We forgot to put a post up wishing Canada a Happy Canada Day and that was a little embarrassing since we’re Canadian. Lucky for us, Canada Day is only four days before Independence Day in the United States. So at least we were reminded to give America a shout out on this 4th of July!

To our American friends and neighbours to the south, Have a happy Independence Day and enjoy the fireworks.

While you’re celebrating, enjoy these fun facts about the United States National Day most patriotic day of the year.

Independence Day Fun Facts

1. The Biggest Blockbuster movies of the year open on Independence Day weekend. This year it is Transformers 3. Past notable mentions go to…

• Independence Day starring Will Smith
• Spiderman 2
• War of the Worlds
• Men in Black I
• Men in Black II
• Hancock
• Terminator 3
• Twilight Eclipse

Note: Will Smith Corners the market with Fourth of July openings, starring in 4 of the top 10 grossing

Independence Day openers .

2. Independence Day celebrates Americas Independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July the 4th, 1776.

3. The Term “Sign Your John Hancock”  comes from an actual guy named John Hancock. He was the president of the Continental Congress and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

4. In 2010, the United States imported nearly $200 million worth of fireworks.

5. Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be a Turkey. He said the bald eagle is a bird of bad moral character, the turkey is a more respectable bird.

6. Tom Cruise starred in the movie Born on the Fourth of July; that really has nothing to do with Independence Day, but the title works for this post.

7. The First week of July is typically the busiest travel week of the year in the United States.

8. Ironically, on July 4th, 1946, the Treaty of Manila was signed in the Philippines giving them independence from…The United States.

9. Two Presidents Died on July 4th.

• Thomas Jefferson and John Adams - Jul 4, 1826
• James Monroe – Jul 4, 1831

Note: President Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4th 1872, putting him forever into the history books.  (Thanks Dave Numm, for the reminder)

10. The favourite food for the 4th of July is the Hot Dog.

That’s All Folk’s 10 is all I got. Hope you learned something about Independence Day today and enjoy your holiday everyone.

Where will you be spending Independence Day? Do you have any traditions for fun facts to add?

Learning about art at MOMA in New York City

Last summer we had the opportunity to travel for the first time to New York City. Using our city pass to the fullest, we went to every major tourist attraction that we could possibly manage to see.

One of these attractions on that fabulous pass was the Museum of Modern Art. We basically ran through the museum trying to fit everything in during our far to short of time in the city, but we pause long enough for a moment to capture this special moment; A mother teaching her daughter an appreciation for art.

It was a beautiful moment in time that made us pause and stop to take in the magic and beauty of the art surrounding us. We can’t wait to go back to New York and give it the entire week that it deserves.

Hard Rock Cafe New York City

Hard Rock Café hotels are hot here in South East Asia.  In Penang we went for a walk just to look at the pool and dip our feet it’s sandy bottom. Yes, the Hard Rock Hotel’s pool in Penang is filled with Sand. Just like the beach.

In Phuket we popped over to the Hard Rock just to check out what Rock Memorabilia they had here in Thailand.

We love Hard Rock Cafes. Dave has many a T-Shirt from Around the World.

We always stop into a Hard Rock Wherever we go. Be it Barcelona in Spain or Cozumel Mexico whenever we spot the good old Hard Rock Cafe, we make a quick turn to check it out.

The Most Memorable Hard Rock display we’ve seen though wes in New York City.   Their wall of guitars is impressive.

I know it’s sounds cheesy, but I would love to spend a few days at a Hard Rock Hotel. We have never stayed over in one, but one day we may have to splurge and break the budget on a weekend getaway.

For now, we can dream of Rock n Roll Heaven and drool over the wall of guitars.

While war still rages on and people are still dying today, let us pause and think of the innocent people all around the world that are affected by the actions of a small few.

Let us hope that one day soon violence will not be the answer.

A touching personal Memorial

The FDNY Memorial at Ground Zero

Rebuilding brings hope for the future

Cranes dot the lanscape during the Building of the Memorial

With the advent of digital cameras most people don’t really think of photographing in Black and White.

Well I think people are missing out.

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If you look back over time you will see that some of the most striking and evoking photographs were taken in Black and White. It gives images a certain impact. Ansel Adams is a perfect example.  His Landscapes of Yosemite stand up to this day. I like to use black and white in instances that would normally be a color photograph. This can completely change the mood and emotion that a photograph conveys.

Here are some of my most recent Black and White efforts. I hope you enjoy them. For more of my photographs please check out Picture the Planet.

Hard at work in Delhi, India

Denali National Park in Alaska

The Athabasca Glacier in Banff, Alberta, Canada

Notre Dame in Paris, France

911 Memorial in New York City

The Beautiful city of Udaipur in Rajasthan, India

A monk stands proud in the Himilayas of Nepal

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India

A person cannot go to New York for the first time and not go to the Statue of Liberty and we are no exception.

The Statue of Liberty in NYC!

We were hoping to wake up early and make our way down to the Battery Park early to book our tickets to enter the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, two weeks of hard travel had taken its toll and we slept in.

We still had a chance, so we caught the Number 1 Red Line Subway to the end of the line.

the ferry to Liberty Island

Reserved line for City Pass Holders

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After we walked through the park and arrived at the ferry terminal, we were very disheartened to see the massive lineup.  It would be hours until we would be boarding a ferry.

Lucky for us, we had our New York CityPass tickets and jumped right to the front of the line.  We didn’t have to wait for even a minute and we were in the terminal going through security.

The crown and platform was sold out, but we found out you need to book a week in advance to be able to go into the Statue of Liberty. We are not that organized so we didn’t beat ourselves up too much.

The Stature of Liberty up close

A different angle of Lady Liberty.

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It was interesting to see the iconic structure up close. I had been to the Statue of Liberty as a teenager, but remember very little other than the crowds and the quick view out the top of the crown before being shuffled through as quickly as possible.

The New York Skyline

It was a pleasant stroll walking around Liberty Island seeing the views of Lady Liberty from every possible angle, but the most interesting site was a circular wall that contained etchings of the names of all the people that had immigrated from far off lands in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries.  Corbeil and Bouskill weren’t on the list unfortunately, but there were certainly a lot of Capones and MacGreggors.

The entrance to Ellis Island

Ellis Island

The Statue of Liberty tour also includes access to Ellis Island.  This was a very interesting stop and we enjoyed it at Ellis better than our time at Liberty Island as contains a museum dedicated to the people that waited for access to the United States searching for a better way of life.

Make your way up to the second floor and there is an excellent collection of photos displaying the history of Ellis Island.

Great collection of photographs

Great hopes were placed on life in the new world, but the new immigrants faced many hardships from child labour, low wages and cramped quarters.

But it was here that many began their American Dream.

Up on the third floor you can see a recreation of the sleeping quarters.  People were stacked 3 berths high on canvas cots that could be raised during the day. Life on Ellis Island was uncomfortable to say the least.

The Grand Hall on Ellis Island

The third floor also offers a great overhead view of the Grand Hall where people awaited their hearings regarding citizenship.

It is recommended to give yourself 5 hours to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Dave and I managed to see it all in two. However we didn’t have to stand in any lines thanks to our city pass and we didn’t get to walk up the Statue of Liberty because we didn’t book our Platform and Crown tickets early enough.  If you are going up the statue and if you do have to stand in long lines, 5-hours will most likely be needed.
Tips.

1. Stand on the Starboard side at the back of the ferry going out to the Statue of Liberty.   It will give you the best views of the city and of the statue as you approach.
2. Get a city pass to avoid all line ups if you are planning on seeing a few New York Sites like the Statue of Liberty, the Top of the Rock, The Empire State Building and the Museums – Metropolitan, Natural History and MOMA
3. If you want to go up the crown of the Statue of Liberty, book your tour a week in advance at ….
4. Make sure to go to the second floor of the Ellis Island Museum.

Back of the ferry for great views of New York City

Note:  We receeived our New York City Pass through the Travel Blog Exchange that we attended in New York City.  New York is not paying us or expecting us to endorse the pass. It came with our purchase of tickets to the conference. However, we found it to be an amazing deal and asset during our travels around New York so we wanted to share it with you all.

People are always surprised to hear that Dave and I have never been to New York.  It is only a 9-hour drive from Toronto and really, who hasn’t been to New York City?

…Yours Truly.

Ok, I was here once when I was about 16, but that doesn’t really count.  There is nothing like experiencing the city that never sleeps as an adult.

We had always wondered what all the fuss was about when it came to New York.  I mean, it is just a city right. That is why we never bothered to take the trip here.  There are far more interesting places that we could go on earth.

Boy, were we wrong.

New York City is awesome!

New York has to be the coolest city on the planet!

The energy is intoxicating and the sites are exciting and there is so much to do!  We walked around like a couple of kids checking out all the places that we heard about and dreamed about going to as children.

Theatre is alive and well in NYC!

For me, Broadway was a highlight. I majored in Music Theatre and always dreamed of having my name in lights on a marquee.   Theatre is alive and well in New York.  Chicago, La Cage Au Folles, A Little Night Music, Promises Promises and American Idiot and Billy Elliot are running right now with big name stars such as Kelsey Grammar, Katherine Zeta Zones and Kristin Chenoweth to name a few.

I couldn’t believe the amount of theatres. A person could go to a show every day of the month and still have plenty to choose from.

Radio City Music Hall!

We were surprised with how close together all the main attractions are to each other. Radio City Music Hall is just down the road from The Ed Sullivan Theater where David Letterman shoots the Late Show daily.

The cast from Twilight was just arriving to the studio as we turned the corner. We missed their entrance, but the buzz on the street was quite exciting.

We took advantage of our CityPass which we highly recommend.  You get to jump to the front of the line and you save $65 on New Yorks most popular attractions.

With everything being so close to each other, we managed to walk around a lot of Manhattan and still visit MOMA.

The Museum of Modern Art!

Lots to learn at MOMA!

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The Museum of Mondern Art is the most visited site in all of New York City.  I can see why.  It is filled with Impressionist art, modern art, and sculptures. And it is laid out in a slick, modern building.  The crowds were a little overwhelming, but not so much that is was impossible to take in the art work.

Rockefeller Center!

Heading up to the Top of The Rock!

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Top of the Rock Rockefeller Center has been ingrained in our psyches since we were knee high to a grasshopper.  We have watched the Christmas trees being raised there each year, we have seen people figure skate on the ice rink, we have watched movies take place at the Rock, but more importantly… We are huge fans of 30 Rock with Tina Fey.  How lucky are the people that get to go to work in this building each day?  Home to Saturday Night Live, and many other iconic TV Shows put out by NBC in New York, it is the place of dreams.

Our New York CityPass allowed us to go up to the viewing platform on the roof of the 88 floor.  After watching a short video on the history of Rockefeller Center we loaded into the elevator and were treated to a little light show and media display.

The roof offered amazing views of the city and if you go up to the top viewing platform, you can look out free of protective glass.

You gotta love Times Square!

Times Square What city has a more famous square than New York City. Located at Broadway and 42^nd street this is the square to end all squares.  It is surreal to step foot into the crowd of people as you are surrounded by giant LED screens playing ads and promoting New York.  It is alive with energy and side streets are filled with theatres galore.

Broadway songs played through my mind all day. 42^nd Street, Broadway from Gypsy, New York New York from On the Town, I could relate every street, square or building to a song that I had sang years ago.

Watching movies in Bryant Park!

Bryant Park – I have seen this park on many a movie.  People meet here at sunset to watch old movies as they sit on blankets. Carousel was playing tonight and Dave laughed as he looked over at me.  “You look like a little girl in wide eyed wonder,” He said.  I am a sucker for old movies and musicals are especially my weakness. It was very romantic.

5^th Avenue This is the street that I have always thought of wealth and prosperity in New York.  5^th Avenue is where the Easter Parade takes place. It is where the rich live and it is also on the way to the Empire State Building from Times Square.

A View of NYC from the Empire State Building!

Empire State Building We haven’t been there during the day, but after visiting it at night, I don’t think that there is a better time to see it.  The crowds are small and it is open until 2:00 am!  We skipped the small queue with our CityPass Tickets that included a free audio tour.  I cannot stress enough how great this tour was.  Narrated by Tony the Cabbie it gives a detailed and entertaining description of everything that you are looking at.

Once again old movies came to mind, Love Affair, An Affair to Remember and of course Sleepless in Seattle ran through my head.  I felt lucky to have the man I love up there with me.

Looking back to 5th Ave from Washington Square Park!

It was a whirlwind day, but as you may have realized that is the way Dave and I like to travel.  When we hit a city, we just can’t get enough of seeing the sites.  Don’t worry, we settled down enough to enjoy lunch and dinner and we even managed to slip in some time for a coffee.

I am sure that most people would need more time in MOMA, but we only needed a couple of hours so that helped us to jam a lot into the day.

It was long and it ended well into the wee hours of the morning, but we definitely made the most of our first day of sight seeing in New York, New York.

Cost of 500 grams of olives in Barcelona Spain…1 € 50 cents.

Cost of full meal with cheese, meats and wine in Provence France…10 €

Enjoying the experience of eating out downtown New york….

PRICEY!

$9 USD

$11 USD

There are some places you can afford to go as a budget traveler,

for everything else there’s CREDIT CARDS!

Dining in New York, It’ll Cost you!

It is a week away from the 2010 Travel Blog Exchange in New York.  We are looking forward to meeting some of our favourite bloggers and friends at these exciting event.   But more importantly, we are looking forward to learning from some of the leading authorities in the travel blog community.

We are currently at sea in Alaska, but we are already thinking about the questions that we are hoping to have answered at the conference.  We won’t be able to make it until day two of the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) but luckily for us there is a great line up on Sunday the 27th.

We cannot wait to hear these excellent writers, personalities and blogging experts share their knowledge with us.

We are happy to see that we won’t be missing these people speaking on Sunday.

Gary Arndt of Everything-Everywhere
Mary Engle, Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Julie Schwietert Collazo, Matador Network
Spud Hilton, San Francisco Chronicle
Kim Mance, GoGalavanting.com
Susan Getgood, BlogWithIntegrity.com
Maren Hogan of Galavanting.tv
Pam Mandel & Mike Barish of Gadling
Sean Keener, BootsnAll Travel Network
John E. DiScala, Johnny Jet
Pete Meyers, EuroCheapo
Christina Tunnah, World Nomads
Sheila Scarborough, freelance travel writer & consultant
Jen Miner, The Vacation Gals
Matt Kepnes, Nomadic Matt
Andy Hayes, Sharing Travel Experiences
Chris Christensen, Amateur Traveler & This Week in Travel
Craig Martin, Indie Travel Podcast
Show Guest: Wendy Perrin, Conde Nast Traveler & Perrin Post

For people not attending the Travel Blog Exchange never fear, we will be giving an update after the fact and sharing some great moments from our time in the exciting city of New York!  We are definitely going to make use of the city pass being offered to attendees.

For the Bloggers that will be attending the conference, keep an eye out for us. We won’t be there until Sunday and we will have a lot of making up for lost time to do.

New York, Get Ready because Dave and Deb are going to paint the town!