Fleeing the Country

We made our escape late Friday afternoon. The destination was nothing grand and glamorous, rather a quiet, yet familiar location. Who takes a weekend trip to Fort Erie, Ontario? Well... we do. We just haven't done it in a number of years. We are putting those enhanced driver's licenses to good use, and besides, Aunt Jeanne was in town.

James booked a room at a new Bed and Breakfast along the Niagara River, just outside of town. The house was an old Tudor style cottage that reminded me of a Thomas Kincaid painting. We had a small front room with a view of the river, very cozy. Breakfast was continental style; muffins, Danish, fruit, and coffee. We were the only guests for the weekend as they opened for business just two weeks ago. Our host was both gracious and friendly.

We spent our days wandering about and visiting family, mostly wandering. Saturday afternoon we found ourselves in Niagara Falls, but somehow couldn't find the Niagara Boulevard along the actual falls. We hadn't expect to be able to park the car, get out, and walk over to fence like we did years ago, but somehow, this trip we couldn't seem to get even a glimpse of the falls. There was always an obstacle of some kind in our way; walls, buildings, bus depots, or shrubbery. Perhaps we just didn't drive far enough or in the right direction. Regardless, we gave up and headed back down the boulevard toward Fort Erie.

It was re-enactment weekend at the old fort and so we wandered around the tent camps there Saturday morning and looked at the displays. We returned to see the Battle for Fort Erie Saturday evening. It was hard to see through the smoke and flying dirt, but in the end, in spite of an exploding magazine, the Americans still held the fort. We didn't return Sunday afternoon to witness their surrender.

Saturday afternoon we took a ride out to see the lighthouse at Point Abino, but found it inaccessible. Not only is it inside a gated American community, but it's undergoing renovations as well. Go figure. It all turned out good as we found the old Shoe Tree on our way back the other direction. (I seem to recall there being a few more shoes on it 30 years ago...)