From New York to Canada and Back

Finally! … After various ups and downs, including a car accident that seriously risked compromising everything, we're setting off for this long-desired trip, which was canceled exactly nine years ago. Back then there were supposed to be three of us to enjoy the event, this time instead there will be five, with little Leo and Valentina, Federico's girlfriend and an absolute first for the family. We're going to the States for the fourth time and more precisely to New York, from where we'll then set off on a long tour through twelve states, which will take us as far as Canada, and then return to the Big Apple after three weeks. The alarm goes off at 4:30 on a hot summer night and less than an hour later, at 5:25, we set off from home.

At Faenza we get on the highway and at 6:00 sharp we're in Bologna, while traffic is flowing, which certainly can't be said in the opposite direction, where they're already stuck in queue … then again, the day is expected to be one of those red-alert days. Shortly after 7:00 we cross the bed of the Po River and, after a brief stop at a service area, at 8:00 we proceed swiftly on the West Ring Road of Milan to arrive, half an hour later, at the Ciao Parking in Malpensa to leave the car in storage for the entire duration of the vacation. With the shuttle from the parking area we reach Terminal 1 and as soon as we enter we find our check-in desk, which is however still closed, since we're well ahead of time. As soon as possible we check in our suitcases and then, after going through security checks, we wait for our flight (IG 0901) at gate B58.

At the scheduled time we thus board the Airbus A330 of the airline Air Italy (formerly Meridiana), which, with everyone on board… doesn't leave, because some baggage seems to be missing. We have to wait for over an hour, then finally we take off at 2:15 PM, immediately turning west. The flight, though long, passes peacefully and after the transatlantic crossing we begin our descent over the sea of clouds above New York, where, as forecast, unfortunately we're not greeted by good weather. Having also set the clock hands back six hours we thus land at JFK International Airport at 4:50 PM and as soon as we disembark we find ourselves stuck in a huge line at passport control, accumulating further delay on the expected times, in addition to the plane's… But it's after the blessed stamp that the fun begins, because at baggage claim we only retrieve one of our five suitcases.

The other four seem to have remained in Milan! (And the delayed departure now appears much clearer to us!). We thus spend more time filing the report and then, in the face of a relaxing vacation, we take in a good dose of stress at the thought that the baggage might arrive before Wednesday morning, when we'll leave New York. With dark faces we thus follow the signs for the Air Train, which takes us outside the airport area, then we buy the Metro Card with the weekly pass that will allow us to ride all the urban transport lines, and we head toward Manhattan.

Delay after delay we arrive exhausted at the Hotel Pennsylvania, which will host us for four nights, at least cheered by the view of the nearby and legendary Madison Square Garden, historic temple of New York basketball, but above all of the illuminated outline of the unmistakable Empire State Building, on whose antenna we immediately imagine the mythical King Kong clinging… But it's not over yet, because we have to face a long line at the reception and when, finally, they give us the room (rather unworthy) it's already past 9:00 PM. We drop our meager luggage and immediately go out to look for something for dinner, so, following the advice of some predecessor we arrive at the nearest Whole Foods Market, where we find a rich buffet to serve ourselves and also what's needed for tomorrow's packed lunch.

We thus return, with our energy completely depleted, to the hotel to go to bed at now twenty-four hours from the wake-up for departure… but at least we're quick to put on our pajamas, because, except for little Leo, we simply don't have them.

(Part One) After a meager breakfast offered by the Hotel Pennsylvania, we prepare for the first day of visits in New York, capital of the state of the same name, as well as the principal metropolis of the United States of America, with its 8.5 million inhabitants (which become more than double as an urban agglomeration and almost triple considering the metropolitan area, which spills over into the neighboring states of New Jersey and Connecticut)… Our morale, however, is certainly not sky-high, whether because of the lost suitcases or because of the weather, which promises nothing good. When we set off on foot from the hotel, in fact, it's cloudy, but at least it's not raining.

So, first by subway and then by bus, we reach the east side of Central Park, the largest and most historic park (opened in 1856) of the Big Apple, a true green lung of Manhattan, the main city district, which develops on the island of the same name at the mouth of the Hudson River. We get off the public transport at the Temple Emanu-El, the largest synagogue in the world, founded in 1845 and our first destination of some interest, but it's still closed, as well as under restoration and all covered in scaffolding. Having taken note of the situation we venture into Central Park and immediately encounter the statue dedicated to Balto, the epic dog protagonist of a true story among the ice of Alaska that also became an animated film. Among dozens, indeed hundreds of Sunday morning joggers we then go to discover the other curiosities of the park.

We thus pass by the Dairy, a characteristic Gothic wooden building that in the nineteenth century housed a dairy, then, having observed Sheep Meadow, an immense lawn where New Yorkers have picnics and sunbathe (not today), we go along the avenue called The Mall, flanked by monumental American elms, and arrive at Bethesda Terrace, a large space, with a beautiful fountain in the center, considered somewhat the heart of Central Park. From here we then skirt the shores of The Lake, one of the main lake basins of the great green area, and reach the Bow Bridge, a picturesque cast-iron bridge with a shallow arch that spans the green waters of the lake.

Continuing we arrive, right after, at the so-called Strawberry Field, a garden dedicated to the memory of the late Beatles member John Lennon, whose toponym refers precisely to a song by the famous band and is arranged also thanks to contributions made by his partner Yoko Ono. Here, among the pedestrian paths, there's a mosaic commemorating the famous figure, referring to "Imagine," one of the most famous songs he performed. John Lennon lived a few dozen meters from here, in the Dakota Apartments complex, on the west side of Central Park, when he was assassinated by a deranged man on the evening of December 8, 1980.

Back in the park, after observing the building where John Lennon lived, we go to Hernshead, a small rocky promontory on The Lake from which you can savor a beautiful glimpse of the surrounding skyscrapers… too bad about the sky and the gray day, which at least continues not to be wet. From Hernshead we then go toward another famous panoramic point called Belvedere Castle, a nineteenth-century construction overlooking the lake of the same name, but we find it inaccessible as it's under restoration. So we satisfy Leonardo, who can't contain himself, and go, just outside the park, to the nearby Natural History Museum, which has just opened.

The New York Museum of Natural History, founded in 1869, is certainly one of the most important in the world of its kind, for the incredible quantity and quality of the exhibits it contains, which range freely from the formation of the universe to the evolution of life on Earth. As soon as we cross the entrance door we thus find ourselves in front of two enormous skeletons: one of a Barosaurus and the other of an Allosaurus, which practically occupy the entire entrance hall… and it's only the prologue to what follows! We immediately go down one floor to see the section regarding the geology of our beloved planet, then we cross the halls dedicated to mammals (rich in exhaustive reconstructions), then the part concerning the ancient North American peoples, with many totems and the gigantic Haida canoe (almost 19 meters long).

We then reach the interesting exhibition area regarding human evolution, with very ancient skeletons, among which the famous one of Lucy, a small female hominid who lived 3.18 million years ago. After also seeing incredible meteorites we complete the visit of the floor by crossing the halls of the North American forests, in which stands out the section of a colossal sequoia, then we take a turn in the large double-height hall dedicated to ocean life, with the life-size reconstruction of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling, and we go back up one floor. Here we do a quick rundown of the African mammals and the Asian ones, with the sensation, at times, of being inside a scene from the movie "Night at the Museum," filmed right among these halls, then we go up to the top floor to visit the most important section, the one dedicated to the fossils of great prehistoric animals.

The Dinosaur Exhibit is truly impressive, because a similar collection doesn't exist in the world, counting as many as 120 enormous skeletons and many beautiful fossils, scattered across five unforgettable rooms… An experience that alone is worth the price of the ticket. To finish we then return to the lower floor, so as to attend the screening of a 3D film set in the Amazon rainforest, which is interesting, but not exceptional… All this before returning to the open air where in the meantime, believe it or not, the sun has also arrived to delight us!

(Part Two) We have lunch with our sandwiches in Central Park, but we don't linger too long idling and soon we're back on the bus with which we cross the park and then get off on the opposite side. On foot we thus pass by the monumental facade of the Metropolitan Museum, whose vast collection will perhaps be the subject of a future trip to the Big Apple, and in a short

(Part one) We start the second day in the Big Apple with a grey sky and a really unenthusiastic drizzle … We have breakfast and by subway we head towards the south of Manhattan and more precisely in the direction of the Chinatown neighbourhood, considered the largest Chinese community outside the Asian continent. As soon as we get out into the street, however, we are surprised by heavier rain. So, in a knick-knack shop, we buy an umbrella to add to the one we already have (the others are in the lost suitcases) and then, with determination, we get the visits underway. In this way we arrive at Canal Street, considered a bit the heart of Chinatown, and there we go to see the Mahayana Buddhist Temple which, erected in the 1960s, is the largest temple of its kind in New York and houses the statue of a five-metre-tall Buddha.

We then look out onto Mott Street, perhaps the most characteristic street of the neighbourhood, but we don't walk along it because the rain has increased further, indeed, further on, at the entrance to Mulberry Street and Little Italy, we stop under an awning because it starts pouring. We stay still there for over an hour

(Part two) After a desperate phone call searching for the suitcases and after being reassured about their delivery in the evening (but will it be true?) we resume our itinerary, with the rain seeming to have subsided. This way we arrive at the beautiful Washington Square, characterised by the monumental Washington Arch, erected to commemorate the centenary of the historic president's election, and by the presence of a singular statue of Garibaldi. Nearby we then pass by the Basketball Court, the legendary little court enclosed by tall metal nets, also called "The Cage" and made famous by a Nike advertisement, where the little street champions usually perform, but which today, due to the weather conditions, is completely deserted.

Right after we land in the historic neighbourhood called Greenwich Village, always considered the most alternative and nonconformist in New York, the only one that doesn't even follow the rigorous north-south and east-west grid of Manhattan's streets. Here there are neat rows of low red-brick residential buildings, dating back to the 19th century, light years away from the enormous skyscrapers and the modernity of the metropolis, and right here, at number 10 of the silent Luke's Place, we see the legendary house from the hit TV series "The Cosby Show", which was all the rage at the end of the eighties (Bill Cosby is today involved in an ugly story of alleged sexual assaults, but back then he was a true star of the small screen).

At number 75 of Bedford Street we also notice the narrowest house in New York (only three metres), then we leave the neighbourhood at 7th Avenue and there we take the subway that takes us near Union Square. As soon as we emerge from underground we notice the buildings all around characterised by the presence on their rooftops of the classic water tanks, which bring to mind films and comics of the last century, then we head to the so-called Block Beautiful, a small group of houses dating back to the 19th century, which still keeps intact the atmosphere of those times.

Having reached the nearby Madison Square Park, a large green area where the old Madison Square Garden once stood, we observe the splendid neighbouring buildings, starting with the curious Flatiron Building, which with its 95 metres, when it was erected, in 1902, was the tallest building in the world, but which above all impresses for its triangular shape (like an iron, as the name indicates), offering one of the most famous perspectives of the Big Apple.

Nearby there are also the Metropolitan Life Tower, built in 1909 in Italian Renaissance style and 213 metres tall, the building of the Appellate Division of Supreme Court, characterised by a sumptuous Corinthian-style portico, and the New York Insurance Company Building, an elegant skyscraper topped by a shiny pyramidal roof, which however we cannot distinguish clearly among the greyness of the sky and the forest of surrounding buildings.

At this point, by bus, we head back up Madison Avenue, skipping the visit to the famous Empire State Building, wrapped in clouds, and we arrive at the intersection with 42nd Street, where we get off to go and see, on 5th Avenue, the monumental facade of the New York Public Library and a little further on the Grand Central Station, historic train station and set of famous films, where the great vaulted atrium stands out, painted with the constellations of the zodiac (represented backwards due to an error by the designers!). The Grand Central Station, in turn, is dominated by the imposing silhouettes of the Metropolitan Life Building and the Chrysler Building, a true masterpiece of Art Deco, which stands with its 319 metres in the sky (today far too dark) of New York and of which we also go to see the elegant atrium.

At this point of the day, since it keeps drizzling, we go by bus all the way to the banks of the East River to observe, between one drop and another, the silhouette of the great United Nations building and nearby the curious buildings of Tudor City, an entire neighbourhood of tall buildings, all built in Gothic-Tudor style in the nineteen-twenties. Having taken the bus again we then head to Times Square, also called "Crossroad of the world". Indeed this incredible place is the beating heart of Manhattan and here, among millions of light bulbs, we wander a bit in its surroundings to see the most famous Broadway theatres, such as the Amsterdam, where "Aladdin" is scheduled, or the Minskoff, where "The Lion King" is performed and, again, the Majestic, where since 1998 "The Phantom of the Opera" is staged, which to date counts around twelve thousand performances.

We then pass by the headquarters of the New York Times and afterwards we stop a bit to contemplate the psychedelic buildings of Times Square, before returning to base to have dinner and ascertain, with great displeasure, that the suitcases have not yet arrived. Later, with the onset of darkness, we return to Times Square, so as to see it at the peak of its intoxicating explosion of lights and its swarming life (after all it is here that one can experience, perhaps, the most famous New Year's Eve in the world). The spectacle is incredible, almost unreal, but we cannot enjoy it for long because, unfortunately, it starts to rain.

So we return to the Hotel Pennsylvania and there we have the most welcome surprise of the day, because finally we can embrace our suitcases again, which we immediately joyfully take to the room, with the conviction that this way, from tomorrow, the real holidays can begin!

(Part one) Wearing, thank God, a different t-shirt from the one we left in and with a beautiful sun illuminating the scene, we set off from the Hotel Pennsylvania for the third and last day of visits to New York. Using the subway we temporarily leave Manhattan and reach the borough of Brooklyn, so as to return on foot towards the centre of the Big Apple crossing the eponymous and very famous bridge, which when it was inaugurated, in 1883, turned out to be the first steel suspension structure in the world, as well as the one with the longest span (485 metres). Having gone up to the upper part of the Brooklyn Bridge, where the cycle-pedestrian walkway is located, we set off through the orderly interweaving of cables and the elegant top part of the mighty pylons, with the splendid view over the Manhattan skyline, even if, initially, some clouds hide the highest peaks of the skyscrapers...

then they dissolve and the spectacle becomes sublime! Having thus crossed the East River we arrive at the so-called Civic Center, a set of blocks in which some of the most important public buildings of the city are concentrated, such as the imposing Municipal Building, which houses the most varied offices and over two thousand municipal employees, flanked by the monumental buildings of the United States Courthouse and the New York County Courthouse, respectively federal court of justice and of the county of New York... The whole creates a beautiful overall picture, embellished also by the nearby City Hall: an elegant structure that has been the seat of the municipal administration since 1812. Having reached Broadway we then begin to follow it towards the extreme south of Manhattan.

This way we pass in front of the Woolworth Building, a majestic Gothic-style building completed in 1913, which for sixteen years was the tallest in the world, with its sixty floors and 241 metres, then near the St. Paul's Chapel, a small colonial church surrounded by dizzying skyscrapers, we turn right to reach the new World Trade Center, completely redesigned after the tragic events of 11 September 2001. First of all we notice, obviously, the Freedom Tower, the primary tower of the new complex, which with its 541 metres is, to date, the tallest building in the United States and the sixth on the planet.

Right next to it stands out instead the very modern silhouette of the Transportation Hub, an extravagant and colossal work by the architect Santiago Calatrava, inaugurated in 2016, which is the urban transport hub and is worth seeing also inside for its great hall, in which every 11 September at 10:28 (time of the collapse of the second tower) the sun shines through an opening in the ceiling. Right after we arrive in the heart of the World Trade Center, at the foot of the Freedom Tower and in front of the two great footprints, which recall the original position of the Twin Towers, on whose edges are written the names of the 2,974 victims of the vile terrorist attack.

In the centre of the area is the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which we visit to reach what were, in part, the basements of the old towers, where relics and remains of the tragedy are preserved which, almost seventeen years later, still appear chilling to us. Back in the open air we finally head to the nearby Liberty Park at whose centre The Sphere has been placed, a modern sculpture by the Bavarian artist Fritz Koenig, which once stood between the Twin Towers and which survived the events, albeit slightly worn, and now displays itself beautifully against the backdrop of the Freedom Tower. By now in the late morning we leave the World Trade Center and, having crossed Broadway, we venture into the Financial District, where we immediately encounter the austere building of the Federal Reserve, in whose vault, at 25 metres deep, a good ten thousand tonnes of gold reserves are stored.

A little further away, on Wall Street, we cannot help but notice the New York Stock Exchange, the stock exchange par excellence of the Stars and Stripes, one of the hottest and most decisive places of world finance. On the opposite corner of the crossroads stands out instead the Federal Hall, a building rebuilt in the nineteenth century in Greek Revival style, in which on 30 April 1789 George Washington swore as first president of the United States of America. From here we return to Broadway and emerge right in front of Trinity Church, one of the oldest churches in New York, whose first version, entirely in wood, dates back to 1697, and the current one to the 19th century, but it is closed for restoration, so we settle for briefly exploring its cemetery, scattered with old tombstones, some of which belong to important city figures, and then we resume our itinerary.

We travel the stretch of Broadway also known as "Canyon of Heroes", where the most famous parades of New York take place and have taken place, starting with the military ones, but also sports or space ones. Here in fact the astronauts paraded after the moon landing in 1969. Right after we arrive at Bowling Green, the smallest and oldest of the metropolitan parks, in which stands out the great bronze sculpture by the Italian Arturo Di Modica called Charging Bull, a true icon of the New York stock exchange, literally besieged by tourists... and from there, shortly, we arrive at Battery Park, a vast green area that develops on the banks of the Hudson River, at the southern end of Manhattan, where we consume our classic packed lunch.

(Part two) Duly refreshed we then head to the nearby Castle Clinton, an ancient nineteenth-century fortress housing the ticket office of the ferry that takes to the Statue of Liberty and the adjacent Ellis Island. And there we face a long queue (of almost an hour) at the end of which we finally set sail, being able to savour the sublime perspective of the New York skyline from the waters of the river. A little later we thus arrive in front of what is one of the most famous monuments in the world, donated by France to the United States in 1886 and the work of the Frenchman Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, with the collaboration of Gustave Eiffel (the one of the tower), which with its 93 metres towers at the entrance of the most important American port, and we manage to photograph it, from the boat's deck, just before the sun goes behind threatening clouds.

We disembark on Liberty Island and barely manage to capture the statue from its base, before a violent storm breaks out, forcing us to take refuge in the adjacent gift shop, where we wait, well packed, for the weather's wrath to subside. When it finally stops raining we take the boat again and reach Ellis Island, where we also find some rays of sunshine. Here we dutifully explore what was, until 1954 and for over sixty years, the main American centre for the sorting of immigrants, through which more than twelve million people passed, largely Italians too.

At the end of the visit we return to Manhattan, while it starts drizzling again, and from Battery Park we immediately take the subway that takes us near the Empire State Building, one of the most famous existing skyscrapers which, inaugurated in 1931, with its 443 metres (including the antenna) was for over forty years the tallest building in the world. This is by now the only place of some interest in the Big Apple missing from our roll call, also because its summit yesterday was lost among the clouds and we had postponed its visit. Even today the conditions are not optimal, but certainly better, so, since the site is included in our New York Pass and we have no alternatives in terms of time, we decide to climb it and by lift we reach the panoramic terrace of the eighty-sixth floor, from where we savour the spectacle now in semi-darkness...

however we will return, later, to enjoy it also in its night version. On foot we return to our hotel, which is located not far away, and after dinner we do the reverse route to go back up the Empire State Building and observe from above the incredible sea of lights of New York...a truly unforgettable experience. With our eyes still full of wonder we then drag ourselves, very tired, to the Hotel Pennsylvania, thus concluding the best chapter of our three days in New York.

Our Ferragosto under the Stars and Stripes is a very special day because we will leave New York and set off for the planned travelling journey between the United States and Canada and to do this we will have to move from the centre of Manhattan to JFK, so as to collect the rental car booked from home. Having woken up at the usual time we consume the last (sad) breakfast at the Hotel Pennsylvania and then, by subway, we face the long journey that leads us, near the airport, to the car rental area. There we go to Avis, where they hand us a white Dodge Grand Caravan (registration Florida GVV I46), with which we set off for our new "on the road" adventure. Getting out of the urban area of the Big Apple is however not so simple, because we have to face some stressful queues, which then dissolve as one proceeds towards the outskirts...

and the traffic normalises when we leave the state of New York to enter that of Connecticut, the third smallest of the American federation and the southernmost of the six that form the so-called New England. A little later, around 13:00 and a bit behind schedule, we arrive in the authoritative town of New Haven, today's first stop and birthplace of former president George Walker Bush, but above all seat of the prestigious Yale University. We park the car and immediately go to visit the campus, which occupies most of the centre and characterises its architecture, with its mainly neo-Gothic style.

We stroll in the Old Campus, the original core of this glorious university which, founded in 1701, has had the honour of training as many as four American presidents, then, in the neighbouring blocks, we go to see the Gothic complex of the Memorial Quadrangle, in which the beautiful Harkness Tower stands out, and the Sterling Memorial Library, another splendid building that houses about four million precious volumes. We then walk along the surrounding streets, all lined with typical buildings that give the impression of walking through the streets of Oxford and certainly not those of an American town.

This way we also reach the Historic New Haven Garden, a vast green quadrilateral crossed by Temple Street, where three interesting nineteenth-century churches face: to the north the United Church, to the south the Trinity Church and in the centre the First Church of Christ, considered a masterpiece of Georgian style. We have a quick lunch in the park and then, having regained the car, we resume the road following the coast of the Long Island Sound towards the north-east. This way we leave Connecticut to enter Rhode Island, the smallest of the American states, and crossing a scenic bridge we arrive in the locality of Newport, a historic town (for a long time the venue of the America's Cup regattas) that in the nineteenth century welcomed some of the most sumptuous residences of the Stars and Stripes high society.

Given the now late hour we immediately go to see the most important of the residences, called The Breakers: a sumptuous building of over seventy rooms belonging to the railway magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt II, whose sparkling interiors, worthy of a royal palace, are the undeniable testimony of the economic power of the family. Nearby we can then appreciate other important residences, such as Marble House, also of the Vanderbilt family, or Rose Cliff, inspired by the Grand Trianon of Versailles, and the Château sur Mer, in Second Empire style. But many others are scattered somewhat everywhere on the promontory south of the town.

We finally take a look at the most representative buildings of the centre of Newport, such as the eighteenth-century Trinity Church or the Old Colony House, a characteristic building from whose balcony the state's declaration of independence was read, but also the Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in America, erected here in 1763, then we promptly set off towards the hotel that will host us for this night, because it is getting late. With the long shadows of the evening and after also crossing the border between the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts we thus arrive on the outskirts of the town of Brockton, where we take lodging in a motel of the Super 8 chain. We leave the luggage in the room and immediately go to dinner in the nearby Texas Steak House, concluding a first decent day wandering around New England.

Waking up accompanied by a beautiful shining sun... a detail certainly not negligible in view of today's visit to the city of Boston. However we are still not in the capital of Massachusetts and to reach it we have to travel about fifty kilometres of rather busy roads. So, slightly behind schedule, we arrive on the outskirts of this agglomeration (whose metropolitan area counts about 4.5 million inhabitants), in the suburb of Alewife, where there is a subway terminus and a large multi-storey car park in which to leave our car in storage. Having purchased the 1-day pass, by public transport, we reach the centre of Boston, which is one of the oldest settlements of the new world, founded in 1630, and which was the scene of numerous events linked to the American revolution.

We can thus begin our exploration from the Hancock Tower, which with its 226 metres is the tallest building in the city and in all of New England, at whose foot is the valuable Trinity Church, a harmonious nineteenth-century church considered among the most beautiful in America, but to visit the interiors one pays and we give it up on principle (if one doesn't pay to enter St. Peter's I don't see why one should do it here!). We then move, by subway, to the neighbourhood of Beacon Hill, the most exclusive in Boston, scattered with historic buildings in English style, with red-brick facades, which reach their maximum expression in the silent Louisburg Square.

Following the main streets of the area we thus arrive in front of the State House, a mighty neoclassical building topped by a golden dome, which is the seat of the state government, and from there we begin to follow the Freedom Trail, a tourist route marked by a red line that crosses the historic centre, passing through the places of greatest interest. This way we arrive at the nearby Park Street Church, a characteristic church finished around 1810 whose bell tower, 66 metres tall, was the tallest building in America for almost twenty years. Right next to it, on the other hand, is the Old Granary Burial Ground, a historic cemetery packed with old tombstones on a very green lawn, among which stand out those of some heroes of the American revolution, such as Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and John Hancock.

Continuing the itinerary we visit the Georgian King's Chapel and then pass in front of the Old City Hall, on whose pavement is the plaque indicating the original position of the First Public School House, that is the Boston Public School, the oldest public school in America, dating back to 1634. At the end of the street there is then a little square overlooked by the historic buildings of the Old Corner Bookstore and the Old Meeting House, a church where numerous and heated meetings were held, which later led to the revolutionary uprisings. A little further on we arrive in front of the symbol building of the city: the Old State House, which is the oldest public building in Boston, dating back to 1713, when it was the seat of the British governors.

From its balcony, on 18 July 1876, the declaration of independence was proclaimed, while in the space in front six years earlier the Boston Massacre had taken place, one of the pivotal episodes of the revolution, remembered today by a circle in stone on the paving. Walking along Congress Street we then arrive in front of the intriguing building of Faneuil Hall, the true soul of Boston, which was (and still is) a place of important meetings, during which many candidates for the presidency of the United States have given their speeches. The eighteenth-century building is located right in front of the Quincy Market, always a centre of distribution of the most varied goods at retail.

From here a nice walk in the footsteps of the Freedom Trail takes us to the heart of the Italian quarter of Boston (scattered with tricolour venues much more than the New York Little Italy), where there is, among other things, the house of the patriot Paul Revere, as well as the Old North Church, the oldest church in Boston, from whose bell tower, on 18 April 1775, the signals that began the American revolution set off. Having thus reached the banks of the Charles River, the most important river of the city, we cross it on the Charlestown Bridge and arrive on the pier that houses the USS Constitution: the oldest American warship, launched in 1797 and never defeated. We explore (for free) the glorious vessel and then, after having lunch in a nearby green area, we board the public ferry that from here takes us, through the port of Boston, to the downtown of the capital of Massachusetts.

Once disembarked we go in search of the nearest subway station, from which, after a couple of line changes, we take the way to Alewife to return to the starting point. But we don't reach the terminus, because first we stop in the suburb of Cambridge to go and see the renowned Harvard university, the oldest university in the United States, founded as far back as 1636, and the one that has trained more Nobel laureates and more presidents than any other in the world. We enter the legendary campus, surrounded by remarkable buildings, among which stands out the statue of John Harvard, the eminent benefactor after whom the university was named, where many young people queue to photograph themselves touching, who knows for what reason, the feet of the famous figure.

Nearby there are also the Widener Library, one of the largest libraries in the world, and the Memorial Church, built to commemorate the students lost in the world wars, but also, just outside the campus, the monumental building of the Memorial Hall, erected (in Victorian Gothic style) at the service of the university and in memory of the students fallen in the civil war. Having completed the exploration of Harvard too we regain the subway and a little later our car, with which we immediately set off to leave Boston behind us, taking however far too long to do so, due to the heavy traffic. Later we also leave Massachusetts to enter the state of New Hampshire, but not for long, because then we also cross the border of Maine, the territory located furthest north-east of the American federation.

As soon as we pass the border line we then exit Highway number 95 to go to Cape Neddick, a promontory jutting out over the Atlantic Ocean, which houses, on a facing islet, the Nubble Lighthouse, one of the most scenic and photogenic lighthouses of the state. Having devoted the minimum permissible time to the place we then travel the neighbouring stretch of coast, very touristy and scattered with splendid houses built in the typical New England architecture, and shortly after we arrive in the locality of Perkins Cove, a delightful little fishing village located in a narrow bay and characterised by the presence of a white pedestrian and lifting bridge, the only one of its kind in the entire United States.

Having finished exploring the village we realise that, also due to the long queues to get out of Boston, it is getting decidedly late, so we have to skip the stop at the Portland Head lighthouse, which probably would have deserved some attention, and having also passed Portland, the capital of Maine, we arrive almost in the dark in the town of Brunswick, where we take lodging at the Traveler Inn. A little later, then, over a good pizza, we put an end to an excellent and intense day, during which we caught the feeling of beginning to come into contact with the overwhelming nature of the great American north.

We continue today in the exploration of Maine and we do so by setting off north on road number 1 (the very same road that goes as far as Key West, in Florida!). After about forty kilometres we however turn right, towards a very jagged stretch of coast to go to Pemaquid Point, which is a pleasant rocky promontory topped by a historic lighthouse, commissioned in 1827 by president Adams himself. Here we take a few photos and visit the small fishermen's museum, then we promptly resume our itinerary, because almost two hundred kilometres of asphalt await us before reaching the next destination. Having regained number 1 we travel it northwards flanking the Penobscot Bay, scattered with pretty little towns, and doing so we arrive in the town of Ellsworth, to which we will have to return for the night.

From here in fact we follow the signs for Mount Desert Island and for the Acadia National Park, from where we will then have to come back. After a handful of kilometres we cross the bridge that leads us onto the island and a little later, in the locality of Bar Harbour, we purchase the pass and cross the gate of this national park which, established in 1919 on a land purchased by John D. Rockefeller and other patrons to save it from the ambitions of the timber merchants, is the only one in New England and the most visited in the United States after the legendary Yellowstone. We thus venture along its roads, while from the ocean some unpleasant clouds are coming up, and first of all we go up towards Cadillac Mountain, the height that dominates the entire park.

A short distance from the summit we stop at the Blue Hill Overlook, a nice panoramic point whose view, which ranges towards the western moors and the underlying Eagle Lake, is however disturbed by a bit too much haze. Having finally reached the top we take the opportunity to refresh ourselves and right after we go to enjoy the view over Bar Harbour and the eastern coast of the island, even if the clouds have become far too intrusive and decidedly spoil the party. We descend, not completely satisfied, from Cadillac Mountain and continuing the exploration of the park we go towards the south and its most mountainous heart, up to the car park from which the Bubble Divide Trail starts, which we intend to walk, at least in part.

We struggle a bit to park, because the rest area is full, then we manage, so we can set off along the path, which immediately presents itself as uphill, but not particularly difficult. So shortly we climb the hill in front of us and arrive at the astounding Bubble Rock, the main attraction of the trail. It is a large glacial erratic boulder of granite, which by its characteristics seems to come from over sixty kilometres away, miraculously remaining poised on the mountainside. It is truly impressive and we have fun immortalising it from every angle, even with the joking intention of making it roll definitively down the valley, then we resume the walk and also conquer the natural balcony that offers a beautiful glimpse of the underlying Jordan Pond and, further in the distance, of the ocean coasts.

Having regained the car we then retrace our steps a bit almost to the entrance of the park to take the Park Loop Road, a one-way road that follows the coastal profile of Mount Desert Island clockwise. We thus pass by Sand Beach, a wide and scenic beach which however does not stand out properly due to the absence of the sun, and by Thunder Hole, a rugged stretch of coast in which the waves often break with violence... not today though, given the particularly calm sea. Having briefly explored the area we then resume the road to round the rocky promontory of Otter Point, then we momentarily leave the park towards the west, to head towards the southernmost tip of the island, where the Bass Harbour Head Lighthouse is located. This small lighthouse, built in 1858, towers over some exhilarating cliffs and offers a beautiful spectacle, especially at sunset.

A spectacle for us, however, partly spoiled by some clouds that are arriving, threatening, from the west and that, in all likelihood, will make tomorrow's day not too pleasant either. Having consumed this last experience, now in semi-darkness, we promptly head towards the end of the stage and at the exit of Mount Desert Island we stop to dine at the Trenton Bridge Lobster Pond, a place which, among other things, I had happened to see in a television programme (Man Fire Food), famous in the area for serving the exquisite lobsters of Maine at an honest price. So, suitably satiated, a little later we arrive at the Eagles Lodge Motel of Ellsworth to spend the night there.

At the beginning of the second week of holiday we get up, as forecast, under a gloomy sky, but at least it is not raining. The alarm then rings earlier than usual, because the longest stage of the trip awaits us (about 760 kilometres). Having reassembled luggage and crew we thus set off towards the interior, along the roads of Maine, and immediately we run into low clouds that make everything similar to the dear Po Valley in the winter months, because one cannot see beyond two hundred metres and it is really not possible to enjoy the panorama. After about two hours from departure we arrive at the border with Canada, where they ask us a nice series of routine questions (sometimes even rather stupid ones), but there are no problems, so we can set foot in this boundless state, which is the largest in the American continent and the second in the world, after the Russian Federation.

Our gateway is the province of New Brunswick and first of all we move the clock hands forward by an hour, to the local time zone, then, having abandoned miles and returned to the metric system, we travel another decent stretch of road, passing among other things also through the capital Saint John, and, while it starts drizzling, we arrive in Kings County, a county that is famous for its covered bridges. As soon as we exit the motorway we go to see the French Village Covered Bridge... but, to our great surprise, we don't find it, because in its place there is a modern structure. So we turn back and go to the nearby Darling Island Covered Bridge, built in 1914 and 42 metres long. This one is there and we can photograph it, even though it is closed to traffic.

Subsequently we also arrive at the Smithtown Covered Bridge, dating back to 1914 and 57 metres long, which can also be driven on by car, as well as the last one, the Bloomfield Covered Bridge, of the same length but built three years later. All beautiful and characteristic the bridges of Kings County, albeit rough and not coloured like the American ones seen in Madison County and made famous by the eponymous film, so much so that, although darkened by the gloomy day, they surely deserved the time devoted to them. Having resumed the motorway we go speedily towards the north-east and the next destination, while a real cloudburst breaks out, which also drags on over time and slows down the expected schedule a bit.

We pass through the Fundy National Park, which could have offered some opportunity to see wildlife, but we don't stop, partly because of the fact that it is raining hard, but also because we are in a hurry to conquer the next park, that of Hopewell Rocks, before the arrival of the high tide can prevent us from visiting it (the tides in the Bay of Fundy, where we are, are the highest in the world!). We thus arrive in the vast car park of Hopewell Rocks, while it continues inexorably to pour... We have lunch in the car and then we wait for the ultimate limit of 15:00, when it finally slows down a bit leaving us, perhaps, an hour of time to visit this incredible stretch of coast, walking on the seabed, before the water invades it again.

We put on boots and waterproof capes, then we run to the ticket office and a quarter of an hour later we descend the staircase that leads us to walk at the edge of the ocean among astonishing formations: a delightful chaos of pinnacles and arches shaped by erosion over the course of millennia... All very beautiful!... of course if there had been sun... We wander as much as possible among the reddish sandstone cliffs of Hopewell Rocks, until, a little before 16:00, the park staff make us go back up to the top of the cliffs, putting an end to our wet but unforgettable adventure. Having retraced our steps we take refuge in the car to dry off and then we resume the road. This way we arrive in the city of Moncton, on whose outskirts we go to try the experience of the enigmatic Magnetic Hill, the main tourist attraction of the area for over a century...

Here, along a straight stretch of asphalt the sensation becomes truly strange because, it will surely be an optical illusion, but our vehicle, left in neutral, really gives the impression of going uphill! Having finished this quick experience it is almost 18:00 and we still have to travel about 250 kilometres to reach the destination. Fortunately, however, they are all smooth motorway, so, after having left New Brunswick and entered the province of Nova Scotia, shortly after 20:00 we arrive in Darthmouth, practically a suburb of the capital Halifax, and there we take lodging at the Coastal Inn. Given the hour, for dinner we have to settle for a takeaway pizza and this way, certainly not gloriously, we conclude a very long and far too damp day... but from tomorrow it should improve.

It is not raining when we wake up, but the sky is still all damnably grey. We have breakfast and, having crossed the great Macdonald Bridge, we head towards the centre of Halifax to see its few places of some interest. Indeed this city does not have much to offer, which besides being the burial place of quite a few of the victims of the Titanic, sunk in 1912, six hundred miles off these coasts, houses only a few interesting buildings, starting with the Historic Properties, a block of old houses now transformed into a commercial area, or, in the central streets, the Province House, a Georgian building that is the seat of the legislative assembly of Nova Scotia, flanked by the curious little Greek temple that contains the city's main billiards room. Strolling we then arrive at the Grand Parade, a green space overlooked by the nineteenth-century and monumental City Hall and the white St.

Paul's Church, which is the oldest construction in Halifax, erected in 1750. Finally we go up the hill that dominates the town, where the Old Town Clock is located, an old clock tower that is a bit the symbol of the city (but it is under restoration and completely hidden by scaffolding), as well as the citadel, a massive defensive work of the late 18th century, also called Fort George, to access which one must purchase a ticket that we are not at all willing to pay. So, since we are in Scotland, albeit New, we settle for photographing the kilted guard stationed in front of the entrance and then we return to our car to undertake today's on the road stage. We go along the coast south of Halifax and doing so, after less than an hour, we arrive at the edge of the ocean in the little town of Peggy's Cove, one of the most picturesque and photographed localities of Nova Scotia.

The village, founded in 1811 as a simple fishermen's settlement, is today a tiny centre loved by artists and photographers from all over the world, for its idyllic position at the bottom of a quiet bay surrounded by granite cliffs. The whole, obviously, is dominated by the most classic of Atlantic lighthouses, an authentic photo-stealer that we really cannot resist, thanks also to some timid ray of sunshine. We then observe the simple but colourful little houses that, overlooking the little harbour, give life to truly typical views of the region, then, calmly, we also leave Peggy's Cove, which among other things is also famous for an air tragedy (Swissair flight 111) that occurred here in 1998 and remembered by a memorial that we however do not stop to contemplate.

Following thus the coastal profile towards the south-west we pass through the characteristic village of Mahone Bay and arrive, shortly after midday, in the locality of Lunenburg, included since 1995 in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its architecture, considered a perfect example of a British colonial settlement in North America. We park near the centre and, after having consumed our classic lunch of sandwiches, we set off on foot to explore the town, always, however, in the greyness of this "Scottish" day. First of all we go to the port, where however the Bluenose II ship is not moored, as often happens, a perfect copy of the eponymous sailing ship symbol of Canada, reproduced on the ten-cent coins and on the Nova Scotia car licence plates.

We then go back up along the scenic King Street, flanked by the most prestigious buildings and in the surroundings we go to see, also inside, the Knaut Ruhlan House, one of the most important and historic residences of Lunenburg. We then stroll without a destination through the streets of the city, scattered with interesting and typical wooden constructions, but also with many cars, which jar decidedly and which could be parked, given the importance of the place, further out on the outskirts. This way we arrive in front of the beautiful St. John Anglican Church and a little further on at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, religious buildings very representative of the golden age of Lunenburg, and step by step we conclude our sightseeing tour in front of the building of the Lunenburg Academy,

The sun is shining beautifully… a rare thing, according to the reviews, for Cape Breton Highlands National Park, the first park in Canada's Atlantic provinces, established in 1936 to preserve a vast and wild territory overlooking the ocean, and buoyed by this honor we set off to explore it. However, there are about ninety kilometers to cover before reaching its entrance… kilometers that actually increase, because the ferry we were supposed to take is not operating and the alternative road is considerably longer. Be that as it may, we begin following the Cabot Trail, one of the most famous scenic roads in Canada, which around 10:00 allows us to enter the park, but not before purchasing the necessary permit at the visitor center.

Two curves after the entrance, to everyone's amazement, a beautiful fox crosses the road… and we hope it's a good omen for the rest of the vacation and that fate will grant us many more sightings. Right after, we turn onto the road that first leads to the vast Igonish Beach and then to the Keltic Lodge, a historic Tudor-style resort dating back to 1940, set in a beautiful panoramic position on this stretch of coast. We take a few photos and then pick up the Cabot Trail again up to Green Cove, a small rocky peninsula jutting into the ocean where we take a short walk. Further on, the park's main road veers inland, while we follow a secondary one that continues north along the coast (the Scenic Loop) and reaches White Point. There, where the asphalt ribbon ends, we park the car and walk to see the view over the wild promontory.

Once back on the Cabot Trail, we follow it until it emerges at the sea at Pleasant Bay, now facing west, and from there we begin the most spectacular stretch of road in the park, which immediately climbs in elevation amid magnificent panoramas. After temporarily leaving the coastal profile, we stop to tackle the short Bog Trail, which winds through a peat bog on wooden boardwalks… an occasion during which we hoped to catch at least a glimpse of a moose, but nothing! … only a little snake at the trailhead. Further on, along the park's main route, we stop at the large parking lot from which the Skyline Trekking begins, the most famous hike on Cape Breton Island, all too well known given the number of people present, which somewhat dampens our hope of spotting any animals.

We have lunch and then set off along the trail, which winds through interesting natural scenery, but of wildlife, with a touch of disappointment, not even a shadow… The walk, after more than three kilometers, leads to a superlative panoramic point over the coast, which we enjoy before retracing the route back to the car. At this point in the day it is 3:30 PM and we still have about 350 kilometers of road to cover, much of it winding, to reach the end of the stage, so we agree to leave immediately, without wasting any more time.

But how long is Nova Scotia? … We grind out an unmentionable amount of asphalt and along the way we make only one small detour, to the town of Pictou, on whose pier a replica of the ship Hector is moored, which in 1773 landed the first Scottish colonists right here, then we arrive in the town of Truro, where we take lodging for the night at the Willow Bend Motel, concluding a beautiful but, in some ways, not unforgettable day.

In this portion of a very long transfer (about 750 kilometers) we will leave Nova Scotia to reach Québec. Before entering Canada's quintessentially francophone region, however, we must pass back through New Brunswick and here we make a few stops, though of limited interest, to break up the monotony of the journey a bit. First of all we stop in the town of Sackville for a short walk along the boardwalks of its Waterfowl Park, a marshy area where there's a chance to observe a few specimens of the local birdlife, then we drive a bit further to the town of Boutouche, which offers a few more opportunities for a stop.

Here we visit Le Pays de la Sagouine, the reconstruction, on a small island connected to the mainland by a long wooden pier, of a fishing village, inspired by a novel by Acadian writer Antonine Maillet… but, although cute, it all feels far too fake… and besides, we don't know the author, so it certainly can't be called a highlight of the trip. We then move on to the Boutouche Dune: a stretch of coast, also visitable via a wooden boardwalk, which is, due to its natural characteristics, a protected area, but scenically nothing special. From here we then tackle almost three hundred kilometers of fairly monotonous road, at the end of which we enter Québec, also gaining an hour of time zone.

Just past the border we stop to photograph, just out of curiosity, the bizarre Château Bahia, a hotel (quite squalid) built entirely of wood, in the shape of a medieval castle, then we continue for a short stretch along the coast to Parc National de Miguasha, established in 1985 and since 1999 included in the UNESCO World Heritage list with the aim of protecting the most important area in the world for finding fossils from the Devonian period (about 370 million years ago). We thus observe the extraordinary exhibits in the museum, which are mainly plants and fish from prehistoric times, and then go down to the beach to see the cliffs from which most of the precious fossils on display are extracted, completing an experience that is, in some ways, exciting. At this point in the day we would also like to climb, near the nearby town of Carleton, to the summit of Mont St.

Joseph, where there is a shrine and from which one should enjoy a vast view over the region. However, once at the top we are confronted with a barrier and a ticket booth… 8 dollars each seemed decidedly too much for a panoramic photo (as if it were the Grand Canyon!), so we retrace our steps and quickly return to sea level. We then set the navigator for the town of Percé, today's stopover destination, still about two hundred kilometers away, and get moving. Doing so, we arrive at our destination around 7:30 PM and settle in at the Motel Panorama, from which tomorrow morning we will set off to explore the wild Gaspésie region, which will keep us busy for at least two days.

We wake up in Percé, in what is one of the best-known tourist destinations in Québec, located almost at the entrance to the great estuary of the St. Lawrence River, and we do so promptly because first of all we must go buy tickets for the boat that will take us to the opposite Île-Bonaventure. There are a few too many clouds in the sky, but also several patches of clear sky, which we hope will hold for as long as possible, given that a worsening is forecast. We buy tickets for the 9:00 boat and then head to the promontory east of the town to see up close the famous Rocher Percé, which is an enormous rock formation located a short distance from the coast and 88 meters high, characterized by a large arch (15 meters high) in its farthest-out part.

(Once there were two arches, but the second collapsed in 1845, leaving only a mighty sea stack as a reminder.) The rock at low tide, which is exactly this morning, can also be reached on foot, but the trail that gives access to it is not short and we have to give it up for reasons of time. In fact, we have to rush to the pier of Percé, where we already find a good line of people waiting for the boat. Despite everything, we manage to get on the first boat of the day, which will take us to Île-Bonaventure, a patch of land of about four square kilometers that together with the Rocher forms, due to its natural beauties, a small national park since 1985.

We set sail while a beautiful sun shines, allowing us to observe the Rocher Percé from the sea in the best possible conditions, with its splendid arch standing out against the blue of the sky, then the boat arrives near Île-Bonaventure and prepares to circumnavigate it clockwise. We thus skirt the high and spectacular cliffs that characterize its eastern coast, at whose base we notice numerous seals, and continuing our navigation we also reach the cliffs that host the vast colonies of gannets for which the island is famous. Around 9:30 we then disembark at Anse à Butler, on the western side of Bonaventure, and after a short briefing by the park rangers we set off along the Sentier des Colonies, which crosses the island, while the much-feared clouds seem to have already arrived.

On the other side, where the colonies of northern gannets are located, which are the main reason we came here, the sun is still shining instead, so we can observe the extraordinary spectacle of these large seabirds, which can reach a wingspan of 180 centimeters and gather in thousands (over one hundred thousand!) on the cliffs all around, making an impressive racket… and also a considerable stench. We enjoy the scene also from atop a specially made observation platform and then make our way back to the small harbor of Bonaventure via another trail, closing a loop of about seven kilometers, and arrive in time to board the 12:00 boat. In Percé it is entirely cloudy, but up to now the day has passed divinely. We do some shopping and then get going northward.

Doing so, we can have lunch by the sea along the road and in the early afternoon we arrive at Parc National de Forillon, Québec's first national park, created in 1970 on the far eastern tip of the Gaspésie. Unfortunately grayness dominates, but at least it isn't raining, so first of all we stop to do the short hike of the Sentier des Chutes, which leads to the base of a small waterfall, certainly not spectacular, but worth a look, then we get back on the road following the signs for Cap-Bon-Ami. We pay the park entrance fee and, once we reach the end of the asphalt ribbon, we set off on foot for the Sentier du Mont-Saint-Alban. It is a rather demanding climb of almost two kilometers that leads to an observation tower, from which the panorama is superb… too bad only about the adverse weather conditions.

Once back at the car, we set off northward, leaving the park behind us, and immediately at the exit we see the Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse which, completed in 1858, with its 34 meters is the tallest in all of Canada. From here we then begin to head more markedly west along a coastal profile that perhaps can already be called part of the mouth of the St. Lawrence. In this way, after a handful of kilometers, we also make the short detour on a dirt road that leads to the red lighthouse of Pointe-à-la-Renommée, from which in 1904, thanks to Guglielmo Marconi, the first radio waves of North America were sent out.

Having then rejoined the main road, we arrive in the town of Grande Vallée, where we take the opportunity to drive over the typical Pont Galipeault, a beautiful covered bridge dating back to 1923, and, a short distance away, now in semi-darkness, we see the Cap-de-la-Madeleine lighthouse, which, active since 1871, is recognized as a federal historic building and enjoys heritage lighthouse status. After that we speed toward the end of the stage and the town of Sainte-Anne-des-Mont, where we arrive already after 8:00 PM at the Bed and Breakfast Gité la P'tite Falaise.

There, however, we fall victim to a small mix-up because, despite the reservation, they don't have beds for everyone, so they redirect us to a nearby house, from which we will then have to return to the B & B tomorrow morning for breakfast… All's well that ends well, especially the splendid day today: certainly the best since leaving New York.

When we wake up there are still quite a few clouds, but the sky is not completely overcast, so we set off confidently towards the Parc National de la Gaspésie, a large protected area about twenty kilometres inland from the region. As we climb towards the mountains, however, the weather darkens further and a light drizzle even begins to fall. We nevertheless try not to lose heart and, after also driving along an easy unpaved road, we set off along the short walk of Lac aux Americains, hoping to spot at least a moose, which little Leo cares so much about, or one of the caribou that make the park famous … but our expectations are soon dashed because, apart from a few other hikers, we do not encounter any other forms of animal life along the route and, in the absolute greyness, we cannot even enjoy the view of the lake, which in theory is surrounded by a fine backdrop of wild peaks.

Back at the car, we also move to the rest area from which the Mont Ernest-Laforce trek starts, from where one should enjoy a fine panorama over the surrounding moorlands … impossible given the weather conditions, but this time too we go, with that blessed moose in mind again! We are not at all lucky, however, so we reach the top in the midst of bad weather and then make a sad return without any sightings (only a few tracks), so the Parc National de la Gaspésie must be counted among the most obvious failures of the trip. With clothes that are far too damp, we then descend from the heights to Sainte-Anne-des-Mont, where it is not raining, but everything is grey and a strong wind is blowing, and from there we head west along the St. Lawrence.

In this way the weather gradually improves and in the town of Rimouski, where we have to board for the other bank of the river, the sun is finally shining beautifully. During the crossing, which lasts about an hour, we glimpse in the distance a few whale spouts, which we hope are the worthy prelude to tomorrow's whale watching, and a little later we disembark at the town of Forestville, from where we head west along the river to arrive, around 18:00, near the well-known tourist town of Tadoussac. Here we rush to see Les Dunes Parc, which is a stretch of coast east of the town and characterised by an enormous dune … certainly an intriguing landscape, but by now it is in the shadow of late afternoon, so we immediately head towards the village of Sacré-Coeur, 15 kilometres away, where we take lodging at the Auberge Chez Caro.

We leave our suitcases in the room and, on the suggestion of the girl at reception, we rush to see the sunset over the Saguenay, which is considered the southernmost fjord in the northern hemisphere … The spectacle is certainly worthwhile, but we had also counted on spotting some cetaceans, which instead did not show up, so our expectations were not fully met. We then go to dinner in a nice little restaurant in Sacré-Coeur, concluding a day that, because of the adverse weather, almost turned into a mere transfer stage … so all we can do is hope, tomorrow, for better luck, especially since an important hike awaits us.

Today, a day for (photographic) whale hunting, rain is not forecast, but the veiled and completely white sky lets through a light that is not exactly exciting which, frankly speaking, can be translated as: it could have gone better! We have breakfast, in the company of a fellow townsperson we met here by chance (sometimes the world is really small!), and then we drive to the nearby town of Tadoussac, but we don't set off immediately for whale watching because first we stop to see the Hotel Tadoussac, the symbolic building of the place, built (in its current appearance) in 1942, which dominates with its imposing white-and-red outline the entire view of the tiny harbor and is flanked by the graceful Petit Chapel, considered the oldest wooden church in America, as well as by the Poste de Traite Chauvin, which is the faithful reconstruction of the first fur trading post in Canada, dating back

to around 1600. Right after, we go to the offices of Croisieres AML to pick up the tickets for the excursion we had booked from home and head to the boarding point. Thus at 9:45 we set sail aboard a large boat (perhaps too large for the purpose) and after a stop to pick up other tourists in the nearby town of Baie-Sainte-Catherine we head out onto the St. Lawrence River. After a few minutes of sailing we notice in the distance the white shape of some belugas, then a few seals and finally the unmistakable back of whales, accompanied by the classic spout … So during the three hours spent speeding through the freezing wind of the St. Lawrence we see many other whales, but perhaps a bit too far away, without jumps and that only on a couple of occasions showed their tails … Of course, still a thrilling experience, but perhaps we were expecting something more.

Back in Tadoussac around 13:00 we take a short walk along the Sentier de la Pointe, which ventures out with interesting views over the small rocky promontory at the mouth of the Saguenay fjord, then, back at the car, we have lunch before resuming our itinerary. We cross the fjord by ferry and then head west along the left bank of the St. Lawrence. Doing so, after about two hundred kilometers, we reach the turnoff on the right that leads to the Canyon de Sainte-Anne and from there we rush immediately to the entrance of the park of the same name, since it is almost 17:00 and at 18:00 it closes its doors. We immediately venture along the trail that loops around this spectacular canyon, formed by the river that bears its same name and accessible to the public since 1973.

In this way we can observe from the various panoramic points the thundering waterfall, 75 meters high, that characterizes every view, then we cross the chasm on vertiginous (and swaying) suspension bridges, concluding the thrilling experience a few minutes before closing. From here we get back on the road and almost immediately stop along the way to also see the great basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, built in the 1920s, which for its supposed miracles is one of the best-known pilgrimage sites in all of Canada. Evidence of this are the objects of the most varied disabilities piled up near two pillars, close to the entrance. We take a few photos and then head toward the end of the day's stage.

In fact, shortly after we arrive on the outskirts of Quebec City, where for the night we stay at the Hotel Motel le Gîte, then we go to dinner without much success at Tim Hortons, a McDonald's-like place of lowest quality and rudeness, nevertheless concluding a largely positive day.

From now on, a few days await us dedicated to visiting the most important cities of Quebec and Canada, but not before having seen another natural beauty. As soon as we leave the hotel we in fact head to the outskirts of Quebec City and, after parking the car, we devote ourselves to exploring the Montmorency Falls, imposing waterfalls formed by the river of the same name, which take a leap of a good 83 meters (thirty more than Niagara Falls) before plunging into the waters of the St. Lawrence. On foot we start from their summit. We cross over them on a pedestrian bridge and then descend from a cliff by means of a steep staircase.

In this way we reach the base of the great drop, where we also get a little wet because of the spray then, having reached the opposite bank with a short walk, we go back up to the starting point with a comfortable cable car, closing a pleasant loop around the splendid Montmorency Falls. Back at the car we then head toward the center of Quebec, a city rich in history that was also the capital of Canada between 1857 and 1865 and which, founded in 1608, turns out to be one of the oldest settlements of the entire continent, whose core, fortified by the only walls north of Mexico, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

We leave our vehicle in an underground parking lot and begin the visit from the imposing Second Empire-style Palace of the National Assembly, whose facing square is however completely cordoned off and under renovation, then we enter the old city through Porte Saint-Louis, one of the scenic and monumental gates, rebuilt at the end of the nineteenth century. From here, walking along Rue Saint-Louis, flanked by characteristic buildings, we then reach the heart of the inhabited core.

We stop to see the church of Holy Trinity, the first Anglican cathedral built outside the British Isles, and then we descend, along the Côte de la Montagne, to the lower town, to reach the scenic Place Royale, preceded by a huge mural, painted on the side of a house … In this square, surrounded by buildings dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, among which is Notre-Dame des Victoires, the oldest stone church in the United States and Canada, erected in 1688, it really feels like being in the center of a historic transalpine village and certainly not overseas. In the vicinity we then stroll along the typical and narrow Rue du Petit-Champlain, dotted with little shops, before going back up with the Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec to the upper town. Doing so we land on the Terrasse Dufferin, a vast belvedere over the course of the St.

Lawrence, where the sumptuous Château Frontenac also overlooks, the symbol building of the city, even though, in fact, it is a hotel … the most photographed hotel in the world, they say. It was built between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century by the architect Bruce Price, who was inspired by medieval and Renaissance architectural elements to create this unusual castle, which still shows itself off today, despite an unaesthetic scaffolding placed on its central part. We have lunch on the Terrasse Dufferin, so as to fill not only our stomachs but also our eyes with so much wonder, and then we resume our itinerary in the historic center.

We thus see the beautiful cathedral of Notre-Dame de Québec, rebuilt in the nineteenth century, which is the oldest parish in North America, and right next to it the very white Séminaire du Québec, which preserves a splendid inner courtyard, then we take a short stroll in the so-called Latin Quarter and reach Porte de Sainte-Jean. From this other monumental gate we finally follow the rampart walk to Porte Kent, where we take our last photos of Quebec, before returning to the nearby underground parking lot to retrieve our car. We leave the city heading west along Highway 40 and almost immediately exit it to reach, on the banks of the St. Lawrence, the Chemin du Roy, that is, the ancient route, dating back to the 18th century, that connected Quebec to Montreal, at the time the two main population centers of the region.

We stop first of all in the tiny town of Cap-Santé, where there is a beautiful church dating back to 1752, then, also traveling along the Vieux Chemin, we reach the historic village of Deschambault, the most characteristic in the area, which presents a lovely picture comprising the nineteenth-century church of Sainte-Charles-Borromée, with the adjoining cemetery, the presbytery (similar to a Breton cottage) and the town hall in Louisiana style. Back on the highway, further on, we also make a stop in the town of Trois-Rivières to admire the modern sanctuary of Notre-Dame du Cap, built in 1964 and a destination for important pilgrimages, which however does not drive us crazy.

From there, shortly after, we move further west, parallel to the banks of the great river, and arrive in the town of Berthierville, where first of all we go to see the Grandchamp covered bridge, which is however not the main reason that pushed us to make a stop in this place. Berthierville is, in fact, the birthplace of the late Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve, to whom, as a good Ferrari fan, I want to pay homage. The main town street is named after him and then there is a museum (already closed at this hour), with a life-size statue of the little champion (also known as the flying Canadian) in front. So we take a few souvenir photos with him and then head toward the end of today's stage.

Later we thus arrive on the outskirts of Montreal (which we will visit tomorrow) and take lodging at the Days Inn Montréal East, putting an end to a decent day, characterized above all by the visit to Quebec, which can really be described as a nice city, with an undeniably European flavor.

Today, on the day dedicated to the great city of Montreal, a bit of rain is forecast, so we set off armed with umbrellas, even though the event does not seem imminent. By car we go as far as the parking lot of the Radisson metro station, on the outskirts of the city, and after buying the day pass (Occasionelle Card) we take the first train toward the center. Before getting there, however, we make an intermediate stop to see the grandiose Olympic Stadium, where the 1976 games were held, characterized by the tallest inclined tower in the world, which soars with its 175 meters above the sports facility.

Back on the metro we then arrive downtown and when we emerge from underground we first of all go in front of the beautiful Christ Church, a neo-Gothic building dating back to 1859 that houses the temple of the Anglican community, completely surrounded by tall and modern buildings, but we cannot see its interior because, it being Sunday, the religious service is underway. We then continue on our itinerary and, passing by Place Ville Marie, the best-known skyscraper in the city, built with a cross-shaped plan in 1962 and 188 meters high, we arrive before the great church of Marie-Reine-du-Monde, built at the end of the nineteenth century inspired by the basilica of St. Peter in Rome … but here too there is Mass and we have to give up exploring its interior. We then try to walk along a stretch of the RÉSO, which is to all intents and purposes underground Montreal.

In practice an enormous shopping center that develops beneath the main buildings and between the metro stations. A place much frequented especially during the harsh winter season. But very soon we lose our bearings among the countless staircases and endless corridors, so, having reached the nearest tracks, we get on the first available train to go toward Vieux-Montréal, that is, the most historic of the city's neighborhoods, which is located on the banks of the St. Lawrence. Because of a triathlon race, which is taking place along the downtown streets, we have to lengthen our walk, but in the end we arrive in front of the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, erected here since 1655 and considered the oldest stone church in Montreal.

All around are historic buildings with a typically transalpine appearance, but also the large building of the Marché Bonsecours, with its neoclassical facade surmounted by a silvery dome, which we photograph as, as predicted, it begins to rain. Umbrella in hand we thus arrive at Place Jacques-Cartier (the most important square in the city), right in front of the scenic Hôtel de Ville, the Montreal city hall, built in 1872 in Second Empire style. Continuing then in the rain and lengthening the route again because of the sports race, we arrive before the sumptuous basilica of Notre-Dame, a religious building erected in Gothic style during the nineteenth century, which is a bit the architectural pride of the entire community and which would deserve an in-depth visit, but it is still Sunday morning and the services, in full swing, prevent us from entering.

In the surroundings we nevertheless observe the Vieux Séminaire, which has the reputation of being the oldest building in the city, and, on the facing Place d'Armes, the elegant colonnade of the Bank of Montréal, after which, from the nearest metro station, we go to retrieve our car, when it has just gone past noon. Meanwhile the rain has stopped, but the sky remains deeply gloomy. Nevertheless we decide to go to Mont-Royal, that is, the hill that dominates the city. There we have lunch and then we go to look at the panorama from the Kondiaronk belvedere, certainly not beautiful, given the adverse weather, but acceptable nonetheless.

Shortly after we leave Montreal heading west along Highway 50 and after about 120 kilometers we exit near the town of Montebello, to go and explore Parc Omega, an area where one can admire most of the Canadian wild animals in semi-freedom and a place that little Leo was eagerly awaiting. We stop at the visitor center to buy a bag of carrots to offer the animals, then we set off along the white roads of the park and immediately some deer come toward us looking for food, which we give them by lowering the window.

As the sun also starts shining again, we thus tackle the about ten kilometers of dirt road that crosses the park, encountering many animals, especially deer, but also wild boars, bison and raccoons, in the wild, then, in special enclosures beside the roadway, also wolves, bears and foxes … but no moose! … Who knows why? In some points you can even get out of the car and there are docile fawns that let themselves be touched and come to eat directly from your hands. In this way we spend a good two hours inside Parc Omega and come out all in all satisfied (Leonardo ecstatic). From Montebello we then travel the 75 kilometers along the course of the Ottawa River that separate us from the town of Gatineau, where we stay at the Hotel Adam.

We go to dinner right away and then rush, across the river, into the center of the city of Ottawa, the capital of Canada that we will visit tomorrow, to go and see the sound and light show, which is staged, as every evening, at 21:30, on the monumental facade of the Parliament Building. We struggle a bit to park, but in the end we arrive in time, so, on a warm and starry evening, we can really enjoy a beautiful show, centered on the history of Canada, before returning to the hotel, concluding a day that began not too well, but ended decidedly better.

The awakening near the capital is marked by good weather, which however seems destined to quickly worsen. After having breakfast and stowing our luggage in the car trunk we head toward the center of Ottawa, entering among other things the province of Ontario. In this way we pass in front of the official residence of the Canadian Prime Minister and, having parked our vehicle nearby, we also go to see the nearby Rideau Hall, a nineteenth-century building that is the official residence of the monarch, that is, Queen Elizabeth II, Canada being a member of the Commonwealth, and of her representative, the Governor General of Canada. All very interesting, a shame only about the absence, who knows for what reason, of the guards in the classic red tunic and the huge black busby.

Back at the car we then turn onto Union Street and, crossing a green area, pass over three delightful iron bridges, then go to park in the underground lot where we had also found a place last night and from there we begin exploring the historic center of Ottawa, but not before having faced a long line to pick up the free tickets that will give us access to Parliament. Meanwhile, as predicted, quite a few clouds have already arrived. With the tickets for the 11:40 guided tour in hand we head toward Parliament Hill, the vast area where the main government buildings are located, among which naturally stands out the grandiose outline of the Parliament building (or Center Block), built in Gothic style in 1867, to which, following the rebuilding due to a fire, the beautiful clock tower called the Peace Tower was also added in the twentieth century.

The other parliamentary buildings, from the same era, are the East Block, containing the senators' offices, and the West Block, where the ministers' offices are located. Behind the latter there is also the massive Confederation Building. The whole creates an architectural picture of great impact and suggestion, in the center of which the colorful changing of the guard should take place, as every day at 10:00, but with great disappointment we learn that there will be none … Who knows why! … We knew it was held here from June through all of August … We then go to the nearby Château Laurier, a large luxury hotel resembling a castle, built in 1912 in French Gothic style, along whose side run the locks of the Rideau Canal, still entirely manually operated, which we also see in operation.

The canal, moreover, inaugurated in 1832, is the oldest continuously operating one in North America and since 2007 has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Afterwards we walk to the cathedral of Notre-Dame, the most significant place of worship in the capital, erected in the nineteenth century in a style halfway between neo-Gothic and neo-classical, whose interior is richly decorated and very striking. After leaving the church we return however to Parliament Hill because it is almost time for the scheduled guided tour. We thus enter, after an endless series of checks, the sumptuous Parliament Building and step by step go to discover its most significant places, starting with the octagonal and scenic Confederation Hall, located at the center of the complex, to then arrive, through the Hall of Honor, at the monumental library, structured like a chapter house.

Right after we then go to see the Senate Chamber, arranged along the lines of the London House of Lords, with also the throne for the monarch, but not the House of Commons, where Parliament meets, because it is engaged in its function. The entire visit, however, is commented in French and we understand little or nothing, but above all it goes on much longer than expected and we come out of it when it is almost 13:00, so, heavily conditioned by the schedule, we have lunch on the street with a hot dog and then quickly set off toward the next destination. We leave Ottawa also facing a line due to an accident along the highway, then we launch into the race toward the town of Kingston, which is almost two hundred kilometers away. In this way we regain the banks of the St.

Lawrence and arrive, on the outskirts of the city, at Fort Henry, a massive military construction erected in 1812 to defend the entrance to Lake Ontario, and we do so a few minutes after 15:00, when the Garrison Parade, a parade with period uniforms that we intended to see, has already begun. We enter anyway and watch almost twenty minutes of the performance, which culminates with the noisy (blank) gunfire of a platoon. Then we explore the fort, while a few drops of rain also fall, observing its interesting environments, made even more intriguing by the presence, here and there, of costumed reenactors.

We leave Fort Henry around 16:30 and head immediately toward the center of Kingston, a historic city that was the first capital of Canada (from 1841 to 1844), to see its most representative buildings, which here have changed architectural style compared to Quebec and have a decidedly more Anglo-Saxon flavor. We thus notice the cathedral of St. George, built in 1825 and preceded by a beautiful Doric portico, then the City Hall, considered one of the most prestigious historic buildings in the country, an example of British Renaissance architecture in the New World. Further out we finally also observe the severe Murney Tower, which belonged to the city's first fortifications, and the neoclassical Courthouse, then, promptly, we set off again because more than two hundred kilometers of road still await us, not even too smooth, to reach the end of the stage.

Under a leaden sky we thus head north crossing typically Canadian lands, among woods and lakes, lakes and woods. Then the clouds open and let through a few rays of sunshine, as we come in sight of Barry's Bay, a remote town where we will spend the night at the Mountain View Motel. Here we have dinner with an honest pizza and then retire to our rooms, putting an end to an overall interesting chapter of the trip.

Today's day will be entirely dedicated to visiting Algonquin Provincial Park, a vast protected area that is the oldest provincial park in Canada, founded in 1893. It is also the last natural park on the program for this trip and therefore the last opportunity to observe wildlife. When we get up the sky is completely covered with clouds, but at least it is not raining, so we set off westward and after about sixty kilometers we pass through the eastern gate of the park, buying, at the visitor center, the relevant day pass. Shortly after we turn right and stop to follow the trail of the Algonquin Logging Museum, which unfolds in the area where loggers once worked and which, thanks to some old machinery, among which is a rusty amphibious tugboat, and a few reconstructions, tries to explain all the aspects of this hard trade, while a few timid rays of sunshine come out.

When we set off again we then move only nine kilometers, along the park's main road, to the parking lot from which the Beaver Pond Trail starts … literally the walk to the beaver pond, but we just don't see the beavers and have to settle for just some signs of their presence. On the other hand it starts raining hard, but it does so for a short time, then a nice patch of clear sky opens up, which makes us hopeful for the rest of the day. On the next trail, only three kilometers away, a beautiful sun is in fact shining, so we can venture out, in the best conditions, along the Spruce Bog Boardwalk, a route that unfolds on walkways over a peat bog and in a splendid landscape … Animals spotted, however, zero … After another three kilometers we then reach the rest area of the Lookout Trail.

This is a slightly more demanding walk, which after some fairly steep stretches leads to a magnificent panoramic point, which we can enjoy also thanks to the excellent weather conditions, with a fantastic clear sky extending above an endless sea of trees as far as the eye can see … All very beautiful! … Less beautiful, however, is the sprain I clumsily get on the way back. Afterwards we stop for a picnic in an equipped area on the shores of a lake, then we cover a good stretch of road and stop to tackle the Hardwood Lookout Trail, a short climb that leads to another panoramic point, with the view ranging, among the trees, over a nearby lake basin.

Finally we treat ourselves to another walk, which was not planned, the Whiskey Rapid Trail, which unfolds along a route, at times muddy, along the bank of a river, always with the hope (by now reduced to a flicker) of spotting some wild animal, but no luck! … No moose to our credit and this in Canada we just cannot forgive, because the expectations were quite different! … On the other hand, with my aching ankle I had an enormous struggle to complete the last of a series of treks that, though short, added together amount to a distance of no small consequence.

By mid-afternoon we thus set the navigator to the city of Toronto, which we reach in the evening, taking lodging at the Howard Inn & Suites … What suites: a motel of the lowest level, perhaps the worst of the entire trip, but one night will pass … A little later we have dinner at Pizza Hut and then retire to our room with still in our eyes the most beautiful photo of the day, that is, the spectacular view from the Lookout Trail of Algonquin Provincial Park.

Toronto, the metropolis of Canada, with its over three million inhabitants, which double if you consider the neighboring areas, awaits us, while a beautiful sun is shining, which however does not seem to have a long life. After about ten kilometers from our motel we go to park in the underground lots of a suburban neighborhood and, after buying the Day Pass, from the Sheppard-Yonge metro station we head toward downtown. We thus emerge at Dundas Square, one of the main squares, which is a bit the Canadian Times Square, surrounded as it is by illuminated billboards and skyscrapers, while the much-feared clouds have already arrived and the grayness is dominant.

From there on foot we then reach the modern City Hall, built in 1965 and formed by two almost twin towers, with the main facade in a concave shape, faced by a large pool in turn spanned by scenic reinforced concrete arches, which give life to one of the most representative views of the city, in our case enriched by a providential patch of clear sky. The complex is, in turn, flanked by the Old City Hall: a monumental neo-Romanesque building that was the Toronto city hall in the early part of the twentieth century, whose facade is located right in front of the entrance to Bay Street, a very central street flanked by the tallest skyscrapers of downtown, among which is the former Toronto Trump Tower. Subsequently we leave this street to reach the St.

Lawrence neighborhood, where the oldest buildings of the city are located, such as the Gooderham Building (also known as the Flatiron Building, given the resemblance to the more famous one in New York), completed in 1829, all in red brick and with an iron load-bearing structure. We then pass through the nineteenth-century St. Lawrence Market and step by step return among the forest of skyscrapers, where we notice the long colonnade of Union Station, faced by the historic and luxurious Royal York Hotel, which when it was built, in 1929, was the tallest building in Canada, with its 124 meters. Further in the distance, on the other hand, stands out the imposing outline of the CN Tower, a true symbol of the city, erected in 1976 with the function of transmitting radio and television signals, which with its 553 meters was for a long time (until 2007) the tallest structure in the world.

A little later, crossing over the tracks of Union Station, we also reach its feet, so as to enjoy the most impressive perspective, unfortunately against the backdrop of a sky that is once again completely gray. Right beside the CN Tower, on the other hand, is the Sky Dome, an enormous multi-purpose facility with a retractable roof where games of every kind are played, from the Toronto Raptors' basketball to baseball or American football, while in front there is the interesting Toronto Railway Museum, which displays outdoors a nice series of old locomotives.

From this area of the city we then walk toward the shores of Lake Ontario and more precisely to Harbourfront, a neighborhood where the York Quay Centre stands out, a vast public space that offers a pleasant walk along the piers and an astonishing view of the city skyline, enhanced by the presence of the sun and a beautiful blue sky, which opens suddenly and then returns to gray a little later when, after lunch, we resume our visits.

Still on foot we return to Union Station and from there we take the metro to reach, just outside downtown, the monumental Ontario Parliament Building, a grandiose Revival-style building dating back to 1892, which houses the legislative offices of the province, and, a short distance away, the interesting complex of buildings that form the historic Toronto University, scattered around the vast grassy expanse of Kings College Circle, which are, to date, the largest and most prestigious university in all of Canada.

With another long walk we then arrive in front of the Ontario Museum, which we observe only for its strange architecture, which blends the original neo-Romanesque buildings with very modern steel and glass structures, then we move by metro a few blocks, to the base of the hill at the top of which are the interesting residences of Spadina House, erected in 1866, and, above all, Casa Loma, an eccentric neo-Gothic construction, resembling a castle, dating back to the early twentieth century, whose appearance is truly surprising and would also deserve a visit to its interior, but to do so you have to invest a small fortune, so we give up, also because it is getting late. After a long metro ride we then return to the starting point to retrieve our car and with it we get back on the road, even though almost immediately we find ourselves stopped in a traffic jam.

In fact, leaving a metropolis like Toronto in the middle of the afternoon is not an easy thing. We nevertheless manage to make our way and, around 19:00, now in the vicinity of the universally known Niagara Falls, we stop to see a large ship that is passing through a lock of the Welland Canal, a colossal hydraulic work that connects Lake Ontario to Lake Erie, obviously avoiding the falls. Then, a little later, we arrive right near the town of Welland, where we stay at the Best Values Inn. We leave our luggage in the room and rush immediately toward Niagara Falls, which are about twenty kilometers away. We stop on the way for dinner (again at Pizza Hut) and afterwards we arrive before the stupendous falls, already illuminated by light displays, in time for the fireworks show, which is held at 22:00 sharp, as happens every evening in this period of the year.

In this way we conclude a splendid day, also staying up late and well beyond our usual schedule.

Today the final chapter of this trip in Canadian territory begins and in theory it should be one of the best, to be spent around the famous Niagara Falls, located on the border with the United States, whose drop is not so high (only 52 meters), but is characterized by a truly impressive sheet of water, due to an average flow of about 110,000 cubic meters per second. Certainly, however, they are the largest waterfalls in North America and among the widest in the world, as well as, probably, the best known. It does not seem it should rain, even though the forecast calls for a mostly cloudy day; in fact the sky is gray, but here and there there is a patch of clear sky. We set off after breakfast and go, as last night, toward the center of Niagara Falls (which is also a city).

We park in more or less the same position and on foot reach the pedestrian promenade that flanks the falls, while, fortunately, the patches of blue sky have decidedly increased and, at times, the sun floods with light the spectacular scene before us, with the drop of the American Falls on the left and the astonishing Horseshoe Falls on the right. After taking the due bursts of photos we then go to take the boat that leads right under the falls, universally known as the Maid of the Mist, even though the vessel with this name departs from the American side. From the Canadian side the service is offered by Hornblower Niagara Cruises, which however follows the identical route.

We set sail and first pass under the American Falls, to then arrive before the Horseshoe Falls … We get a little wet, but it is an indescribable emotion to feel the impetus of that enormous jet of water! Back at the starting point and at the top of the Canadian bank we walk the entire pedestrian promenade, with its stupendous views, as far as Table Rock Point, a magnificent panoramic terrace over the Horseshoe Falls, right at the point where the water begins its fall … and from there we also try the experience called Journey Behind the Falls. With an elevator we go down 38 meters and then, by means of a tunnel, we go to observe the power of the falls from behind, then we contemplate the Horseshoe Falls from a privileged point at their base, before going back up to Table Rock.

At this point of the day, having given up the idea of going up to the observation point of the Skylon Tower because of the not excellent weather conditions, but also because of the now late hour, we head to our car and immediately set off with the intention of crossing the Rainbow Bridge and returning to the United States. The whole thing turns out to be much simpler than expected and without a hitch we soon find ourselves in star-spangled territory, so we head toward Goat Island, which is the island that the Niagara River forms before plunging into the two main falls. There we have lunch and then, on foot, we go to Terrapin Point, a beautiful panoramic point over the Horseshoe Falls diametrically opposite Table Rock, then we also want to try the emotions offered by the attraction called Cave of the Winds.

In this case too, after a film about the history of the falls, an elevator takes us down, but this time to the base of the American Falls and there we take a very wet walk among stairs and walkways that unwind just a few centimeters from the roaring jet of water. This is the last act of the visit to Niagara Falls, which occupied us for almost an entire day, but the hardest part is yet to come, because we are late and still have to cover more than five hundred kilometers to reach the end of the stage. From the state of New York, which we had reached by crossing the Rainbow Bridge, we enter that of Pennsylvania and in the dark we arrive, at 20:40, in the town of Lititz at the Lititz Inn & Suites for the night. For dinner we then go to the nearby Italian restaurant Capriccio.

There we eat good pasta and have a long chat with Giuseppe, the manager and owner of Neapolitan origins, in America for 42 years. He tells us a bit about his life and treats us very well, so at the end of the evening we say goodbye and thank him cordially, putting an end to an unforgettable day.

As the vacation now nears its end we wake up in Lititz, in Lancaster County, the land of the Amish par excellence. A very strange religious community made famous around the world by the film "Witness" (from 1985), born in German Switzerland in the early 16th century which, due to subsequent persecutions, ended up proliferating in the New World. Their creed completely rejects technology and modernities, so they live without electricity and without automobiles, cultivating the fields and making simple things a true philosophy of the spirit. Naturally only a part of the population of this history-rich county is Amish and we, as far as possible, will go in discovery of them. The sky today is unfortunately gloomy and we set off while it is already beginning to drizzle.

In this way we pass through the center of Lititz, noticing some typical buildings, as well as the oldest girls' school in the United States (dating from 1746), then we head into the countryside noticing right away, here and there, the presence of the Amish. The region is also famous for its covered bridges, so we first go to see the Erb's Mill Covered Bridge, from 1849, then the Keller's Mill Covered Bridge, dating back to 1891, but recently rebuilt, and in this way we arrive in the town of Ephrata. Here we stop to take a look at the Ephrata Cloister, a center with some buildings that housed one of the oldest religious communities in the country, then, going back up Main Street, flanked by interesting residences, we head to the northern outskirts of the town to the Green Dragon Market and Auction, a colorful market that is held every Friday, and today is precisely that day of the week.

In this place too we notice the presence of many Amish, who run the most varied stalls of agricultural and food products, offering us the chance to live a beautiful experience, within a real market, anything but touristy. Afterwards we leave Ephrata and in the surroundings we stop to admire a good four covered bridges: the Bitzer's Mills, which, built in 1846, is the oldest in the county still in use, then the Zook's Mill, from 1849, the Pinetown, dating back to 1867 but destroyed by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and rebuilt by the Amish a year later, and finally the Hunsecker's, which with its 55 meters is the longest in the entire region. Then traveling along secondary roads, which also allow us to observe the Amish at work in the fields, we arrive at Lancaster, a historic town and county seat of the county of the same name.

We park near the center and … we have to stay in the car because a small downpour breaks out, but it does not last long and when the rain subsides we take a short walk observing the Fulton Opera, which is one of the oldest theaters in the country, then, walking along King Street, we reach Penn Square, the main square, on which the Central Market also overlooks, a scenic red brick building that houses the oldest municipally managed market in the United States. From here we then retrace our steps and, resuming our itinerary along country roads, we arrive at the Amish Village, an original 1840 farm, open to the public, where you can get a sense of the lifestyle of these people, but we don't enter right away, because first we have lunch with our sandwiches. Afterwards we devote ourselves to exploring the place, from which, honestly, I was expecting something more.

Nevertheless we see the traditional Amish house, the tools, the black carriages with which they still move around today and a few domestic animals, while the rain starts falling again, becoming more insistent and continuous. From the Amish Village we then move to the nearby town of Strasburg, dotted with characteristic buildings, but above all to its outskirts, where the Railroad Museum is located, one of the most important railway museums in the world. So we spend over an hour wandering among a collection of more than one hundred locomotives used by the glorious American companies in the

The last of the days to be spent in the United States also begins, but our flight is not scheduled to depart until the evening, so today we will devote ourselves to visiting Philadelphia which, founded in 1682, turns out to be one of the oldest cities in the States, as well as its capital for ten years, from 1790 to 1800. As soon as we leave the Days Inn, a rather unpleasant downpour breaks out, especially because it was unexpected, but we do not lose heart, trusting in the forecast, and indeed by the time we reach the parking lot of the Collingswood metro station it has already stopped raining. We buy the ticket for the Patco line of New Jersey and head towards the centre of Philadelphia. In this way we cross the Delaware River and return to Pennsylvania.

We then get the Day Pass for the Septa lines and a little later we emerge from underground in the heart of the Old City, the most historic area of the city and not only that, perhaps even of the entire United States. We immediately go to the nearby Visitor Center to collect the tickets for the free visit to Independence Hall, then, since there is time, we stop to see, in the adjacent pavilion, the Liberty Bell, an old and battered bell that is one of the main symbols of the American Revolution, once placed on the tower of the State House (later renamed Independence Hall), which rang on the day the Declaration of Independence was read and remained there until 1876. Across the street we then notice Congress Hall, a small red-brick building that was the seat of the United States Congress at the time when Philadelphia was the capital.

To the left of the latter, on the other hand, is the Georgian-style building of Independence Hall, in which on 4 July 1776 the Declaration of Independence was ratified, sanctioning the birth of the United States of America. In this same place, on 17 September 1787, the drafting of the Constitution was completed. We arrive on site in perfect time for the 9:40 guided tour, so we can enter and savour the view of the main rooms on the ground floor, which exude history from every pore.

Back in the open air, we pass in front of the Old City Hall, a twin building of Congress Hall, in a position diametrically opposite Independence Hall, which before being Philadelphia's city hall was also the seat of the United States Supreme Court, then we file past one after another a series of historic buildings such as the Second Bank of the United States, built in 1824 in Greek Revival style and inspired by the Parthenon, which housed, as the name says, the second authorised credit institution of the union, the Carpenter House, seat of the Carpenters' Company, the oldest craft guild in the United States, and the First Bank of the United States, the first credit institution, also in Greek Revival style, dated 1795.

From there we then move one block, to Franklin Court, on the site where Benjamin Franklin lived, one of the founding fathers of the United States and therefore an important politician and statesman, as well as journalist and writer, but also scientist and inventor (the lightning rod is due to him), and a short distance away, to Christ Church Burial Ground, where his tomb is found, all covered with coins. Immediately afterwards we pass in front of the Meeting House, where in the 19th century members of the Quaker religious sect gathered, and the Betsy Ross House, a small and simple dwelling all draped with stars and stripes flags and banners, in which, it is said, the seamstress Betsy Griscom Ross sewed the first flag of the United States of America.

Continuing our walk through the Old City, we also reach Elfreth's Alley, a characteristic little alley lined with simple 18th-19th century dwellings, which turns out to be the street inhabited continuously for the longest time in all the States, along which we stroll briefly before also reaching the charming Fireman's Hall, which houses a small museum dedicated to the Philadelphia Fire Department. Retracing our steps a little, we then move along narrow Cuthbert Street, dotted with old and historic buildings, and once we arrive in front of Christ Church, the oldest church in the city, dating back to 1727, we take the metro, which takes us outside the Old City. In this way we resurface near the imposing City Hall, Philadelphia's municipal building which, built at the end of the 19th century in Second Empire style, was for some time the tallest habitable structure on the planet.

Certainly, even today, the statue of William Penn, founder of the city, with its eleven metres, is the tallest in the world placed on top of a building. Facing the north side of City Hall there is also the monumental Masonic Temple, which looks like a church and instead is the largest Masonic temple there is, but we cannot visit it because of time constraints. From there, subsequently, we head along Benjamin Franklin Parkway, leaving on our left the skyscraper district of Philadelphia, and after a while we arrive in front of the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, the most important Catholic church in Pennsylvania, but our goal is the Museum of Art, which can already be seen at the end of the avenue. We notice something strange, however: all the side streets are blocked by law enforcement and along the stretch many people are milling about, especially young people.

Once we get closer, we realise that the entire area we are heading towards is off-limits because of a music event. We continue walking along the neighbouring streets towards the museum, but in vain, because its staircase, made famous by the film "Rocky", is just not accessible today … and it is a real disappointment! We turn back, a little disheartened, to City Hall and from there we go, by public transport, quickly towards our car, because it is getting late … So, after a slightly delayed lunch, around 14:30, we set off towards New York and the epilogue of our itinerary. The traffic is heavy but flowing, at least until the colossal Verrazzano Bridge (one of the largest on the face of the Earth), from which we can observe, in the distance, once again the Manhattan skyline.

After that we proceed slowly to arrive, around 17:00, at Avis, so as to return our faithful Dodge Grand Caravan, with which, between the United States and Canada, we have covered a good 7474 kilometres. From there, with the Air Train, we then reach Terminal 1 of JFK Airport and immediately queue up to check in our luggage … An unnerving queue, which moves very slowly, but in the end we get through it, so we can also face the strict American security checks that lead us, finally, in front of Gate number 4, from which we will board. The wait this time is short and soon we find ourselves on the Airbus A330 of Air Italy, which a little later lifts off the ground, identified as flight IG 0902. It is 20:54 and we are preparing to face the Atlantic crossing, now in complete darkness.

So, as soon as we have climbed to altitude, I move the hands of the clock forward six hours to Italian time and in no time at all it is already …

Racing to meet the Earth's rotation, the night is really short and the first light of dawn is just around the corner. Despite this, we also manage to sleep a little before flying over the Alps and beginning the descent towards Milan Malpensa airport, where we land at 10:27 local time. This time we recover all five bags and, about an hour after landing, also our car at Ciao Parking. So we set off immediately towards home. At noon we thus drive along Milan's Tangenziale Ovest and, once on the A1, an hour later we are in Parma, accompanied by rain, which makes the climate look more like Canada's rather than Italian summer. At 13:40 we are in Bologna on the A14, from which we exit at Faenza, where it is 14:05. In this way at 14:19 we happily conclude the trip in front of the gate of our home, where Valentina's parents are also waiting for us.

As on every other occasion we have gone to North America, this too was an epic trip, but a notch below those spent in the west. Nevertheless, we can say we have seen natural places of extraordinary beauty, great metropolises and cities rich in history … only the moose was missing in action!