Everybody down

Got me a mule and her name was Sal
Fifteen miles on the you know the rest

Stupidly I didn't realize there was an actual landmark with a historical background called the Erie Canal until we passed a sign announcing its exit off the highway. Today we spent the day in search of it. I don't know about you but for most of my life I've caught myself singing the Erie Canal song, mostly when I wasn't even aware I was doing it. The least I could do was pay the water feature a visit.

I'm happy to say there are many parts of it that have been preserved, but sadly the Canal seems a little neglected. As we walked a little ways along the tow path of lore I secretly wished Sal would make an appearance. The only wildlife present was a flock of semi hostile geese and a very shy grass chuck.

My phone is behaving strangely and it appears that google has taken the ability to blog away from users, so I will post pics shortly.  You will be relieved to know thay despite my disappointment at the canal's obvious neglect, Albany, one of the main destinations on the infamous route, was really very stunning. The architecture there is over the top in every representative era, really a spectacular looking place in a beautiful setting. They even have a coop, so not all was lost.

Catskills

It's been a few days since we got here and it is an adjustment being in this place that is simultaneously familiar and also very foreign. It's like finally meeting that mystery person everyone keeps saying you look exactly like...you can see the resemblance but it's disconcerting to see yourself in three dimensions. That's what it's like coming back east but to a region where you didn't grow up in. The accents are slightly off, the architecture is a little more daring, the food has different names, even the light is weird, warmer somehow. Anyways, it's been fun easing back into the old country. We have another day before we head south to good old Fluffia, land of hoogees and wooderroyce, Kaiser rolls and crab cakes, TLA and manayunk. Until then, here are a few random pics of places we've gone since we arrived in the Catskills.

This is a view of the Hudson from The Poet's Walk. It was excrutiatiingly hot yesterday. You can see what effect the heat had on us below at a lookout pagoda like structure on this hike:

I'll post more pics and try to keep up with this trip but I'm afraid it may not be as blog worthy as previous trips. 

Tomorrow I hope to finally walk part of the Erie Canal. I've been singing that song since I can remember and come to find out it actually exists or rather did at one point. Who knew? I thought Sal the mule was fiction, along with the namesake water feature, so I'm looking forward to finally seeing the inspiration for those catchy lyrics. Until then I leave you with a couple of 45 mph sunset views from the car: