Correr Es Mi Destino

To celebrate the first big heat wave in Canada this year (yes, get over it — I’m Canadian. Half of the year, I complain about the cold, and I complain about the heat the rest of time. We call it the windchill/ humidex complaint here), we decided to drive to Niagara Falls thought the USA.

Last time I was there was 2005 but it was in early April and it was still cold (see… told you!) and it just wasn’t the same. This time, we drove across the State of New York and arrived in Niagara Falls on the US side. The park by the fall was open and we got very close to the Americans Falls.

The first big waterfalls I saw, a few years ago, were the Iguazu Falls, at the border of Argentina and Brazil. I had been told not to expect too much from Niagara after that but I still find the place amazing. Sure the waterfalls aren’t lost in the jungle but there’s the noise, the constant powerful water flow, the huge drop… I love it!

The first thing you can’t help noticing is the mist. It’s just amazing… water everywhere and on part of the promenade (mostly on the Canadian side), people are almost soaked. The mist hides part of the Canadian Niagara skyline when standing on the US side, as you can see below.

These are the American Falls. They drop about 21 meters and are wider than the Canadian falls (323 meters).

There is a huge difference between Niagara in the US and Niagara in Canada. The US side, except for the park near the fall, is pretty shady. The once prosperous town seems now abandoned Most buildings spot broken windows and a lot are vacant, locals wander around and businesses are closed or bankrupted. On The other side, Niagara Ontario is like a mini-Vegas with its casinos, five-starts hotels, pricey restaurants, colorful neon billboards and advertisements minutes from the falls.

At sunset, the falls take this deep blue color… just beautiful.

We took a ride in the new Skywheel to take pictures from the top. At past 11pm, the night was just starting in Niagara Falls… People were already queuing at the local bars and discos, kids were playing video-games in the numerous arcades and the rest of us was just wandering between Ripley’s and IMAX theatres.

The following day, we headed to Toronto to attend the R.E.M concert.