Tag Archive | Niagara Falls

Canada’s Best

Aug22

Canada #45

“What was the best thing about your trip?”

We’re often asked this question when we return from a holiday and it’s always difficult to give just one answer. After five weeks in Canada, here are the things we loved best.

The Best Party 

The Best Airbnb View

Vancouver, from our 21st floor apartment – by day,

at night,

and early in the morning as the cruise ships arrived at Canada Place.

The Best Water View

Pitt River

The Best Mountain Views

Sky Pilot and Co-Pilot, Coast Ranges, Squamish BC

Fitzsimmons Range, Whistler BC

The Best Wildlife Encounters

chipmunk, Whistler BC

raccoon family, Mount Royal, Montréal QC

and the squirrels, who were everywhere!

The Best Food

20 flavours of hot chocolate, enormous ice cream sundaes, chocolate pizza! Even the ceiling was all about chocolate at Chocolato, Montréal QC

The Best Garden

Jardins Gamelin, Place Émilie-Gamelin, Montréal QC

a free community garden with a cafe, space for games, music and family activities

and several themed gardens, educational for both adults and children

The Best Adventures

For me, a birthday trip to Niagara Falls

For Glen, EdgeWalk – 356 metres above the ground at CN Tower, Toronto ON

So many wonderful experiences in a truly amazing country. Canada, we’ll be back!

By Day and By Night

Feb25

Canada #24 Niagara Falls

The mighty Niagara River flows for just 58 kilometres, between Lake Erie in the south northwards to Lake Ontario. In that short distance it moves at an average rate of 2,400 cubic metres per second. Several islands interrupt the course of the river while churning rapids and whirlpools are visible evidence of the water’s power.

Forming part of the international border between Canada and the United States of America, the Niagara River is visited each year by more than 30 million people. They all come to see its world famous falls.

Niagara Falls, at the southern end of the Niagara Gorge, consists of three waterfalls – the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. Water moving at a speed of up to 65 kilometres an hour flows over the falls at a rate of 168,000 cubic metres per minute. A veil of mist constantly shrouds the falls and on sunny days brilliant rainbows enhance the spectacle.

Getting up close to the falls means getting wet. At the Journey Behind the Falls, yellow ponchos are handed out before visitors descend 150 metres in an elevator to a tunnel at the base of Horseshoe Falls.

Two portals are located directly behind the falls; the water roars as it rushes by on its downward course.

At two more observation platforms right at the base of the falls, the thundering water crashes down before continuing on its way through the gorge.

Tourist boats dwarfed by the massive gorge sail in a circuit past all three falls, sometimes almost hidden in the spray. From the American side comes the Maid of the Mist, her passengers bedecked in blue ponchos, while on the Canadian side passengers on the Hornblower catamarans wear red.

Even with ponchos on everyone is damp, but no one minds as exhilaration and excitement overtake all other feelings.

When daylight fades, the falls take on a different personality. Illuminated in a parade of colours, the water glows in an intensity which deepens as the sky darkens.

Later in the night fireworks play over the falls in celebration of this masterpiece of nature. The brilliant bursts of light are the perfect finale to a day spent visiting the Niagara River.