Canada Day Celebrations Niagara Falls

We say 'huh', they say 'eh'.
We spell theater, the spell theatre.
We have Fourth of July, they have Canada Day.

As is typical with US-Canadian relations, things are similar on both sides of the border, but not exactly the same. T
his is the case for July 1st, AKA Canada Day. Canada Day is much like our Independence Day, but it celebrates the unification of Canada, rather than its separation from Great Britain. Either way it's a national holiday filled with picnics, fireworks and trips to Niagara Falls.

My morning tour was a lovely group visiting from Vallejo, California, a community near Sacramento. Although they were from the opposite side of the country, our home states share a certain amount of political turmoil. Just like the US-Canada relationship, the California-NY relationship is similar, but not exactly the same.

And this is one of the lessons I've learned as a tour guide, that people separated by geography frequently share the same hopes and problems. The group was kind and generous and I wished I had more time to spend with them.


On my evening tour I hosted a family from Cleveland, Georgia and husband and wife team visiting from Des Moines, Iowa.

For better or worse I introduced the Georgians to Buffalo Wings, which is a delicacy we eat here from the parts of the chicken that normal people throw away. They seemed to like them and asked about whether we call soft drinks 'soda' or 'pop'.

I believe I did a good job of touring because by the end of the evening Seth (our always energetic young one) was pooped out and fell asleep.
One of the highlights of the evening was the excellent fireworks display that celebrated Canada Day. Our view from the Observation Tower was perfect and we were wowed by the beautiful barrage of colorful (or is it colourful?) firewworks.

My heart was warmed to see out Des Moines couple, married for 30 years, holding hands and embracing as they enjoyed the display. Watching them from a distance you could tell they were enjoying this simple pleasure together and that they are deeply in love.

It is these moments that remind us of what really is important in life-times shared with family, enjoying and exploring this wonderful planet.

Happy Canada Day, eh!

A hot day at the Falls

Saturday was an unexpectedly busy day on the American side of the Falls. I say unexpected because the morning tour was fairly smooth. Minimal lines at the attractions allow guides to pack more stuff into the tour. Temperatures in the low 70's greeted our 9 AM group, which is just about perfect.
Stephanie, a young lady on our tour is a dead ringer for the young gifted actress Miranda Cosgrove, who starred on Drake and Josh and I, Carly. What do you think?She traveled with her mom and grandmother. For some reason her brother stayed back at the hotel with Grandpa, something about not liking to go on a boat ride. Stephanie thought the tour was "...pretty awesome."

Afternoon Tour

Temperatures went from the 70's to the mid 80's for the afternoon tour, which is not surprising for this time of year. The number of tourists at the Falls, however, was unexpected. The first surprise was a 50 minute wait for the Cave of the Winds attraction. The staff at the Caves tries to make the best of it. They use barricades to lead people to areas that are in the shade, which makes the wait more pleasant.
Our group was eclectic to say the least. We had a Connecticut couple that was celebrating their honeymoon as well as two sisters and a brother who were visiting from Jakarta. One gentleman's home was Poland and another family originated in Romania.
Here's a snap of them on the Observation tower after a refreshing ride on the Maid of the Mist. The two little ones in the foreground are the children of Romanian parents. The kids have been thoroughly 'Americanized' and were much fun to interact with.

Breaking the language barrier-Japanese Tourists in Niagara Falls

I barely speak one language so I am greatly impressed when I see somebody who can command two, three or more languages. Such was the case this weekend when I hosted a small group visiting from Tokoyo, Japan.
Because I do not speak Japanese, all communication was coordinated through the one group member who spoke both languages.

As I tried to proceed with my regular tour, I could tell it was difficult on the interpreter. After awhile I learned to shorten my sentences and to speak in a measured cadence. I jettisoned specific dates and exact figures for more relative terms like "...around the turn of the century."

I discovered that the use of hand gestures, especially exaggerated gestures, helped the narrative. If there was one thing that I learned from this group it is that the Japanese are a very courteous people (at least the ones on my tour). They were very concerned with the welfare of the group and were always prepared so that they were on time.

I hope they enjoyed the tour as much as I did.

No Doubt we had fun

Life as a tour guide is a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. One day it's an Amish Family visiting from Pennsylvania, the next day it's a group from Mumbai, India. And then the next day you're hosting a super cool rock band.

I had the pleasure of escorting members of the group No Doubt around Niagara Falls yesterday. The weather was overcast and drizzly, but the group's spirits were high.

We did all the typical things, Maid of the Mist, Cave of the WInds, etc. as well as a brief tour of Buffalo. What can I tell you after my brush with celebrity? This group was comprised of the most down to earth people. They were polite, generous and tolerated my jokes.

Ken, their manager, is a calm man with an excellent sense of humor. Although there was not much time to chat with everybody, I did have some other individual conversations. Adrian seems like a really involved dad! He was intrigued about some of the history of the Falls, especially the contributions of Nikoli Tesla. Stephen is flat out funny. He is very quick witted and charming.
I also met some of the band members from one of the other groups touring with No Doubt. Band members and crew of the group Paramore are young and having a great time while touring. It's amazing how much they've accomplished and most of them aren't even 25 years old.

So if you're a fan of No Doubt and wondered what they are like off stage, I can tell you they totally rock!

50 Fifth Graders at the Falls

Excellent weather greeted my group today, 50 Fifth graders from St. Christopher's School. The group had limited amount of time and needed to fit in all the essentials--the Maid of the Mist and lunch.
School groups are excellent tours because frequently children ask questions that you've never heard before. After discussing some of the daring funambulists, a child asked why anyone would want to walk across Niagara Falls on a rope? It's an extremely reasonable question when you think about it.

Onward we pushed on to the Maid of the Mist. The sun was hot and the mist was cool and invigorating. Some of the intrepid students decided to ride bareback--sans blue rain poncho. It is an experience the drenched kids will likely remember but not repeat. You can really get soaked riding on the top deck of the Maid.
We pushed on to Goat Island where the parents/chaperons went to work cooking hot dogs, pouring drinks and cutting watermelon. We were camped right across from the Three Sisters Islands which is an ideal spot to picnic. There's plenty of shade, park benches, grills and bathrooms are nearby.
We toured the Three Sisters Islands which gave the kids a chance to get closer to the rushing water of Niagara. If you visit these small, beautiful islands make certain to stay on the paved paths. The water is seductively welcoming on a hot day, and many people have found themselves in trouble by venturing into cool waters.
Soon enough it was time to pack-up and head home. I hope the kids had as much fun as I did on this beautiful day to be at the Falls.

Kids say Falls Snow Park is Cool!

Sneak Peek of Snow Park

Mrs. Tour Guide (TG) and our four TGs in training accompanied me to a special sneak peek of the new Snow Park in Niagara Falls, NY. It’s a tremendous concept—an outdoor winter park that can be used all year round.

Snow Park Niagara Falls features a 12 lane tubing hill, a NHL regulation size skating rink and a snow play area. The attraction uses new technology to create surfaces and artificial snow that are just like the real thing. The snow has a granular rather than a flaky feel to it—but you can slide on it and make snow forts just like that natural white stuff that falls from the sky.

The crown jewel of the park is the 50 foot high tubing hill. You are given a tube (1 or 2 man) at the bottom of the hill. You are propelled uphill by an innovative moving sidewalk that takes all the exhaustion out of gravity. The downhill ride is thrilling. As a native of Buffalo, NY I’ve done a fair share of sledding down snowy hills. This ride is much faster, even a little scary. Hold on tight and raise your butt off the tube’s bottom when you head downhill!

The skating rink has everything you’d expect from a rink, minus the snow. Skate rental is part of the admission charge, although you can bring your own hockey skates if you wish. The surface is a synthetic material that is permeated with oils. These oils constantly lubricate the surface and make for a realistic skating experience.

You might think that you’d tear the surface material or cut into it—but you don’t. In fact the more it is used, the better the surface becomes. One advantage to regular ice is that this surface is a lot easier on you should you fall. The rink received a positive endorsement from my 12 year old daughter who is an avid hockey player and full time cynic.

The younger TGs were entertained by the snow play area. This is exactly what it sounds like, a play space covered in snow with toys for the kids to use. Attendants are constantly refreshing the snow with a large pipe that blasts out the man made snow (think bazooka + snow cone machine).

The kids were able to build a large snow castle with the sun out and the temperature at about 70 degrees. A fun and refreshing way to spend the day. Overall this attraction looks like a real winner, especially for international guest who’ve never experienced snow. The staff is extremely helpful and polite. You can tell they are happy to work at the Snow Park and it shows.

Our visit occurred when the park was not open to the public, so I cannot comment on the experience you’ll find when the place is crowded. I can say that the park is well staffed to respond to a higher volume.

If you are coming to visit Niagara Falls and are looking for an unusual experience, the Snow Park is a must-do. The activities are appealing to kids and adults. More information including business hours and rates is available by clicking here. I believe the park will open to the public later this month (June 2009).

The Old Scow

"Have you ever heard the story of the old scow?" I asked my group. "When did you meet my ex-wife?" says an anonymous voice from the back of the bus.

There were a few laughs and as I looked back I saw one tour member whispering a translation of the joke to her husband, who then laughed as well. We pulled to the side of the parkway near the Toronto Power Station building and exited the vehicle. Ugly and obstinate the old rusting scow sits about 1,000 feet upstream of the horseshoe falls, pretty much in the same spot it has occupied since 1918.

The scow is a barge that was hauling dredge material from the river bottom on August 6th of that year when its tow cable broke and sent the vessel towards the brink. Aboard were two workers, both aged 51. James Harris was a local man who lived in Buffalo. His companion was Gustave Loftberg, a Swedish sailor.

Quickly the men deployed the scow's anchor, but to no avail. The smooth rocky river bottom afforded no obstructions for the anchor to grab. Frantically the men opened the the doors on the bottom of the dredge that were used for dumping its load. These slowed the scow while the men opened valves on the airtight compartments of the boat--allowing it to sink. Luckily the trailing anchor managed to grab something on the river bed allowing the airtight compartments to fill with water. The barge was marooned. But so were the two men aboard.

Quickly a crowd gathered on shore, but people did not know what to do. A boat rescue was impossible. Several attempts to launch a rope to the grounded scow fell way short. A crew of Americans from a post at Youngstown, NY arrived at the scene with a cannon that could shoot a rope a great distance. This gun was positioned on the roof of the Power Station with the aim of sending a rope to the men. The aim was true and a rope landed across the scow on the first attempt.

When the rope from the rooftop to the scow was properly secured, a crude lifesaving device was attached via pulleys. It's called a breeches buoy and looks like a pair of pants sewn to a flotation ring; a pulley allows the contraption to be sent from shore to a marooned vessel and back again (see picture). Night was falling and tensions were rising as the crowd grew, for they feared that the scow could give way at any moment and plunge over the Falls killing both of the men who were stranded. Some bad luck led to the tangling of the lines used to propel the breeches buoy. Somebody would need to climb out over the raging waters of the Niagara and attempt to untangle the ropes.

A member of the crowd, Red Hill, stepped forward. He would climb hand over hand along the rope to allowing the buoy to do its job and rescue the two men. Bravely he set out, but came back to shore as night settled in. At first light Hill finished his task, dangling above the rapids that would easily take his life should he show a moment of weakness or make a minor mistake. Hill safely climbed to shore.

Thanks to the heroics of Red Hill, both men were pulled to safety. News reports say that James Harris shortly left his job working on the river, while Gustave Loftberg exploited his brush with death by giving lectures and appearances in which he retold the harrowing tale. It is rumored that Loftberg eventually lost his life at sea, aboard a merchant marine ship torpedoed in World War II.

And now for the rest of the story. Red Hill's bravery that day was compounded by the fact that Hill had recently returned from serving in WW I. At the time of the old scow rescue, he was still recovering from a mustard gas attack he survived while serving on the front lines in France. If you'd like more images and the exact location of the old scow, click here--you'll find more info plus a link to the old scow's location on Google Earth. The old scow can be viewed from Goat Island on the US side, but is best enjoyed from the Canadian shore near the Toronto Powerhouse.

First Tour of the Season

This was going to be a tough tour, I thought. A group of ladies visiting the Falls in April--no Maid of the Mist in the water, many attractions closed and snow/ice at the Falls. Add another level of difficulty--some of my guests work in the tourism industry!
I think we managed to have a good time however, as the follow-up e-mail from the client showed:

Hiya Joel

just wanted to drop a line and say a BIG THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

We have just returned to work today our first day back (arrived yesterday afternoon) but wanted to drop a note asap to say thanks, we had a discussion at San Francisco airport just before we left our friend Jackie to fly back to New Zealand & the remaining group to the UK regards the highlights of the trip and by far we all said the Niagara trip was the BESTEST, for the girls and myself to see you at the bottom of the stairs with your suit was the surprise start to a really fun day, your sense of humour, knowledge, attention to detail with the food and drink from the local area all combined to make it a memorable day and something we will not forget.

So again thanks, wishing you and your family the best of health, wealth and happiness for the future.

Luv Karen, Jackie, Sandra, Sally & Diane.
Cheers Mate.
xxx
:)

I guess it doesn't matter what the season is--Niagara's stories are compelling anytime of the year. It also helps to have a group with a great sense-of-humor who were open trying different things. We went off the beaten track and explored some of the more ordinary aspects of life in this region.