8. Day – The Niagara falls

Visitor`s Centre
With such aTrolley we drove to the waterfalls
The park
The American Falls
The American Falls
The American Falls
The American Falls
The Horseshoe Falls

Quite early we were driving along the way back to Detroit. A 13-hour journey lay before us whom we wanted to master in two days. The next day our machine should start at 21.50 o'clock to Amsterdam, and on the next day we would enter again European ground about midday. However, first a journey lay before us again through "The wilderness". We had decided to go up to the Lake Erie and do an excursion to the Niagara Falls, only 15 miles of the Interstate 90 which we had to take. On the way through "The wilderness" we went past a “road work” sign which was marked right and left with red flags. „Look there, Andrea was here“, said Linda, and we had to laugh seeing before us Andrea’s garden with flags in Jay. We have laughed on the way a lot. From the way by the woods of the Adirondacks Linda asked once „Where we are now? “. And I studied thoroughly the map on which the road went through the woodland, but no single places were mentioned that were marked. „In the woods“, I explained after a while absolutely seriously. On it Linda commented: „You are really blond Elke. I can see that!  Even without looking in the map all around us are trees …“
In Watertown we left "The wilderness" again, and drove on the Interstate that went on to Buffalo and from there to the Niagara Falls. Already from several kilometers of distance we saw a gigantic furnace mouth water jet. These were the „Horseshoe Falls“, the waterfalls on the Canadian side. The state New York has established already in 1885 on American side the Niagara Falls State park. It is the oldest State park in the USA. I have never experienced that a spectacle of nature is marketed as professionally as here in the „American Falls“. From the American side one comes over to Canada over the „Rainbow Bridge“. From this bridge one has a fantastic look at the waterfalls. Because we might not leave the USA with our hired car, we could not drive on this bridge, however. Thus we searched a parking bay with the „American Falls“. Although it was, in the meantime, nearly 5 o'clock, in the afternoon the parking bays were still crammed full. However, we had luck: 10 dollars park fee, and we could find a little place very close to the visitor's centre. Countless Japanese, equipped with heavy cameras, crossed our way. In the visitor's centre we had to help ourselves to find one of the employees who gave information to us. During the whole tour it had already struck us that many employees were very unfriendly at hotels, restaurants and shopping centers, above all in tourism areas, and anything but obliging and helpful. „ Nine-Eleven“, as the Americans call 11th of September, 2001, has changed a lot here. The people have become more careful and more distrustful. One notices this not only in the international air traffic, but also in the everyday contact. Two years ago in California this was still different. There we were on the move with Grady, a local, and the behavior of the people was perceptibly friendlier. Now, when we were alone, one noticed (above all probably in my accent, because Linda is half an Englishwoman speaks perfectly English) that we were strangers, and treated us also accordingly.
Finally, after a lot of questions, we found out that we could go to the American Falls with a Trolley. This would cost two dollars. A wristband which we had to fasten to the wrist was handed over to us. Where the Trolley would set off, they did not tell us. We had to find out for ourselves. The only thing we found out was that we had to go "downstairs", so a floor deeper. But because Linda and I are quite big girls, we found the trolley stop alone. Also driver and Co-Driver of the totally congested carriage distinguished themselves not exactly by friendliness. We rose in "Cave of the Winds". Also here, like already in the visitor's centre, an info centre, screenings, restaurant and snack. From here one could book the ship tours which led along under the waterfalls. What was possible, however, only with suitable rain cape (to corresponded prices)? We were content to admire the huge play of the blustering water from above. Later we went with the Trolley further to the Canadian "Horseshoe Falls" which we could observe, nevertheless, only from the vehicle. If we had got out, we would have had to wait forever long for the next Trolley – and, finally, we wanted to get on this day. Past the „Three Sisters of Iceland“where one can observe water birds we went back again to our source station.
The Niagara Falls is already quite a special experience. However, nevertheless, the marketing machinery all around has frightened me. Almost every step is connected with some costs. One has put on here though a wonderful park, and many rare birds have found a home here – however, is it necessary that one "excludes" visitors and treats them so unkindly?
We went on this day to Erie in Pennsylvania. American Interstates have a practical specific feature for travelers: Along the street there are regularly signs on which the next „Lodging area “, „Resting area“or "gas area" (petrol is called "gas" in the USA) is announced. On these signs is illustrated which hotels, restaurants or filling stations are at the next exit and how far it is to the next area. All exits on the Interstates are numbered, by the way, clearly readable. Also this helps in the orientation. Refuel in the USA is a little bit different than here with us. You must pay either  Gas in advance (what means that you must estimate how much gas you need – when you have paid more than fits in the tank, you don’t get  back anything) or you have to go in and pay with your credit card in the petrol station (the Americans also pay the smallest amounts at the supermarket with credit card, not a lot of people pay in cash they don’t carry cash about)  However, our credit cards have not been accepted at the petrol pumps, because we had no bank account in the USA.