Jet Boat, Buffalo and Buffalo Wings

One of the highlights of my time in Hamburg was the jet boat trip. The jet boat holds 48 passengers and has 3,500hp engines. They are the only boats authorized by the coast guard to navigate the class 5 rapids and the whirlpool area on the river.

The brave and hardy souls who prepared to get wet on one of the wildest rides ever.

A look at the class 5 rapids on the river. We went through these, not once, not twice, not 3, but 4 times.

Yes, I did get a little drenched. They said the first 3 rows were called the 'power rows' because of the force of the water. Well, I sat right on the first row.

After the jet boat ride, it was on the Youngstown and Fort Niagara.

Ft Niagara is the oldest fort I have ever been in North America. The first structure was built originally by the French in 1678 on this site at the mouth of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. It was held by the French and over the years enlarged to most of what you see in the picture. The British took the fort in 1759. It became U.S. property in 1783 after the Treaty of Paris, but the U.S. did not occupy the fort until the Jay Treaty in 1796. It fell to the British during the War of 1812, but was returned to the U.S. following the war and the Treaty of Ghent. It still to this day flies the flag of all three countries.

Shooting muskets on the parade ground.

Standing guard.

The 'Castle' is the oldest building on site, built in 1726.

Standing in front of one of the sally ports (gated entryways).

This house, built of rock, was unusual because of the rocks unevenness. Most rock homes have the walls smoothed off and are flat. These walls were sharp and pointed and very uneven, giving it a fortress like look.

An early church, built like a castle.

An old municipal building in downtown Buffalo.

In downtown Buffalo at the Wilcox Mansion (site of Army Barracks built in 1838), Theodore Roosevelt took his oath of office as President of the United States in 1901.

Anchor Bar, downtown Buffalo, site of the original buffalo wings.

In 1963, the owner of the Anchor Bar fried up some chicken wings and poured her homemade sauce over them for her son and his friends. They were such a hit, she continued to make them and added them to the menu. And history was written.

Max was infatuated with this waitress.

Wonderful wings. Suprisingly the original wings as made in 1963, weren't that hot, but were more of what today is considered as mild or medium. But they were good and I was glad to say I have eaten wings at the home of the original buffalo wings.