Showing posts with label Buffalo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buffalo. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Buffalo


Ok, I have a confession to make. I didn't hate Buffalo. Sure, half of the buildings downtown are vacant, Main Street feels like a ghost town sometimes, there's creepy carnival music playing from speakers on the street, the weather is disgusting, and there are images of Bison everywhere despite the fact that Bison have never lived anywhere near Buffalo. But there's something about Buffalo that just wouldn't let me hate it. Maybe it was the chicken wings. Maybe it was the over-decorated theater. Maybe it was the architectural jewels scattered throughout the city. I won't say that I was impressed by Buffalo- I wasn't. It was kind of a miserable city and I'm not going to lie about that. But for some reason, I really, really, really wanted to like it. It's not the great American city that it once was, but it's not all that bad. There are good places to eat, some really cute neighborhoods and shopping areas, and interesting historic sites. Here are a few pics from our four weeks in Buffalo:

Unfortunately, this is what a lot of Buffalo looks like now.


Buffalo Savings Bank- across the street from the hotel.


The Electric Tower- built to showcase the electricity produced at Niagara Falls.


The Ellicott Building, designed by Daniel Burnham, was once the largest office building in the world.


The Episcopal Cathedral and Louis Sullivan's Guaranty Building, one of the world's first skyscrapers.




Monument to President McKinley, who was assassinated in Buffalo while attending the Pan-American Expo in 1901, in front of City Hall.


City Hall, the William McKinley Monument, and the new Federal Courthouse.



Eating wings at Anchor Bar.



Niagara Falls

Since Niagara Falls is only twenty minutes from Buffalo, we went there. Like everybody said, the Canadian side is much better than the American side, but I thought it was worth it to go to both sides. There was a couple who asked if we would take their picture in front of the falls, and of course we said yes and asked if they would take one of us afterward. They sat up on the rail and we took their picture, then we went and sat on the rail while they took our picture. After they had left, I confessed to Napoleon that sitting on the rail was a little bit terrifying for me but I felt like I had to since the other couple had and I didn't want them to think I was a wuss. Napoleon said that he had been thinking the exact same thing. Here are some pics:


the American side


Canadian side- double rainbow


We're so brave!