Month: September 2004
Niagara Falls 2004
We visited Niagara Falls for a week in late September and got a great room with a super view. As a child we used to go to Niagara Falls all the time, it was about the same distance away as Mackinaw and there were train tours that left from Windsor so we only had to drive across the border. However since 911 the borders have gotten alot stricter which means long lines and waiting periods. Probably will never go back to the way it was but it certainly affects where you want to vacation.
Anyhow highlights of this trip are the falls, we visited both the American side and the Canadian side, although we stayed on the Canadian side. In addition, Mary rode a trolley car over a whirlpool while James and I watched. Had to be a thrill for Mary though.
Niagara Movieland Museum 2004
I remember as a child visiting a wax museum while visiting at Niagara Falls. At that time, there was no Clifton Hill or if there was it was a normal looking area. But as a child the wax museum really fascinated me with its 3d representation of history such as Marie Antionette and movies such as the African Queen. I do not know if this is the same place, or if it evolved into this place, but I really enjoyed going through this museum and all the movies and television shows that were represented here.
They have all the great ones, Wizard of Oz, Indiana Jones, Blues Brothers, and a slew of horror movies. A worthwhile visit for sure.
Niagara Ripley Believe It Or Not Museum 2004
This is one of those tourist traps in Cliton Hills but if it is half as good on the inside as it looks on the outside it has to be great. The outside is a building that has been tipped over by King Kong who is standing on what used to be the top of the fallen building and shaking his fist triumphantly in the air. How can mere mortals resist something like this.
The inside was legit and fun, perhaps the thing that I liked best is when you come out of one of the exhibits and there is a couple taking a picture and your first instinct is to step back and let them take the picture. After a few seconds you realize that they are very realistic mannequins and you have just been “gotcha’d” by the good people at Ripley.
A fun place, but isn’t everything on Clifton Hill?
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Niagara Whirlpool 2004
If you walk downstream far enough at Niagara you will come to a circular like lake where all the water from the falls flows into. Right in the center of this lake is a whirlpool. It looks a little like a black hole with water as it sucks everything into it. Kind of scary.
Above this lake with the whirlpool is a trolley that travels across the lake. People wait in line to be hoisted over this lake/river/whirlpool or whatever you want to call it. I had no intention of riding it but James Mom did and she said it was a fun trip.
Oh well,to each their own.
Niagara Fun Factory Arcade 2004
The kid is barely one year old and already his favorite place is this arcade that we pass by on our way to almost everything in Niagara. Its like they say, location, location, location. James is simply fascinated by the sounds, lights, and motion of everything going on around him. We are kind of fortunate that we can visit this time of year since most of the school kids are in school so James has the arcade pretty much to himself.
His favorite is a Sesame Street ride with Grover and Big Bird (or is it Bert and Ernie?). He just loves it and has to ride it each time we pass by. Usually when he is in his stroller he is sleeping but not when going through this arcade, or even near this arcade.
So its official now, James has visited his first arcade and he likes it!
Barrells Over Niagara 2004
As you walk along the falls they really just have a fence so you don’t fall in and why not, you have this beautiful wonder of nature so why would you want to look at anything else? As we were walking along we came to this little “cove” for lack of a better word and it had all these trash can looking things that had writing on them.
At first I thought it was one of those things that get autograped, sort of a Ripley was here thing, but on closer examination I realized that these were the actual barrels of people who went over the falls in them. A sort of museum for dare devils. Some made it, some did not. Kind of a creepy testimonial to the mental giants who threw themselves over the falls in one of these contraptions.
Fort Niagara Museum (American Side) 2004
There were many goofy tourist traps in Niagara (all of Clifton Hill for example) but we found this museum on the American side and it had some interesting artifacts for sure. I think we were the only visitors, in fact the entire American side was like a ghost town, being so late in the season for them.
We drove home the long way, which is to say we crossed into New York, drove through Buffalo, Into PA, then through Ohio, adding about 3 hours to the trip. However it gave us a chance to see a little bit of America as well as Canada on this vacation.
Clifton Hills Niagara 2004
Clifton Hills is an area of Niagara Falls where you can find all sorts of arcades, tourist traps, Ripleys Believe it or not, wax museum, and many haunted houses. Perhaps the strangest architecture you have ever seen, even the burger king has a giant frankenstein eating a whopper. Lots of fun times here for sure.
I remember as a kid visiting the wax museum and being fascinated by it, I tried to find it all these 40 years later but I think it closed up ages ago. It seems all the tourist traps are in Clifton Hills now. Still, what a great place to be, filled with a carnival atmosphere, and plenty of fun and games.
James First Birthday 2004
Hard not to laugh at some of the expressions James has in these pics, couldn’t have cared less about his birthday it would seem, at least till the cake was cut.
Thanks to all the relatives who gave James so many gifts not only on this day, but throughout the first year of his life. There is nothing better in the world than a happy 1 year old and on this day James was very very happy.
James actually had two parties, one with Aunt Peg at Caesars (both are born on Sept 18) and the other at home with Mom and Dad and a cake with one candle on it right in the center.
Happy Birthday James
Detroit Lions Benefit Softball 2004
Thought James might enjoy an afternoon in the fresh air so we went to a charity softball game between the Detroit Lions and the Police. We buy tickets to this event every year and usually donate the tickets to charity but this year we decided to go. the Lions have been struggling as of late, well actually they have been struggling for as long as I can remember, but who knows maybe they can play softball.
I think it will be a long time before the Lions recover from the loss of Barry Sanders, the team has been so bad I don’t even know any of the players.
