Niagara Falls, Canada

Last November I was lucky enough to take a short break in Canada. We visited Toronto first
and stayed for four days - just long enough to see the city and do plenty of pre-Christmas shopping. Very nice it was too.

One of the things that we just had to do while we were there was to take a trip to Niagara Falls. The Falls are about 85 miles outside Toronto. You can hire a car and drive there easily from the city or if you prefer there are numerous organised tours that you can take. There’s also quite a good bus service or you can take the train from Union Street station in downtown Toronto.

I’m a bit of an old romantic when it comes to train travel abroad - I have visions of sitting in old-world elegance watching the world pass gently by the window. So, no contest - we would let the train take the strain and get to see some of the countryside at the same time. There was the added bonus that Canadian trains have a great reputation - with glassed in viewing cars that allow you to get a really good view of the scenery.

The train left Toronto at around 9.30 in the morning - we just made it in time; having spent a good 15 minutes standing in the wrong queue. It was only when they started making the pre-departure announcements that I realised that we were not, in fact, on a Canadian train but an American one! It was the “Maple Leaf “ operated by Amtrak and terminating in New York. My slight disappointment was soon forgotten as it was
blissfully comfortable with wide “squishy” seats and plenty of legroom. It didn’t matter that there was no viewing car - I had to admit that there really wasn’t alot to see. A few small towns and a lot of farmland (which being November; didn’t look at it’s best).

We arrived at Niagara Falls at around 11.30 and first impressions were not good. The railway station is some way from the Falls themselves. Lots of people were queuing for taxis but, we reasoned, it surely wouldn’t take long to walk. With hindsight it was a bit like arriving at London Euston, turning left out of the station and expecting to see Piccadilly Circus in front of you. My guidebook said that you would hear the Falls long before we saw them. Easy, we thought, just keep walking and we’ll soon hear the thunder of rushing water.

Wrong! We walked for about half an hour down the most dismal and depressing Main Street - most of the shops were boarded up and the few that were not had hopeful little signs in their windows announcing “Yes, We Are Open!”. It was truly bleak, but curiously it was an interesting insight into “real” small town Canada. By the time we reached the end of the street and came to a fork in the road we had to admit defeat. We couldn’t even hear a whisper of water and it was obvious we were very definitely on the
wrong side of town.

There wasn’t a soul about and hardly any cars - we were starting to wonder if we’d ever make it to the Falls - when along came a taxi! The driver was quite incredulous that anyone would be daft enough to walk from the station and was, I think, slightly embarrassed that we had walked through an area that was “off-limits” to tourists.

Once inside the taxi we reached the Falls in next to no time (where had they been hiding). Rather than take us directly to the Visitor Centre he drove further along the Niagara Parkway. He explained that he wanted to show us something - and if we thought it was interesting we could pay the difference in the fare - if we weren’t interested then he would only charge as if he’s taken us directly to the Visitor Centre. Needless to say he got his full fare as he gave us a very interesting talk on the geology of the Falls and how they are eroding back to Lake Erie - showing us examples of rock that is becoming increasingly exposed. He also showed us an old rusty boat that has been caught up in the middle of the rushing, gushing water since 1918 when it broke free from a towing tug. It had taken 29 hours to rescue the men on board.

Our “lecture” over, it was time to leave the taxi driver and head for the Falls themselves. Being November there were very few visitors so it felt almost as though we had the place to ourselves and we were able to view them without anyone pushing or shoving us. Of course, there was a downside to this too - it was jolly cold and we were being sprayed with icy cold water. Not only was the water coming off the Falls drenching us but the heavens had opened and it was pouring with rain!

But it didn’t matter! The Falls are magnificent whatever the weather. Something that I had never realised is that directly across from Niagara Falls, Canada there is Niagara Falls, USA. There are in fact, two sets of Falls - the Canadian and the American. The Canadian side is known as The Horseshoe Falls because they are shaped in a curve. Although the American Falls are higher than the Canadian ones they are less spectacular as less water heads down the Niagara River toward them.

It’s hard to even start to describe the roar of the water or the hypnotic effect it has on you. We stood on Table Rock - and watched this monumental force cascade into the water below. It was spellbinding. I forgot about the cold and the fact that I was drenched - I could have happily spent hours staring into the torrent.

Later in the year when the weather gets really cold the water starts to freeze and you are assaulted by frozen pellets of spray. Glad we missed that!
Because it was November, the Maid of the Mist - the little boat that takes you right up to the Falls - wasn’t running (it operates from late April to late October). I would have loved to have taken a ride in it. We could have gone behind the Falls and viewed them from a different angle. But our friendly taxi driver had given us an idea and, because time was tight we decided to take him up on his suggestion.

The driver had told us that we could walk over the Rainbow Bridge into the USA “if you had your passports on you”. As luck would have it we did indeed have our passports! Next stop America!

A short walk from the Visitor Centre there is a sign pointing “To The USA”, follow the sign and you find yourself crossing the Niagara River by way of a steel-arched footbridge; The Rainbow Bridge - sometimes known as the Honeymoon Bridge (Niagara Falls was once the honeymoon destination for many North Americans).

If I thought I was cold and wet before nothing prepared me for just how soaked to the skin I’d get walking over that bridge! The wind was whipping around us and the rain was pouring down but from up there you get a fantastic view of the Falls.

Half way along the bridge you come to the point where Canada borders the US. So, clutching eachother for safety against the howling gale my husband and I stepped onto American soil. We had made it! We were in Niagara Falls, Buffalo, New York, USA. A short distance further on and we reached the warmth of the US Immigration building.

Did I say “warmth”? Forget it! The reception from US Immigration was nothing short of frosty, actually icy would be a better description. I concede that we were rather windswept and dripping with water - but, hey, whatever happened to “bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses”? I think they could have been slightly more welcoming to two damp Brits. We were given immigration forms to fill in - unfortunately we both dripped water all over them making them rather difficult to read. “Purpose of
visit?” barked the Immigration jobsworth. Hard to explain really, we were just popping over to the States because it was there! “How long do you intend staying in the US?” oooh dunno really, maybe an hour or two! Given that the only way anyone could enter the lair of this officious official was by foot from Canada you would have thought that nobody had ever “popped across” ever before!

There then followed the examination of our passports. Sadly, I am recognisable from my
passport photo but my husband has a beard in his photo that he doesn’t have now. The official looked at my husband and back at the photo about a dozen times before calling over a colleague. Eventually, after persuading my husband to take off his soaking woolly hat they agreed that the beard may have gone but the baldy head was the same as in the photo! At last we were free to go! Or so we thought, next thing you know they are asking for 6 US dollars each. Naturally, we had no US currency which did not please the official. Finally, he reluctantly agreed we could pay on plastic and directed us over to a colleague with the words “two aliens, no US currency!” Charming!

And then we really were free to go. Niagara Falls, USA is mainly an industrial town and far less lively than it’s Canadian counterpart. As you come out of the Immigration building you find yourself in nicely laid out gardens. There is a modern Visitor Centre which boasts a cafe (closed) and a souvenir shop (tacky). What it did have was hot-air hand dryers in the Ladies loo and I spent quite a while directing the warm blasts over myself.

The impression I got of the place from the brief time I spent there was of somewhere that had seen better days. There was a very run-down looking fun-fair and a couple of “Honeymoon” hotels that might have been considered very smart in the 1940’s and 50’s but now just looked neglected and down-at-heel. After strolling around and viewing the Falls from the “other side” we were starving. Out of season most places were closed up - but we were lucky enough to find a Hard Rock Cafe. It was open - and it was warm and dry.

So, after our whirlwind visit to the States it was back over the Rainbow Bridge, through Canadian Immigration without even a glance from the official (it felt almost like a homecoming!).

We were left with just enough time to explore the Clifton Hill area of Niagara Falls which my guidebook had warned was tacky and touristy. And so it was! There were amusement arcades and “Haunted House” rides of every description. It could have been Southend on a Bank Holiday weekend. But it all seemed like harmless neon-lit fun.

We caught a taxi all the way to the station in time for the 7.45 train back to Toronto. As I settled back into my comfy seat I couldn’t help but reflect on the sights and sounds of the day - it had been simply unforgettable in every way.