Now to fulfill the deferred promise of more Niagara Falls photos.
What an amazing place this is! Sure, it has a tacky reputation as a trite honeymoon destination.
And it's been featured in enough movies (including the film-noir classic even called just
Niagara) that we all feel like we've seen it, and seen it enough.
But when you're actually there, the hype and triteness disappear and you just have to marvel at the prospect of SO MUCH WATER tumbling on downstream. (For more information, including some of its fascinating history,
the Wikipedia Niagara Falls entry is particularly comprehensive and well-referenced.)
Henry and I visited in 2002 on our way home from taking Sally to Pennsylvania for college, and did a fair amount of exploring—including riding the
Maid of the Mist boat and hiking to
Cave of the Winds—but stayed on the American side of the border.
This time I was careful to pack my passport and so was able to visit the Canadian side, where the panoramic views are even better. We also got a nice bit of exercise, very welcome after sitting in meetings for two days! Here is the view of the falls you get from about midway across the bridge to Canada:
And, to give you an even better idea of the length of our walk, here's looking back downstream at the bridge:
Although a bit chilly, especially after our dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe (one of the few eateries open on a low-season weeknight), we thoroughly enjoyed the walk and simply could not stop
taking pictures.
I've put almost all of the ones I took in
this Flickr set (over 70!) if you want to see more Falls than I'm showing here. And I dare you to take fewer if you're there at a time of perfect light (late afternoon) like we were.
In addition to the Falls themselves, we loved the flowers everywhere, reinforcing the impression that we were in the Buffalo area at the best time of the year. Here are some gorgeous tulips along the Canadian walkway, and the most spectacular grove of dogwoods I've ever seen, between the parking lot and the visitor center on the U.S. side.
I need to reiterate that you need your passport to visit the Canadian side of the Falls. We had to show ours to immigration officials both on the way over and on the way back. And, for quality of views, at least, the Canadian side just can't be beat.
On top of that, it's enough to give us an inferiority complex to compare the two sections of the Falls; while both spectacular, the American Falls, which is on top here, is definitely the little brother of the Canadian, or Horseshoe, which is below:
Gorgeous long shot views like these are what the Canadian side specializes in, but to really appreciate the power and awesomeness (the poor, over-used
awesome really does fit the bill here!) you need to get closer. And even though it's impossible to convey what it's really like, without sound, spray, and visceral thrill, I did my best.
These last two shots are what Horseshoe Falls looks like when you're too close for it all to fit in a frame. The first one still gives you some perspective with riverside vegetation (and check out the double rainbow!). But for the second I was right at the lip of the falls. Nothing but water, light, and more—and more—water, hypnotically filling your world. How wonderful to be able to—safely—be so close to such elemental force.
New boat on Rockcastle River, Kentucky
A few rhododendrons still blooming on Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
Always a good breakfast!
eccentric husband? It's not the way I originally wanted to spend the time off I get between the spring and summer semesters. [Note: from now on, I am trying to take all of my generous allowance of vacation days each year, instead of just letting some of it go. I'm calling it retirement practice.]
So, there will be a blog hiatus of, hopefully, not too long a duration while we're preparing and getting off of this expedition. But I hope the photos and stories that eventually sprout from this quite varied week of traveling will be worth it.
And it's been featured in enough movies (including the film-noir classic even called just Niagara) that we all feel like we've seen it, and seen it enough.
And, to give you an even better idea of the length of our walk, here's looking back downstream at the bridge:
Although a bit chilly, especially after our dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe (one of the few eateries open on a low-season weeknight), we thoroughly enjoyed the walk and simply could not stop 
taking pictures.
Gorgeous long shot views like these are what the Canadian side specializes in, but to really appreciate the power and awesomeness (the poor, over-used awesome really does fit the bill here!) you need to get closer. And even though it's impossible to convey what it's really like, without sound, spray, and visceral thrill, I did my best.
bars around game time. (In west Texas, this might be difficult....so you see why I have to plan ahead.)
flowers (like the tulips in my latest Wordless Wednesday post, taken in the churchyard of St. Joseph's in downtown Buffalo) or great urban architecture. At least, those items didn't used to come to mind.
room window). But they keep us pretty busy at these meetings (put on by the Government Printing Office, the same outfit that ran the shows in Tampa, Florida, last spring and Washington last fall).
was on the edge of, and I was so impressed with the buildings. As well as the scale of their downtown, which is rather small, like ours, unintimidating while still being interesting.
