Stop Four: Niagara Falls

From Rochester we drove a short drive over to Niagara Falls, Canada where we spent the day.

I decided to do all the touristy things since we were spending the whole day their.  First up, a walk alongside the raging white water.  This is down from the falls about 2 miles.

Still raging though and very impressive.

I at first stood at the railing and then stepped back to take pictures of the kids.  Every few minutes some water would come rushing over and they'd get their feet wet.

So I decided to try and catch this on video and while I did catch it, I also soaked my pants up to the knees when a giant wave came crashing over the railing and I didn't have time to react and move.  Whoops.

Next up:  the 4D movie of how Niagara Falls was geologically created.  We're ready in our first set of plastic ponchos.  This was pre-show- everyone excited.  Once we entered the dark theatre, Isaac and Isla freaked out.  Ok so we were standing on a metal platform and just holding on to posts while the floor moved and water rushed off of small cliffs around us and ran under us, it also rained and thundered and lightninged a bit.  The show was neat though and did a good job explaining the history.  Miles and Ethan loved the whole thing.  My two chickens did not.

Next up:  Walking behind and below Niagara Falls.  Second set of plastic ponchos.

So you can't actually get right under the falls, but they've dug tunnels and you can get within a few feet and still feel the splash and spray and see out a little from behind it.

And then we went to walk at the base of the falls.  That tiny yellow spot still inside the tunnel is Isaac- refusing to come out because he didn't want to.

And while we got fairly set from the spray, it was very worth it to see the water crashing over the falls and see just how high the cliff is from partway below.

After that we headed back up to see it from above and walk alongside.  Back in 2008 Taylor and I came to visit with Ethan and Isaac and this is about all we did.  I'm glad we did more this time, the kids enjoyed it (most of them) and we got to see if from so many vantage points.

Last up:  riding the Maid of the Mist boat out to the falls.  Last set of plastic ponchos.  I saved this one for last knowing that the ponchos do very little to stop you from getting soaked.

Again here's my 2 chickens hiding under the hull of the ship.

And soaked we did get.  The rain doesn't just come down but there's a strong wind whipping the ponchos around as well as sending the water spray in every direction.

All soaked but all happy at the end.