Niagara Falls

One of the highlights of the trip I didn't realise that I would have when I booked it.  The Niagara Falls are a 2 hour train journey from Toronto (although with delays it took closer to 3!).  Interestingly, even though I booked the train through the Canadian Rail service (ViaRail) it was actually an Amtrak (American) train that went primarily from Toronto to New York, in a similar way to which I went from Montreal to New York by train a few years ago.  The one disadvantage, though, of it being an American train is that the Wi-Fi only works on the American side of the border so no connection in Canada!

The falls themselves are spectacular.  There are higher waterfalls in the world, but none that have such a vast quantity of water flowing over them.  The main falls, the Horseshoe falls, form (as the name suggests) a semi-circle of water just pouring down.  Also across the river are the American Falls (and smaller Bridal Vail falls) which are also impressive in their own right.  Obviously they are all situated on the American/Canadian border, and there is a bridge linking the two countries right by the falls. 

 To get closer to the falls I first went on a boat trip which takes you close(ish) to the bottom of the falls.  You get decked out in a red poncho on an open-top boat and then go past the bottom of the American falls and into the basin of the Horseshoe falls.  The idea is that you might get a bit wet from the spray from the waterfalls - as it happened we got very wet as it started raining heavily as well!  It is quite impressive, although being on a relatively crowded boat (and in the rain!) is not necessarily the best way to enjoy it. 

Next I went to the Journey Behind the Falls.  Actually first it was a journey to a waiting room where you got to queue up for a long while, but once you took a lift to maybe half-way down the cliff-face you got to see the falls from a new angle.  Probably in my minds eye I had a different picture of being behind a waterfall - walking literally behind it.  Whilst this may make sense for some small waterfalls it obviously makes no sense for something of this power.  Instead there are tunnels in the rock which take you to small holes where you can see the force of the water going down.  You also have access to an area at the side of the falls where you can really see the water going over.

Having seen the falls from below and behind, I then went to see them from above.  The Skylon tower gives you the ability to put the falls in context.  From just walking along you really just see the water going over - it is only from above that you see them in the context of the river and how it leads down. 

Overall, it was very impressive - perhaps not quite as dramatic or alien as the Grand Canyon but still well worth the trip.