Day 10 & 11 - a little more falls, a surprise eduvacation stop, and family connection in upstate NY

After the awesome Giacomo breakfast, we went back to the falls, this time with Nibbles. The day was clear, chilly, and gorgeous. And we saw a rainbow in the mist!

As we were headed for Niskayuna, to visit with my cousin Raquel and her son, Chris, I noticed a road sign touting the Women's Rights National Park. Seneca Falls! Don't know why it didn't occur to me when I was thinking about upstate NY. We had time, so scooted off the interstate to visit.

In the early nineteenth century, Seneca Falls NY was something of a hotbed of abolitionism and reform - a sphere of activity in which women were often active participants. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her husband traveled to London for a conference on abolitionism, only to be told that women were not allowed to participate, and would have to sit in the back of the room and keep quiet. I imagine ECS and her carefully sculpted curls shaking in anger...she resolved to fight for women's rights.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglas, and Hart

 The museum was informative - followed women's rights up through the 1980s. Traditional exhibits, nothing too exciting there except the information in them....

BUT! Next door, they have restored the church in which the famed 1848 convention - the first national conference on women's rights, was held.  Pretty darn cool.

Headed for Niskayuna, where we met Raquel and Chris for dinner. It was amazing to catch up with my awesome, smart, strong cousin - I have always looked up to her, since we were kids. Haven't seen her in ages - not since we became parents! Chris was an awesome guy - he and Hart hung out and let the women talk.

The next day we went over and hung out at their house - another great visit, another visit with no pictures! I guess when I am having excellent conversation with loved ones, I just forget. Sigh.

Here's Hart: The Women's Rights museum was very inspirational. I think the women's rights movement had a big impact every other civil rights movement. I learned that toys were very sexist - way too gender-specific. I think it is still like that today. Me and Chris played FarCry 5 for hours, and Raquel took us to see Solo, where I had 75% of the biggest tub of popcorn I have ever seen. I hope Chris and I can meet up on PS4 and play FarCry5 together.