Niagara Falls

As I write this we're sitting in Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. They currently have an exhibit which holds the original manuscript of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain who was a resident of Buffalo. We both signed up for temporary library cards yesterday which entitles us to use the internet for free. The area around Buffalo is still feeling the effects of Thursday's snowstorm with over 200,00 homes still without power. Work has begun to clear the masses of fallen branches and assorted debris that litter the streets on the outskirts of the city. The newspapers are saying that it was the sixth worst storm in the town's history and certainly the worst they've ever had in October. Luckily for us the downtown area where we've been staying has been relatively unaffected.
On Sunday we caught the bus out to Niagara Falls. When we arrived we were greeted with the sight of tacky souvenir shops, mini golf and every other conceivable Niagara Falls based distraction. Once we had fought our way through all the kitsh merchandise we heard the rush of running water and got our first look at the falls. What struck us immediately was the feeling of immense power. Any jokes of taking a dip were quickly laid aside when it became apparent that there was no way one could survive such an endeavour. The American Falls cascade on to a gigantic heap of jagged boulders and the spray hangs in the air all around the surrounding area. After pausing to take several photos we made our way towards the footbridge that would take us across into Canada. It's worth mentioning that the Canadian customs officer was polite and cheerful in direct contrast to his American counterpart.
The view of the falls from Canada is infinitely more spectacular than from the American side. Not only can you see the whole of the American Falls it also possible to view the larger Bridal Veil Falls. The Bridal Veil is some 50 metres tall and 72 metres wide and arcs round in a perfect horseshoe shape. The mist and spray created by it rises over 100 metres in the air and is thick enough to obscure the view from certain angles. Once we saw this we decided we definitely had to take the Maid of the Mist boat tour and get a closer look. After donning some incredibly stylish disposable rain macks we were driven to the heart of the falls. We experienced the immense power of the water first hand as the massive boat struggled to remain stationary against the current. When amongst the mist the water towers above you on all sides and complete rainbows materialise before your eyes. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
Last night we visited the famous Anchor Bar, home of the original Buffalo Chicken Wings and watched some Monday Night Football. Afterwards we went to another local bar called Hemingway's where we chatted at length with our fellow patrons and were treated to free drinks by the bar staff. Some of our most enjoyable evenings have been spent talking with the locals who have really made us feel at home and given us a greater understanding of our surroundings. We leave tomorrow night on another Greyhound bus headed for Chicago.