Niagara Falls

Ever since we first got wind that we would be living out on the east coast for a few years, JP has wanted to go see Niagara Falls.  When we moved out, we saw the highway exits, but with the giant moving truck and two restless pups crammed into the cab with us, it just wasn't the time.  So, when I got the bright idea that I would need my Oliver with me during my rotation in MN (I of course couched it as easing the pet responsibilities burden on JP, but let's be real, I need my furry pup boy around as much as possible thank you!) his first thought was "we can go see niagara falls on the way!".  So it's no surprise that our first long day of driving ended in just that place.

Now, if you know my family, you know we are suckers for a good deal.  Often at the expense of the actual reality of the situation, so it should come as no surprise that the budget lodging that I had booked was a gigantic flop.  Like the worst flop in the history of flops.  I seriously can't even describe how filthy the place was, the couch, which as far as I could tell used to be a red sort of floral pattern, was literally black in places, sinking in in the middle and reeked, just REEKED of cigarette smoke.  JP tried to stop me from going in to the bathroom because the laminate was peeling off the ground in every corner and the floor itself was really water damaged.  I almost smacked my face on a completely full sticky fly paper hanging from the ceiling.  Oh. my. word.  It was the most disgusting place I have ever seen, and of course we had just paid for it.  We looked at each other and through our eyes said, nope, I would rather lose the money and pay double for some place else rather than stay even one more minute here.  Luckily the guy, after trying to pawn a different room off on us, did refund our money.  How that place even exists is a mystery.  BUT that is the story of why we didn't get to see the falls that night, we were busy frantically calling all the hotels in the area, and then accidentally booking one in canada and having to cancel that, and the finally finding one in the good old u s of a.  We decided that the falls in the morning might suit us just fine.

And suit us just fine it did.  We got there at just the right timing some how.  We found a shady spot to park the car and eventually leave Oliver, but first the three of us tromped to a side overlook away from the crowds for our first glimpse.  We knew Oliver would want to see the magnificence, can you blame him?

Next we dropped O off and headed towards the main gates.  We stopped first to get a closer look at the falls from above to see where the boat would be taking us.  We even wrangled a passer-by to take our photo.

The view was just breathtaking, and the air so full of energy.

We got our boat tickets and just happened to walk up right as the line had dwindled, so our wait time was about ten minutes.  Behind us the line quickly stretched around and around.  We used those ten minutes to goof off in our giant blue tarpcoats of course.

But in all seriousness, the boat ride was very much worth the ridiculousness of participating in a giant tourist trap.  It was so humbling to be up close to the falls and be sprayed by the crushing water.  It was beautiful and scary and thrilling and mesmorizing.  I fully recommend it. 

So then we hit the dusty trail, with wind whipped water in our hair and an exuberant, waiting pup in the back seat.