In the morning, we headed for Applebee's to enjoy our free breakfast. It was a surprise to discover that we were entitled to several of the more expensive items on the menu...a huge breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, toast, coffee and orange juice were included with our hotel stay. There were three choices on the menu for those guests with vouchers.
After deciding to pack up and check out, we headed back to the casino to try to use up our credits. It didn't happen. I played deuces wild on the machine for another half hour, before I decided to cash out my $15 and go. We thought a leisurely drive around Niagara and nearby might be nice.
What trip would be complete without driving past the magnificent falls? In the winter, you get a whole different perspective.
As we neared Niagara on the Lake, we passed a sign that said, "Ice House Winery", slushies. The car miraculously turned itself around and headed back.
http://theicehouse.ca/
It was winter, but nonetheless, I wanted a slushie. We entered the most marvelous of buildings with beautiful wooden floors, detail, and decor. A very friendly young man, offered us three types of ice wine samples and explained how they were created, along with the various tastes we were to experience. All were delicious. We purchased some ice wine to take home and on the way out, I had my slushie...just a small one, but it was memorable.
Soon we were on our way yet again, passing a small chapel which I'd seen on prior visits to the area. Again, the car turned around and went back. I took a selfie or as they were called back in the day, a self timed photo to give some perspective as to the size of the building. Unfortunately, the world's smallest church, the Living Water Wayside Chapel was closed for the season.
https://www.niagarafallsmarriott.com/niagara-seasons/worlds-smallest-church-living-water-wayside-chapel
Before long, we were on our way for the trek home. Then I had an idea. I searched Google on my cell phone and immediately found what I was looking for. Since I knew it was enroute, more or less, I wanted to see the world's oldest Tim Horton's in Hamilton.
We found it on Ottawa St. N. as promised by Google and found by Garmin. Isn't technology amazing? No need to think or read maps anymore.
In front of the building was a prominent sculpture of Tim. The street was marked and there was a huge depiction of how the original donut shop appeared. Did people and cars really look like that in 1964? And oh, look...a newspaper box. It's the Toronto Telegram!
I was mildly disappointed that what I saw was not the usual easily identifiable Timmies, but rather a two story apartment style structure (to the left of the sculpture). The upper level had seating plus a small Tim Horton's museum of history.
There were displays of uniforms, newspaper headlines, toys, and paraphernalia through the decades.
The prices and types of donuts were also quite different at the original Tim Horton's. Haven't seen those cream filled eclairs anywhere. Day olds? Who remembers those?
It was a nice visit and culmination to our mini vacation. January doesn't need to be a long and dreary waste of time. There are ways to make it tolerable by creating experiences, mini adventures, that are fun and memorable...whether they be part of a bucket list, or not.
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