Next destination was to see Niagara Falls, “Niagara Falls, slowly I turn, step by step, inch by inch”. Steve had that stuck in head for a while, even watched the scene on YouTube. Chris had never heard of it but won’t forget it now

We were staying on the shores of Lake Ontario at Four Mile Creek State Park. A pretty park with a small beach. Unfortunately our GPS’s failed us on the way. We reached a stop sign where we could see the entrance on the left no more than 100 yards away, but both GPS’s said to turn right, so we did, thinking there was a low bridge or something and the gps was saving us from pending doom perhaps. Instead it was taking us the totally wrong way for some unknown reason, but weird they would both give the same incorrect information.

Our site was pretty big when we’d figured out where it was and our perimeters, the print on the small signposts was tiny. We just spread out and claimed our spot.

Lake Ontario in the distance

 

As with the parking the beach was hard to navigate, but many diehards did just that

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Down the road from our campground was a nice cafe that served breakfast and lunch, plus other goodies. They served a good breakfast

Close to the park is the site of Fort Niagara whose history spans more than 300 years. During the colonial wars in North America a fort at the mouth of the Niagara River was vital, for it controlled access to the Great Lakes and the westward route to the heartland of the continent. The French and British fought for possession of this fort until it was ceded to the Untied States in1815 during the war of 1812 and with the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, it changed the strategic value of Fort Niagara which was diminished. It remained an active military post well into the 20th century.

The city of Buffalo was a mere 10 miles away and home of the original Buffalo Chicken Wings.

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Chris came to Buffalo and this restaurant in 1976 while going through the immigration legalities. to get a green card.  Ate wings but never went to the falls, priorities.

Such delicious little beauties. Absolutely no different from wings at Publix, the secret sauce is no longer a “secret”..

Of course they had a gift shop, where one could purchase a motorbike (?)

This guy couldn’t take his eyes off the bar tender and really made that beer last.

We arrived at Niagara Falls and it was chaotic, traffic and tourists and all we could see of the  falls in the distance was the spray.

So we crossed over the bridge to the Canadian side, which we heard was better anyway. We pulled up to the Canadian customs Inspector who asked Steve where we lived. He was silent, trying to remember if there was an address in his passport. After what seemed like an eternity he said,” Florida. “ The customs inspector responded, “are you sure””? We had forgotten to practice our border speech so poor Steve was left high and dry.

The chaos was about the same on the other side of the border with nowhere to park and mass people, that’s what you get for visiting these places at the weekend. So Chris just got out of the car and snapped away while Steve drove round the block.

Well, we saw them and they were spectacular well worth the look.  Of course, then we waited in line for an hour to get back to the US.

They said that the Maid Of The Mist did not run on Sunday. Hmmm what is that boat out there?Those people look like Smurfs

A stop for ice cream overlooking The Niagara River when we got back to camp

A fabulous tree that was worth taking a photo of…a willow maybe

Not sure what the deal was here. Two people got out of their camper and just pranced around the campground.

Now Chris has seen Niagara Falls which were pretty amazing just not something you do at the weekend in the summer.