A Valentine's Day Surprise

Valentine's Day was on a Tuesday this year.  Not really an ideal date night for anyone, but especially not if you are in a long distance relationship.  Chris had resigned himself to the fact that we weren't going to see each other that night and we made plans to celebrate while he was in Buffalo the previous weekend.  What he didn't know is that I had made plans to come down for a surprise visit and treat him to a dinner cruise on the Gateway Clipper. 

I've pulled off surprise parties and events before without a hitch but I was worried about this one.  What if Chris made other plans?  What if he had the same crazy idea and decided to come to Buffalo and we passed each other on the 79?  Luckily my friend Jason works in the same office as Chris and kept tabs on him throughout out the day.  I kept getting updates like "Chris just went to a meeting" or "Chris is away but not offline." 

I had given away the secret that Chris was getting a Valentine's Day surprise but he was convinced it was something like a cookie bouquet or Sherri's Berries.  When I called to thank him for the beautiful purple roses he sent to my office, he commented "I still don't have my surprise."  When we talked at various points throughout the day, I assured him that it was coming.  When I left the office to head to Pittsburgh, I texted him that I had just received confirmation that his surprise was officially on the road.  As I approached Pittsburgh, I (not surprisingly) got stuck in traffic.  Right around the same time (as the end of the work day was fast approaching), Chris texted me again to say that his surprise had not yet arrived.  I giggled as I replied "it is stuck in traffic but should be there soon." At this point he was convinced that his surprise was something I left with my friend Jason to deliver to him and not something being delivered by a company to his office. 

Chris was shocked to learn that his surprise was actually me coming down to visit him.  He was very excited that I was there but we almost weren't able to take the dinner cruise!  A test he had to run was scheduled for 7:00 that night - right when we'd be cruising on one of Pittsburgh's three rivers.  Thankfully the test was cancelled and didn't interfere with our plans. 

We met up at Station Square, the home of the Gateway Clipper Fleet (and also where Chris parks for work and where we first met).  With time to kill, we took a trek up the Monongahela Incline.  As the incline inched away from the Station Square station to the top of Mount Washington, the Pittsburgh skyline came into full view.  I don't think I'll ever lose the awe over the stunning views from multiple angles that the City of Pittsburgh provides.  After departing the incline, we spend some time observing from the platforms that jut out over the edge of Mt. Washington.  It was chilly so we didn't stay too long but I could picture myself sitting on a bench on a summer day enjoying the view and getting lost in thought about all the stories that were taking place down below.

The Valentine's day dinner cruise on the Gateway Clipper exceeded my expectations.  We boarded the Majestic and the interior resembled a two story banquet hall.  The decor and atmosphere were much different than I expected as I felt more like I was in a hotel ballroom than on a boat.  We were escorted to our window seats (after a quick photo opportunity) and were greeted with a friendly waitress presenting is with drink and appetizer options.  Drinks were a bit pricey but that is to be expected at something like this. 

Dinner was served buffet style and with great precision as the large number of tables were all served quickly and efficiently.  There were a variety of options and I found the food to be quite tasty considering it was generic banquet food.

The cruise itself was a lot of fun.  There was some narration about the buildings we were passing along the way but not so much that it distracted from the romantic experience of the dinner cruise.  There was a live "band" that played the music for the evening.  I'm a musician so I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to musical quality and this group was certainly not destined for large scale success any time soon.  But they knew how to get a crowd into the music and have fun and ultimately, that is what really matters.  After dancing the night away we took some time to explore the other decks of the ship.  It is quite spacious and each area has its own character. 

It was fantastic seeing the skyline of Pittsburgh and the areas surrounding downtown Pittsburgh via the water at night.  Once again I marveled at what a fun and unique experience was available in the Steel City, especially in the middle of winter.  I look forward to taking a Gateway Clipper cruise again - perhaps one of the one hour sight seeing tours.

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