Around The World Without Flying: Niagara Falls Part 1

It was 6 pm when I ‘de-trained’ from the Amtrak train, which was then going on to Toronto after everyone on board had got off the train at this station and gone through customs. Of course I was anxious to see ‘The Falls’ before sunset. It already was getting darker. But I also had been told that the township of ‘Niagara on the Lake’ was lovely to see. Fortunately a most charming, helpful taxi driver picked me up at the station, so by the time we reached my hotel we struck a deal. He would take me on a panoramic sight-seeing tour to both the township and the best spot to see ‘The Falls’. We ended up driving around for two hours.

That turned out to be a wonderful blessing. ‘Niagara on the Lake’ was simply charming, with great views across Lake Ontario, although some of my photos did not work because of the lateness of the hour. As we stood there at the edge of the lake, you could see the silhouette of Toronto on the horizon, and on a small peninsula you could see an old fort with a very long wall. In the township itself, there was a delightful small park, and lots of flowers everywhere and dear little shops that so much reminded me of England.

As we drove to the village I heard much about the history of the area. A statue of a man that rose up high above the trees and small hills commemorated a Canadian General who in the 19th century, at the cost of his own life, led the Canadian forces to successfully defend Canada’s sovereignty when it was attacked by the US, which wanted to grab Canada’s land and rich resources for itself. Until my driver told me this story, I had no idea the US had once attacked Canada. I was shocked, to be honest.

Some of the homes and inns and hotels we saw on the drive there were just beautiful - very large very stately and very English, with formal gardens. The homes by the lake that we saw were very attractive as well. though much smaller. What a view they have! There also were parks and vineyards and even a flower clock along the drive to the village, which was perhaps about 20 km from the city of Niagara Falls. My taxi driver told me that a couple of weeks later the entire drive would be even more beautiful, with all the tall trees displaying their rich autumn colours, and by Christmas it again looks like a picture postcard with all the snow. Apparently by then the edge of the lake freezes over, but the centre does not because the lake is so vast. I was interested that grapes could be grown along here when the vines are covered with snow in winter. Ironically, one of the specialities of the region is an after-dinner sweet wine called ‘Ice’.

In contrast to this, the Canadian city of Niagara Falls is geared for tourists. It has plush high-rise hotels along the river, with a massive casino amongst them, as well as a ‘fun street’ full of touristy places such as a waxworks, a ‘Ripley’s Believe-it-or-Not’ showplace, souvenir shops, a carnival and many eateries. My hotel, which was on the riverfront not far from one of the sets of falls and from the highway joining the US side of the river with the Canadian side, had a massive, very popular water park for children.

The photos below show a little of the township of ‘Niagara on the Lake’ and the flower clock I saw along the way there. In the next post I will show you photos of ‘The Falls’.

One of the many little flower gardens along the main street in the township of 'Niagara on the Lake'.

The oldest hotel in the township - the 'Prince of Wales Hotel'. The '150' sign is there because Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary as a nation this year. I have since seen this sign everywhere. There was a line of horses and buggies to take visitors for a ride outside the hotel.

The next three photos were taken in the park in the village. It had great playing spaces and some lovely flowers.