7.15.2011

Sun of a beach!

Today's road adventures included Tifft Nature Preserve in downtown Buffalo, Bennett Beach on the shores of Lake Erie, and Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna, NY.
Boardwalk at Tifft Nature Preserve

Tifft Nature Preserve
Bennett Beach is on the southeastern coast of Lake Erie. The water is fresh, since Lake Erie is a glacial lake. The beach is pretty clean, and the water's edge has smooth, tiny rocks. It was un-freaking-believably hot out, and it un-freaking-real that, half an hour outside Buffalo, we arrived at a cute sandy beach.
Bennett Beach

Bennett Beach
On the way back to Buffalo, we passed through Lackawanna (a town I only encounter when I'm not sure where I'm going) and spotted this beautiful structure. A woman inside (who immediately pegged us as "visitors") said that this Basilica was the first stateside basilica to be built, in the 1920s. Also, at the time it was erected, the free-standing dome was second only to the dome at the White House. ...What! It's Lackawanna!
Our Lady of Victory Basilica

Our Lady of Victory Basilica

Our Lady of Victory Basilica
The red and yellow umbrella in the lower right is a canopeum, which indicates that the shrine is a basilica.

Our Lady of Victory Basilica

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