Niagara Falls

- American Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Ontario, New York

Niagara Falls is a set of 3 large waterfalls along Niagara River. From the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, that we visited, you can look into the USA on the other side of the river; more exaclty into the small city of Niagara Falls, NY, the American Falls (largest), the Horseshoe Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls (smallest). The falls are situated both on the Canadian side and on the American side, but they can best be viewed from the Canadian side. The American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls are situated entirely on the American side and the Horseshoe Falls to 2/3 in Canada. About 90% of the Niagara River flows over the Horseshoe Falls. The falls attract millions of tourists every year. They are famous for their beauty, but they are also an important source for electrical power. Sometimes a rainbow can be seen, in front of the falls above the river. The Rainbow Bridge is a beautiful 440m long bridge that goes between USA and Canada, high above the river. It was built in 1941 after the collapse of the Honeymoon Bridge. On both sides there are customs buildings. The tourism, that today is very important for the economy, started in the early 19th century. In 1962, the city amalgamated with the Stamford township, doubling the population. The falls are only 51m high, but very wide. More then 168,000 m³ of water flows in a high flow every minute. Sometimes the falls are illuminated with beautiful lights at dark, often in pink, violet or rainbow colours. Boats are frequently taking tourists on cruises on Niagara River, taking them close to the Horseshoe Falls, making the boat passengers soaking wet, and there is an Aero Car above the river. The two boats are called Maid of the Mist and Hornblower. At the entrance to the boats you find the Grand View Marketplace. Goat Island is a small island on the American side of the falls.

In June 2016, we made a guided daytrip from Toronto to Niagara Falls, a dream come true. The trip included a boat tour on the river, where we came very close to the falls and had to wear pink raincoats to keep us dry! The boat was called Hornblower. This experience was amazing, nice and exciting at the same time!