Put-In Bay

Elephant Crossing

Why are there elephants in the first picture about our trip to Put-In Bay?  The reason is that I promised a post about the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.  We went there specifically to see the new elephant exhibit and this is what we saw.

I went back to Cleveland after seeing doctors and dentists in Rochester and going to
Vermont to see La Boheme produced by the Green Mountain Opera Festival.  A wonderful performance for an Opera Festival that was begun only six years ago.

Jim wanted me to come to Cleveland for the 4th of July and I wanted to be there.  On Monday July 2nd Jim had work near Sandusky.  We drove out there and Jim got his crew started on the job and we left and drove to the ferry dock.  We were lucky enough to be in time for a trip which would start in 15 minutes.

On the Ferry

 The ferry took about 45 minutes with a stop at Kelleys Island first.  Put-In Bay itself is a town on South Bass Island around which the Battle of Lake Erie took place during the War of 1812.  A walk down the main street in town convinced me that it is the Key West of the North!  Lots of bars where the drinking begins any time you get there and there is live music all afternoon.  We were looking for a place for lunch but saw signs with drink specials not food specials.  Much like Key West.
We found a spot on the harbor and watched a children's sailing school from the restaurant and ate Lake Erie Perch - very tasty.

Cedar Point from the Ferry

In the afternoon we took the history tour of the Island.  Lots of War of 1812 history and information about the island and it's inhabitants and buildings.  Many of the earliest buildings burned down at and early time including a large hotel where the few guests were on the first floor and when a fire began on an upper floor no one knew the hotel was burning until it was too late.  Even the fire company building burned down at one point.  The tour ends at the Oliver Perry Monument conveniently located near the ferry docks.  There is a small museum there about the Lake Erie battle and one can take an elevator up the monument.  The only thing that stopped us was that the monument had been closed for repairs for 2 years and would open the next day!   Right now I am in Quakertown Pennsylvania looking around the area for possible places to live.  I have family friends in the area and will see my daughter and granddaughters this weekend.  A Keys friend and I will meet up this afternoon.  There will be more Cleveland adventures later this summer including  the Italian feast of the Assumption.

Oliver Perry Monument