Traveling with me is always fun…and interesting. Sleeping in my car in a well-deserved break/nap, not so much. Used one of my Fedora’s to block out the lights from the rest-stop.
This bridge, on the way to Niagara Falls, is being renamed for my friend Sue Ellen who I must have mentioned a dozen times in the four times we went over it. Sue Ellen, like I hates bridges, because, you know, we have a fear of going over the edge. Not likely, but you know, you are so close to the edge. This is silly since as the pictures following will show, I was right near the edge of the Niagara River as well as the Falls…and that didn’t bother me in the least.
As we came in that first day, it was rainy, overcast, and cold! We parked at park to take a walk along the river and enjoy the view, not realizing how close we could get or where we really were since neither of us had been there before. Aren’t these pictures amazing? That river is so incredibly strong too!
Do you see the size of these logs? I didn’t have a telephoto lens to zoom in on them. They are HUGE and amazing, and wow, washed down onto these little islands or sand spits. I realize that the Niagara River is the culmination of five Great Lakes and I’d been at Lake Superior earlier in the year where the water started as it works its way east to culminate here as it makes it way to the St. Lawrence Seaway on it’s way to the Atlantic Ocean, but what an amazing feeling that these pictures don’t even do justice to.
One of the tour guides told us that if you fall in here you have three MINUTES before you go OVER the falls. This is the American side, and the prequel to the American falls.
On Goat Island and slightly off it are these trolley’s that you have to pay to ride but it’s totally worth it. The driver told us all sorts of tidbits that made the ride fun and insightful.
We didn’t go down on the American side to enjoy the spray, it was raining, and that was enough for our first day. The people down there, were getting soaked, not only from the skies but from the mighty spray of the falls.
The Maid in the Mist taking people up to the falls. They really pack the viewers in there like sardines as we would find out the next day. Seeing those rocks down there I imagined the mighty Niagara spitting those Volkswagen-sized or house-sized boulders over the edge.
The view, looking towards Canada across the gorge. The old power plant.
Look how close you actually get?
How could you READ when faced with the beauty of Niagara Falls?
I know, there are a lot of similar pictures, but you know, it changes every moment as the volume of water is incredible!
We ended our American side of the falls at a brunch at The Hard Rock Cafe, based on Sue Ellen’s recommendation. The prices were outrageous as you would expect by a tourist trap like that. Fortunately, it wasn’t busy, the rain, time of year, etc The service was slow, the food not worth the price, and as someone who has been in other Hard Rock Cafe’s, the ambiance not worth it either. Still, Avril Lavigne’s guitar was cool and I didn’t get a shot of it!
Considering we stopped to grab some pictures of the park, ended up walking along until we found a bridge over to Goat Island, and unintentionally found the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls. It was totally worth the walk and I really wish these pictures did it justice, but this is just a small remembrance of an amazing trip. This was a life-long dream for me and I am forever grateful for my friend meeting up with me and going along. We had an amazing and unexpected time on this trip and I’ll be posting more of my many pictures to share.
Also, if you are reading this blog, it is different from my book blog, so please subscribe below!
K'Anne Meinel's Travel Blog 
I’ve been three times now and never done anything on the American side. Last time, that was the intent, but the hotel we’d booked for the night was such a pit, we sucked up the cost for the night and went and got rooms at a great hotel on the Canadian side instead. It was the first time I’d been there that I had to show my Passport to go. Been a while, eh?
The Canadian side has grown immensely with construction over the years, but they maintain everything so well and keep the park so beautiful up and down from the falls along the river and beyond. It’s always worth a trip. I’d go again and again. And, bonus, Canadian beer is way better. I’d go just for the Labatt and the Molson Canadian.
LikeLike