Butterfly Conservatory; White Water Walk

I was not diligent about writing down all the details of my visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. I took a lot of pictures so, hopefully (as the old saying goes), "a picture is worth a thousand words." ~~ The following are pictures (taken Thursday, May 27th) during my visit to the Butterfly Conservatory, Botanical Gardens, and the White Water Walk. The last is a picture of one "People Mover" bus that transports visitors from one location to another. I quickly became friends with each driver!! ~~ First picture as I depart my prime parking space (for two days and two nights) near the IMAX theater.

Niagara-on-the-Lake; Fort George

I was not diligent about writing down all the details of my visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. I took a lot of pictures so, hopefully (as the old saying goes), "a picture is worth a thousand words." ~~ The following are pictures of my short trip to the adorable little town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. I had to park precariously in a $6. parking lot (no pull-through spaces, and no RV parking anywhere in sight). Then I walked to town, and (later) walked around Fort George. I was having a problem with too-quickly-dead camera batteries so did not get many pictures. This quaint town has the reputation of being Ontario's prettiest community. Lilacs are in bloom and I have the motto: "Taking time to smell the flowers." ~~ Finally, re-entry into the United States.

En route to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

I've enjoyed Lockport--and Panera--but I realize it is time to move on down the highway. I don't know where I'll find WiFi so there may be a time lapse until the next blog.

I want to share an ecstatically happy time last night. A granddaughter phoned while I was sitting in Panera; I was startled when my cell phone rang (because I almost NEVER receive a phone call). I exited to the patio and we talked for about an hour. Then I learned that she doesn't live very far away and she would drive over to see me. She did... and we had a delightful visit while sitting in the parking lot of this shopping center. I won't go into details about the long, long story why we haven't seen one another for years. Rejoice with me that we reconnected.

I believe I have a Heavenly Father (God) that loves me and looks after me. He takes care of all the details; I'm along for the ride!! I didn't plan for Lockport; I've been here several days. I'm leaving with a granddaughter memory as beautiful as the local scenery.

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises

The owners of Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises provided some interesting information when we purchased our ticket.

DURING 2009

More than 50,000 guests representing all 500 states and 18 countries visited Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises.

Lockview V, and Lockview IV completed 1,250 cruises through Locks 34 & 35. More than 3,200 other vessels cruised past our buildings.

More than 10,000 cars a day pass Market Street building.

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises appeared on The History Channel's Modern Marvels, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel [and] Filmed by National Geographic.

DID YOU KNOW ?

You can still travel the Erie Canal from the Niagara River to the Hudson River. It takes about 7 days.

Before the Canal was completed in 1825, travel between Albany and what is now Buffalo took 7 weeks.

The Niagara River provides the water to this Canal section....

OUR STORY

Twenty-three years ago, Mike and Sharon Murphy started Lockport Canal Tours with two pontoon boats and a dream. Today, the business, now called Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises, Inc., has blossomed into Lockport's most popular tourist attraction. With the acquisition of their property located at 210 Market St., in Lockport, the company can also boast having Western New York's most unique banquet/meeting facility.

The main building, originally built in the 1840's has been renovated to resemble an 1800's Canal town. With over 100 windows overlooking the historic Erie Canal, the Canalside (open year-round) houses banquet and meeting space for over 200, a Cafe, gift shop and outdoor landscaped picnic area with 100 foot shelter to accommodate 300. The original stone walls are the remains of what was once Niagara Preserving Company, one of the first companies to effectively preserve food in metal containers. The property was also at one time Western Block Company, a business that manufactured block and tackle for pulleys used on canal boats. Many of these artifacts can still be found throughout the spacious building....

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises' historic two-hour narrated cruise (May-November) give its passengers an opportunity to "Experience Life in the Past Lane," by showing them five of the original 1800's locks, and actually locking through Locks 34 & 35, the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal. Other highlights of the trip include passage under Lockport's "Upside Down Bridge," Lockport's "Big Bridge" (the widest bridge in the U.S. at 399 feet wide), through the "rock cut" and underneath lift bridges. The historic narration by the Coast Guard Licensed Captains is also accompanied by crowd-pleasing canal music, popular during the 1800's.

Your cruise will be aboard Coast Guard inspected vessels: Lockview IV, a 55-passenger motor vessel built to resemble the African Queen, provided tours in Hilton Head and Mystic Seaport... before her service in Lockport. {Or} Lockview V, a 150-passenger double-deck motor vessel built for the Great Lakes, previously provided tours in Florida and Booth Bay Harbor, Maine.

Local history is still very alive at Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises, and has been experienced by over 1/2 million people since its inception. For more information, please call toll-free at 1-800-378-0352, or visit our web site at http://www.lockportlocks.com . This is a must see attraction!

Erie Canal Cruise pictures

I had been told to "get there early because seats sell fast." I was on site three hours early!! I browsed the area before the boat left shortly after 12:30 Sunday afternoon. Not only was I the first one to arrive, I photographed the wrong boat!! ~~ I tried to insert comments about the pictures but (as I've commented before) really weird things happen to the presentation. A two hour tour through two locks going west, then turn around and return through the same two locks and continue under two bridges raised for us. It was so interesting!!

Erie Canal Cruise, etc., etc.

It's 2:20 PM, Monday, and I have WiFi for the first time since Saturday afternoon. I'm back at Panera so I can upload pictures and write about my recent experiences. A campsite in an RV park (last night) promised WiFi but didn't materialize. When I stay in Wal-Mart parking lots I have solid ground under my feet and no weeds or bugs. I really resent paying $30. to park in a spongy, wet grassy area, without picnic table. No gravel, or asphalt, for the site. That's the second "Good Sam" Park (on this recent trip) that was a "dump." I had cable TV and learned that the weather will be nice this week with temperature in the 90s by Wednesday. I have mosquito bites all over me!! I filled my five gallon fresh water tank; I took two showers!! Yes, picnic tables scattered around but I wasn't going to drag one over to my site. Only two overnighters last night. The one you see in the picture... planned to stay three or four nights. Scattered in the trees are fifty, or more, old trailers with frame additions. They appear to be the permanent home of many families. Really shabby!!

A God-given gift

Mercedes (my T@B) is a God-given gift!! I never want to take it for granted. Just like I was "in the right place at the right time"--to buy her--I'm "in the right place at the right time" to show her. Last night two young women circled the T@B (parked in a Wal-Mart parking lot). I waved, and motioned for them to stop and look. They were thrilled to talk to someone who owns a T@B. "I've been wanting one; I've been looking at them." She was full of questions. I encouraged her to follow her dream. Then with tears in my eyes I told her how much I appreciated watching the sunset on Lake Erie (two nights earlier). I gave her one of my cards with blog address and the saying "Taking time to smell the flowers."

Last evening, I was taking a walk (after hours sitting in Panera!!). I found a greeting card shop and was browsing. A man came in with an umbrella and I questioned him about the weather. He said it had just begun to sprinkle rain. I quickly paid for my cards and walked fast to the T@B. (This old lady doesn't run.) I barely missed getting a shower--with my clothes on (ha). We had a downpour!! ~~ No rain during the night but looks like we might have rain today. It is dark and gloomy.

Frankly, I don't know what I'm going to do next. If it were closer, I would visit the I Love Lucy museum in Jamestown, NY. Had I known about it, I would have stopped when I went through several days ago. But I only saw the brochure while at Niagara Falls.