Buffalo City HallMcKinley Memorial. President William McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo in 1901.The Liberty Building. Each of the two towers is topped by a replica Statue of Liberty.Buffalo skyline from the east.Of course, in Buffalo you don’t have to go far before you see a buffalo of some kind. This is at the front door of out hotel.…in front of a restaurant…… apartment building…… even on street signs!
Lake Ontario
Here we are at Lake Ontario, first of the five we will see this trip!Lake Ontario. Beautiful clear morning. Lake Ontario is the smallest Great Lake.Looking across Lake Ontario at Toronto, 27 miles away!Ship on Lake Ontario.
Old Fort Niagara
We took a tour of Old Fort Niagara, a once-crucial fort.Old Niagara Lighthouse, the first lighthouse on the Great Lakes.This location at the mouth of the Niagara River into Lake Ontario, was crucial to Colonial shipping in all the Great Lakes. Ships had to pass through here before they could continue to Lake Erie, and on to the rest. The French built the fort in 1727; the British took it from the French in 1759 during the French and Ind1an War, and the United States took it from the British during the American Revolution. There is much history of Fort Niagara if you are interested, it would be some fun research to do.This is the reconstructed US flag that the British took from the fort during the War of 1812. The dark areas are the original fragments of the 1815 flag. Notice there are 15 stripes. It was later that Congress changed the flag makeup to maintain 13 stripes – until then, a stripe was added to the flag whenever a state was added to the US>Fortifications at the fort.This is a cannonball oven. A cannonball would be dropped into the oven until it got really hot. It would then roll though a track and come out on the other side…The extremely red-hot cannonball would come out of this hole. It would be picked up with tongs and rushed up the steps and put in the cannon. When fired, the cannonball (if it hit its target) would burn whatever it hit. This is the “castle” that was completed in 1727. The French made an agreement with the Seneca leaders that the French would not build a fort but a facility for trade. The French lied. This was a fort in disguise – the top floor dormer windows extended out over past the roof line so the French could attack from above. Several other clues convinced the Seneca that they were lied to – a moat with a draw bridge, and a well was inside the front door!The castle, the oldest building on the Great Lakes.Just inside the middle front door, a well. If you are able, zoom in on the portrait – and see Louis XIV.Barracks inside the castle.A hallway – this building had a “Game of Thrones” vibe.Trade Room merchant explaining his wares. Beaver furs were the most valuable product that Europeans wanted from this trade route.Musket demonstration.Woman at work.Northern redoubt.Fortifications.Southern redoubt, complete with drawbridge.Canoe hewn from a tree.
Niagara Falls NY
Niagara River, Niagara Gorge. Beautiful aqua-hued water.This is a “must-see” in Niagara Falls – The Prophet Isaiah’s Second Coming House! These designs have been meticulously placed. This house is in the middle of a plain, kind-of run-down neighborhood.
The Falls
Our very first look at Niagara Falls. The American Falls are nearest, The Canadian Falls in the distance. These pictures cannot do justice in any way to the awesomeness of Niagara Falls. I took many videos of the falls from various angles, and we would love to show them to you!This is a Maid of the Mist boat. We got on a boat just like this one.The American Falls from the boat.Approaching the Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls on the boat.Getting closer to Horseshoe Falls… We got very close, but I took a lot of video rather than pictures. You have got to see them!We were in a boat just like this one, and we went in even further into the mist! You couldn’t see out of the mist!Rainbow Bridge. We walked across this bridge to and from Canada.Niagara Falls, Canada. Skylon Tower is the tall tower on the right.The Canada – US border over the Niagara River.American Falls from Canada, ground level.Horseshoe Falls from Canada, ground level.Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls, Canada. The observation deck here is 520 feet tall. We ate dinner here in the revolving restaurant, and we had a beautiful view all around!American Falls from 520 feet high.Canadian Falls from 520 feet highBuffalo skyline from the top of the tower.Niagara Falls, Canada has much beautiful landscaping everywhere.Statue of King George V!.
Before we start hitting the Great Lakes, we made a few stops on the way to Buffalo that we crossed off our bucket list.
Flight 93 National Memorial Shanksville PA
This memorial honors and memorializes the 40 people who were killed when Flight 93 crashed in this field near Shanksville on September 11, 2001. This was a very solemn, quiet, peaceful and poignant museum. This is looking down the flight path toward the crash impact site.This view is looking back at the flight path.From the end of the flight path sidewalk, looking out in the distant field at the impact site.The Visitor Center had a great display of many items from Flight 93’s hijacking and crash, as well as all the other events of September 11, 2001. It was very sobering. Here are recovered items from the crash site.This is a mockup of the inside of Flight 93. The phones play actual audio of three phone messages left by people on the flight. This was very emotional, and a parental advisory was provided.One of several display panels. This was very informative and thorough.Kleenex were provided. I can see how emotional this can be.Walking out toward the crash site Memorial Plaza, this is a meditation area. Memorial ceremonies are conducted here at different times.This is a memorial Wall of Names with the name each of the 40 victims engraved on a panel.Todd Beamer was the passenger who organized and apparently executed a counter-attack against the terrorists to prevent them from flying the plane into the US Capitol in Washington DC. He is famed for telling his fellow counter-attackers “Let’s Roll.”Behind tis gate is the final approach path leading to the actual crash site impact point, which is marked by a boulder at the end of the path. No one is allowed past this gate except for family members of the 40 victims.This boulder marks the actual impact site.This is the Tower of Voices, and it is still under construction. The tower is built, and the plan is that it will contain 40 chimes (one for each victim), and they will be built and placed such that a special sound will be created when the wind blows them.
Punxsutawny PA, “Weather Capital of the World”
This is the site of the center of the weather world on every February 2 – Groundhog Day! This is where the early morning nationally-televised ceremony is held. Here is the stage. Here is the trunk where Puxsutawny Phil, the groundhog, “lives”.I had to open the doors and check!Actually, during the rest of the year, Punxsutawny Phil lives here, in Phil’s Burrow, which is located within the town library. There are Punxsy Phil statues all over town!Phil and Phyllis live here.This is either Phil or Phyllis. This is downtown Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania. Incredibly, this small town in deep (I mean deep!) rural Pennslvania welcomes over 30,000 visitors each year for the February 2 holiday celebration!
Oil well in Bradford PA
One of the earliest oil discoveries in America was in Pennsylvania (think Pennzoil and Quaker State). There is an oil museum in Bradford. This oil well is just outside of town. I used to see a lot of these in Texas and Oklahoma.
Buffalo NY
We finally made it to Buffalo!This is the grave of Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States. We will tour his home on Saturday.Replica of Michelangelo’s David, in Delaware Park. It was surprisingly imposing.President William McKinley was shot at this spot on September 6, 1901, and he died 8 days later in Buffalo. This house was designed and built by famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. This was built in the early 1900s, and is a private residence. This is his prairie style.The Dwight D. Martin House, designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1903-1905. It is open as a museum. It is very impressive from the outside.The Anchor Bar, the original home and creator of Buffalo Chicken Wings (1954). This is basically a biker bar, but very popular in Buffalo!This is a Buffalo specialty, the beef on weck. It is roast beef on a kimmelweck (caraway and salt) roll. Mary Jean wasn’t feeling well enough to have the wings.
The Mets won the World Series 50 years ago – 1969 – and the Mets are celebrating that championship this weekend. That is why we planned this trip.
We decided to see how much we could do in only two days in New York City!
First stop: Freedom Tower – One World Observatory
Freedom TowerLooking up from beside the tower.One World Observatory. The elevator ride to the 102nd floor was amazing! The four walls were a video of what the area looked like throughout history, and from the viewpoint of the elevator altitude – from just trees, then Colonial buildings, then 19th, and 20th century buildings, then the missing World Trade Center.Manhattan from Freedom Tower.Manhattan in the background.Empire State Building. We went to the Empire State Building observation deck 2011.This is the “Jenga Tower”, completed in 2017. It is 54 stories tall, and the top penthouse, at 5500 square feet, sold for $28.5 million! The lower penthouse is 6400 square feet, and sold for $32.5 million. The views from the top penthouse are licensed, meaning you can’t take pictures from there! (If you ever got to visit!)Brooklyn BridgeStatue of Liberty
Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge from Fulton Fish Market, just before we crossed over on the bridge into Brooklyn. This bridge was completed in 1883.Brooklyn BridgeView from below Brooklyn Bridge.This is the view I wanted to capture: New York City on the East River.Real Brooklyn Pizza – the best ever!
CitiField
This is the reason for the trip – the 1969 World Champion New York Mets!
It was kind of sad to see how old these guys are, and so many couldn’t attend because of health problems, and quite a few have died.
Of course, my hero Tom Seaver couldn’t make it because he no longer makes public appearances due to dementia. His family represented him at the ceremony. His four grandsons threw out the ceremonial first pitch, each to a 1969 Met player. Pretty cool.
126th Street at Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing was renamed Seaver Way, and the new CitiField address officially changed to 41 Seaver Way.
CitiFieldThis sign was unveiled this weekend as part of the celebration.Tom Seaver’s family.There was a nice video showing scenes from the 1969 season.Seaver’s plaque in the Mets’ Hall of Fame.The Seaver display in the Mets’ Hall of Fame.The stage for the players who were able to attend.1986 World Championship trophy. The 1969 trophy was being used for the weekend ceremonies, so I didn’t get to see it.Last year’s Cy Young Award for Jacob DeGrom.Oh, and there was a game, against the Braves. The Mets lost 5-4 after a rain delay.
Flushing
We stayed at a hotel in downtown Flushing, which is extremely Asian! We ate at a Chinese restaurant where the workers understood very little English! The food was good, though!
Um…698 CafeShrimp Wonton Soup.Beef in peppered sauce.
Fox News Headquarters
We planned to go to Fox News headquarters Sunday morning before church, hoping that we could make it on national TV with the Fox and Friends Show.
We made it here, now…We met and spoke with Gordon Chang, who is an expert on Chinese and North Korea nuclear issues. He is a frequent guest on Fox News and Fox Business. We actually saw him on Fox News earlier this morning at our hotel before we left! He was very nice, and even gave me his business card!Fox News meteorologist Andy Klotz.Me with Ed Henry. He was very friendly and offered to take a picture with me!So we made it on national TV!!
After our national TV debut, we walked 18 blocks to church. Along the way, we saw…
Radio City Music HallSkyscrapers are cool!This is an interesting one. It looks like it is only 3 rooms wide!6th Avenue, aka Avenue of the Americas – empty at 9 AM Sunday!Before he became president, Donald Trump almost single-handedly revitalized Manhattan for the last three decades. His name is very prominent – because he had the visions and made them become realities! Here is Trump Parc, a high end group of shops on 6th Avenue near Central Park.We walked through a part of Central Park to get to church. Tim Keller started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in the 1970s with the desire to reach the unchurched in New York City. It is very multi-ethnic, and there are now multiple churches throughout the city. His son is the pastor at the one here at Lincoln Square. We sang traditional hymns, and an Andre Crouch spiritual! The preaching was very Christ-centered, and was refreshing. The people here were very welcoming and friendly.After church we walked to Trump Tower, along the way we saw… Greystone Arch in Central Park.Trump International Hotel and Tower.The “tower” of Trump International Hotel and Tower.I thought this was pretty funny – this side of a Central Park monument is covered with pigeons, in the shade. The other side, in the sun, had no pigeons!Columbus Circle, Christopher Columbus statue.Carnegie Hall.
Trump Tower
This was another major goal of our trip – Trump Tower, another building built by Donald Trump, and his name is prominently displayed all over this magnificent building!
This elevator was prominently in the news after Donald Trump won the 2016 election. Many people were filmed getting on these elevators to meet with President-Elect Trump as he began building his transition team.Donald Trump leaves an elevator at Trump Tower in 2016.We ate lunch at Trump Grill: Shrimp Scampi for her; Trump Burger for me!This wall is a four-story tall waterfall – simply beautiful!Marble everywhere!This is the famous hallway to the Trump Tower restrooms. At the end of the hall, women to the left, men to the right.I really wanted to recreate this scene from Trump’s escalator ride in June 2016 to announce he was running for President, so…In June 2019…And here we are!!!
Fifth Avenue
Leaving Trump Tower, we strolled down Fifth Avenue, window shopping and soaking in the famous buildings. We had over three hours to spend on our way back to our bus.
5th Avenue facing Central Park.5th Avenue facing Midtown Manhattan.This is a big rock!Another one!St. Thomas Episcopal ChurchI never knew there were so many flavors of Lindor Chocolates! It will take several months for me to go through them all, but I’m working on it!St. Patrick’s CathedralThe interior of St. Patrick’s is incredibly beautiful and impressive. The Neo-Gothic architecture, stained glass, statuary – almost breath-taking.The famous pipe organ.Atlas is across the street and facing St. Patrick’s Cathedral.Rockefeller Center “Behind the Walls”, by Jaume Plensa Sculpture on 5th Avenue in front of Rockefeller Center.Crowd at Times Square.BroadwayLeaving New York, I was able to snap this skyline shot from the bus.
It’s amazing to think about, but the first air flight took place on December 17, 1903! And it happened here at Manteo/Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Before 1903, human flight was only a dream. Wilbur and Orville Wright worked at a bicycle shop in Akron, Ohio, when after many hours of thought and experimenting, they went to North Carolina because of the guaranteed windy conditions. And they taught us to fly! This was an incredible national monument and memorial.
Replica of the Wright Brothers’ first flight areoplane. This is inside the museum, which contain many very interesting exhibits.Some Wright Brothers biographical information.Actual tools from the Wright Brothers’ bicycle shop that were in Akron, OhioThis marker marks the spot where the first plane took off.120 feet from the takeoff marker is this marker, which marks the spot where the first flight landed.The spot where the second flight landed after flying for 175 feet. The spot where the third flight landed after flying for 200 feet. The spot where the fourth flight landed after flying for 852 feet. This flight lasted 59 seconds! Imagine the exhilaration Wilbur and Orville experienced on December 17, 1903 when they realized what they had accomplished!Looking down from Kill Devil Hill toward the flight markers.The Wright Brothers Monument atop The Kill Devil Hill
Now that we are back home from Dallas, I was able to find some pictures to compare “then and now” pictures from the 1980s with last week in Dallas. Here goes…
At the top of Reunion Tower, 1989 and 2018:
Downtown Dallas from Reunion Tower, 1984, 1986, 1989 and 2018:
