Misty, But More Like Downright Wet

Jodi wondered if Niagara Falls is one of the 7 Wonders of the world, and alas it is not, but I in my opinion it should be! I lay in bed this morning not able to hear the birds singing through our open windows, considering the beauty of this natural wonder of the falls that I COULD hear.  We had a great day yesterday.  We got up, had breakfast and moseyed as it had rained and was still raining as we woke up.  Breakfast was on the sun porch at this delightful little table.

We were served a poached pear in a berry coulis with a couple of strawberries which I enjoyed later with the waffle that accompanied a veggie filled omelette.

As we sat, there is a tree in the back yard in which Jodi found the image of a squirrel as if she were cloud gazing.  

The nice thing about IAFN being in the fall is that usually, the crowds are gone.  So we bought a day pass for the Falls and our first adventure was watching a movie about the Falls.  It was pretty interesting and I always enjoy some context!  Then we headed toward the Maid of the Mist boat ride that was to take us right up to the falls.

They gave us ponchos which reminded me of big condoms!  But they did keep us dry!

The views, the sounds and the suds were amazing.  I had to say a couple of times, for old times sake, "I see Suds!".

There is a tower that lets you walk out over the water a bit and it offered a lovely view of the falls as well.

Then we took the trolley (part of the pass) to the Cave of the winds, on Goat Island.  All of this is a state park now, so fairly regulated, but not the best routes, directes, signage. It felt fairly confusing about how to use the pass and know if there was an obligatory ticket to still obtain with the pass as currency or if you could just use the cute little ticket in the pass.  

As we waited in line, I thought how multicultural this place is.  In line there were an Amish family, several Hasidic Jewish people, some women in hijab and others in saris, as well as us boring folk.  Then we go in this area and it sort of resembles a locker room and they are giving us shoes-sandal thingies.  There is a sign that says "wear these or get your shoes wet".  But not much more explanation.  With the vision of all the obviously Jewish people present, my mind went to "this confusion may be a tiny vision at what the Holocaust victims must have felt when being rounded up".

 But we changed into these surprisingly comfortable little sandals and I rolled up my pant legs as much as I possibly could (boy, was I glad!) and  reapplied my condom like poncho.

There were all sorts of interesting berries waiting to be picked and snails just hunkered down in the lovely moist rock.

 Off we went to this amazing stair way (that the elevator guy said they tear down every Fall and rebuild every Spring) to the base of the falls.

It was beautiful, astonishing and wet!  It was so wet and there was so much water that at one point I could not see for all the water that had splashed into my eyes.

Back in our shoes we headed to Terrapin point to have a good look as yet another view of the falls.  I think maybe this was my favorite view as on one side there was the American Falls and on the other was the Canadian Falls ( Horseshoe falls)

and I liked being so close to both of them.  AND we finally got to see a piece of a rainbow!

I marveled at how ignorant humans can be at throwing coins in the falls!

I had hoped to eat at the restaurant there, but it looked like it was closed for the season.

Hungry by now, we took the trolley back to  the beginning and walked to a pizza place we had seen, I did'nt read well and we ordered a large pizza (the only size). But one could have purchased by the slice.  C'est La Vie.  After lunch/supper we walked back to the B&B and then to the casino where we deposited a bit of hard earned cash.  It was fun though. The room was warm, but the windows opened easily and we had  air and the sounds of the falls to lull us to sleep.