Niagara Falls

By the time we got across the bridge and into our hotel room last night it was already dark, and while I can't pretend that we had no view when we got in (the falls are really pretty when lit up at night), it was still fun to wake up to such a view this morning.

(this picture not actually taken in the morning)

Aside from having breakfast with that view, we started our day on the incline railway (Funiculars is such a fun term), and the Journey Behind the Falls. It was no Cave of the Winds, but it was still pretty awesome.

Trip tip: either bring ponchos or keep your attraction ponchos for use later.

Both Jon and I were here when we were younger, but neither of us remembers the overall dampness. I had expected to get wet on certain excursions, but we were getting soaked just walking down Niagara Parkway near the Horseshoe Falls.

And since we were already wet, we up and went on the Maid of the Mist boat tour. Front and center on the top deck of the boat is the way to go if you want it to be a serious water ride.

Trip tip: plastic bags. I perfected the art of wrapping a camera in a plastic bag while leaving the lens free for use. It came in handy (and so did the old camera that I used for these stunts, because I'm not optimistic enough to have taken the good one for the wetter excursions).

Wet enough for the day, we stopped for lunch and some drying time in the sun at the Maid of the Mist food court (with scenic falls view!).

After lunch we hopped on the bus and headed northeast to the White Water Walk. Here's another thing I didn't know or didn't remember from my previous trip here: there is more to the falls than just the falling water. Well, duh. The rapids just north of the falls are a class six rapids, so dangerous that rafting or stunting through them is strictly forbidden without permission being granted by both the Canadian and United States governments. I do not have the photography skills to capture the power of those rapids in a picture, but walking along them was yet another awe striking experience. A little off the beaten path and far less catchy (kitschy?) than the main falls attractions, the rapids are definitely worth a viewing.

And what do you know? Standing along the railing watching the water rush over the rocks, we got soaked. And that one was a sneak attack.

(this picture not actually of the place where we got soaked)

Niagara Falls: man's largest water park, originally made by nature.

After taking the bus back we did wander up kitsch street, and then right back down it. When I was here as a youth I was totally guilty, along with my brother, of begging my parents to take us into this, that, and the other odd, kitschy attraction. We avoided all but the Lego display this time, and that was just so we could see Niagara Falls as made in Lego bricks.

We meandered through Victoria Park, too, before heading back for a swim in the hotel pool.

(this picture not actually of Victoria Park, but the view back in our room).

We ended our day with a great view of the fireworks over the falls from the comfort of our own hotel room, already in our pajamas and ready for bed. Or, at least one of us was.

Fireworks: the other beautiful sight that cannot accurately be captured as a still image.