8th Jan: ocean of noise

Mum did not finish her pancakes that the cooking woman had lovingly prepared and scooped mystery fruit next to this morning. I hope the lady did not look in the bin and see the rejection. After our last breakfast at the downtowners inn we checked out and made our way to the bus terminal. We were heading off to Niagara Falls!

2 and a bit hours later we arrived in Niagara Falls. We had a very talkative taxi driver, who pointed out many sights and told us many novel facts about the streets as he drove us to out hotel!

We checked into the Hilton and jumped around our room with delight. There was more than one tiny room. In fact there were two King size beds, a couch, a Jacuzzi AND a view of both the American and the Canadian falls! Woo. We had some Starbucks for lunch, and went on a three star walking tour of Niagara. The falls were stunning, my words cannot really do them justice. We looked at them for hours, and from many angles. It was most enjoyable. The maid of the mist (a boat tour of the falls) does not run in the winter. This is because it is both very cold in general, and because the temperature is so low, the mist near the water freezes and turns to ice pellets. I am sure the maid of the ice pellets would be a much less successful ride. Niagara is a very touristy town, mostly hotels, ‘fun’ museums for kidz, outlet malls and loads of restaurants. We were pure and simple folk and managed to enjoy the falls for what they were and did not need the glory of neon Mickey Mouse to help me enjoy the falls.

I did however feel the urge to makeshift some bathers out of underwear and go swimming in the Hilton's pool. It was ridiculously warm, and had a three-story water slide!

We bought some cider to bring up to our room and enjoy with our view. We had such a nice night watching the falls light show, chillin’ in our room, taking turns in the Jacuzzi and drinking our cider!