| My theory is a real traveler is able to
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| | warehouse stories. That, combined with
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| discover interesting things even in the
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| | the economic woes of the city, has
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| most unlikely of places. Well, Buffalo
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| | apparently created a flight into the
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| probably hasn't made the "top travel
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| | suburbs that has left the city's core
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| destinations" list for a while, but I
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| | rather lifeless on the weekend.It was
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| have been doing some research on it and I
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| | really quite sad to see that a city like
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| thought it's high time to explore
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| | Buffalo, which has such a great number of
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| Buffalo, the closest American city to
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| | outstanding architectural heritage sites,
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| Toronto, just south of Niagara Falls and
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| | had virtually no street life, retail or
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| right across the Fort Erie border.So my
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| | shopping opportunities in the downtown
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| fellow travel and architecture aficionado
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| | core. A lot of stores were boarded up and
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| Shauna and I headed out early yesterday
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| | the few stores that were there were
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| morning to make the 2 hour trek to
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| | closed down tight on the weekend.Well, we
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| Buffalo. We picked the Fort Erie border
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| | had to move on to our tour of another
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| crossing and fortunately it wasn't very
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| | architectural jewel, Frank Lloyd Wright's
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| busy at all. The border crossing was
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| | Martin House. Darwin Martin was a
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| actually a reasonably pleasant experience
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| | high-ranking executive with the Larkin
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| as the border guards were in a really
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| | Soap Company and his brother-in-law had
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| good mood and very friendly, a nice
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| | encouraged Darwin to seek out Wright's
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| foreboding to a good day.Approaching the
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| | work in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago.
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| city we immediately took a wrong turn and
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| | After familiarizing himself with Wright's
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| headed south on Highway 5 away from
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| | work, he brought him to Buffalo in
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| downtown. But we got to see Buffalo's
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| | November 1902 to build a house for his
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| waterfront, which in this area includes a
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| | sister, the Barton House, with a size of
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| few rather unspectacular marinas and some
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| | about 4000 feet, and then to build his
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| old run-down industrial buildings. We
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| | main house, a 15,000 square foot Prairie
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| turned ourselves around and headed back
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| | Style home, characterized by Wright's
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| towards the downtown area. Because the
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| | rigorous and consistent use of cruciform
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| tourist information office was closed on
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| | plans, piers and cantilevers, and other
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| Sunday we figured, we'd stop in at the
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| | prairie house principles. After many
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| Hampton Inn & Suites Hotel to pick up
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| | years of neglect, the Martin house is now
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| some tourist brochures and city maps.
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| | under renovation to restore it back to
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| Another pleasant experience: The lady at
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| | its original early 1900's authentic
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| the front counter was extremely helpful,
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| | splendour.Right now the building is empty
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| provided us with several brochures and a
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| | and a few large photographs illustrate
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| printout of how to get to 2 of the most
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| | the former decor and furnishings. It's
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| important architectural heritage sites in
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| | very visible that this building has been
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| Buffalo: Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin
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| | neglected for a long time and the Martin
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| House and his other important Buffalo
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| | House Restoration Corporation is working
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| work, Graycliff Mansion.Having parked the
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| | very hard to restore it back to its
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| car on Delaware Avenue at about 10:30 am,
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| | authentic 1907 characteristics, even to
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| the one thing that struck us immediately
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| | the degree of rebuilding the pergola and
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| was how empty the streets were. There was
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| | the coach house that were demolished by a
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| virtually no pedestrian traffic at all
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| | previous owner. The tour lasted about 90
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| and very few vehicles passing by. We
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| | minutes and was provided by a very
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| figured it must be too early for people
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| | passionate docent and all the volunteer
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| to be out, and we headed off into a
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| | staff in the gift shop and the chaperone
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| restaurant called "Flappy's" to
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| | were very helpful. We even received a
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| strengthen ourselves for the day with a
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| | glass of water in the 60s style kitchen
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| filling brunch. We booked our tour at the
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| | of the Martin House which will be torn
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| Martin House for 2 pm, so after breakfast
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| | out and replaced by more authentic
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| we had about 2 hours to do a walking tour
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| | furnishings as the renovation
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| of downtown.As we came out of the
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| | continues.After the humid heat inside the
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| restaurant we noticed the city had gotten
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| | Martin and Barton Houses we were glad to
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| a bit livelier, but not by much. We
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| | get outside to cool down. We drove
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| parked our car close to Niagara Square
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| | through the Park Side East Historic
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| and started our exploration on foot.
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| | District surrounding Delaware Park, a
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| First on the agenda was the Buffalo City
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| | creation of the famous landscape designer
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| Hall, a monumental Art Deco skyscraper
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| | Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed
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| completed in 1931, built of orange-hued
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| | Central Park. The area around Delaware
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| sandstone with intricate details and
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| | Park and the Forest Lawn Cemetery is a
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| colourful ornamentation. An immensely
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| | beautiful part of the city with gorgeous
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| impressive building. We examined all the
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| | mansions and manicured lawns, and this
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| facade details and friezes which display
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| | beauty is most visible on Millionaires'
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| images related to agriculture.We did a
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| | Row along Delaware Avenue. There was much
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| little downtown circle and covered a few
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| | more traffic and street life in this part
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| really interesting buildings. The red
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| | of Buffalo, the atmosphere was pleasant
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| colour and detailed ornamentation of
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| | and the residential areas impressive.We
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| Louis Sullivan's Guaranty Building really
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| | headed over closer to the Niagara River
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| captured our imagination. We passed by
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| | and drove along the Seaway Trail, crossed
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| St. Paul's Cathedral and past the trolley
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| | Grand Island and continued on the
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| tracks of Main Street we discovered the
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| | outskirts of Niagara Falls, NY, right
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| Elicott Square Building. The east
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| | along the Niagara River towards Lewiston.
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| entrance to the building was actually
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| | The drive north of Niagara Falls to Fort
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| open so we went inside. This building was
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| | Niagara State Park on Lake Ontario is
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| erected in 1896 according to a design by
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| | gorgeous, with beautiful old homes
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| Daniel Burnham, one of Chicago's most
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| | overlooking the Niagara River, huge trees
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| famous architects. This building is
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| | overhanging the 2-lane country road, with
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| constructed around a large interior court
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| | well-kept properties on either side of
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| covered by a glass block ceiling held up
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| | the road. We stopped for a snack just
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| by ornamented steel girders. We commented
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| | outside the very quaint town of Lewiston,
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| on how similar this design was the one of
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| | in a place called the Silo, which is
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| Chicago's most famous buildings, the
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| | right next to the river, overlooking a
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| "Rookery", and it wasn't until this
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| | launch area for the high-speed boats that
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| morning that I realized that both
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| | whisk visitors into the rapids of the
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| buildings were created by the same
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| | Niagara Gorge. We had a lovely greasy
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| architect.It's an amazingly impressive
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| | lunch outside, enjoying the breeze (hey,
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| building with gorgeous sweeping
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| | you don't have to eat healthy every day)
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| staircases and an intricate mosaic
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| | and then continued our drive all the way
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| covering the entire courtyard. From the
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| | to Fort Niagara State Park, admiring the
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| Ellicot Square Building we headed towards
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| | villas and estates.We had chosen to cross
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| the Lafayette Hotel, a handsome red brick
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| | the border at the Queenston-Lewiston
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| and white terra cotta French
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| | Bridge, but construction work had caused
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| Renaissance-style building which was
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| | confusing detours and a local New York
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| built in anticipation of the expected
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| | State father and son team stopped their
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| influx of visitors at the Pan-American
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| | car when they saw us by the road, staring
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| Exposition in 1901. Due to financial
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| | at the map, trying to figure out how to
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| difficulties, however, it was not opened
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| | get to the border crossing. They rolled
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| until 1904. From there we checked out the
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| | down the window and said they'd guide us
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| General Electric Tower, a handsome white
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| | to the bridge, which they did. We
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| Terracotta-clad structure dating back to
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| | followed them for about 10 minutes
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| 1912.The Electric Tower happens to be
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| | through the maze of detour signs until we
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| right beside another fascinating
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| | found the bridge and headed back over to
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| building: the Buffalo Savings Bank, a
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| | Canada. Both of us were very impressed
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| building manifesting Buffalo's boom of
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| | with the friendliness and helpfulness of
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| the second half of the 19th century. In
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| | the locals.Back on the Canadian side we
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| the late 1890s - the peak of Buffalo's
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| | drove along the Niagara Parkway and
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| golden age - the bank held a competition
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| | stopped in the beautiful little village
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| for a grand new headquarters. The contest
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| | of Niagara-on-the-Lake. NOTL calls itself
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| was won by Green & Wicks, Buffalo's
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| | the "prettiest village in Ontario", and
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| premier turn-of-the-century architectural
| |
| | they might just be right. The village is
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| firm. Their design projected stability,
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| | home to beautifully maintained Victorian
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| security, and aspiration.The building's
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| | homes, overflowing flower baskets,
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| signature feature is the gold-leafed
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| | souvenir shops, cafes, bed and
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| dome.After the Buffalo Savings Bank we
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| | breakfasts, as well as the famous Shaw
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| explored the Genesee Building which today
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| | Festival, and for many Ontarians it is a
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| is the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Just as we
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| | favourite destination for a quick weekend
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| finished exploring that building the
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| | getaway.From Niagara-on-the-Lake we
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| heavens opened up and there was a
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| | headed through vineyards and orchards to
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| torrential downpour so we sat down in
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| | St. Catharines, and to its Port Dalhousie
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| front of the Hyatt and took in the street
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| | waterfront entertainment area, not
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| scene. We were facing Main Street, the
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| | forgetting to stop by a road-side fruit
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| street that is now a pedestrian zone and
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| | stall to buy ripe red cherries and
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| accommodates Buffalo's light rail rapid
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| | nuclear-size apricots fresh from the
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| transit line. One thing we consistently
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| | tree. About 20 minutes from NOTL, Port
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| noticed in Buffalo was the absence of
| |
| | Dalhousie harbours a marina and a long
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| street-level stores and restaurants. In
| |
| | pier and numerous outdoor patio
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| the downtown core, as a matter of fact,
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| | restaurants, ice cream parlors, souvenir
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| most of the modernist office and
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| | shops and other entertainment. Hundreds
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| government buildings did not have any
| |
| | of people were parading along the pier,
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| street level retail at all. A lot of the
| |
| | couples, parents with children, dog
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| modern administrative buildings in
| |
| | owners, retired folks and a very
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| Buffalo have a rather austere and
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| | interesting young lady with red hair,
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| non-welcoming feeling and some of the
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| | whose friend had given her poodle a
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| newer buildings dating back to the 50s
| |
| | matching-colour hairdo with the leftover
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| and later have an almost penitentiary
| |
| | hair dye.The atmosphere in Port Dalhousie
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| feeling to them. The resulting scarcity
| |
| | was almost like in a Californian seafront
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| of street-level store fronts combined
| |
| | resort town with rollerbladers, walkers,
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| with the utter lack of pedestrians
| |
| | beach volleyball players, boaters and
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| (certainly on the weekend) really gives
| |
| | relaxed pedestrians taking a stroll
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| downtown Buffalo a rather eerie deserted
| |
| | through the village and on the pier. I
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| feel, and the absence of people downtown
| |
| | did not even feel like I was in Ontario.
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| was our most striking impression of
| |
| | The sun was starting to set and lake was
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| Buffalo. Judging from the classically
| |
| | laid out in front of us like an ocean,
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| styled street lamps with blooming
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| | with no shoreline visible on the other
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| planters, however, the city appears to
| |
| | side. It was a beautiful hot evening and
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| have been working on beautifying the
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| | I felt like I wanted to spend a whole
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| downtown core.We started heading back to
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| | week in this happening spot. But no such
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| the car and passed by the Statler Hotel,
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| | luck, we had to get back to Toronto after
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| which isn't really a hotel any more, but
| |
| | our exciting girls-only excursion to
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| apparently a building full of lawyer's
| |
| | Buffalo and the Niagara Peninsula.We got
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| offices. We had a look inside the
| |
| | to explore some fabulous architectural
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| impressive lobby which features French
| |
| | gems, connected with the legacy of Frank
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| chandeliers from the early 20th century.
| |
| | Lloyd Wright, had a lovely greasy lunch
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| I took a couple of pictures, but the
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| | right next to the Niagara River, enjoyed
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| security guard stopped me, telling me no
| |
| | the hospitality and the helpfulness of
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| photography was allowed. We had a really
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| | the local New York State residents, and
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| interesting chat after this and he
| |
| | back on home territory, we hopped along
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| commented on long-standing economic
| |
| | the Lake Ontario shoreline to enjoy fresh
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| problems of Buffalo and how in his
| |
| | fruits, frozen yogurt and an amazingly
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| opinion, the current mayor had only made
| |
| | relaxing late afternoon by the
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| things worse. One example of the city's
| |
| | waterfront. It doesn't get much better
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| economic problems is that the stately
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| | than that...Susanne Pacher is the
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| ballroom of the Statler Hotel had only
| |
| | publisher of a website called Travel and
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| been recently reopened after having been
| |
| | Transitions( Travel and Transitions deals
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| closed down since 1957. Furthermore, a
| |
| | with unconventional travel and is chock
|
| previous owner of the building had tried
| |
| | full of advice, tips, real life travel
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| to create a food court in the basement
| |
| | experiences, interviews with travellers
|
| and had opened up the main floor, but ran
| |
| | and travel experts, insights and
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| out of money before the food court could
| |
| | reflections, cross-cultural issues,
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| be built. So now you have a rather
| |
| | contests and many other features. You
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| obtrusive opening on the ground floor
| |
| | will also find stories about life and the
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| with a view into an empty basement
| |
| | transitions that we face as we go through
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| without stores or food outlets. Our local
| |
| | our own personal life-long
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| contact also commented on the reasons why
| |
| | journeys.Submit your own travel stories
|
| downtown Buffalo was so devoid of people,
| |
| | in our first travel story contest( and
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| and he said that all the locals did their
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| | have a chance to win an amazing adventure
|
| shopping at the suburban malls and big
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| | cruise on the Amazon River.
|
