Water and More Water

We went to Ithaca because we wanted to see the beauty of the area, and to see Cornell University.  It also allowed us some up close time in the Finger Lakes.

Going back up the west side of Cayuga lake this morning, we stopped at Taughannock Falls state Park, where the fishing on the lake was good!

 We walked the 3/4 mile trail back into the gorge to see the falls.

 It was a beautiful way to start the day.

 At the north end of the lake, Seneca Falls holds more important history.  This is the home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton.  From here she organized the first Convention for woman's rights in 1848.

 The woman's rights National Historic Park commemorates the event and the actual place where the convention was held, on Maim Street in Seneca falls.

 The town of Geneva is at the head of Seneca Lake, and is another place of beauty, filled with wonderful old homes.  We enjoyed the park along the lake, had a picnic lunch, and topped it off with ice cream.  It was about 80 degrees.

 The railing on the pier had been yarn bombed.

 We love these kinds of dumpy old antique places.  You never know what you'll find.

 Canandaigua is at the head of the lake by the same name.  We poked around here a bit, looking for more history.  This is quite an elegant town, and the County Court House there is grand.  But it is also a place of shame, or so I say, because it is where Susan B. Anthony was tried and convicted of treason because she voted! 

 Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens was a fabulous place in its day, and still retains much of its glory.  We loved how this summer home related to the out-of-doors with an open, airy feeling, not like a closed up Greek temple.

 Then we left the Finger lakes, sought out the interstate freeway, which is not free, and headed for Buffalo, swung around the city, waited on the Rainbow Bridge for customs, found out hotel in what is the madness of the Canadian side, and finally reached our most westerly destination, Niagara Falls.

 It was 88 degrees and the place was jammed with tourists, but the beauty of the falls is not diminished by the chaos if you concentrate on the natural wonders.  I was somewhat daunted to discover when I finally got the falls in view that I had not put the flash card back in my camera.  We trudged back up the hill to the hotel, got the card, and returned to the falls overlook.

 After viewing the falls in the early evening, we walked back up the hill to the large casino where we had decided to partake of the $20 Grand Buffet.  It was easy, comfortable, and good, all the things we needed.  I behaved pretty well until I got to the desserts.  Oh my.  I had to taste them all, or almost.  Fortunately I could cut little bites off the larger servings.  I loved the bread pudding and the rice pudding!


After dinner we returned to the falls overlook for the light display on the falling water.  It's tricky to photograph, but  here's an idea of what it looks like.

 And to our surprise, we also got a fireworks show.  Woo hoo!

I lost internet last night so I'm catching up this morning. Now it's time to get rolling.  I want to see the falls in morning light, and then we have to decide what, if any, excursion we will do.