Day 9: Ohhhh, Canada...

I did not sleep too well on the bus. Firstly, one guy was on the phone for at least two hours chatting away about nothing - even the bus driver asked him to stop talking and he kept going, just slightly quieter. Biggest issue was that the gap between my seat and the window was too large to lean across and sleep on. I need more practice falling asleep sitting up. My parents don't take me on enough road trips.

My Bed and Breakfast I'm staying at is located in a 115 year old cottage, surrounded by new hotels. Just a few blocks away is a casino. The entire place around this area of little B'n'B's is like Dubai - although less high rise - over developed, with parking yards and hotels and very few trees to be seen. It looks seriously ugly. But this street area has nice shady trees and adorable little cottages. The one I am staying in even has a stained glass window for the door. Beautiful.

I didn't have much time to grab breakfast before I was picked up at my accommodation for my first tour. This tour was supposed to take 8 hours, but it took closer to 10. That was okay, because I didn't have anything else planned until 9:30pm, so I had plenty of time. We were very lucky though - over the weekend the place was so packed, lines for over 4 hours. Our tour guide showed us areas of grass that had been crushed by people waiting in line all day.

Our first stop was the Cave of the Winds. I was glad we stopped there first because on entry you get a wonderful pair of waterproof sandals which were very comfy and very useful for the rest of my time in Niagara Falls. The Cave of the Winds used to be a cave network that went around the American Falls, but it collapsed a number of decades ago and was replaced by a structure that is built onto the rocks every summer and dismantled over winter to stop it being damaged by the ice.The American Falls themselves are the smaller of the two falls, only 10% of the water goes over the American Falls, the remaining 90% over the Horseshoe Falls.

 You get handed a poncho and walk out onto a walkway to this fantastic view of the gorge and the Canadian side of the river. Then you walk along, seeing the falls at the edge of the walkway. Next thing you know, you're up to your ankles in water, getting sprayed by the falls. Head a little bit further in and you'll hit the powerwash, which is exactly what it sounds like. The water is cold, high pressure and you leave feeling invigorated, or at least I did.

Nikola Tesla is well celebrated in the area. The hydroelectric power plants were designed for AC Power, as promoted by Tesla

The American Falls from the Cave of the Winds Walkway

Rapids at the Bottom of the American Falls

It's getting  a touch damp

It's wet, wild and windy. Better than any theme park

Powerwashing area

But look at that view - perfect weather

We spent the next few hours wandering the American Parklands - stopping at the 3 Sisters Islands. The entire park is very beautiful. It is kind of ironic that the USA, famous for its big cities and massive buildings, has the more beautiful parklands and Canada, famous for its natural environments, has hotels and towers right at the edge of the gorge. 

The Horseshoe falls glimmering through the mist

This rainbow was mist-ifying

Small water fall near 3 sisters islands, connecting to the American Falls

Me at the top of the American Falls

Our next stop on the tour was the Maid of the Mist. This boat and tour was originally designed as transport for goods and people across the river. However, when the first bridge was built in the late 1800s, the boat became redundant and converted to tourism. That bridge collapsed due to erosion, along with the original hydroelectric power plants. The Maid of the Mist is named after an American Indian legend about a chieftain's daughter who committed suicide at the falls, but was saved by the sons of the god who lived behind the waterfall and became the maid of the mist. Famously, the Maid of the Mist once rescued a seven year old boy who went over the falls in nothing but swimmers and a life jacket due to an upstream boating accident. He was totally fine afterwards.

The boat ride itself was awesome. This boat is bigger hulled than the Canadian version and as such, can approach the more turbulent waters at the base of the falls, getting you closer and wetter. It's a great way to see the falls. 

Going past the American Falls

We went right into that mist to see the Horseshoe Falls

Best shot I could get without making the camera too wet

After the boat ride, we gathered atop the lookout tower you could see in the background of a couple of my shots of the American Falls. The view was pretty awesome.

Next stop was lunch, which we took on the Canadian Side. However, because the crowds were starting to build, we stopped by the current hydroelectric power plants and the flower clock first. The power plants were amazing. Whilst we stayed outside, we heard how at night they pump 75% of the water from the river to giant water towers up on the cliffs and then during the day allow the water to flow through the pumps and a second set of turbines, using both to generate electricity. This methods allows the power plant to produce the second highest quantity of electricity of all hydroelectric plants in the United States.

Its got the power!

The Flower Clock - is replanted 3-4 times a year so it always looks amazing.

After lunch and a quick spot of shopping we stopped at our last tour location - the Skylon Tower. This provided me with 360 degree view of the Canadian Side

 

The tour ended with all members of the tour party being taken back to their hotels. Bar three of us, everyone was on the Canadian side. For the three of us who were staying in USA, we had to cross the border again - and it was peak hour. Took us a good half an hour just to get our passports looked at - and two of the group were American Citizens. Crazy!

By this time the clouds were rolling in. I made it back to my accommodation, settled into my room properly and got myself sorted, before heading back out again. The rain had started, but it was only spitting down and the internet radar told me that it would soon pass, so I took the opportunity to get dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, which was nice - if expensive. Although everywhere in Niagara is pretty expensive. Then I walked to Canada (which is something you don't get to say every day).

The wind today had kept the mist in the gorge

American Falls - as seen from Canada

My Canadian Boat - lighter hulled than the Maid of the Mist, so it can operate at night when the water level drops due to the power station

The Illuminations cruise was pretty disappointing. Because of the weather - which had cleared up a little - the mist stayed in the gorge, meaning most of the lighting was caught up in the mist rather than on the falls themselves. But it was still a pretty good show. And I was very impressed by how well my camera handled the low light situation.

American Falls - lit up

Some the lights coming from Canada - a lot of mist and haze around removing the vibrancy of the falls themselves

More American Falls

And so on

Horseshoe Falls under the lights

Tomorrow I leave for Boston where the only thing I have set in stone is my trip to the baseball. I'm nearing halfway through my trip and I'm so tired now. Will probably laze around a bit and try and catch up on things. Until next time.