I have lived in Upstate New York my entire life, and I am still astounded by the wonders that I have found here. From the vast amount of history that has occurred in this region to its incredible natural beauty, I am amazed by the treasures this region has to offer. Two such treasures include the Aqua Duck Boat experience and the Herkimer Diamond Mines.

In Albany (Albany County), there are the Albany Aqua Ducks & Trolleys tours. The Aqua Ducks are amphibious vehicles that drive on land like a bus and then enter the water and oat like a boat. TThey have several types of tours, but the one that I have experienced is the Albany historical tour.

We began in historical Quakenbush Square and traveled through downtown Albany as our guideshared the history of the State Capital. Every time we stopped for a red light, we “quacked” at the passers-by, using our noise makers. Once we nished the land tour, we plunged into the Hudson River. We sailed down the Hudson for approximately a half hour as the tour guide explained other historical and regional information. Another site that we were able to see was the Half Moon Boat, a replica of one of Henry Hudson’s boats.

Just south of the village of Just south of the village of Middleville (Herkimer County), lies what appears to be just a simple rock quarry. But anyone who ventures in will soon discover that this mine contains morethan just plain rocks. Herkimer Diamonds, originally discovered by the Mohawk Indians, are actually quartz crystals with a hexagon shape. Typical quartz crystals have one ending point, while Herkimer Diamonds have two ending points. I have gone prospecting for diamonds on many occasions. It is fun to be able to dig through the earth and nd the sparkling surprises.Any of the gems you nd, you are able to keep.

WWhile visiting the Herkimer Diamond Mines, I explored the Diamond Mine Museum to view just one of this mine’s treasures. One such treasure includes the Diamond Cross. On the morning of September 11, 2001, a miner was digging for diamonds and found what has now become known as the Diamond Cross. It is a collection ofHerkimer Diamonds that were strung together by nature, also known as beingclustered, to form the shape of a cross. With all of the events that happened on that dreadful September day, the discovery of the Diamond Cross reminds us of the hope that is possible in the midst of tragedy.

Hidden Treasures

Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” If we trust in Jesus resurrection - this miracle of being dead for three days and then returning- we have hope for our lives if we simply believe in him.

WWhat does it mean to believe in him? A whole section of the Bible is dedicated to show us how unpleasing we are to God. We just naturally violate God’s commands and don't even know it. God being just must punish our sins. Think about it? How good would God be if he just let people get away with hurting people? Because God is both loving and just, he sent his son to earth to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. Jesus lived a perfect life onon earth - The life you and I were supposed to live, the life we could never live. Then at 33 years old he was crucied to be the payment for us.

His death met the demands of God’s justice. Three days later he rose from the dead. the resurrection is the proof that the Father fully accepted Jesus’ work on the cross.

IIf you ask some people what happens when they die, a good number of people believe they will go to heaven. The follow up question of how often reveals they are relying on their personal goodness to go there. The Bible only says there is one way to go to heaven - to believe in what Jesus did as being your only hope for the afterlife.