Niagara Falls

I bet all of you have heard of Niagara Falls. Most probably you have seen it in many movies. But did you know that in fact there are three falls in the complex? And that the state boundary between US and Canada goes through them? Well, I did not. But luckily Aleksandra explained it to me before we went there.

We had some time for discussions as the queue to take the Maid of the Mist was really impressive. Finally, it was our turn.

As you see, everybody was wearing blue coats to protect from water. First of all I thought it is just marketing. Trust me, it's not. The mist is so dense you can hardly see the Horseshoe Falls (what a nice name by the way).

The American Falls seem a bit calmer, though I have been told it is not always the case.

Next to the Falls you can see the Skylon Tower. On top there is a revolving dinning room. From there we could admire both falls - the Canadian one ...

... and the US one.

And of course eat a very nice dinner.

After the meal we had a nice walk to the edge of the Fall.

The flower clock says it is time to move on.

Fort Henry and the 1000 islands

In one of the previous posts you have seen the beginning of Rideau Canal in Ottawa. Now I will show its other end in Kingston (Ontario), i.e., the Martello Towers.

They are part of a bigger fortification called Fort Henry. It was built by the British which can be easily recongised by the British coat of arms on the gate.

The Fort is animated by the Fort Henry Guard, a special organisation which tries to visualise to the guests the life in the fort in the days of Queen Victoria. They organise regular parades.

I could not believe my eyes so I leaned a bit through the handrail.

Yes! It was a goat!

I later found out it was David, the mascotte of the Guards.

One of the biggest attractions of the Fort is the firing of historical cannons. The Guards take care of them of course.

Here you can see one of the cannons closer ...

... and closer.

Later on, we decided to take a little cruise in the Thousand Islands Region.

So far, my only though about 1000 islands was the famous dressing. Now I realised it is a wonderful landscape with many beautiful islands (to be precise there are 1,864 no 1,000).

Just have a look here ....

... and here.

Navigare necesse est as they say.

Crawford Lake and West Montrose Covered Bridge

You have seen some of the biggest Canadian cities (and you will see more of course) so now I will show you a bit of the countryside in the province of Ontario.

First, I will take you to the Conservation Halton and show you the Crawford Lake. You will approach it by a nice wooden footbridge.

 The lake is surrounded by forests.

I have heard that the water in this lake is very clean. Let's have a closer look to check it this is true.

 Indeed, the water in the lake is very clear, you can see the rocks on the bottom of the lake.

After a short bath in the lake we set off for another tourist attraction in the neighborhood, the West Montrose Covered Bridge over the Grand River.

It is an interesting wooden construction.

 The Grand River is quite large (as the name suggests) so the bridge is also relatively long.

 It is pretty dark inside (and full of spider webs to be honest)

Ontario is a very nice place for tourists. Though probably not all local inhabitants are so excited by these tourists. Especially those who do not know the rules about car parking.

Ottawa - Part 2

Of course the Parliament is not the only interesting spot in Ottawa but it is a nice starting point for a walk in the city. From the top of the Peace Tower you can see a very nice panorama of the city.

Next to the Parliament building you will see the Centennial Flame. It commemorates Canada’s 100th anniversary as a Confederation.

If you think that this flame is a proof that Canadians are fed up with being a consistutional monarchy you are wrong. During my stay I saw all over the city flags commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elisabeth II.

If you move a bit further from the Hill, you will see Château Laurier. Yes, yes, you guessed it right, this is yet another hotel. But looks nice, doesn't it?



 What you surely noticed on this first picture is the river. Actually, it is not a river, it is a canal - the Rideau Canal. It is the oldest canal system in America and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.

On the canal you can see some equipment that facilitates the navigation ...

... and some nice boats too.

 And here the Canal in the direction of Ontario.

Time to move further then!