleeping Beauty Mountain and were treated to gorgeous views of Lake George and the surrounding valleys.  Although there were plenty of opportunities to take a boat cruise in the lake, we opted for hiking and enjoying the Town.

Our B&B hosts recommended Martha's for THE best ice cream and it did not disappoint.  We had to drive there as it was located about 3 miles south of town, but the ice cream was heavenly!  We loved it so much, we had to go back a second time.  I'm holding a large cone of Orange Creamsicle -- the best $4.40 I've ever spent for ice cream.  After that experience, we'll be making a detour whenever we're within 50 miles.

Rainy Day Trippin'

Saratoga Battlefield overlooking the Hudson River

Unfortunately, our first day in Lake George was overcast and rainy so we decided that would be the best day to head down to Albany and check out New York's capital.  On the way down, we caught another national park site, Saratoga National Historical Park.  The Battle at Saratoga was very early in the Revolutionary War, but may have been the turning point to American victory as it was the first time the mighty British Army had ever surrendered.  While there had been previous defeats, the British had always retreated in those instances.  Their surrender at Saratoga gave the Americans legitimacy and caused the French to join the American cause culminating in the ultimate British defeat at Yorktown.

New York Capitol

This trip provided another chance to complete our lifelong quest to visit all 50 states and 50 state capitals.  While we've been to well over half of the states, we haven't yet visited all of the capitals in those states.  Albany marks the turning point, as we're now more than halfway towards our goal of all 50 state capitals and capitol buildings.

The New York State Capitol is a gorgeous building that is not the quintessential capitol

The Great Western Staircase

with massive columns and a rotunda.  It was completed in 1899 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.  it has three massive staircases in the building, each with it's own different architectural flair.  Unlike our visit in Nevada, we didn't run into the governor this time.  In one way, the gorgeous architecture of this building is wasted as the surrounding square and other government buildings are very drab and utilitarian.  Given the history of the nation and the important role New York played, especially in the early days, one would think a more complementary, cohesive style or architecture would grace such an important area.

We concluded our time in Albany with a visit to the Stephen and Harriet Myers House.  You likely won't read about this in many guidebooks, but the Myers and this home were an integral part of the Underground Railroad.  As the only ones there that day, we were treated to a personal tour and learned about the history of the Myers family and how they helped so many former slaves during that time period.  Unlike visiting other historic sites, this is clearly a work in progress.  The house still needs a tremendous amount of restoration work on the interior, but the small non-profit that owns and operates the house are working diligently to raise the funds needed to make this a reality.  This is an important story to tell and history to preserve, so I certainly hope they are successful.

Four Sites in One Day

Springwood -- FDR's Home

After leaving New Jersey, we drove up to Lake George, New York, through the Hudson River Valley. This is home to five National Park Historic Sites and we were able to stop and visit four of the five.  Thomas Cole NHS was the fifth and we drove right past it on our drive and would have made it five for five, except it's closed on Mondays.

Val-Kill

First stop was Hyde Park and the Franklin D. Roosevelt NHS and Presidential Library.  The library is a private entity separate from the National Park Service and we decided to forego that and just tour his historic home and property.  Also in Hyde Park is the Eleanor Roosevelt NHS, the family's summer cottage known as Val-Kill.  Eleanor made this her permanent home after FDR's death.

Vanderbilt Mansion

Just down the road from FDR, was the Vanderbilt Mansion, a massive home and grounds with commanding views of the Hudson River.  Situated on a bluff high above the river, we were able to drive down to the water and dip our toes.

Lindenwald

Our last visit was to the Martin Van Buren NHS, the former president's home called Lindenwald.  We were able to get there right before closing, and although we didn't tour the home, we were able to walk the grounds and learn about its history.  We had the entire place to ourselves.




It's always fascinating and interesting to learn about the history and back stories of these important figures in American history.  We heard great stories such as King George VI visiting FDR at his home, and how many important political figures would drop by Van Buren's house because it was on the main post road between Albany and New York City.  In fact, a portion of the old post road still exists on the Van Buren property.

The National Park Service does a wonderful job preserving our historic sites and properties, and we always come away learning so much that we never covered in school.

Thomas Edison House and Museum

We started our Summer 2018 Road Trip with a weekend visit to New Jersey to see family.  My cousin recently had her second child and this was our first time seeing the baby.  We had a great time visiting, playing with the kids, and eating a lot of my aunt's great Italian cooking.  I think I gained 10 pounds in just one weekend.

Our lone adventure was a visit to the Thomas Edison National Historic Site in West Orange, which houses Edison's laboratory complex and

Edison's Laboratory Complex

the family home Glenmont.  We learned about Edison inventing the light bulb and the phonograph in school, but he and his team were constantly developing new things.  So much of what we enjoy today such as cell phones, video and movies are built on the foundation of Edison and his team.

The story behind the family home is equally as fascinating.  Located in Llewellyn Park, one of the first planned communities in the United States (and currently a gated community of very expensive homes), the house was originally built by Henry Pedder in 1882 at a cost of about $250,000.  As it turned out, Pedder was embezzling the money from his employer in New York City.

Glenmont

Rather than be prosecuted, he turned over the house to the company and Edison was able to buy it for a mere $125,000.  The house was built with many modern amenities for its day, including separate hot and cold running water, and Edison wired it for electricity in 1887.  Even by today's standards, the house would be a lovely place to live and raise a family, but I certainly couldn't afford it.

Final Greece Thoughts

Unfortunately, our time in Greece has come to a close. This has been a fantastic trip with great weather, beautiful ancient sites and history, and warm and welcoming people.  A few final odds and ends:

• Gyro and souvlaki pitas are fantastic!  Every meal has been great, but I will miss these the most.  I think we ate one every day.

• The plumbing is not so great.  You don't put toilet paper in the toilet, but in the wastebasket next to the toilet.  Our understanding is because the pipes are small and clog easily.  We experienced this same issue when we traveled to Russia.  Not a big deal, but we had to keep reminding ourselves as not every bathroom had a sign.

• The Greeks are very proud of their country.  We were warmly welcomed and everyone seemed happy to provide assistance.

• It was amazing to walk the same sites and experience 3,000 years of history first hand.  While we read about Ancient Greece in school, being able to experience it in person was breathtaking.

• Driving in Greece is an offensive sport.  Stop signs (when there are any) are merely a suggestion as are speed limits.

• We need to plan a return trip.

Ancient Corinth

Temple of Apollo

The last stop on our Ancient History tour was to ancient Corinth.  Those of the Christian faith will recognize this as a place where the Apostle Paul traveled to preach and convert people to Christianity.  Paul lived here over a year and his letters to the Corinthians are some of the most quoted verses from the Bible.

Unlike Epidavros and Mycenae, Corinth was not nearly as crowded with tourists.  While there was a bus in the parking lot, it felt as though we had the place to ourselves.  We probably should have researched a little more before we went as the ancient site wasn't well marked and there weren't any brochures or literature to guide us.  Even so, it still felt remarkable to walk in the footsteps of Paul.

Pop standing in the Bema where Paul was on trial

We did learn that Paul was a tent maker and lived with a couple who were also tent makers.  When he wasn't preaching, he was working in the market alongside everyday Corinthians repairing awnings and such.  Paul was arrested and put on trial for his preachings, but the Roman governor viewed this as a local dispute between Jews and Paul was released.  After leaving Corinth, Paul continued on to Ephesus.  We were able to see the ruins of the Hema, the building where Paul would have been on trial, and perhaps stand in the very spot he did.

It was an interesting juxtaposition to see the Temple of Apollo and realize that this was still in existence and actively used while Paul was in Corinth.  The idea of worshipping Jesus versus Apollo or Athena had to be jarring to the 

Corinthians, yet Paul planted a seed and was able to establish a church here.

Corinth Canal

After leaving ancient Corinth, we made a brief stop at the Corinth Canal.  The canal itself was constructed in the late 1880s so it's not particularly ancient, but the idea of such a canal can be traced as far back as the 7th century B.C.   The canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea and saves a 450 mile journey around the Peloponnese.  However, it's only 70 feet wide and 26 feet deep so most modern ships cannot use it relegating most of the journeys through to tourist boats.  Still, it's an impressive feat to have carved out this canal through the rock.

Mycenae

Lion Gate c. 1300 B.C.

After Epidavros, the other major excursion while we stayed in Nafplio was to the ancient ruins of Mycenae.  Mycenae was a fortress city atop a hill and the capital of multiple city-states through the region.  Dating back to 1600 B.C., the Mycenaeans ruled this area for about 500 years.  Their civilization predates the Acropolis in Athens by a thousand years.

The Lion Gate and all that you pass through to enter the ancient city dates back to circa 1300 B.C.  Although not a sophisticated nor as structurally strong as the Roman arches developed later, this massive entrance has stood for over three thousand years.  

Just down the hill from the fortress is the Treasury of Atreus, a massive beehive-shaped burial chamber built into the side of the hill.  Mycenaean kings were buried in these structures along with swords, jewelry, etc., in similar

Entrance to Treasury of Atreus

fashion to the ancient pharaohs of Egypt.  Ironically, the beehive shape of the structure must have called out to actual bees because there were many swarming around the entrance and inside.  The buzzing echoed throughout the massive chamber and I was just as content to get a quick glimpse inside and then wait for everyone else outside.

Nafplio

Bourtzi Fortress

Nafplio has been a great base from which to explore the Peloponnese.  There's Old Town Nafplio which borders the harbor and then the newer sections of town that spread back out towards the surrounding mountains.  We're staying at the Pension Marianna in the Old Town section.

Because of it's strategic importance through the years, Nafplio has three different fortresses.

Akronafplia Fortress (taken from Palamidi
fortress above)

The Bourtzi fortress sits offshore and guards the harbor.  The Akronafplia is atop the Old Town section of the City and is the oldest of the three fortresses.  The Palamidi fortress was built by the Venetians in the early 1700s and sits on a hill above the Akronafplia.  Our hotel sits adjacent to the Akronafplia fortress -- in fact, we walk through a part of the outer wall in order to access our hotel.

Palamidi Fortress

The town itself exudes a certain charm and we're enjoying soaking it up and strolling the narrow lanes and along the waterfront.  We've already been to Epidavros and we'll also be visiting the ancient archaeological site of Mycenae.  This has been a very relaxing stop as we begin to wind down the second half of our trip.

Looking out the window of our hotel room

The view from our room

The Early Bird Gets the Worm!!

The theater from ground level

We've left Olympia and are now in the town of Nafplio, a seaport town on the Argolic Gulf which is part of the Aegean Sea.   This will be our base for the next two days.  Our first excursion was to the ancient site of Epidavros, which is famed for its acoustically marvelous amphitheater.

We were out the door at 7:15am for the 30 minute drive to Epidavros in order to be there when they opened at 8:00am.  I wanted to be there with as few people as possible in order to experience the famed acoustics.  Our efforts paid off as not only were we the first people through the gates, we were the only ones there for the first 30 minutes.

View from the top row

The theater was built circa 300 B.C. and can seat up to 15,000 people.  During the summer months, it is still used for outdoor theater productions, but we're here too early in the year to catch a play.  What we could do though is test the acoustics, and it was a remarkable experience.  You can stand in the middle of the "stage" area (really just a circle that is surrounded by the first row of seats) and speak in a normal voice.  Even those sitting in the last row at the top of the theater can hear you as if you were sitting right next to them.  We took a brief video with our phone, and while it's not as good as being there in person, it gives you a good idea of how great the acoustics are.

By 8:30am, the first of three tour buses pulled in with gaggles of tourists.  While I hope they could experience the marvelous acoustics as we did, I can't imagine they did because it became too noisy too fast.  Getting up early definitely paid off as they could not have had nearly the appreciation that we did.

Ancient Olympia

Altar and Temple of Hera

We experienced a taste of the modern Olympics in Athens when we visited the Panathenaic Stadium.  Today, we visited Ancient Olympia where the Olympics were first held circa 776 B.C. and continued for over a thousand years to 393 A.D.  These quadrennial athletic contests were held to honor and worship Zeus, king of the gods.

Ancient Stadium

Our journey to Olympia took us through the mountains and along the Gulf of Corinth, traveling over the gulf across the modern bridge built just a decade ago.  We stopped briefly along the way in a small town whose English name is Lemon Canyon so Mom could touch the water and collect a rock to take home.

On the starting line

Olympia is located on the large peninsula of Greece known as the Peloponnese. We toured the archaeological site and saw the ruins of the Temple of Zeus and the gymnasium where the athletes trained.  Our two favorite parts of the site were the stadium, where the original marble starting and finish lines still adorn the track, and the Temple and Altar of Hera, where the flame is lit each Olympic year to travel to Athens and then on to the host country.

Temple of Zeus

Lots of families, young and old, took their place on the starting line and sprinted the length of the stadium.  Although we didn't witness any Olympic-caliber times, it was still amazing to to be able to run sprints in the same place as thousands of athletes have for three millennia.

Delphi

Temple of Apollo seen from the amphitheater above

On Monday morning we bid adieu to Athens after three wonderful days soaking up its history.  We left our apartment bright and early to travel back to the airport and pick up our rental car.  After experiencing Athens traffic and narrow streets, I'm glad we are picking up our car outside of the city.

I've dubbed this trip the Ancient History Tour as our itinerary is filled with visits to historical sites and ruins.  We won't have time to visit any of the islands.  We'll have to reserve that for a return trip.  After about 2 hours of driving, we've reached our first destination -- Delphi.

5th Century B.C. Stadium

Delphi was known throughout the world as the home of the Oracle of Delphi, a prophetess who was the mouthpiece of Apollo on earth.  Pilgrims would travel from all over to seek her advice.  During this period, Delphi was considered to be the center of the world and one of its sacred sites.  Our first stop was the archaeological site to walk the Sacred Way and see the Temple of Apollo.  Ancient Delphi was a place of worship centered on the Temple of Apollo.  The temple site is surrounded by the remains of grand monuments that were paid for and built by grateful pilgrims.

Charioteer circa 480 B.C.

The ancient site and the nearby modern town are located in the side of Mount Parnassus.  Seeing the site requires a nice uphill hike from the road.  For me, one of the most interesting aspects was the ancient stadium built in the 5th century B.C.  It's at the highest point of the site (up a very steep trail) and hosted the Pythian Games, second in importance only to the Olympics.  It's remarkably well preserved, so much so that it could probably host athletic competitions with a minimal amount of renovation.  Not bad for a 2,500 year-old stadium.  The archaeological
museum houses many of the original artifacts from the ancient site, many of which date back 2000 years or more.  Their prized possession with a room unto itself is a bronze charioteer circa 480 B.C.  It is believed that a great earthquake some 100 years later buried the statue in debris, helping to protect it from the elements.

Sanctuary of Athena Pronea -- Athena was also worshipped
at Delphi along with Apollo

The modern town of Delphi is defined by two narrow, parallel streets.  We spent the night here and our hotel provided great views of the valley, lined with groves of olive trees all the way to the Gulf of Corinth.  Delphi is a popular day trip, especially from Athens, so there were lots of tour buses when we arrived.  However, by about 3:00 pm, they were on their way back to the City and it felt like we had the town to ourselves.  Another great day soaking up history and enjoying the hospitality of our Greek hosts.

The view from our hotel balcony -- Hotel Fedriades

Final Day in Athens

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Our final afternoon in Athens was spent wandering the streets of the old Plaka and Anafiotika neighborhoods near the Acropolis and seeing some of the other historic monuments and ruins.  Because of the holiday, we couldn't walk the sites, but I was able to take pictures.  We also wandered the streets of the Monastiraki neighborhood including its several streets of flea market activity.  We grabbed a couple of souvlaki pitas at the take out window and ate while we strolled the narrow streets and alleyways.

Hadrian's Gate

At the end of the day, we climbed both Mars Hill and Filopappou Hill in order to get better views of the Acropolis.  Mars Hill is where the Apostle Paul preached to the masses in Athens centuries ago, but Filopappou Hill has the best view.  It was very windy while we were at the summit, but it we didn't mind as the view was priceless.

The View from Filapappou Hill