Birthday vacation, Nanticoke, Ontario, Canada September 12th-17th 2013


Thursday, September 12th
I got up around 8 am. I got ready and waited until my dad picked me up around 8.45 am. We were at Aarhus Airport around 9.40 am. I said goodbye to my dad and went in. I had already checked in to the flight the day before so I only had to drop my baggage off. After I had done that I went through security. It was easy peasy. I window shopped for a while before I sat down and relaxed until the gate opened. The flight was on time and we were in Copenhagen Aiport on time

Since I only had 55 minuts in the airport before my flight to Toronto it was about getting from domestic to the international terminal as qucikly as possible. I went well before I had reached the passport control. There were long queues at all the booths. I went into one. While I was in the queue I looked at a screen and I could see that were starting to board the plane to Toronto. So I became a little nervous if I was going to get on plane. I talked to young guy who was on his way home to San Fransisco with his girlfriend. They were also little bit nervous if they were going to make it. Finally I got through and I ran a little bit to get down to the gate. When I arrived at the gate the next problem hit. When one of the staff scanned my passport through their system my passport information didn't turn up on the screen. Someone looks into it and at one point they say ok and I get on the plane. The flight is delayed a little since someone didn't turn up and that they had to take that persons suitcase of the plane before we could get on our way.

After being up in the air for almost 8½ hours I arrived at Pearson International Airport. I came through customs pretty quickly. I found my luggage. When I come out the arrivals area I saw Kat pretty fast. I come down to her. And we gave each other a big hug. Before we left we had an cocktail. We talked a bit and drank our cocktail. When we left the airport I was going to meet Sherry which we planned before I left. We met at a coffee bar. We talked and was enjoying ourselves for about 1½ hour. Then Kat and I left and drove to Nanticoke (pronounced Nanacoke). After being on the road for 1½ hours we arrived in Nanticoke and the lake house. When we came into the house I said hi to John who is Kat's fiance. And I met the 3 legged cat Peggy. A very sweet cat. We enjoyed ourself for a bit. Around 8.00 pm local time I was so tired that I went to bed. I bascially hadn't slept since I woke up in the morning.

Friday, September 13th
I woke up around 5.00 am and I just couldn't sleep anymore. At first I was tossing and turning for a bit before I went up and surfed online for a bit. I went to bed again and tried to see if I could rest for a bit. It didn't help much. After 8.00 am Kat came to see if I was awake and I was. She laid beside me and asked if I had slept all right which to a certain point I had. While we we laying there John came with coffee to both Kat and I. Today it was fridat the 13th. On this date the town Port Dover will become a motorcycle town. Which it always does on this date. Both Kat and John thought I should experience it. Thursday night Kat had asked me if I wanted to be driven on John's motorcycle from Nanticoke to Port Dover. It would only take about 15 minutes. But I really didn't feel like it.

Some of John's friends would come during the day. We would go to Port Dover in the afternoon because there weren't so many people at this time. Kat and I took the car around 3.00 pm John and his friends took the bikes. When we got to Port Dover we parked the car and then we went down to the town center. I was completely overwhelmed by all the motorcycles. I had never in my life seen so many motorcycles in one place. There were a lot of them. Some were distinctive, some were really nice and others were just ordinary. But it was loud with all the motorcycles in one place. After a few hours, Kat and I were a little hungry, so we bought something to eat. We found a place to sit. At one point a man came and wanted to take a picture of a couple of boys who were there too. He was from a local newspaper. After he had taken the picture he turned to Kat and I and asked if he could take a picture of us. We said ok. He got our names and were somewhat surprised that I was from Denmark. So now we'll see if I end up in a local newspaper in Canada.

After we had eaten and had our picture taken we got up when we were starting to chill a bit. There was only approx. 13 degrees that day, so it was a bit chilly. We decided to see if we could find John and his friends. We walked around for a bit and eventually we found them. At this point, I was a little tired of all the noise that was in Port Dover. So I told Kat that I really want to go back to the lake house if she didn't mind. She didn't, so we said goodbye to the boys and drove back to the lake house.

When we got back to the house, it was nice to have a little bit of silence. I did relax my ears a bit before John and his friends came back to the house. They came not that long after. The open fireplace was lit up and then we just enjoyed the fire for the rest of the night. We both sang and laughed. A nice way to end the day.

Saturday, September 14th
Today Kat and I decided to go on a trip in the area where Kay and John lives and in the aera around Lake Erie.

We started with a trip into Port Dover. A little strange seeing the normal Port Dover instead of the motocycle town from friday. We walked on the beach and from there uptil the lighthouse. The weather was actually pretty nice. The sun was shining. We walked in the town middle and visited a few shops. Port Dover is a real beach town. From there we went on out to Turkey Point making a stop at Kernal Peanuts before reaching Turkey Point. Kernal Peanuts roast their own peanuts with different spices both sweet and savory. I bought some praline peanuts and some praline cashews.

When we arrived at Turkey Point we walked along the lake shore. I got my feet into Lake Erie. The weather was warm so it was nice to get the feet in the kinda cold water. When we drove from there we went through Normandale where we got and ice cream cone with Chapman ice cream which is a local ice cream from Ontario. We also saw a special tree which had grown around a wheel. From there we drove along the lake shore back to Nanticoke. There were a lot places along the lake shore which were very beautiful.

Saturday night Kat's mom came by along with Kat's dog Lady Grace. We got something to eat and enjoyed ourselves. After a couple of hours Kat's went back home and we enjoyed ourselves a little more before I went to bed.

Sunday, September 15th
Today was Kat and I was going on a day trip to Niagara Falls. I had visited Niagara Falls 2 times before but both times it was in February. So now I had the opportunity to see the town and the falls without any snow and ice.

We went in during the morning and we drove for about 1 ½ hours. When we came to Niagara Falls , we drove to Fallsview, which is close to the falls. We parked the car and walked down to the falls . Kat thought it would be a good idea if I tred Maid of the Mist and Journey Behind the falls and I thought it was a great idea, We found out that you could buy a so-called adventure pass where there were 4 attractions as well as free shuttle bus for 48 hours. So we bought it. We took the bus out to the White Water Walk, where we started.

White Water Walk is an area where you walk on a boardwalk along the Niagara River. When you walk along the river you can really see the strength and power the river has. When we were done there, we went on to the Maid of the Mist. It's a ship that sails you out to the falls and all the way to the famous Horseshoe waterfall. Before we got on the ship, We had our picture taken, which we had the opportunity to buy later. On that trip you will get very wet. It was a good trip . When we were done we walked past the photo booth and saw the photos that had been taken of us. I bought them both. Afterwards we got something to eat before we went up to Journey behind the falls. Here you get to go behind / beside the Horseshoe Falls through some tunnels. You could hear the very loud growling the fall has when you walk in the tunnels. But it was very exciting. We also got our picture taken here before we started, so when we done, we saw the pictures. And I got those too. Before we went on the last attraction there was just time to get some coffee at Tim Hortens.
The last thing we saw was Niagara's Fury which is a 4D movie about how the falls were created. It was exciting to watch and quite funny since we got wet for the 3. or 4. time this day.
Before we went back to Nanticoke we got some ice cream called mini melts which bascially is ice cream frozed into small dots.

When we got back to the lake house in Nanticoke Chery had already arrived . She was supposed to have arrived late Saturday night and was supposed to have been to Niagara Falls with Kat and I. But she had had a very long work week so she decided to stay at home until Sunday and would come to Nanticoke during Sunday.

When I came in I was given a proper hug from Chery. It was so nice to see her again. I got an early birthday gift from her, which was a bottle of white wine from Ontario. I said thank you and said the didn't have to bring me anything.
Since it was raining we couldn't sit outside so we just enjoyed ourselves inside the house until we went to bed.

Monday, September 16th
A little strange waking up on my birthday in another country than my own when you haven't tried it before. I looked forward to what the day would bring.
John wasn't at home since he already gone to work. After being a wake for a little bit Kat came with her present to me which were 3 pictures from the trip to Niagara Falls in February 2013. A small picture of Kat and I, A small picture of Kat, Bob and I & a picture of Kat and I kissing Bob. I said thank you for them.
We got some breakfast and relaxed before leaving to Toronto.
When Chery, Kat and I arrived in Toronto we parked the car at Lake Ontario. We walked down at the lake. And I got my hand in Lake Ontario.
When we had walked for a while we drove further into Toronto. We parked again and found a place to eat. The chosen restaurant was called Wayne Gretzky's after the hockey player. Kat and Chery and been to this restaurant once before when they had dinner with Scott Grimes there.
We started with a cocktail. I orded a pomegranate mojito. Then I orded a chicken brie panini. While we were eating the waitress came with a plate where there was a small cake (a puck) and Happy Birthday was written in coco. It was a litttle surprise from Kat to me.
When we were done eating we went back to the car and drove back to Nanticoke.

When we came back to the lake house there were a little surprise for Kat, Chery and me. On a table there was 3 bouquets (one of them was from Kat when I arrived thursday). John had bought a bouquet to Kat and Chery. And he had written a note to each of us. There was a little sweet note on mine. We all went out and said to John

The open fireplace was lit and we were having a great time. I enjoyed the last evening I had in thsi idyllic place. When it became a little chilly we went in. And it didn't take long before we all went to bed.
A really nice day and different way of celebrating my birthday. But I won't chance anything.

Tuesday, September 17th
This was the last day before I was leaving. It was a sad day but at the same I also wanted to go home since I knew I was leaving.

I went up late this day. Chery had spent the night so she was still there. We got some breakfast. And then we went out in the backyard and just enjoyed the nice weather. The day was just being about relaxing before me leaving which suited me fine. Especially also since the weather was this good. When we had been in the backyard for a while we went down to the lake. Kat and I went in the lake. It was a bit cold at first but after a while it became warm. This was the second my feet had been in Lake Erie. Just in another place. I enjoyed it so much.

In the afternoon Chery had to leave. We said goodbye and hoped that we would get to see each other again soon. Right before Chery left John rang to hear if we had left since he maybe would come along and say goodbye to me. Kat and John agreed upon in us staying until he came and we would see. John came about an hour later. We were hanging out for a while and then we left and John came along.

We went to Hamilton first which is on the way to Toronto. Kat and John took me up to a park which has great view over Hamilton. When we had been up there. We went to Timmies (Tim Hortons), where we could pee and bought some coffee.

Little over 6.00 pm we arrived at Pearson Aiport. I said goodbye to Kat and got a big hug from her. Said goodbye to John and also got a hug from him. Got another from Kat before I went into the terminal.
I went in line to the luggage drop off since I had cheked in to the flight the day before. I dropped my luggage off and went to security. I went through and apparantly there was something so I had to into the body scanner. There was something too so and female officer had to check me. When she was done I was allowed through. I walked and window shopped before finding the gate. I sat down and waited until the gate opend. It opened on time and I got on the plane to Copenhagen. The flight was a couple of minuts early when we took off.

Wednesday, September 18th
Around 10.35 am about 10 minutes before time the flight landed in Copenhagen. I came out the plane and I went over to the passport control. I went through but hadn't noticed that if I went this way I would come out of the airport. So I went back to the passport control and asked the officer which way I should go when I had another flight waiting. He showed which way to go. I went and ended in security. I went through and went to a new passport control. Which I also went through. Then I walked to the gate where my flight was going from. I sat down. At one point I thought something was wrong since none off the personel had arrived at the gate and it was almost around where the gate was surpose to open. I found out that the flight had been transfered to another gate. The flight was delayed for almost 35 minutes. I later found out it was because the flight between Aarhus and Copenhagen was struck by lightning so they had to find another flight.

Finally we arrived in Aarhus. I found my luggage took it and went to out the arrivals area where my parents where waiting. Went out to the car and drove to Randers. About an hour after I was back in my appartment. I unpacked and then I just relaxed for the rest of the day.

Postscript
I have really loved this trip. Nanticoke and Kat & John's lake house lies so idyllic and peaceful down to Lake Erie. I already know this not the last time I have been there. Just to see another side of Canada instead of just seeing the turist side is an experience in it self.

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