Thanksgiving Weekend

The Inn at Saratoga

After having friends at our home for Thanksgiving Day, we awoke the following morning, packed some clothes and some photography gear and headed for the Adirondack Mountains for the rest of the long weekend.

We had booked a room at an old inn in Saratoga Springs. It turned out to be a very nice weekend in a very beautiful place! It was sort of like stepping back in time into a land of colorful spirits and Victorian architecture with character.

The inn was very nice and we would definitely stay here again. There is so much to do in the area that we could easily spend a number of weekends here throughout the year.

The bridge joining Vermont to the
Adirondack Mountains of New York.

Our original intention for heading to the Adirondacks was to see the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train as it passed through the Adirondack Mountains. This original plan had us driving all the way over there... seeing the train... then immediately heading back home. This ridiculous, exhausting plan lasted for about an hour before we decided to book a room for the whole weekend!

While we were in Saratoga Springs, we walked around downtown... we did some shopping and Sheila bought some nice clothes (one of the many things which are difficult to find in Vermont)... we visited some Memorials... we tasted some of the many fresh water springs throughout the town... we visited an historical museum... we drove around... we visited a few restaurants... and, of course, we spent time at the train station for the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train.

While at the train station, we noticed that the main attraction is actually "The Polar Express". This fabled holiday train immediately reminded us of the grandchildren and how much they would enjoy sitting in the all-glass domed car of The Polar Express... linens on the tables... decorated for Christmas... hot chocolate in their own Polar Express mugs... warm and cozy in their Christmas pajamas... having the conductor come by and punch their golden ticket with their names... the chefs and waitstaff singing and dancing down the aisle to Christmas music...

On this night, The Polar Express arrived back in the station just before Santa and the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train arrived. The station was crowded with hundreds, if not thousands, of people waiting to catch of glimpse of this train. Before long, we could hear the horn of this colorful, brightly decorated freight train off in the distance... slowly... it clanged into the station... Christmas decorations blinking on and off...

While at the station, we bought some Polar Express "gift stuff" for the grandchildren and then we headed back to downtown Saratoga Springs for some delicious Mexican food and a few drinks with friends. After some arm-twisting by our waiter, Frank even had a shot of their house Tequila on the house. Frank claims it was, by far, the best Tequila he's ever had! Although the food is delicious too, Frank wants to return to this Mexican restaurant just for more of their house Tequila.

All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving weekend. Our accommodations were beautiful and quaint of the Victorian era. Taking part in the whole Canadian Pacific Holiday Train fundraiser was definitely a worthwhile cause for heading out of town. We all had a great time!

Below are some photos of the inn... I'll write more and share more photos from the rest of our weekend soon....