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| Horseshoe Falls. Damn near lost my hat taking this. |
The journey to Niagara Falls took 9.5 hours. I must admit I kipped on much of it. We went north following the line of the Hudson to Albany, then west along the Mohawk valley via places like Utica, Syracuse and Buffalo. I must say, from what I saw, the countryside we passed looked flat, drab and boring, or downright inhospitable; all black and grey scenery with rather grim spindly forests, bogs and some unattractive farmland. The towns looked even worse. I thought I had seen the epitome of urban grot in the UK with places like Hull and Cowdenbeath, but Utica, Syracuse and Buffalo ( as seen from the train ) beat them hands down! These places, almost indistinguishable from one another, looked seriously dire urban wastelands. They could, literally, be described as 'dumps'. They would probably only feature in any guidebook as 'Places to Avoid'. I have a couple of photos below of typical countyside and town ( it doesn't matter which 'cos they all looked the same ).
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| somewhere |
Left and below: Countryside scenery en-route
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| somewhere else |
and the towns, below. I think the old train was the only memorable sight that I was awake to see. It might have been at Utica. Or not.
The 'town' below is Syracuse, or maybe Buffalo.
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| A town |
So we finally arrived at Niagara Falls, twice, because you go through the USA version before crossing the river to the Canadian side. This involved an 'everybody off the train' customs procedure, but no grief from the Customs people. They are Canadian therefore most polite. And here the scenery changed dramatically.
A bit about the area. The Niagara river flows, unusually for rivers, from south to north, from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario ( 35 miles ) down the Niagara Gorge and over an escarpment, hence the 'falls'. The border between USA and Canada around the falls area runs more or less down the middle of the river hence the 'American' and 'Bride's Veil' Falls and, wait for it Bernie ( he has a thing about them )........Goat Island, are on the US side, whereas the 'Horseshoe' Falls are on the Canadian side.
Originally this was Iroquois Indian territory ( the name Canada originates from an Iroquois name for 'settlement' ) with Seneca and Mohawk tribes living locally. French and British fur trappers were around in the early 17th century ( and fighting each other as normal ) and later, following the War of Independence in America, loyal colonists and other Brits. The French had been successfully booted out. It was originally known as British North America, then Upper Ontario before the whole place became part of what is now called Canada. This war of 1812 featured strongly here, a fact that a Canadian cousin of mine stressed and told me ( correctly ) that I was an ignorant git not knowing about it before. OK! I admit, I slept through most of my military history lessons! As it happens, his Great x3? Grandfather, General Sir Isaac Brock, originally from Guernsey, was mortally wounded leading the British troops to victory at the crucial Battle of Queenston Heights in 1812 and is regarded, locally, as a hero. Actually, as I was again reminded, this war was the first, and will probably be the last, British military defeat of the Americans.
The ( Canadian ) town of Niagara Falls is partly very ordinary and partly designed to attract tourists. The touristy bit is a mini tinsel-town of casinos, amusement arcades, fun-fairs, fast-food joints, and other brightly lit neon tackiness, but jolly nevertheless. I will try to show, below, some of the sights.
Left: The American Falls, with a viewing platform to the left side. Bridal Veil Falls are a small separated bit on the right-hand end.
Right: The Canadian Horseshoe Falls. This is the bit that all the idiots went over in their assorted barrels. The first person to do it, in 1901, was a large 62 year old lady called Mrs Annie Taylor. She survived, battered and bruised. I wonder what part Mr Taylor played? He had the hammer and nails perhaps. About 25 people subsequently did this and, surprisingly, only about 5 of them died.
Others, some fatally, negotiated the rapids further downstream in a variety of craft. Captain Matthew Webb, British, the first chap to swim the English channel, tried to swim down the rapids in 1883. He drowned.
Mr Blondin, the first in 1859, and several others have tight-roped across the gorge in a variety of strange ways. Surprisingly, only one person died doing this; a guy called Steve Peere, and only because he did it at night, wearing his street shoes and not entirely sober.
The 'authorities' have now rather put a stop to all these stunts. Anyway, they have become a bit passe. I must say, I wasn't really tempted. I think you need a pretty good barrel. With some whisky in it.
It is possible to walk over the 'Rainbow Bridge' to the American side and view their 'falls' from the viewing platform. This is them on the right. During the 'season', which I am not in ( too much ice at the moment ), they have a lift which takes you to the bottom and you can look out from a cavern behind the falls. I presume you get a good view of........water!
I also walked over the bridge to, .... wait for it again Bernie,.........Goat Island. I can definitely say that there are no goats there now. Sorry to disappoint you.
On the 17th, St Paddy's Day, I was persuaded to go on a tour. The day did not start well. I thought I had carefully avoided all the Oirish shennnanigans, but NO WAY! Breakfast, and everyone, ( apart from me of course ), including the waitresses, wearing their blasted green shirts and flashing shamrocks and irritating 'diddly diddly doo ra dah' fiddle music playing non-stop. I went into serious Victor Meldrew mode. I told some poor passing Canadian victim that I was English and only celebrated St George's Day. He asked me when that was. Of course I didn't know.
Our tour, a family of 4, and me, in a 60 seater bus, was conducted by Rob who both drove the bus and gave the running commentary. He did it in a manner that suggested he had done it a few times before ie he was on 'fast-forward' and 'auto-pilot'. It transpired that he had indeed been doing this since 1994 and was a bit bored of it. Really?? He said he was thinking of doing something else. I was dying for him to say, a la Monty Python, " I don't want to be a bus driver, I want to be a.... LUMBERJACK!" Sadly, he said he wanted to make cabinets ( well, I suppose it has a 'timber' connotation ).
We went down the Niagara gorge, past the 'rapids', the 'whirlpool' where the rapid-shooters ended up dead or alive, hydro-electric power stations, parks, and of course, the monument to General Sir Isaac Brock at Queenston Heights. Down towards Niagara on the Lake, known as NOTL, which is a very swish township and, en-route, some seriously luxurious houses. Lunch in NOTL at a British pub, The Angel ( London Pride beer ) and then on to visit a Winery/Vineyard. There are several 'Winerys' around the area. I was persuaded, by myself, to buy a couple of bottles. Ever heard of 'ice wine'? I have now. Any comments Antonio? We also visited a chocolate factory. They told us that they were expanding because they had spent $26,000 to pay a Rabbi to bless the place and filled in tons of paperwork to get a 'certificate' to call exactly the same chocolates 'Kosher'. There is a big Jewish market. The lady telling us this rolled her eyes and looked at the ceiling.
Above: Rob, our tour guide who wanted to be ...........a CABINETMAKER, leaping form tree to tree etc. He never took his leprechaun hat off all day.
Left: The monument to the bold General Sir Isaac Brock. It had been damaged by lightening and was being restored, so I couldn't go up him.
The ( Canadian ) town of Niagara Falls is partly very ordinary and partly designed to attract tourists. The touristy bit is a mini tinsel-town of casinos, amusement arcades, fun-fairs, fast-food joints, and other brightly lit neon tackiness, but jolly nevertheless. I will try to show, below, some of the sights.
Left: The American Falls, with a viewing platform to the left side. Bridal Veil Falls are a small separated bit on the right-hand end.
Right: The Canadian Horseshoe Falls. This is the bit that all the idiots went over in their assorted barrels. The first person to do it, in 1901, was a large 62 year old lady called Mrs Annie Taylor. She survived, battered and bruised. I wonder what part Mr Taylor played? He had the hammer and nails perhaps. About 25 people subsequently did this and, surprisingly, only about 5 of them died.
Others, some fatally, negotiated the rapids further downstream in a variety of craft. Captain Matthew Webb, British, the first chap to swim the English channel, tried to swim down the rapids in 1883. He drowned.
Mr Blondin, the first in 1859, and several others have tight-roped across the gorge in a variety of strange ways. Surprisingly, only one person died doing this; a guy called Steve Peere, and only because he did it at night, wearing his street shoes and not entirely sober.
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| Horseshoe Falls |
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| American Falls lit up. |
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| A bit of Glitzy Naff Niagara Falls. |
I also walked over the bridge to, .... wait for it again Bernie,.........Goat Island. I can definitely say that there are no goats there now. Sorry to disappoint you.
On the 17th, St Paddy's Day, I was persuaded to go on a tour. The day did not start well. I thought I had carefully avoided all the Oirish shennnanigans, but NO WAY! Breakfast, and everyone, ( apart from me of course ), including the waitresses, wearing their blasted green shirts and flashing shamrocks and irritating 'diddly diddly doo ra dah' fiddle music playing non-stop. I went into serious Victor Meldrew mode. I told some poor passing Canadian victim that I was English and only celebrated St George's Day. He asked me when that was. Of course I didn't know.
Our tour, a family of 4, and me, in a 60 seater bus, was conducted by Rob who both drove the bus and gave the running commentary. He did it in a manner that suggested he had done it a few times before ie he was on 'fast-forward' and 'auto-pilot'. It transpired that he had indeed been doing this since 1994 and was a bit bored of it. Really?? He said he was thinking of doing something else. I was dying for him to say, a la Monty Python, " I don't want to be a bus driver, I want to be a.... LUMBERJACK!" Sadly, he said he wanted to make cabinets ( well, I suppose it has a 'timber' connotation ).
We went down the Niagara gorge, past the 'rapids', the 'whirlpool' where the rapid-shooters ended up dead or alive, hydro-electric power stations, parks, and of course, the monument to General Sir Isaac Brock at Queenston Heights. Down towards Niagara on the Lake, known as NOTL, which is a very swish township and, en-route, some seriously luxurious houses. Lunch in NOTL at a British pub, The Angel ( London Pride beer ) and then on to visit a Winery/Vineyard. There are several 'Winerys' around the area. I was persuaded, by myself, to buy a couple of bottles. Ever heard of 'ice wine'? I have now. Any comments Antonio? We also visited a chocolate factory. They told us that they were expanding because they had spent $26,000 to pay a Rabbi to bless the place and filled in tons of paperwork to get a 'certificate' to call exactly the same chocolates 'Kosher'. There is a big Jewish market. The lady telling us this rolled her eyes and looked at the ceiling.
Above: Rob, our tour guide who wanted to be ...........a CABINETMAKER, leaping form tree to tree etc. He never took his leprechaun hat off all day.
Left: The monument to the bold General Sir Isaac Brock. It had been damaged by lightening and was being restored, so I couldn't go up him.
Right: Part of the rapids leading down to ..........
........whirlpool. The cable car was not yet in operation, thank goodness. I don't like cable cars.
Right: The history of Niagara. This sign was in NOTL.
Left: This church, near NOTL, had seating for a max 7 congregation.
It would suit most Brit Cof E parishes. The place behind it is a 'winery'.... a German one from what I remember.
Right: The Angel Inn, NOTL. Is the Union Flag the correct way up? Good Shepherd's Pie and London Pride beer.
Left: The Prince of Wales Hotel, NOTL. Rooms about $500 per night. The horse is called Bert.
Right: Two of the staff in that typical English pub, The Angel. Neither I, nor she, could quite work out the Viking connection here. I'm sure I must have missed another history period ( asleep again ). Doubtless someone will inform me.
Left: I have now been in Canada for 4 days and have yet to see a real 'Mountie'. This one here seems to have thrown-up over his boots and had an unfortunate accident with a broom-handle.
Now, as the Lone Ranger might have said as he was being chased out of America, "On to Toronto Pronto Tonto!!"..................... and more to follow in due course.
Hi Matt, More great information, I visited Niagara some years ago and agree with your comments, tacky, a bit like Blackpool !!! Tim
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