At the end of August Mrs Wilbur & I embarked on a ‘second honeymoon’ to celebrate our Silver Wedding anniversary.

I will go into more detail of the trip, which I planned and booked in February, but for now here’s a whistle stop summary.

It’s up to you, New York, New York

Our late August daytime flight was from Gatwick to JFK and we started with 4 nights in Mid Town Manhattan at the wonderfully named Hotel Giraffe.

Highlights included my second ever ascent up the Empire State Building (Mrs Wilbur’s first ever visit to New York) and the Friends Experience on Lexington & 26th.

Train to Montreal

The 07.30 Amtrak Adirondack train from Penn Street to Montreal took 13 hours allowing for a near 2-hour pit stop in State Capital Albany (here the train split with the other half making up the Maple Leaf to Toronto), and around 90-minutes for customs controls at the border.

Montreal was magnificent, a fitting location for my 92nd country. It was here that our 25th was marked with a special meal at Bonaparte Restaurant and a wonderful helicopter flight over the city that straddles the St Lawrence River.

4 nights at the charming Le Manoir. An all together French feel for Quebec’s largest city.

On to Quebec City

3 hours away by Via Rail stands the State Capital of Quebec City. The walled town is one of the oldest in Canada. Just the one night but well worth the effort with the monolithic Chateau Frontenac being the particular highlight.

Toronto Train

Well two trains actually, first back to Montreal and then on to Ontario’s capital for two nights.

The highlight was a dinner cruise on Lake Ontario, plus an eclectic stroll around Bohemian Kensington Market, Canada’s answer to Camden Town.

Niagara Falls

North America’s greatest waterfall is two hours away by train. The beautiful natural wonder marks a border between Canada and the States.

We did the Falls justice with a soaking boat trip (ponchos provided) and the ‘trip behind the Falls’, a tunnel system that lets you get close up behind the Canadian cascade. We also had a meal with a view up the Skylon Tower.

Return to the Big Apple

Relatively quick border controls this time from Niagara Ontario to Niagara Buffalo. 12 hours on the train, much of it following the Hudson River. A repeat two-hour stop in Albany as we awaited the late running Adirondack from Montreal.

We had three nights, again in Mid Town Manhattan, with highlights being the 9/11 memorial ceremony we attended on the 24th anniversary of the tragic atrocity, a Broadway show (Buena Vista Social Club), the Yellow Jackets jazz band at the iconic Birdland, a tour of the mesmerising Radio City Music Hall, a Central Park stroll and the free Staten Island Ferry to get a gratis close up look at the Statue of Liberty.

Summarising

A magic two weeks and a bit. Fab weather, exciting destinations and great experiences. Tiring at times and hellish expensive, but very worth it. Just need to lose a bunch of weight and save a few quid to replenish the hammered savings!