F 1 D 0 - 2004 05 30 at 2305 Syracuse New York. This is probably our last American stop on the trip, or at least, our last overnight stop. Syracuse is a working city, so you see lots of factories, and lots of business which appeals to families and the working. It was Sunday night, and Jeff was convinced there wouldn't be anything to see or do on a Sunday night, especially since we we here for Memorial Day. Wrong! We see about six cars near a store called Ella's 99 Cent World. How big is this place? When we go inside, it's got 9 aisles of interesting things we've been looking for. I picked up some packages with "molecule toys", that is, a package of sticks and balls. I'll report on how good it is in the future. And what else? Small fluorescent bulbs, small lighting things with batteries, signal things for locating lost goodies (just whistle!), and more than I can remember. What a deal. We wanted to see what Syracuse looked like, and found a place with lots to see. Uh, we also managed getting lost. It wasn't very lost, mind you. We drove around the perimeter, and didn't actually see anything that would help us find our way back. But we're here now, at another Comfort Inn. They've been familiar and friendly places for us. This one, like another one we were in, has ensuite high speed internet. It is also supposed to have a wireless hot spot, but that could be in the common area. We're sharing what we have. It's working. Have you ever been lost in a town, and asked a store clerk for help, only to find they don't know either? That didn't happen here. People were friendly, and knowledgeable too. Like how? Here: Syracuse has traffic circles (they are also called Rotaries). These are good places to burst an arterie, as [1] you can take the wrong exit all too easily, but worse [2] you might have to drive a mile before you can return to try the thing again. When it comes to driving directions: Rule 1: Jeff is always right. When he's wrong, Rule 2: refer to rule 1. from a movie: "Humour. It is a difficult concept. It is illogical." and from the same movie: "We learn by doing." Somehow those two statements apply well to getting lost here in Syracuse. It took much longer to get from Boston Land to Syracuse Land than we anticipated. But it's a straight path. Get onto Interstate 90 West until you are home. Well, here are the minor amendments to that: Eventually after leaving Massachusetts, follow the signs to Buffalo, which will say I-87 North. And in Buffalo follow I-290 or I-190 as the signs direct you back to Canada. Has Bonanza and Ponderosa died altogether? We keep finding their skeletal remains in one town after another. Was the business plan so bad that money couldn't be made? I'm just confused. We've found a Home Town Buffet and (?) Classic Buffet. These places have all of the things we want for the price of an entree. But we found another Pizzeria Uno in Albany, and you know what? If you get just what you want, and enough of it, then the buffet is hardly required. They've sold me a 10 oz burger deal twice, and it was perfect twice. I couldn't finish the stuff I was given twice. Maybe my buffet days are over? I'll log off, and play with some of the goodies from the dollar store now. They really remind me of the toys we could have spent 50.00 on at The Sharper Image. That's all for now. If I wake up and feel like it, I'll share more with you.