First day of our trip to Aruba

Our holiday started on the wrong foot right off the bat.  We were to spend the night at a La Quinta Hotel in Buffalo and fly out in the morning at 6:00 am to Aruba.  We started out heading to the boarder, going the old man way (taking all the back roads) along highway twenty.   We were almost the only ones on the road and the stinking Lincoln was just motoring along while we listened to the radio.  When I slowed down for a red light I looked in the rear view mirror and there was a unmarked cop with flashers going and sirens (so he says, we didn't hear them)  The cop claimed I was going 112 in a 80 zone.  We told him we were just starting our holidays and were on the way to the boarder.  After a lecture AND A TICKET, we were on our way again.  The cop could have saved me some further aggravation by telling me the bridge, just ahead over the Welland Canal, was closed for repairs and I could not get to the boarder that way, but he didn't.   When we got to the bridge I should have turned around right then but I didn't as I thought we could follow the detour.  For the next half hour we were lost until we came to the QE (the road I was trying to avoid)  just beyond the bridge at ST. Kitts.  Then I missed my turn to Niagara Falls and was on the road to Fort Erie.   I wanted to cross at Niagara Falls so I went off on Lundy's Lane and headed for the bridge.  Lundys Lane at one point was under construction and a workman flagged us down a side street.  Lost again.

We finally got to the boarder and of course picked the line where they had to talk to the car in front of us for ever it seemed.  When our turn came the girl boarder guard suddenly felt the need  to talk to her boyfriend who just walked by and left us sitting again.  When she came back,  with out a word or a question said we could go.  Hurray we were on our way.  Next because of big snow banks I missed the turn onto the through way and ended on a back road full of pot holes.  Because I had been that way before I was not lost and soon we were on the right road and headed to the La Quinta Hotel. 

 We found the hotel and Fran and Peter had just arrived there also.  Fran informed us that they were going to give us the senior rate.  Where things looking up?  No!  Now we had to pay $35 per week to park our car which was free under the old rate. 

We had a nice adjoining room with a shower bath, couch and desk

 That night we went out to get some beer to drink in our room.  We found the biggest Liquor store I have ever seen but they had no beer.  The gas station we stopped at, because they sell beer in the States, had lost its license.  I gave up and drank wine that night.  We did find a place that was called the Brew Pub and went there for supper.  It was reasonable and the beer there was good.  When he found out we were Canadians the owners son came over to talk to us.and welcome us to the Pub.  It certainly was a place I would go again.