Well the plan to blog every day came to...not very much, apparently! Anyhow...it's been a fantastic few days so far, feeling very relaxed and enjoying the break muchly.
We arrived safely on Monday evening (US time) after a mostly uneventful journey (luggage nearly being sent to San Francisco notwithstanding!!)and enjoyed warm hospitality and a truly enormous pizza!
Tuesday we took a little stroll around downtown Ithaca - very laid-back and studenty (it is the home of Cornell University, after all!) - lunch at a German/European cafe, Brotchen, browsing in a couple of bookstores (a dangerous thing indeed, I only have about 5 kg spare on my luggage weight limit) and making a beeline for one of the yarn stores in the town, the Homespun Boutique. Tucked a little bit out of the way on East State Street but well worth the visit - Malabrigo, Aslan Trends, Cascade, and a whole load of other well-kent yarn names. Just as well DH was encouraging me to pick something out - if I'd stayed too much longer the holiday funds would've been seriously depleted!! Came away with a ball of Ty-Dy Socks in autumnal colours, should make a fine pair of stripy socks :)
Wednesday we picked up the hire car and took a run out to Allan H Treman Marine State Park, had a walk by the water, saw massive dragonflies (sorry no photos, they were too quick!) and were nearly deafened by all the bugs singing in the grass - boy those little fellas are loud!! Didn't get up to much but an easy day and first tentative steps on the (different) roads were the way forward. Had a very nice bottle of red wine from the Thirsty Owl Winery (isn't that a great name for a vineyard!) and took it easy in the evening. Also had a bowl of curried soup and rice at lunchtime - very good and set us up for the day.
Thursday we took ourselves to Robert H Treman State Park, a little ways from Ithaca. Leafy and green and very popular with local folk, if the number of people walking and using the swimming hole was anything to go by (wish I'd brought my cossie now!) Hiked near enough all the way up to the top of the park, and just about killed our legs with it, but it was worth it for the views, and the watermelon pieces when we got to the bottom! DH helped his brother build a new PC in the evening and the wine we glugged nearly did for me!
Yesterday we went out and did more waterfalls - Buttermilk Falls State Park and Taughannock Falls State Park. Both very impressive and, as seems to be a recurring theme, in green and lush surroundings. Walked on a dry lakebed on the latter which was fun and took many photos at both. No wine last night, but still nodded off on the couch and had great difficulty going to sleep afterwards!
Today we had a leisurely start and went down the street and across the road to Ithaca Farmers' Market - wow. Lots of locally grown veggies, fruit and flowers, stock producers with fresh meat of varying sorts, craft stalls from soap to t-shirts, and food stalls. Oh boy! The Cambodian food was recommended to us by DH's bro and how! Ahmock chicken - spicy with bamboo shoots, rice, onion, chilis, potato and a whole lot of other stuff - nom nom nom! Combine that with a pomegranate and cranberry juice and it's the breakfast of champions (or of very happy people, at least!!) This afternoon, off on a tour of the wineries locally, of which there are many. Of note? Thirsty Owl, and Lucas Winery - good wine, unpretentious and drinkable. Which may explain why we came back, between the four of us, with a few bottles. Homemade pizza for tea, with a snifter or two? Sounds a damn fine idea to me, so I'll close here for now. More to follow...:)
