Niagara Falls

Last night I was looking through some vacation pictures from 1998. I thought I had a campfire pic from one of our two nights at the worst-place-we've-ever-camped (seriously--Kat is no longer allowed to make our reservations. She asked no questions and we ended up in this cramped little place right on the highway). While I did find one of Kat preparing the campfire, I did not find any of the fire at night, which I was sure I had. Will have to look in the Door County pics, as soon as I figure out which pile they are. Have I mentioned how far behind I am in my scrapbooks? I have several years sorted out into soda flats (just right for making sure nothing gets crinkled, lost or out of order) that really need to go into albums. One of these days I will catch up! Really. I hope.

Anyway, while I had my Niagara pictures out I figured I might as well scan some of the better ones for sharing. Looking back at them now some don't seem near as good as I thought they were then, but others were better than I remembered. In any case, it's something different to share, right? This was the last leg of our how-many-states-can-you-visit-in eleven-days tour. (Answer: eleven plus one Canadian province.) Kim, Kat and I drove out to Alexandria, VA to stay with a friend and in addition to all the states we had to drive through to get there, we visited many more. We took day trips to Gettysburg, PA; Richmond, VA; Annapolis and Baltimore, MD; Rehoboth Beach and Dover, DE -- plus two full days in Washington, DC. Our trip ended over Labor Day weekend with a drive up to Niagara Falls, NY. Two nights there (one full day visiting the Falls), then a drive through Ontario back to the states, and then down through Michigan and Indiana back to Chicago. Yup, we pretty much needed a week off to recover from vacation. *grin*

Between the three of us we took a lot of pictures, a vast majority of them at Niagara Falls. The park is actually quite nice, with pathways over narrow sections of the Niagara River to islands that afford different views of the three falls -- American, Bridal Veil, and Horseshoe -- as well as the Niagara River. Though we didn't take the tour behind the Bridal Veil Falls, we did go on the Maid of the Mist boat tour. Yes, it's a totally touristy thing to do, but it's the only way to get close to the Horseshoe Falls, with boats departing the American and Canadian sides every 15 minutes. The rise and fall of the waves and the mist on your face is rather exhilarating. Not to mention you get posh plastic rain coats that are all the fashion rage. Hehe.... I am sooo glad there aren't any pictures wearing those!

Looking to the rocks below the American Falls, which would be to the left of this picture.

This shot of the American Falls is taken from one of the smaller islands. To get there you first walk across a pedestrian bridge to tiny Green Island, then to the much larger Goat Island. Near the crest of the Falls is a little walkway to Luna Island, which separates the smaller Bridal Veil Falls from the American. You can see the observation tower/elevator down to the boat landing in the background, with the Rainbow Bridge behind that. Visitors to the park can walk across the bridge to the Canadian side, which we did not do as certain individuals claimed to be too tired from walking all day. Some people's friends are such wimps!




Looking to the rocks below the Bridal Veil Falls. If you're wondering how a person can spend an entire day at the falls, well--believe me, it's quite easy. For one, there are a system of paths along the shores of the Falls, the river, and around Goat Island. There are different tours to take, and exploring to do on your own. And there is the fact that you become so mesmerized watching that cascade of water pouring over the crest and crashing against the rocks below that you lose all track of time.


And, of course, when the sun is just right, there are hundreds of rainbows shimmering in the mist over the falls.