Deja vu at The Soo

During my recent road trip with the hubby to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I had the chance to visit the Sault Ste. Marie Locks, a popular tourist attraction in the area. Sault Ste. Marie, or "The Soo" as many call it, is famous primarily for the Soo Locks. These locks make it possible for ships to travel from Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes.

Per Wikipedia, the Soo Locks are the busiest in the world passing an average of 12,000 ships per year.The locks bypass the rapids of the St. Marys River where the water falls 7 meters (21 feet) from Lake Superior. Or as I heard one father recently explain to his young daughter, "the Locks are like a boat elevator." I couldn't have said it better!

Anyway, visitors to The Soo can watch ships go through the Locks via one of two observation platforms adjacent to the Locks. As I made my way to the platform to witness the first of several barges that would go through The Locks while we were in town, I had flashbacks to my early childhood when I was last at The Soo Locks. The year was 1984. I was six years old. I was missing a few teeth, and my parents were my best friends in the world.

A few things have changed since then. I now have all my teeth (thank God)! I just entered my third decade in this, the year 2008, and I have another best friend to throw into the mix, my husband of 10 months!

So I thought it might be fun to capture the "then" and "now." Check it out below (be sure to note similarity of attire)!

1984...


2008...