Day Two On The Wrong Side of the Border
Aug. 17th, 2007 08:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bjarvisDetermined to make the best of our unfortunate exile to the US, we spent the bulk of the day being tourists. Guess where we went...
I've seen the Canadian side of the falls numerous times over the years but the long lines to cross the rainbow bridge into the US side have prevented any attempt to examine the US side. Since we're stuck on the US side this time, it seemed appropriate to take advantage of the situation.
It was more than a little frustrating being this close to the homeland but not able to enter. We were so close we could practically smell the health care, flavourful beer and absence of aspirations of global domination. *sigh* Alas, it's my own fault we couldn't go.
We started with a ride on the Maid of the Mist up to the base of the Horseshoe Falls and back. I've always wanted to do this and I'm glad we made the effort this time... it was much fun. In fact, we save the blue rain ponchos to store at the trailer as disposable rain gear.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cuyahogarvr and I took a number of photos form the observation deck above the mooring, then all three of us walked around to Goat Island and finally ended with lunch at the Top of the Falls Restaurant.
In the mid-afternoon, we drove over to Lockport, NY. With some time to kill, we checked out local artists' workshops and galleries. We didn't buy anything but I was sorely tempted on a few pieces.
Just after 5:30 PM, we boarded a sight-seeing boat on the Erie Canal for a two hour tour. This late in the day, there were very few tourists and fewer children so I was quite happy. We went through two locks in downtown Lockport, heading up the canal towards Buffalo; we then returned through the locks and went under to lift bridges a ways downstream of our launching point.
Following our cruise, we stopped for ice cream at a local shop, then returned to the hotel. I'm now sitting in the lobby writing all of this.
I took over 200 photos but didn't bring the cable to transfer them to my laptop computer. I have space for another 140 photos on my camera so I may either hunt down the suitable cable at a local store or simply get myself a newer, larger memory card for my camera.
We now are going to the room to argue about dinner then soak in the pool and/or hottub before turning in for the evening.
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Niagara Falls, NY, 2007-08-17 |
I've seen the Canadian side of the falls numerous times over the years but the long lines to cross the rainbow bridge into the US side have prevented any attempt to examine the US side. Since we're stuck on the US side this time, it seemed appropriate to take advantage of the situation.
It was more than a little frustrating being this close to the homeland but not able to enter. We were so close we could practically smell the health care, flavourful beer and absence of aspirations of global domination. *sigh* Alas, it's my own fault we couldn't go.
We started with a ride on the Maid of the Mist up to the base of the Horseshoe Falls and back. I've always wanted to do this and I'm glad we made the effort this time... it was much fun. In fact, we save the blue rain ponchos to store at the trailer as disposable rain gear.
cuyahogarvr and I took a number of photos form the observation deck above the mooring, then all three of us walked around to Goat Island and finally ended with lunch at the Top of the Falls Restaurant.In the mid-afternoon, we drove over to Lockport, NY. With some time to kill, we checked out local artists' workshops and galleries. We didn't buy anything but I was sorely tempted on a few pieces.
Just after 5:30 PM, we boarded a sight-seeing boat on the Erie Canal for a two hour tour. This late in the day, there were very few tourists and fewer children so I was quite happy. We went through two locks in downtown Lockport, heading up the canal towards Buffalo; we then returned through the locks and went under to lift bridges a ways downstream of our launching point.
Following our cruise, we stopped for ice cream at a local shop, then returned to the hotel. I'm now sitting in the lobby writing all of this.
I took over 200 photos but didn't bring the cable to transfer them to my laptop computer. I have space for another 140 photos on my camera so I may either hunt down the suitable cable at a local store or simply get myself a newer, larger memory card for my camera.
We now are going to the room to argue about dinner then soak in the pool and/or hottub before turning in for the evening.
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no subject
Date: 2007-08-18 02:32 am (UTC)HUGS!
no subject
Date: 2007-08-18 01:17 pm (UTC)I have some familiarity with the general history of this area but mostly from the Canadian side of the border; it's nice to be able to fill in some blanks while we're here.
The economy definitely could use a boost but at least some areas are looking pretty good these days. Niagara Falls, NY, still needs a kick in the downtown but there's much potential.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-18 08:29 pm (UTC)Why are you living in the US? I can't figure it out? You seem to REALLY want to live in Canada again.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-18 11:22 pm (UTC)The really freaky part is that I may not even be welcomed back if I did return, at least not by the folks I left behind 11 years ago. A few think I took the easy way out by moving south, some think I've become too 'americanized' to fit back together as we once did, others resent that I was willing to leave Canada in the first place. Even my family is a little irked, although they're much better now than when I first moved south. It would be easier I suppose to start fresh somewhere else in Canada than where I left off, and it would probably be easier on