Buffalo to Niagara Falls

Buffalo to Niagara Falls - Day 8

We drove right into Buffalo, which is quite a large city. I found it charming with its grand old architecture alongside the stunning new space age buildings. This is where old meets new.

Despite its seedy reputation, we found the streets clean and the people friendly. It was here we experienced a real old fashioned dark, dingy bar where amateure comedians did stand up comedy routines on the small stage out the back. We had a couple of drinks, were offered a "toke or two" which we poitely declined, then got out of there. It was fun. A real "must do" when in Buffalo. Remember Nieschies Bar. You have to see it to believe it.

 I finally got to eat a hotdog from a real hotdog vendor called Lisa, on the streets of Buffalo.

This is a place where the old and the new sit side by side.

 This is where Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the United States. 

It was an amazing place to visit.

We stood right in the room where he was sworn in and listened to a recording of him taking his oath. It was incredible.

 Geoff got to try real Buffalo wings right there in the Anchor Bar where they were invented in the 1960s

 Buffalo City Hall. Wow!

 

One of the views from right up the top of City Hall. Magnificent 360 degree vista. Whew! That's not the sea, by the way, that's Lake Erie.




We weren't going to do the real touristy things, but being so far up, it wouldn't be right if we didn't take a look at Niagara Falls.

Words fail me. It is hard to comprehend the force of the water as it falls from the Niagara River down those sheer escarpments. We couldn't get over the volume of water going over there either. No wonder it is a wonder of the world.

We arrived and it was raining - typical. We decided to do the Maid of the Mist boat trip right up to the falls and we managed to get on the last one of the day.

Just as we took off, the clouds parted and the sun shone. Wow! No words can describe this sight.

 There's a wall of water coming over that edge!

 The Niagara River. Downstream from the falls.

 Geoff on the Maid of the Mist. We had to wear our souvenir plastic ponchos. A real fashion statement.

 This part of the falls is called The American Falls.

 Now you can see the American Falls and the smaller falls called The Bridal Veil.

 Heading for the big Horseshoe Falls. At this stage we were all drenched.

 The sun came out and suddenly there were rainbows. A bit hard to capture on a camera though.

 Geoff has a rainbow behind him, if you look hard.

 Glorious Niagara Falls on the American side.

More rainbows.

 Us with our funny little ponchos on. There were so many birds along the cliffs they looked like a swarm of ants.

Back up at the top.

Niagara River upstream from the falls. You can see the bridge across to Goat Island.