June 3, 2025 - Driving to Alaska
Niagara Butterfly Farm - Sudbury
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| The Tower Hotel had a IHOP on the top floor so we had a nice breakfast there, overlooking the Falls and River. |
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Looking west, on the other side of the river.
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| Looking south, wondering what that tower to the right is. |
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When we visited Niagara Falls back in 2000 one of the attractions we visited was the Butterfly Conservatory which we all enjoyed. So this morning, before leaving Niagara Falls, we went back to see the butterflies. The Conservatory is located at the Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens. |
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| This didn't seem to me to be the same place we visited back in 2000 but I guess it was since this facility was opened in 1996. |
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| Inside the Conservatory. |
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| Unusual but pretty flowers. |
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| If you look closely you can see whitebutterflies with black, orange and white coloring. |
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There were lots of butterflies but not swarms of them.
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| The brownish butterfly just right of center was probably the most impressive because when he opened his wings, the top of the wings were this flourescent blue. |
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| Muching on some tasty orange. The only picture I have from 2000 -- before digital cameras -- is almost identical to this one. |
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| There were lots of butterflies but they didn't like landing on humans too much. |
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| A pretty orange one. |
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| Lynnette got a shot of this guy landing on my hat. I never saw it. |
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| A giant artificial butterfly. |
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| Close-up of a butterfly with wings fully spread. |
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| This guy liked Lynnette. |
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Leaving the Conservatory, we walked around the Botanical Gardens.
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| Big tree. |
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It's early June but we're up in Canada; it was almost as if spring hasn't arrived here yet.
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Leaving Niagara Falls, we drove west for a short time, then turned north, passed along the west outskirts of Toronto, then continued north to a little town called Sudbury where we stopped for the night. We were on the road about five hours or so.
We've been in Ontario ever since we crossed into Canada at the Rainbox Bridge; not sure why this Welcome to Ontario sign is here, well into Ontario. Maybe just a reminder?
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Of the entire trip to Alaska and back, the lodging at Sudbury was probably the worst. It turned out to be just a little cheap strip motel. I mean it was fine, but we usually stay at better places. My trip planning could have been better for Sudbury.
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Sudbury's major attraction is the "Big Nickel". It's a 30 ft replica of a 1951 Canadian nickel. It was erected in 1964, and pays tribute to Canada's nickel production and in particular that of the Sudbury area. There is a small science museum here as well but we have a long way to go and don't have the time so we just did a drive-by. But we did see the Big Nickel. Box checked!
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