Arts and Entertainment

I think everyone has at least one thing that is a must-do during the summer. For me it is spending time on the Erie Canal away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday world. This year I took the MidLakes Navigation’s Emita II from Dutchman’s Landing to Cross Lake. The name Dutchman’s Landing intrigues me. Captain Dan Wiles explained that before MidLakes Navigation bought the land there was a bar there of the same name.

Before the Europeans arrived in what is now called New York State, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy ruled the area. They formed a confederacy comprised of the Mohawks, Onondagas, Oneidas, Cayugas, Senecas and Tuscaroras. By the way, Haudenosaunee is the correct way to refer to the Iroquois. The word Iroquois is an English corruption of a French corruption of an Algonquian word that was used as an insult.

In 2008, John and I were on a tour in the Philippines. One of our stops was on the island of Cebu where we stayed overnight at Plantation Bay Resort & Spa. I was impressed with their pools – eight of them, four of which are saltwater lagoons and four are freshwater pools – covering a total of six acres. I never forgot the pools, so in March 2015 when we returned to the Philippines we booked a stay at Plantation Bay Resort. Riding the vintage horse and carriage around the property I spotted the chef cooking a whole pig near one of the pools.

The Hill Cumorah Pageant is an amazing spectacular performed every summer on the hillside near Palmyra. It is an incredible light and sound show with special effects and hundreds of performers from all over the world. The pageant is based on the Bible and Book of Mormon. There is seating for 8,000 but some bring blankets and/or folding chairs. One does not have to be a Mormon to enjoy the show even if some of the scenes may seem a bit mystifying.

Even the most dedicated and compulsive travels often miss places close to home. John and I have driven through Fulton for years and many times I often comment “I would like to see the Pratt House.” Finally, after all these years, I visited the John Wells Pratt House and I wasn’t disappointed. There are many interesting features and things to see. It is open Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. John Wells Pratt’s family was one of the earliest settlers in Fulton.

Everyone has heard of Route 66. But, few know of historic U.S. Route 20. It extends from Boston, Massachusetts, to Newport, Oregon. Spanning 3,365 miles, Route 20 is the longest road in the United States. The more famous Route 66, called the Main Street of America, is 2,451 miles in length. New York and other states are promoting tourism along Route 20. I have chatted with people along the route in New York State and they admit that they are having a problem making people aware of the great things to see along the way.

There are so many places in New York State that it is impossible to visit all the great sites. We have been exploring the state for years and are still amazed at the new places we discover. A good way to plan an adventure is to travel one of the state’s Scenic Byways. The Seaway Trail is a National Byway that extends from the Pennsylvania border to the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation which is part of the bi-nation Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation. It would take days to explore the entire length of the Seaway Trail so it is best to break it up into segments.