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Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Niagara Falls Canada

Well, after being denied access to Canada at the Minnesota border, or as Roger says "we were kicked out of Canada", we went to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side with my dear friends Art and Linda.  This time we rode with them in their car; crossing the border without any problem.  It was a spectacular day and wasn't very busy, like it could be in the summer.  The first thing we did was to go on the Hornblower to view both the American and Canadian sides of the Falls.  The Hornblower is the Canadian version of the Maid of the Mist, which is the American tour boat.
We all looked so nice and dry before our tours.
 
The Hornblower

American Falls from the Hornblower

American Falls from the Hornblower
Roger, Linda & Art in our Hornblower designer rain gear

Viewing platform of the American Falls

Maid of the Mist American Falls side tour boat
After our tour on the Hornblower, we were very very wet.  They did not recommend taking pictures from the Hornblower of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls because the water would ruin my camera.

We went for a short bus ride to the White Water Walk.  It's a Category 6 white water, below the falls, portion of the Niagara River. No white water rafting is allowed in this area because it is so dangerous.





Sue looking like a drown rat after the Hornblower tour

Some of the beautiful wild flowers along the White Water Walk

Some of the beautiful wild flowers along the White Water Walk

Some of the beautiful wild flowers along the White Water Walk
We then went to the Table Rock Centre where we watched the movie Niagara's Fury.  It was a really good movie about the falls where we were again give designer rain poncho's and again were soaked during the movie with water spray.

Our last portion of our tour took us to Journey Behind the Falls.  We were once again given designer rain poncho's, staying dry while going to see Niagara Falls is not an option, and taken on a short elevator ride down to tunnels under the falls.  Here we literally could view the falls from underneath them.

American Falls from behind the Canadian Falls

Maid of the Mist in front of the Canadian Falls

Part of the Canadian Falls

Hornblower on her way from the American Falls to the Canadian Falls

Canadian Falls

Hornblower up close to the Canadian Falls

The old generation plant on the Canadian side

Art, Linda and Sue in our designer ponchos

Art, Linda, Sue and Roger posing from behind the Canadian Falls

Behind the edge of the Canadian Falls
Great Falls Portal - we were literally behind the Canadian falls
Cartarac Falls Portal 
Building the tunnels
 Again, wet and wild, we went for a nice walk along the walkway for some more beautiful views of both the Canadian and American Falls and up the Niagara River.
Canadian Horseshoe Falls from Table Rock Centre walkway

Canadian Horseshoe Falls from Table Rock Centre walkway

American Falls from Table Rock Centre walkway
We walked farther up the Niagara River.  Here are some views of the river before it comes to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
One of the old power company buildings on the Canadian side
Small falls just before the Horseshoe Falls
Looking up the Niagara River

An old barge that has been caught in the rocks for many many years
The edge of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls
City of Niagara Falls Canada
Down River from the Canadian Horseshoe Falls
We left Art and Linda for Binghamton NY to visit friends Pat Harder, Joe Martinichio and Angal Hyde.  Roger plans to wash and wax the coach and we both plan to rest some while here.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Holland, South Haven, & Saugatuck MI; and Buffalo NY

As you can see from my heading, Roger and I have been busy visiting friends and we've been "on the move".  We stayed in our friends, Art and Carol Greene's yard where Carol and I had fun cooking and Art and Roger visited and we all got to relax for a couple of days.  We then met good friends Ron and Kathy Griffith in South Haven MI.  We spent 2 days in the area in and around the Sagatuck, which is a lazy harbor town with cute shops and great food.  We always enjoy catching up with Ron and Kathy but they headed off to Petosky MI and we left for Buffalo NY.

I was able to introduce Roger to two very dear friends, who I have been friends with for over 35 years, Art and Linda James.  Art is also my son Ben's Godfather.  The first night they took us to a local restaurant to have true Buffalo fare: hot & spicy chicken wings, carrots & celery with blue cheese dressing and roast beef on a kummelweck roll.   The kummelweck roll has kosher salt and caraway seeds on top. The roll is then  topped with thin sliced medium rare roast beef and topped with horseradish then you dip the whole thing in au jus. YUMMY!

The next day they took us all around the Buffalo Downtown area including Canalside and the Outer Harbor,  Buffalo is home to the end of the Erie Canal.  It is a beautiful vibrant city and was really buzzing the day we were there.
Roger in front of Niagara Square with City Hall behind

Niagara Square


Just a taste of some of the beautiful architecture
Buffalo's Statue of Liberty

Art and Linda in front of the tribute to the old bridges Canalside

Remote Control Sailboats Canalside

"The Big Adirondack" Canalside

Shark Girl bio

Shark Girl
Erie Canalway

Original Erie Canal Blockwork

The end of the Erie Canal from the Bridge


End of the Erie Canal



Harbor Lighthouse

Kayaks in the Harbor
Sloop in the Harbor

The Harbor is alive with recreational boats

One of the Marina's

More Harbor recreational boats

War of 1812 Flower Garden with the Ghent Roses
Military Museum

Military Museum
Buffalo will host the NHL Draft next weekend

Inside the Original Tim Horton's Donut shop

Bronze statue of Tim Horton
Tomorrow, our trip to Niagara Falls Canada.