This 'n That

I've been kinda busy lately.  After travelling home from Algonquin's camping, we had another week off just "relaxing" at home.  Always a bad idea as it turns into getting chores done rather than actually relaxing.  It took us until Wednesday to actually get out and do something.  We visited the Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto.  It was very cool, but I didn't take any photos.  Sometimes I just don't want to carry the camera around with me, I'd rather just enjoy the outing rather than feel obligated to capture every moment.  I haven't been to tourist attractions for a long while, and was a bit (just a bit) surprised that no one really uses cameras at these venues anymore ... all camera phones.  weird. 

The following day we headed down to Niagara Falls ...

 

Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

I like going to Niagara and have been visiting this spot since I was a kid.  My father's relatives visiting from England were given the obligatory trip to the Falls most summers.  It's just a fun place to be.  There are some rather tacky areas downtown (Clifton Hill), but we avoid that and enjoy the falls themselves and the luscious gardens that are all along River Road alongside the Niagara River.

 

The Falls with Rainbow Bridge to the States on the left

 We did the touristy thing of going down the 100+ year old elevator that takes you to tunnels behind the falls.  So impressive.  The photo below shows the tunnel exit near the bottom of the falls. 

The tunnels aren't very extensive, but you walk out of them and stand right there beside the thundering waterfall! 

 

The blue raincoats keep you dry from the swirling mist.  I wish there was sound with this photo, as the falls just BOOM! beside you ... you have to yell at each other over the noise.

 

 

Inside the tunnels, the sound of the falls is so intense that you can actually feel the air reverberating.  This next photo is a section of closed tunnel, and it shows you what they looked like when they were first dug out.  It doesn't look all that safe structurally does it.

This area is barricaded off of course, and below is the actual tunnel where you walk ...

 

 This little portal door is directly behind the falls.  All you can hear is the thundering noise of the falls, and all you can see out the portal is a thick sheet of water and mist!

We had a good day down at the Falls, and rather than hop right back on the highway at the end of our long day, we travelled along the River Road that borders the Niagara River.  Lots of historical stuff down that way (Laura Secords homestead, Fort George, Brock's Monument), and although the attractions were all closed by the time we drove by, we thought it would be nicer to visit all that rather than the actual falls another time.  Below is the whirlpool with the cable car that runs back and forth above it.  I would not get on this cable car in a million years!  I hate this kind of stuff and always think the cables will snap!
 

 

 We also stopped at the butterfly conservatory, but I won't show you all the beautiful butterflies.  My husband had the camera that day, and I just pointed at the butterflies I liked best and he snapped the shots. 
 

 

All the goodness of the day was spoiled, however, when a driver of an extra long dump truck was driving over the Skyway Bridge in Hamilton (with his box UP!!!!), and he drove it straight into the overhead supports of the bridge.  Brilliant.  He was drunk.  Thankfully no one was hurt, but the damage to the supports was substantial and the bridge was closed.  Since our route back home normally takes us over that bridge, we had an hour's detour through Hamilton, up top of the escarpment, then back down the escarpment and past an area where my mother's family once lived.  Hamilton is not the prettiest city to drive through :[  ... even with the added bonus of saying "that's where Grandma grew up" as we headed down the Jolly Cut.  So a bit tedious to drive 3 hours home.

 

The next day my brother and his two boys arrived for a visit from Victoria, BC!  Yeah!!  My son and his two cousins get along so well, and they all love to see each other again after many months apart.  We spent a lovely Saturday in our backyard in the hot sunshine.  The kids dipped in and out of the pool, and we all joined in a very looOOOooooong game of Risk.  Have you ever played this board game?  It's addictive, and everyone wants to take over the entire world!!  Such a nice way to spend a lazy summer day on the patio with drinks and chips and BBQ etc. etc.

 

The following day we all headed to my sister's place and celebrated my dear old dad's 91st birthday.  He was so very confused though.  It wasn't his actual birthday, and he didn't quite understand the cake and candles or our singing to him at all.  My evening was spent going over everyone's names for him again and again and again.  It was nice to see everyone together again though. 

 

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend!  Back to work tomorrow after a long weekend for us here.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Wendy