Daredevil Museum, Canada

Many people have tried to go over Niagara Falls, most for their own reasons.  The Daredevil museum has some of the items that those people used to risk their lives.  Some lived, some did not.

a 63 year old school teacher was the first to go over the falls in a barrel.  She lived.  She hoped she would find fame and fortune.  She found fame, but died penniless.

this guy made it over alive, but it took them too long to find him and he suffocated

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not successful

This was the third time for Dave.

Erie Canal

Okay, do the know the following tune to the following words?  “I’ve got a mule and her name is Sal, fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.  She’s a good ole worker and a good ole pal, fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.”  We took a boat trip though locks 35 and 34 on the Erie Canal.  Wonderful day.  Gary also fished the canal but didn’t have any luck.

locks up ahead.  the upside down bridge.  The railroads did not like the canal so they put up this bridge so the higher part was closer to the water.

locks took us up 50’, 25’ at a time.

america’s widest bridge, 100 yards wide

Niagara Falls

Wow!  What a great day.  We drove into Niagara Falls planning on going on the Maid of the Mist.  We parked in the first parking lot and went inside the store where we bought tour tickets for $59 each.  (they were $69 across the street)  The tickets included our fairs to Maid of the Mist and the Wind Cave.  We were able to get on the first bus.  Our tour guide was terrific.  He explained all about the falls and took us to the Whirlpool, Dare Devil Museum, Three sisters, Goat Island, and made sure we got onto our attractions quickly.  We got on the top deck for the Maid of the Mist Tour.  The smile on Gary’s face was priceless. 

Maid of the Mist tour

Cave of the Winds tour

Really enjoyed the rainbows

Fort Ticonderoga, King’s Garden

The first garden was planted by the French in 1756 in order to feed the troops.  William Pell then planted a garden in 1820.  Loved the garden.

Made in France.

Fort Ticonderoga, NY

Fort Ticonderoga was first built by the French, captured by the British, captured by the Americans, and then taken by the British again.  It was the place where Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain boys captured the British cannon and hauled them all the way to Boston to help Washington during the Revolutionary war.   Every time a different army captured the fort, the conquered army destroyed the fort.  The fort was rebuilt from some of the rubble in the early 1900s as people in the 1800s began to visit it as a major tour attraction.  It was later purchased and the restoration began.  We really liked the museum.  Lots of powder horns on exhibit.  The colonial soldiers decorated their powder horns.

view of Fort from Mount Defiance

one of the cannon taken by Ethan Allen

Ground Zero, 9/11 Memorial, Museum

One more day of taking PATH, this time to the World Trade Center.  Still cannot believe how many people are in such a small area.  After getting directions from the info center, we made our way around the construction to the World Trade Center Visitor Center.  We decided to tour the small museum and go on the walking tour.  Both of our tour guides were connected to 9/11.  One guide lost her son, the second lived in an apartment close to the South tower.  She is one of 3 bird sitters in the area.  Yep, I wrote bird sitters.  She makes a living by bird sitting when people go on vacation.  On 9/11 she had about 3 birds in cages that she saved.  She and her friends wrapped cloth around the cages, put the cages on a broom, and walked south to escape the dust from the collapsing tours.  She is once again able to live in her apartment.  Those who were evacuated from their apartments or places of business were given 15 minutes months later to remove their personal things.  It was amazing to see what items were found after 9/11.  The museum had some of those on display.  First time I have been in a museum and could hear a pin drop.

North end, unfinished museum in back

This is the window of an airplane. It was found on Church street by the towers.




This church was used by the volunteers at Ground Zero to rest from there hard labor.

what the area will look like in the future.  Work has begun on a couple of the buildings, work on rest will begin when the economy picks up.

New York, Time Square, Empire State Building

Great day in New York.  We caught the PATH train that took us into New York.  Got off at Time Square and got in line at the TKST to get tickets to see the Jersey Boys show.  30% off tickets.  We got our tickets for $34.50 each.  Thought that was pretty good for a Broadway show.  We had some extra time, so we walked to the Empire State Building.  We really had a great time at the show.  Gary could even remember what he was doing the first time he heard the song Sherri.  I cannot believe all the people.  Thought there were a lot of people in DC, but there are tons of people here.

view to time square

Empire State Building

view from top of Empire State Building