A Big Deal: Niagara Falls.

So obviously we went to Niagara Falls. 

On the inside I was like this,

But on the outside more like this

because the boat cruise was the night before and we didn't go to bed til 3am and had to get up at 6am or something similarly disgusting because the bus people didn't think about us Glendon people and only left from Keele. Bloody Rude.

Anyway.

It was a pretty miserable day, weather-wise. Nice work, guys. So these photos aren't really as shiny as they could have been.

This was our bus, and our little tour guide woman, aka Font of Useless Information and Miserable Death Stories.

"Please ma'am, shut up so we can sleep" pretty much.

Okay, so I want to help you out with this because it's really damn confusing. Below, find me. I am in Toronto.

Hi.

So right across Lake Ontario where that tiny blue line is, where it connects to Lake Eire, that's where Niagara Falls is. It's about a 2 hour drive.

Before I looked at a map like this, I didn't realise how kind of close we were to big US cities; 5 hours to Detroit, 8 hrs to NYC, etc.

Fun fact: the US/Canadian border actually runs through the middle of these lakes!




FIRST: MAID OF THE MIST.

OKAY SO NOW THIS REALLY IS EXCITING.

YUSSSS.

OH HAI THERE FALLS. IS LOVELY TO FINALLY MEET YOU. LET'S BE FRIENDS FOREVER.

Walking up and down ramps and things to get to the where the boat is.

So this gorge is literally the US/Canadian border; we're on the Canadian side, this photo is of the US side, that's the US viewing platform. The Maid of the Mist operates on both sides.

The bridge is almost always full of traffic going very slowly as people very slowly move through Customs of each country.

Also, there are two main falls, this one:

This one is officially on the US side, and the other (the more impressive, stereotypical Niagra Falls photo one) is Canadian.

This one, the one with the magnificent water spray which you can see from the CN Tower.

Disturbed...minerals...or something. Either way, gross.

All aboard. BLUE PONCHOS AND EVERYTHING.

Andrew was quite unimpressed with proceedings, namely the wet and the cold. 

Nothing like tiny people to put things in perspective.

There they are.

The US Mist.

Daredevil Americans going behind the falls.

Sure, that looks safe. Who am I kidding, we all know I'd be on that thing in a heartbeat.

Obligatory Lis + I photo.

It soon got extremely wet, like being poured on. Actually it wasn't at all like being poured on, we were being poured on. Photos like this are me trying to kind of not kill my camera.

Being poured on is unpleasant.

Hello, waterdrop on lens. Let's not be friends.

I enjoy this photo. It just kind of summarises everyone's feelings at the time.

The Canadian Falls.

More tiny people, and the incredible sheer volume of water.

SAAAAAAAVE THE CAMERAAAAAA.

It's a huge horseshoe of water. Can't see all of it at once though because of giant plume of spray.

Spain is excited.

The US not so much.

Miserableness is getting to Mary.

Mary's not crying, it's just raining on her face and there's something in her eye. No, really. 

Off the boat.

Clifton Hill. A neon sign, trashy, souvenir-y strip. Classy as hell.

Whaaat?

Oh yes.

Back to the bus (not a lot of time to do things =/), and the parkland around the falls is beautifully kept by an army of gardeners.

Oh hai US.

The rapids before the falls. It's a huge stretch of river. Very fast and has killed a good few people.

So this is actually what happened. Picture it: it is cold, wet and miserable. It's all cloudy so all my Niagara photos are all grey and mopey. We trudge to the bus. Late. We had a dodgy lunch. It's still cold, wet and miserable. We climb onto the bus. We sit down. Right at that exact second, the sun was like, OH HAI GUYS HERE I AM. Seriously, the next photo on my camera is this:

FFS.

As we were driving past the falls for the last time on to another place, you could see the sunlight filtering beautifully through the water and GRRRRRRRRR.

Anyway, this is called the Whirlpool. I don't know why, it doesn't whirl in any kind of circle. It's just kind of where the deluge from the falls rushes down the river and has to do a really quick 90 degree turn.

Deluuuuge.

Next we went to a little town called Niagra-on-the-Lake (there was no lake) which is one of those stupidly picturesque tourist village things.

Oh, stop it. 

Seriously, come on.

 LOLLY SHOP.

Also, should mention that 2012 is the bicentennial anniversary of Canada's war of 1812 (google it)  so the town was full of highly unfortunate and unimpressed-looking school children and teachers dressed up in 19th century gear.

Omnomnomnom. I got a butter tart. It was quite wonderful.

Very beautiful gardens abound.

Little touristy shops.

Back to the bus.

Thanks for coming along, people. Was amazing to finally see the falls. Apparently they're all lit up night, so I hope to get around to that maybe. As always, you'll be the first to know know eventually ;D