August
4, 2018 - Montreal to
Newark, DEWe met the bus in Brossard, QC at 5:15AM for our drive to Newark, DE. I am travelling with my brother and sister-in-law. After passing the US customs we had lunch at a Chinese Buffet, the food was very good.
After lunch we drove to Woodbury Common Premium Outlet, the largest and most famous outlet in North America for shopping the brands such as: Gucci, Fendi, Burberry, MaxMara, St. John, UGG, Coach and many more. We had 3.5hrs of shopping, since we are not shoppers, we walked around the whole place. I did buy a few things so not all lost.
We then checked in to our hotel in Newark, DE. We arrived around 7pm did our check-in which went fast. We went to the restaurant in the hotel to have some dinner. They had a special for $10 you got a nice salad, an Italian dinner and a glass of wine. It was delicious but we could not eat all of it. We were are so tired, we went to bed.
August
5, 2018 - Newark, DE to Virginia Beach, VAAfter breakfast, we drove to Virginia Beach (the most beautiful and warm beach in the East of America) we should arrive around 1pm, I am writing this part in the bus. We will go for some lunch as the check-in is only at 3pm. After checking-in to the hotel, there is a grocery store behind the hotel that is open 24hrs. We picked up food for dinner before we went and check out the boardwalk.
August
6, 2018 - Virginia Beach, VAWe had the whole day to enjoy our surroundings at Virginia Beach.
We met with our cousin for lunch. We were 7 for lunch, my cousin came with her husband and 2 sons. We had a nice visit, got to know each other a little bit more. They drove down from home which was a 3 hrs drive each way. We were happy we got to see them again. On our way back from the restaurant called George, we took a detour via the boardwalk on our way back to the hotel where they were parked. We spent more time with them at the pool side.
After they left, I used the pool, which the water was very nice and cooling as it has been very hot here.
August
7, 2018 - Virginia Beach, VAAfter breakfast went to visit the Virginia Marine Science Museum where over 800,000 gallons of aquariums and hands-on exhibits. Among a wide number of sea creatures, we saw up close, sharks, sea turtles, harbour seals, river otters and stingrays. If you have been to Aquariums before, then this was a repeat of previous Aquariums.
After we headed to the largest naval base in the world - Norfolk. We had a 45 minutes tour that was conduct. This tour was not what we all expected, I think most people would have preferred just having a full beach day especially since we had thunderstorm in the late afternoon. I heard that people were kick-off the beach at 3 different times.
The rest of the day was free time. I went in the pool for a short while then we sat and chatted with other guests before the thunderstorms started.
August
8, 2018 - Virginia Beach to Newark, DEAfter breakfast, we had free time until 1pm.
We drove to Newark, DE leaving Virginia Beach around 1pm. We had lunch on the road and checked into our hotel in DE.
August
9, 2018 - Lancaster, PA to MontrealAfter breakfast we left at 8:30am.
We then drove to Pennsylvania and visited The Amish Village in Lancaster. We were able to discover an entire community living out of our modern life, without technology, without electricity and do not travel by car. It is a real return in time that we are living now.
We toured the Amish museum where we were directed to the church part where men and woman are seated apart. Our guide told us that they are using solar panels now for some electricity like washing machines but no dryers. They also us propane, we can see the large propane tanks on their lots. The Amish live with the English (English is called for any people who are not Amish). You can recognize the Amish house by having green blinds or shutters in the windows. Their clothes are hung up on a long clothes line. All there clothes are made by the woman. When they reach 16 they can go out with other English but do return home at the end of the evening. When they choose their wives, before they get married they are baptised Amish then the wedding. The man shaves his beard off for the wedding then he lets it grow after he is married. The men do shave their moustache as to not look like the Germans. After the museum we boarded the bus for a tour of the village where they live amongst the English.
After our tour we headed for lunch at an Amish restaurant. It is family style, if you are familiar with our Sugar Shacks, the tables are set up the same way.
We boarded the bus around 12:30pm for our return to Montreal. We would stop every 2-3 hours for a pit stop. Before going through the Canadian Border, we stopped at Duty Free. From the Boarder we were 45 minutes from Brossard, QC, called a taxi then home. I arrived home around 11pm.
Final
thoughtsOnce at Virginia Beach we were able to enjoy 3 days there doing what ever we wanted which was nice. We did not like the Norfolk tour, most people would have preferred staying at the beach.
The hotels were very nice, two nights at Ramada Inn in DE and three nights in La Quinta in Virginia Beach.
This was our first bus tour, as we prefer cruising, but I would do a bus trip again in the future.
