Day Two and Three: Interesting weather!

Well, the best laid plans...

Hi!

Sorry for the delay, but our Niagara Hotel did not have any internet access! And then, we were getting in a bit late.

Here's the scoop!

We had a brilliant full day in Niagara Falls! The weather was being generous and I was able to take the students to the middle of Rainbow Bridge at the Canadian Border (we were not permitted to put even a toe in Canada) to take photos of the Falls. (The teachers etc. could not accompany us because they did not have passports!) So be prepared for some spectacular shots!

We were joined by Peter Brown who teamed upwith Kevin Cottrell to give us a tour of the area. One of our stops was Three Sisters Island off Goat Island in the Niagara River, literally. We gathered water to bring down to Ellis Island for a Marriage of the Waters ceremony, in honor of the opening of the Erie Canal.

It was Earth Day and there was a lot of activity at the Robert Moses Generating Plant's Power Vista. There were several booths there representing the towns and counties in the area. One of them were giving out Mardi Gras beads which most of the group ended up wearing.

After the tour we went to Summit Mall in Wheatfield where we were given lunch and the mayor (supervisor) of the town greeted us and gave us pins!

Then onto the Underground Railway Experience where we saw the bridge Harriet Tubman used to cross into freedom. The day ended with a reenactment in the Michigan Street Baptist Church as well as getting a glimpse of a hiding place used by runaway slaves when the church was part of the Underground Railroad.

Some of the students took photos of the illuminated Falls and other opted for swimming.

The next morning we checked out and headed fror Rochester. We experienced a mixture of rain and snow flurries. We visited the Susan B. Anthony House and Mt. Hope Cemetery. The City Of Rochester sent a representative and gave the school a coffee table book about the city as well as other goodies! They were also generous enough to give us the services of Dr. Anderson, who is an expert on Frederick Douglass. We layed wreaths at the graves of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. mrs. Joan Hunt of the Friends of Mt. Hope Cemetery made all the arrangements.

The wreaths had silk flowers (because it would last in the cold) and the colors were symbolic of both Womens Rights and Rosemont.

Lunch was fantastic! We ate at Eastview Mall and were given two-for-one coupons at Tom Wahl's. The Manager actually came in on his day off to serve us. He gave us all free frozen cookie dough as a treat. Great burgers! And they make their own root beer on the premises.

The tourism representative for the Finger Lakes Region also met us to give us cute cookies in the shap of New York State with a glaze that indicated where we were and a maple leaf for the maple-flavored icing!

The National Park Rangers at the Women's Rights National Park were superb. It was a wonderful museum, great tour, and a somewhat funny movie about women's rights.

Our dinner was at Beck's Grove Dinner Theatre. We had a private performance of the history of New York State and the Erie Canal. There was a lot of history, bad jokes, and great songs - we even had a couple of sing-alongs! The food was good and the hospitality was tremendous.

We pulled into the hotel late. It started to sleet as we unloaded luggage and I had to explain what sleet was. The Hotel Utica is very famous. Many well-known Americans have stayed there. The rooms are spacious.

Well, we're through with breakfast.

It's snowing!!!!

We're off to the Basesball Hall of Fame, Watervliet, Troy, and West Point.

I'll try to get back to you - IF they have internet!