Day 23...Upper Michigan Penninsula...Munising

Oldest working Lighthouse in America , White Fish , MI


Bell of the Fitzerald ( biggest ship sunken in the lake Superior)

Upper Tahquamanon Fall , Paradise , MI ( the colours in the water are from the tannins released from decaying trees)

Lower Falls , Paradise , MI

Dinner place ( Dogcatcher) in Munising...looks like the only dinner place

This morning we acossed the Mackinaw Bridge and headed west in UP ( Ipper Penninsula, MI). Stopped at the welcome center and were given all sorts of information , books and advice from a very friendly person at the desk. He showed us the country roads to take and places to stop at for sight seeing.

We drove along lake Michigan for a while and then cut across the penninsula to go to see the ShipWreck Museum at White Fish on the shores of lake superior. This was the first time we encountered this lake. It looked beautiful and very calm. The museum educated us on the true nature of the calm on the surface, The lake is the largest body of fresh water on the earth and is prone to very violent storms. It is said that the storms in lake Superior are worse than ocean storms. There are recorded 6000 big ship wrecks in the lake around this spot. the last one was in 1971. The museum tells the story of that and some other big ones. these ships carried big loads ( 25,000 tons) of metal ores and were the main mode of transportatioin in old days. IN 1995, a big rescue operation was undertaken and the bell was recovered. The museum is well worth the stop.

Our next stop was the Tahquamenon Falls State park and it is well worth the time too. There are two big water falls, the colours being from the tannins of the trees. The falls are called , "Niagra of Michigan", I am not sure if I would agree but the falls and the nature around them are very pretty and not touristy at all. So, may be nicer than Niagra.

We made it to our destination, Munising. It is a very small place , just like any other town in UP Michigan. There are few fast food places, may be one or two restaurants and just a small and old town feeling. Our hotel is nice and overlooks lake Superior. Water of the lake is deep blue and the lake is surrounded by lush green forest of all sorts of trees. we were told that UP MI has more variety of trees than any other lower 48..

This is it for today. JAgdish is snoring already...

Good night

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