Sunday, October 28, 2012

Niagara Falls Is Just as Awesome as Ever

Our time at The Falls could have gone either way.  We knew that October might bring cold and rain in upstate New York.  But, we can take it, right? We arrived in Lockport, NY, 20 miles east of Niagara Falls,Jerry at Horseshoe Falls and found this very accommodating Elks lodge to make our new home place.  Plus, our WeatherBug app said that the next day was to be sunny and 80 degrees. How great is that! In fact, after several delays in our trip, we were feeling fortunate.  We were all set for our Niagara Falls visit. The plan was to take the Maid of the Mist ride that we both wanted to add to our Niagara Falls experiences from our youth. 

Then, the next morning we called to check on a  possible late afternoon reservation for the boat ride.  Wellllllll, no way. The Maid of the Mist and other types of seasonal activities ended yesterday.  LOL.  And so it goes. Can’t be helped.

But wait!  After all was said and done, we couldn’t have asked for a nicer day at the Falls, taking in the powers of nature from several viewpoints.  Actually. we are thinking that we had minimal crowds, more access and less hassles. 

For us, recalling our own individual Nancy Hurley, Oct 27, 2012, Niagara Falls.40 to 60-year-old impressions of these same sights was a fun ingredient.  Of course, neither one of us have a crisp memory of what or how we saw the various falls…. American, Bridal Veil or Horseshoe Falls….views from Terrapin Point, Observation Deck, Luna Island, Goat Island...  We did some comparing of our separate memories and what the current visit was like.  It seemed there are many more “attractions” than when we were kids.  But, we agreed that the wonder of it all is the same.

We enjoyed the convenience of the trolley that travels around the state park and over to Goat Island. There were no lines of people waiting. We had lots of room on the paths, the park benches and at the railings to take in the amazing natural beauty and the power of it all.  The Observation Deck extending out over the Niagara River, viewing the American Falls,Observation Deck at Niagara Falls, NY is outstanding just for the feeling of being out there.  In the photo below you can see the deck at the left  jutting out where we enjoyed the experience. 

When we approached Terrapin Point to get a closer view of Horseshoe Falls we got to feel that special spray of the mist emanating from the pounding of 600,000 gallons per second pitching over the 173-foot plunge.  We took extra time to just drink in the sound and feel the spray.

To add to our list of events for the Falls Day, we ventured over to the other side. Crossing the border into  Canada was uneventful as we showed our passports and had no fruits or vegetables or firearms to declare. Although getting back into the U.S. was an hour-long wait, I’d say it was well worth it. The Canadian view is more expansive since the American Falls are in your sights head-on.  It is definitely a fantastic experience there, also.   Each side has strong points. The sound, the Niagara River rapids, the mist and the close up, pure power of it all are on the American side.  While,  the viewing of the spectacular expansive scene all at once is the advantage from Canada.View of American Falls (Below photo)

Even though we were post-season and denied a few of the amenities where we could spend more money, this day-late group of Falls viewers had a gorgeous sunny day of drinking in the sights and sounds to our hearts’ content.  Of course, photos of everyone with the Falls were necessary, including helping each other with snapshots. Then Mother Nature provided a double rainbow to complete the scene.  No complaints from these two tourists.

Now we’ve had our second visit to Niagara Falls, this one together.  Young or old, they are still awesome! 

2 comments:

  1. Wow! Fabulous sight, fabulous weather. Glad your trip is going well. Hugs, C&J

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    1. Hi Guys, We're glad we made the trip and have had a lot of fun up here in NY. But have to get out of here early tomorrow to avoid the hurricane weather. All is well.

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Hi: Thanks for your thoughts.