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Halloween 2004
A year ago James was only about a month old at Halloween time so needless to say he did not do much trick or treating.
This year was a different story as James got to go trick or treating for the first time. Amazing really, the kid has only been walking for a little bit and now he’s out trick or treating. He went as Spiderman and seems to enjoy spiderman products and toys. Guess some things never go out of style, I remember reading those comic books when I was a kid and even my mother kept up with Spidey in the local comic strips. A good choice for sure james, you can’t go wrong with a classic.
Halloween Train Display 2004
We used to put trains up at Christmas time but I think I am the first to make a Halloween train set. We keep this up year round now because no one plays pool and its on the pool table. We hope to build cabinets around the display to at least make it somewhat practical.
We used to do a Christmas village but I think the Halloween one is better because not alot of people are doing it. Should be fun for James when he is older as well. The train operates like any of the standard houses and the houses are the same ceramic ones you will find in Christmas villages. Being Halloween is the only difference.
Cedar Point Halloweekends 2004
This was James first visit to Cedar Point and he had a blast playing on swings and such. Most of the rides were far beyond that of a ten month old kid, but he enjoyed himself and loved the atmosphere.
They had their Halloween faces on this time of year, more skeletons and pumpkins than I have ever seen in one place.
I especially liked the graveyard of rides where they had tombstones for old rides that have since been replaced at Cedar Point. One of them was the pirate ride which was a favorite of my family.
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.
