Next stop: Niagara Falls!
We didn't make it here for our honeymoon, but we're here (purely coincidentally) for our 34th wedding anniversary.
We weren't originally planning to come here on this trip, but O mentioned she'd never seen the falls, so we added them to our itinerary.
We were glad we did. The day was gorgeous and the falls keep falling. When I first saw them in 1978, I was underwhelmed. They seemed so much bigger in pictures. This time, with adjusted expectations, they seemed much more impressive.
The sheer power of the vast wall of falling water is magnificent.
American Falls, just a short walk away is a bit smaller, but also spectacular.
Having checked off Niagara, we headed for Cleveland, a beautiful three-hour drive down the shores of Lake Eire.
We got there just as a big demonstration protesting the coming overruling of Roe. We cheered on the demonstrators as we drove up to our hotel.
The forecast had threatened rain, but the afternoon was perfect for walking. I meandered around downtown Cleveland while O studied for her class.
Like many mid-western cities Cleveland sports grand architecture that echoes a time when it was a wealthy, thriving metropolis.
And like those other cities, it's doing its best to revitalize the downtown core.
Once the sixth largest city in the country, Cleveland fell on hard times in the 1960s, devolving into a shell of its former self and a poster child for the environmental and employment woes of the Rust Belt. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River was so polluted that it actually caught fire, providing impetus for the passage of the Clean Water Act.
These days, the city is a much cleaner and attractive place. There are several streets downtown that are filled with shops and restaurants, but outside those few blocks, there are still many areas filled with magnificent old buildings that are vacant and boarded up.
Still, the center of downtown is a lovely spot to stroll through. This huge Civil War memorial dominates the main square.
The old Greyhound terminal is a monument to streamlined modernity.
For our anniversary dinner, we found a small neighborhood restaurant with big ideas. Salt + offers an interestingly-stocked bar and a really remarkable selection of small plates that taste even better than the menu sounds.
We started with a white bean puree on grilled bread that was so delicious that it vanished before we thought to take a picture.
Then there was this delicious concoction of asparagus, buttery leeks, fava beans, hazelnuts, and crispy prosciutto.
That was followed by a stellar oxtail tostada and miso-braised pork short ribs with an incredibly flavorful 'nduja sauce.
It was definitely an anniversary-worthy dinner.
As part of its redevelopment effort Cleveland now has the world's largest rubber stamp.
And the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which I suspect contributes a bit more to the city's bottom line.
I dressed for the occasion in my Noogy shirt I acquired in Austin.
This is the reason we came through Cleveland. I was here for a machine tool show in 1977 and rather liked the town. They had great used record and book stores at the time. But these days it's all about rock.
The museum is huge and quite well put together. Their collection of memorabilia is really amazing-- Furry Lewis' guitar case, Lightnin' Hopkins' and Buddy Guy's guitars.
Hank Williams' iconic suit.
Johnny Cash's ditto.
One of Little Richard's jump suits.
One of the Ramones' leather jacket and a rather disturbing painting by Dee Dee.
Alice Cooper's boots.
Angus Young's school boy getup.
Even Jim Morrison's Cub Scout uniform.
And six floors full of so much more. It took us about two hours to go through it all, two hours of great fun and great memories. There was a 30-minute retrospective video on American Bandstand, from its beginnings in 1952 to its final episode in 1989, hosted since 1956 by the eerily unaging Dick Clark. What a great lineup of bands appeared on that show!
I was excited to find that the famous Hofbrau Haus of Munich has a branch in downtown Cleveland with an extensive menu of German food and beer.
Unfortunately, they offer only a very limited menu on Sundays. No sausage platters, grillhendl, or sauerbraten. We had to settle for a brat on a bun.
And deep-fried sauerkraut balls.
Still, the hefeweizen was refreshingly delicious.
After lunch, we explored one of Cleveland's architectural treasures: the Arcade, built in 1890.
It's now a Hyatt Regency with a few shops, offices, and restaurants, but mostly deserted.
But what a beautiful space.
We've had so many great visits with family and friends on this trip (with many more to come). This time, we met our friend Rachel and her dog Maddie, a former presidential candidate. Maddie lost her bid for president, but she remains a good girl.
They live in a calmly beautiful historic neighborhood in Shaker Heights with old brick houses and flowering trees. Truly idyllic.
Rachel was a delight, and we spent many hours catching up. We are so blessed to have so many wise, intelligent friends. It has be such fun visiting with them along our way.
P.
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