Step back in time for a day

We spent the day at some very historic places.

First, Belle Isle (history) and it's beautiful aquarium.

It is one of the oldest aquariums in the United States, built in 1904.

The details and structure are just too cool.

Some details of the entrance.

I love the carved in seaweed on the columns.

The detail on the middle plaque says:

'Speramus meliora, resurget cineribus'

It is Detroit's motto, and means 

"We hope for better things, it will rise from the ashes"

Seems very appropriate for recent issues facing the city.

The inside is a big cross-dome, all with the green glass tile, with the fish tanks framed like pieces of art.

Sophie loved seeing the fish

And right next store is the conservatory

Just amazingly beautiful gem in the heart of the city

Sophia was walking through here singing the flower song from 'Alice in Wonderland'- too cute.

Our church has had a picnic on Belle Isle every year since 1910- over 100 years!?

They had us reenact some of the original games they played back then- and Rick participated in the historic 'softball throw'

I got to do the ladies 'shoe kick' (just what it sounds like)

All very historical, I'm sure.

 

After our morning on Belle Isle, we swung over to Greenfield Village for more history.

Mostly Sophia LOVES the carousel, and I like the frozen custard.

It's a win-win.

We walked through the pretty English gardens, and I got this little gem of a picture...

...quickly followed by this.

Got to love that little girl.

Breakfast with daddy...

We'll FaceTime a lot during breakfast since Rick goes to work at ungodly hours.

The other day Rick walked Sophia through one of his experiments over the phone.

Yep- just looking at some brain tissue over breakfast...

Yuck.

Little buddies

Sophia has some great little friends here in Michigan, and she loves playing with them any chance we get.

Here's her and her buddy in the wiener-mobile

And finding great joy at the doughnut shop

Fun morning at the zoo

And a fun weekend watching this BIG dog (compared to Petra)

Chinese Pop Star

Sophia showing off her Chinese skills- rocking out to 'Twinkle, Twinkle' in Mandarin.

Saturday at the Lake

Lakes are so warm compared to the cold Pacific I grew up in, and I love them!

And so does our little fish, Sophie.

So any chance we get we head out. Here we are at Stoney Creek.

Sophia got a hold of some kids water squirter and figured it out.

Holy terror.

My little fishy- totally was dunking herself all afternoon.

The UP

We finally made it to the Upper Peninsula (or U.P.) of Michigan- the wild heart of Michigan!

We saw all the Western half of it, and camped somewhere different every night.

It was the trip of a lifetime!

First step to get there is going over the Big Mack - the bridge to the U.P.

And there it is- the wild U.P.

A map of Michigan and all the surrounding Great Lakes. 

The mitten is Michigan, and the U.P. is above it, surrounded by Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and Lake Huron.

Our first stop was to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste Marie.

An ariel photo of the locks.

It's basically an amazing dam system to allow tankers to go between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. 

There used to be rapids there, so the levels of the two lakes is naturally different by over 20 feet.

Here's one of the locks- you can see the water level differences.

Getting a better view of the ships coming in.

Notice how close it is on the sides- eep!

Saying hi to the boat

Watch the level of the boat go down as they drain the lock- impressive!

Exploring the kitschy downtown.

These type of signs everywhere, cracked me up.

But I'll endure the kitsch to get ice cream- mmm

My little sailor

Looking at one of the huge tankers unclose.

Those huge metal things are buoys- much bigger in person!

Anchors away!

Rick testing the buoys tensile strength

The Vally Camp

aka- a BIG boat

Next stop- camping in Brimley State Park on Lake Superior

First time in Lake Superior!

It was chilly, super clear and clean, and tasted great!

Rick said, it truly is Superior.

Sophia ate it up

Sophia's favorite game was 'splash daddy!'

Sophia trying to trick daddy to come back for more splashes

"come here..."

I love Lake Superior!!

little ham.

No worries in the U.P.

Our beautiful campsite

Sunset on the lake

The path to the beach right behind our tent- about 50 feet away- awesome!

how romantic...

Loved it so much, we went back and looked at it the next morning.

Next stop: Tahquamenon (rhymes with phenomenon) Falls

Rented a boat to row out to the island in the lower falls

They're beautiful to look at...

...but the best part was you got to hike/swim in them!!

Lisa inside the falls!

Hi, my name is Lisa...

...and I do yoga poses in the middle of rivers.

Queen of the Rock!!!

"I so strong!"

See Rick explore the waterfalls...

....see Rick fall into the river...

...see Rick's huge welt.

Sophia sang Row, row, row your boat the whole way.

On to the Upper Falls

Second largest waterfall (volume wise) in the US, after Niagara Falls.

Getting a closer look.

We next went to Painted Rocks- amazing rock formations

beautiful colors and shapes

All the Great Lakes are super shallow- Rick out about 100 yards. You can see the shelf that drops off right by him.

Next 2 stories.

We hiked in here- on mosquito beach.

Populated by a ton of mosquitos and black flies (flies that bite!)

And on the hike back (2 miles each way), a devil fly followed me for literally a mile. It kept flying around my head, and I kept trying to swat it away. Rick said I looked like a crazy person. That's how I felt about it.

Story number 2.

After that wonderful hike, we got in the car, and start driving down the dirt road to our next campsite.

20 minutes in, I ask Rick where the camera is.

(the $800 one?)

I get the gasp! He left it on the trunk. 

I freak out- mostly because I thought we lost all of our photos. We turn around, and drive all the way back.

We get back to the trailhead in a panic, and ask if anyone has seen it (fat chance, right?)- and some kind stranger has it!

And it's working (damaged, but working)

Um- miracle much?!

This picture is of Rick's face as he was saying "I'm so sorry"

Back to Pictured Rocks the next morning

So beautiful

Our next campsite at The Bay Furnace

The amazing view from our campsite.

We stayed up late looking at the stars- more than I've seen ever at once. You could see the Milky Way so clearly, it was phenomenal. 

Beautiful drive through the Seney Wildlife Refugee

A good representation of what most of the U.P. looks like.

Beautiful.

Now, back to Lake Michigan!

Skipping rocks with daddy

Rick the Lumberjack

Lake Michigan at Sunset- view from our third campsite

so gorgeous

S'mores for breakfast!

Anything goes when you're camping, right?

And ANOTHER Great Lake- Lake Huron!!!

Beautiful Lighthouse.

One last glimpse at the Big Mack before going back to Lower Michigan

The bridge was great, but rolling in the grass was greater...

Getting a good view

3 Great Lakes in 1 weekend.

Some great memories and a great trip.