23rd July - 31st July 2008

We left Niagara and drove to Massachusetts, to visit Eta and Gordon, our friends from Didi Mau, who are working at a summer camp for boys, in The Berkshires. We are staying with Eta and Gordon's friends, who have very kindly offered to put us up at their house at a place called Becket.

We have been walking in the area, it is very pretty, woodland and streams similar to England but on a larger scale. The whole area is New England and it is famous for its broad leaved forests which turn to spectacular colours in autumn and can be seen from space. The only problem is the giant mosquitoes which are very fierce and not easily deterred by insect repellent, even jungle formula containing 40 % deet. We have walked to the top of monument mountain, 1730 feet high, where we got a good view of the area. Mount Greylock is the highest peak but at the moment the road is closed so we cant get to the trails.

We have been to an art gallery with Eta and Gordon on their day off work, since it rained all day. New England is as wet as old England.

We went to the horse races at Saratoga Springs on Saturday, with Lynn and Michael, who we are staying with. We picked three winners but unfortunately had not put any money on them. The ones we did back had the usual three legs. Saratoga Springs itself is a pretty town with some interesting craft shops and lots of restaurants. We bought cakes from Mrs Londons bakery, reputedly the best in the area. After the racing finished we went to the other race track to watch the trotters. This is what I think of as horse racing in the States, the horse has to trot pulling a buggy and is disqualified if it breaks steps and cantors. Unfortunately there was a massive thunder storm and the racing was postponed so we only saw the practice laps.

On Sunday we had a tour of Lynn and Michael's property, they have 37 acres, including woodland and a brook, which following more torrential rain looked like a white water river. The torrential rain caused many local roads to flood and become rivers, it was quite a sight.