Tuesday, August 31, 2010

On the Road

We finally did it. My sister has lived in Detroit for seventeen years, and we managed in all that time NOT to drive the six hundred miles (one way)to go see her. Until now.

Sheand her husband made a beautiful bar mitzvah this past weekend, and we made a trip of it. We left Wednesday and drove to Niagara Falls, where we stayed overnight, and enjoyed the sights on Thursday before climbing back into the car and arriving at her house at midnight.

Niagara was gorgeous. The falls are beyond magnificent, their power and constancy, awesome. We did all the activities that bring you up close and personal with one of the (not official!)wonders of the world.

Everyone says Niagara is cheesy and very touristy. I found that when walking on the promenade between the American falls and the horseshoe falls, and on the maid of the mist, journey behind the falls, and the rapid river walk this was not the case. It was a natural wonder in its natural state, and you could enjoy different viewpoints and perspectives at varying degrees of proximity and dryness.

Except for one thing.

Every attraction let you out through a gift shop. You could not avoid it. It put France and Wisconsin to shame. It put shame to shame in its shamelessness. The only place that didn't do that was Aero car that was built in 1916, and if they could figure out away to enclose it in a gift shop, you can be darn sure they would have by now.

It was a great trip. It was magnificent, the kids had a blast, and we got to go see the family in Michigan. Then we drove home. Am event we've dreaded for a long time, and thankfully was not as bad as we thought. Apparently it was fine for the kids too, because the three year old told my sister this morning "I want Mommy to drive me back to your house."

1 comment:

name withheld for security reasons said...

"...and thankfully was not as bad as we thought."
I'm assuming the WE doesn't include the opinions of the eight others in the car because the last time I checked they differed slightly from the opinion given above.