We Visit the Real Center of Connecticut Along the River in Middletown, Middlesex, and Portland...

There's a portion of the whole wide world that collides in the middle of Connecticut.  Whether it be history, recreation, water, kids, arts, or the F40 Motorsports Garage featured on Chasing Classic Cars on the Velocity Channel; there's a little something for everyone in this  very central area of Connecticut.  So, pull up a taxi and have a hotdog while I explain myself.

Portland, CT is the home of the garage for Chasing Classic Cars, but it's more than that.  It's the city on the east side of the Connecticut River on Route 66 (Yes, that Route 66).  It's the first city you visit when you cross the Charles J. Arrigoni Bridge  from Middletown to Portland.  This amazing high and beautiful bridge connects the two sides of the river in this area and on the Portland side there is a park along the river that is ready to have a concert or a wedding reception--your choice.  But, Portland has so much more.  Everything in the center of Portland is called Brownstone.  Brownstone is the name of the quarry that used to be the hinge pin of the working class of the town.  Now, what do you do with an old quarry?  Well, you make it into Brownstone Park.  Here you can do all things water, and some other cool stuff too.  They have zip lines, and scuba diving, wake boards, and all kinds of stuff to do.  It's the biggest attraction in the area, running out some old favorites like Dinosaur Mini Golf (Sorry world, but I loved that place) and becoming the most popular spot around.  There are three parking lots to support the place and the parking is currently not that convenient, but they are making the best of it.  It's a little new here, but they are making improvements all the time and soon they will be the well prepared Disney of Connecticut.

MIddletown is really something when you think about it.  The view of the bridge from along the river bank alone is worth the trip.  But, it's more than that.  It's about Wesleyan University and their rowing team that practices here close to their campus.  It's about Connecticut's first children's museum, Kid City.  My son used to go there when he was little, before it became a huge trend in this area.  You can take a theme cruise on the Lady Katherine from Harbor Park.  You can visit Wild Bill's Nostalgia Shop.  You can find your way out of an adventure room with that growing trend to bring excitement to your life.  You can visit an observatory and see what's going on in the universe.  There's no end to the things to see in this area.

Then there's my favorite spot, lunch with a view.  Along the river in Harbor Park is the Mattabesett Canoe Club at Harbor Park.  In my lifetime this place has had a dozen names, but us old timers call it Harbor Park.  This one comes with a story.  When I first moved to Connecticut back in 1992; this is the place that I used to come on the weekends to hear live bands.  They get some of the best local bands in the state to perform here, no matter who the current owners are.  There's also the fact that you can park your boat outside this club.  They also have amazing food.  It's always been one of my favorite places in the world, and I have now introduced it to my son.  He loved it too.  You can't miss it.  It's right below Route 9; the central road through Middletown.  Don't miss this one.

So, we went looking for some local state parks around Middletown to write about today.  First thing to know about Connecticut State Parks in Middletown is that all the signs seem to be missing.  We looked for Dart Island State Park which is only accessible by boat on the Connecticut River; however, we didn't find  any way to access this place even with a map.  This also made it impossible to find Hurd State Park right down the road.  These are a mystery and not worth the search; I promise.  Dart Island might be worth it if you have a boat.  What we did find was the Wadsworth collection.  There is a mansion that resembles the White House a bit, but it seems to only be available for rent for special occasions.  We found Wadsworth Falls State Park, but discovered that it has two distinct parts.  The first part was a lovely beach on a pond.  It seemed very popular on the hot day that we visited.  There were lifeguards, but there was only a fee on the weekends.

As we wondered for the second time in as many weeks where the waterfalls were that the park was obviously named for, we found a map.  There was a whole other section of the park.  You could hike there on trails, or you could take the lazy way and drive there.  We were all over the driving idea, since we hadn't had the best of luck with finding parks at all that day.  What we found at the other end was beautiful.  Wadsworth Falls looks beautiful even during a drought like the one we're currently having.  The locals were there swimming in the cool cascading waters.  There was also a little falls, but the main falls were the drawing point.  They were gorgeous, and easily accessible.  Once again, the signs are non existent.  Be prepared to use your GPS app.

There's an awful lot to do in the middle of Connecticut.  I know that the traditional center of the state is supposed to be Hartford, but I learned on my very first trip here, back in the 1980's that Middletown is the center.  There's a lot to do in this mid sized city.  The people are great.  It's so close to most things, that you can't help but  stick around for a while.  And why wouldn't you stay?  Where else can you glide on zip lines over a quarry, play in a waterfall, and park your boat at the best restaurant in town?  In the evening, you can run up to New Britain and see the Minor League Baseball Team; The Bees.  There's something for everyone here, and great music to go with it.  This is my summer of Connecticut, so don't miss out on my great advice on how to visit my state; Connecticut.  The tourist board here should be so lucky as to have me to help them draw you to this fabulous state.  So, welcome to the center of the microcosm that I call Connecticut.  Enjoy!

http://www.past-inc.org/historic-bridges/metal-arrigoni.html
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http://www.bradleyairport.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
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http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
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https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

You Won't Believe This Spot In China...Shenzhen!

Not far from Hong Kong and Macau lies a place that seems like it comes out of a movie.  This is Shenzhen, China in the Guangdong Province, and it's not like most cities on Earth.  This place was planned in the 1970's and has turned into the entertainment capital of this part of the country for families and tourists of all kinds.

The architecture in Shenzhen is modern.  They have some of the most modern buildings in the world whether it be the local library or an apartment building.  There is nothing old here, unless you count 50 or so years as old in the world of architectural design.  You won't find walled cities here or ancient gates.  You will find modern shops, modern clubs, modern restaurants, and modern hotels.  If you like old and historic, this is not the place for you.

What will you find in Shenzhen?  Well, that may surprise you.  I love attractions and I love innovations.  That's what you will find in Shenzhen.  What Shenzhen has is parks.  Tons of them.  All kinds  of them.  This is tourism central for this province and all of China.

In addition to Sea World and a fabrication that was supposed to feel like a Disney park, there are beautiful parks, culture parks, relaxing parks, and traditional parks.  There are a ton of places to take a walk and take a lot of pictures.  This city is a favorite hopping off spot for people from Hong Kong and Macau.  There are not a lot of international tourists that visit the city and that is not unusual since China has been rather closed off to the rest of the world for several decades.  But beware, as things open up more and more, this place will get crowded.  If Disney has taught us anything, hokey theme parks will draw tourists.

Shenzhen has a safari park to go along with it's Sea World.

They also have a park that is dedicated to beaches.  These are all man made and really impressive.  The one thing that it not simulated when it comes to Dameisha Park, is the sun.  So, don't forget some serious sunblock.  The military park is home to the Minsk and many other military things.  This is a great park for history buffs.

Happy Valley is what we Americans would call a traditional theme park.  It has all the thrill rides with roller coasters and water parks.  This is the place to take the family to ride on rides for the day.  It is one of Shenzhen's most popular parks, so if you think that by going to a park in China you might sidestep the long lines, I doubt it.

Here's the Adventure for Anyone though.  It's called Window on the World Park.  This is a theme park designed to let people experience the great landmarks from around the world.  China is new at being open and having their people get out and travel the world.  This place gives them a chance to take a peek at what's out there all in one place.  Personally, that sounds convenient.  You can go to the Pyramids of Giza without getting on a risky flight.  You can see the Tower Bridge without going broke to go to London.  It's great fun, and the kids can get a passport and go around the park trying to identify the exhibits by the descriptions in the passport.  It makes a game out of it.  All of the buildings and structures are reduced scale and you can theoretically see the best parts of the whole world in a day.

So, if you would like to see the Sydney Opera House and the Grand Canyon all in one day, Window on the World Park is your spot.  If you want a surreal experience, instead of the more traditional trip to Beijing, then Shenzhen is your stop.  The public transport is great in the city, and the accommodations are modern and luxurious.  If you want the whole world in one stop and all the creature comforts of a resort as well, Shenzhen is your place.  So, after you've seen Hong Kong and gambled in Macau, swing by Shenzhen and see the world in a day.  Enjoy!

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/guangdong/shenzhen/
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My In Depth Tour of Connecticut Continues With...Norfolk!

I've said it a million times.  Connecticut is a microcosm.  It takes two hours or so to cross the state the long way.  But, in that two hours you get to see what it takes a lot of people the entire country to see.  From the mountains to the prairie to the oceans, we have it all.  This is the summer that I do an in depth tour of the state that I have chosen for my home and see all that it has to offer.  My next stop on this tour was Norfolk.  Norfolk is one of those tiny little towns that we all love to see on a postcard, but when we get there we wonder what to do.  the surprise here is that there's stuff to do.  There's more there than just the gorgeous churches that line the streets on your way through.

For one thing, Norfolk is home to three old state parks.  The first one that we visited was Dennis Hill State Park.  This is a great picnic venue.  If you want, you can rent the pavilion for the day and have a big family reunion.  But, there are two things that I really love about Dennis Hill.  One is the Mountain Laurel blooming all along the drive to the top of the hill.  In June, it is absolutely fabulous.  The other thing that I adore about this park is the view from the top of the hill.  This hill is a small mountain, and you have views of all the mountains around.  It's a beautiful spot in the world.

Next, we visited Haystack Mountain State Park.  This is a great place to have a lunch also.  The lake is beautiful and the drive is beautiful.  This park has an added perk.  From the end of the drive it is a short hike to the old lookout tower.  The views from the top are outstanding.  This park is also walking distance from downtown Norfolk just in case you didn't drive on this trip.  It is unlikely that you would not drive, because Norfolk is a tiny berg between Winsted and Canaan on Route 44 in the northwest corner of the state.  There are no buses or taxis out there.

State park number three was not quite a Connecticut State Park.  Campbell Falls State Park is a Connecticut State Park, but.  It's right up the road from Haystack Mountain on the same road, Route 272, but the falls that the park is named after is in Massachusetts.  You walk across the state line.  It makes for an interesting little walk down a steep hill, so bring your hiking shoes.  And you might want to bring some shoes that you would also wear in water, because it's irresistible to soak your feet a little bit.  Anyway, the falls are gorgeous, and it's a great way to spend some time on a hot afternoon.

There's one more park that we visited.  This is the town park.  It's right behind the beautiful old churches in the middle of town.  The grounds are beautiful.  The buildings are charming.  In back of all that, there are the local ball fields where all the local leagues play.  Once again, it's Norfolk, so it's peaceful.  I will warn you that if you are looking for a thrill filled adventure of a holiday; Norfolk is not your place.  This is the kind of town where you wander the parks, visit some beautiful buildings, have a meal at Wood Creek Bar and Grill, and enjoy the atmosphere.

But, there are some civilized things around.  For one thing, there's Infinity Hall.  That's the local theater that hosts all kinds of things and has open mic nights as well.  Headliners perform there like The Little River Band and Jefferson Starship.  This theater is something that you don't normally find in a tiny town like Norfolk, but it's the sister theater to the Infinity Theater in Hartford.  So, you get a little taste of the city in the middle of nowhere.  So, after you eat, take in a show and then spend the night at a bed and breakfast like Mountain View.  You won't find any large hotels here.  Quaint and Quiet is the way we like it in this neck of the woods.

So, Norfolk is quiet, beautiful, and not overrun with tourists.  It's a great weekend spot.  It's a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll with a lot of beauty woven through.  It's a great place to get away from it all and see some beautiful sights.  It is a small town with one main drag and the highway that runs through it, but it is home to theater, arts, food, and the great outdoors.  It's one of those tiny little places that most of us spend most of our time passing through, but when you stop and take the time to check it out you realize that you've been missing out.

So, the next time you say you want to get away from it all for the weekend, consider that overnight stay in a bed and breakfast.  Maybe take in a headline band and eat some great food.  Take a walk in the woods.  See a beautiful waterfall.  Have a picnic.  But remember one thing about Norfolk.  Even on Main Street in the parking area, you have a completely amazing view.  Come check out the view in the amazing little berg and enjoy!

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Keep an eye on this blog as I intend to rival the tourist board in Connecticut with my stories about travel in this beautiful state.  Still Revolutionary doesn't begin to describe this amazing microcosm, so stay tuned and see what Connecticut really has to offer!