10.08 - 10.14 - St. Lawrence River and Montreal

On the last weekend just before the midterms we went to Canada to visit the 1000 Islands National Park, Ottava, Montreal and so many historical sites along the St. Lawrence river. We sat down with Andris and without knowing the midterm week and other papers due dates we set fix dates for different trips. For me it does not matter because I know what the deadlines are how my schedule looks like and I bring them together in any conditions so I always deliver on time. That is how worked on this weekend as well. I traveled all day long and studied late nights in the motels. I used to say with Andris that we never compromise we prioritize. Everybody said that is insane how we travel and the fact that we could not bring anyone with us to this trip is the perfect evidence that people stick to their opinion. They would never take part of this insane traveling kind. 

After work as usual we were heading to Ottawa on Friday. Here is our itinerary:

http://goo.gl/maps/7GQJi - 1040 miles

Hamden (CT, USA) - The Thousand Islands International Bridge, The Thousand Islands International Bridge (Lansdowne, ON, Canada) - Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada (Merrickville, ON, Canada) - Fort Wellington National Historic Site (Prescott, ON, Canada) - Battle of the Windmill National Historic Site of Canada (Prescott, ON, Canada) - Ottawa (ON, Canada) - Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site (QC, Canada) - Montréal (QC, Canada) - Lachine Canal National Historic Site National Historic Site (Lachine, QC, Canada) - Hamden (CT, USA)

Arriving to Ontario, Canada 

St. Lawrence River 

First porcupine I have seen in my life

Enjoying the view from a found chair 

Just the bad things... 

St. Lawrence River - 1000 Islands Nat.Park 

Balatoni kecskekormok 

Here is what the whole national is all about - 1000 islands with cool properties 

I want to have one #1 

#2 

National Park Official site 

Bence was amazed by the crystal clear water again 

Great picture of the sharp surface of the boardwalk... 

Visited Official site #1 

I simple love this figure - the cute beaver 

Official site #2 -  Merrickville Locks - Rideau Canal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrickville

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rideau_Canal

Always working 

Some culture - 1000 people died during the construction in malaria (god bless this is not a 10,000 island national park...)

We have to discover... 

...yes, it says, don't go there, it is dangerous and forbidden...

You better off listen to it 

 O(∩_∩)O - learnt for Xiao (this is the first time i felt it would make sense)

Lunch at a Tim Hortons - http://www.timhortons.com/ 

 Official site #3

For those of us who have heard about Jessup but had no clue where it is originated from, of course from Connecticut! 

Don't ask how i climbed there 

Official site #4 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_windmill 

@ Ottawa - Parliament of  Canada

I love this fountain, water and fire, genius!!!! 

Ottawa view 

 This bell was taken from the ruins of the clock tower destroyed by fire in 1916.

Some other education - dont listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXi8WmQ_WM&feature=relmfu - 60 million people also didn't listen to it

It was a great monument. Very well made sculptures and I like the way how they set the whole thing up and display it to everyone. You can get the feeling of those times when women had to fight for their rights. I am glad they made it.  

Ottawa 

Official Site #5 - Coteau-du-Lac

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coteau-du-Lac_canal 

 

 We visited at night...

Full house in our motel:) 

... and at daylight

Don't worry, it was safe

They were pretty smart how they built-in the advantage of the water and composed with the strengths of the fort. Actually the food supply arrived from water in the safe of the fort. Genius!!

Official Site #5 (still:):)) 

Beautiful colors of the fall 

Official Site #6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_chateauguay

Reka, here we come! 

 

Andris and Reka 

Reka and Bence 

We have taken a picture of us and the Hungarian butcher and grocery shop

We were trying to get into this famous foodplace, but we gave up waiting. 

So we ended up eating at a chicken place. Recommended by Reka 

OMG! This meal was amazing, tender chicken, fresh roll, creamy potatoes, and refreshing salad.

Thanks for the experience Reka. 

3 of us, great students from the Business Major of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium.

No matter how far we are from each other, we are still close. We were just less than two tanks away.

McGill - MCC axis 

Where Reka studies 

The illuminated crowd sculpture... with a sober Hungarian

We went up to the highest scenery point of Montreal 

The view was just breathtaking (yeah, you could not take a breath, it was that foggy:)

 We could have seen such a beautiful view. With the fog it was much better experience and fun:)

We had a great time together! I am so glad that we were able to meet, because we didn't have cell phone coverage and internet access. So we sent an email to Reka with a time and place that we could meet and hoped that she got it and will be able to make it. Then we were on time anddddd Reka also was there! You know what it added another great feeling to our meeting. You can be certain that your friends are as punctual as you are. You can count on a MCC mate any time in any circumstances!

Thanks Reka the sightseeing! Good luck with the McGill University!

Official Site #7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachine_Canal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fur_Trade_at_Lachine_National_Historic_Site 

The fur trade house 

Heading home!

One more great week just passed by.

10.02 - 10.07 - Yale-Dartmouth

I could write much more, but because of so much happening to me i don't have to write a lot. Anyway, that is good:)

I got free tickets at my company for the Yale - Dartmouth Football match this Saturday. 

So I sent out an email blast, but only 5 of us could make it. 

That was my first football match, and probably the last one as well.:)

Two Ivy League Teams played: Yale and Dartmouth, Bulldogs vs. Big Green

There are eight of them though:

Institution	Location	Athletic nickname	Undergraduate enrollment	Graduate enrollment	Motto
Brown University	Providence, Rhode Island	Bears	6,316[10]	2,333[10]	In Deo Speramus (In God We Hope)
Columbia University	New York City, New York	Lions	7,160[11]	15,760[11]	In lumine Tuo videbimus lumen (In Thy light shall we see the light)
Cornell University	Ithaca, New York	Big Red	13,931[12]	6,702[12]	I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.
Dartmouth College	Hanover, New Hampshire	Big Green	4,248[13]	1,893[13]	Vox clamantis in deserto (The voice of one crying in the wilderness)[14]
Harvard University	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Crimson	7,181[15]	14,044[15]	Veritas (Truth)
Princeton University	Princeton, New Jersey	Tigers	5,113[16]	2,479[16]	Dei sub numine viget (Under God's power she flourishes)
University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Quakers	10,337[17]	10,306[17]	Leges sine moribus vanae (Laws without morals are useless)[18]
Yale University	New Haven, Connecticut	Bulldogs	5,275[19]	6,391[19]	אורים ותומים Lux et veritas (Light and truth)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_League

on the way to the Stadium 

at the Yale Bowl 

 the Bowl

 here they come! Yale!

!!!Dartmouth!!! 

Cheerleaders:) 

So excited... I got to tell you, i fell asleep after the first quarter, but didn't sleep well because everybody was shouting like crazy around me, i don't know why they were so excited....:) Maybe i should look up the rules:)

Dartmouth beat Yale: 34-14

A-Team

Now go back to study Bence!

09.24 - 10.01 - Chinese Moon Festival

I barely have time, so I will be efficient:)

We got a invitation from Xiao and all the other Chinese students for an authentic gourmet dinner.

One room filled with people 

From left to right: Kati, Yvonne, Alley, Chen, Andris, Aziz, Jeffrey, Bence, Xiao

Special thanks for Ivone who made me the original sour Chinese soup! I ate three plates of it!

Yammy! Do you know what else tasted awesome? The Coke chicken, the sushi, the rice, the fruit salad, the soup, the cake, the sake, the ice cream, the beef, the noodle, the other kind of noodle, the grilled chicken! And many other dishes!!! Everything was perfect! 

The other room with full of people:)

From left: X, Jasmine, Marti, Nahm, Ya-chu, Chen, Rosca, Yvonne, Daria, Rajesh, Chao, Jing, Yuan, Y, and Terry (sorry, i do not know the Americans:)

We were 30+ altogether. Some people were upstairs.

Such a good time! Thanks girls and boys!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
That was last Saturday. Girls went to New Haven to party, but i could not make it. That was pity.
But on Sunday Andris and Bence attended to the Chinese Moon Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival). One of the biggest Chinese event, they celebrate the date of the fullest Moon in the year. It represents the time when everybody gets together. (It is similar to our Easter.) Very familiar and 亲密!

I still have to get the pictures from Yvonne.
To be continued!