Spring Time in Niagara and Toronto...

Dear All,

Welcome back! Its spring time here, and you can spot plenty of flowers and shoots (and people) springing out. Its a beautiful site to see, indeed! Its green and pretty all around, specially in the Garden State New Jersey of US. However, this time, this travel blog takes you on a tour of Niagara and Toronto.

We had hired a car, started at 4 in the morning, and were at Niagara by 10:30! You could feel the chill in the air when we stepped out. And the falls were awesome! There are 3 of them actually. They are unpopularly known as American and Bridal Veil Falls on US side, and Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side; together colloquially known as the Niagara falls. The US side has converted the whole area around it into a Niagara State Park, with train rides to take you to observatory decks and museums, etc. The best attraction still being "Maid of the Mist", the ferry ride into the spray of the falls. The "Cave of the winds" is another astounding walk into the Bridal Veil falls. You are bound to get soaked and chilled to the bone! The river upstream is so mild and docile, that you cant believe that it turns into Grade 6 rapids before it plummets over the rocks, to drop 70 feet below. Imagine 700,000 gallons of fresh water tumbling down every minute and the amount of electricity it can generate! Truly, a wonder of nature.

After spending about half a day here, we crossed over from the rainbow bridge into the Canadian side and did "Journey behind the falls". They had excavated the rock behind the falls, and had created some kind of portholes where people could walk in and feel the thunder of the enormous volume of water falling through. I guess this is the closest one can get to the falls! The view from the Canadian side of the falls, is truly awesome! One can't even try to imagine its magnitude, inspite of having been there.

End of the day saw us go to Toronto, and visit my Mama Mami and my cousins. Quick food, quick nap, and the next day, was sight seeing this city by the banks of Lake Ontario. CN Towers, renowed world wide to be the tallest free standing man-made structure, has the highest observation deck. We almost thought that we were flying! Since it is on the shores of the lake, the harbourfront and water offered a majestic view. You could actually see planes landing and taking off from the air strip on the toronto islands off the coast! Somewhere deep down, was hoping I could see a plane crash into the lake! ;) Would have made my day! :D The glass floor is a must see! No matter how much I had read about it, I still thought it would be a piece of cake. But aha! No matter how much guts one has, it definitely puts them to test! Try walking looking down and crossing the glass floor very slowly. You are sure to get pits in your stomach and feel giddy from all that altitude! The day ended with walking by the harbourfront and hearing the tut-tuting of the steamers from the islands.

Within the whole remaining week, got a fine hang of the city. Hopping off and on onto TTC trains, buses, street cars, visiting museums, local castles and cathedrals, shopping for souveniers and tshirts, and mementos from bargain stores, running errands and visiting more relatives. It was beautiful again to spend time with my cousins, after a span of 4 years. And as all good things come to an end, this trip too, drew to a close. And so does this blog! :D

It was time to take the train back to my old sweet world. Next trip would possibly be to Europe. Wonder when that would be though. Some five year plan! ;)

Till then. Adieu.

Love,
Neha