Niagara Falls Buffalo

Woke up around 4am for our 6am flight to Chicago. Due to bad visibility, our flight was delayed. Our plane took off an hour late, and we missed our connecting flight for Buffalo. Killed time at the O'Hare airport foodcourt. It was noon by the time we got to Buffalo. Picked up a Kia Sorento from Alamo, and went straight to Frank and Teressa's Anchor Bar - home of the original buffalo wings. Aside from the buffalo wings, we also ordered pulled BBQ pork sandwich and spaghetti. Nicest meal of the trip so far.

As we drove around downtown, one will find churches of different denominations and sects just a few meters from each other. Too bad we didn't have time to get off and explore or take pictures. Drove straight to Niagara Falls. First thing we did is to stop by the Welcome Center. It's about a quarter to 5pm already, so we're not sure if we can still catch the Maid of the Mist cruise. The guy at the counter tell us that by this time the last trip would've left already, and we have to come back tomorrow. If we need accommodation, he can get us discounts at the nearby hotels. Yeah, right. Find some other gullible guy to fool. We ran all the way to the Welcome Center and was so relieved to know that we still can make it for the last trip of the day. That's U$11 per adult.

Each of us was handed a blue plastic poncho, then escorted from the observation tower down to the docks, where we boarded the Maid of the Mist boat. Before the several suspension bridges were built, Maid of the Mist boats used to ferry people across the Niagara River. Now, the Maid of the Mist is mainly used as a cruise boat to bring tourists from the Rainbow Bridge, past the American and Bridal Veil Falls, into the curve of the Horseshoe Falls (a.k.a. Canadian Falls), then back.

As to how the name of Maid of the Mist came about, there's a Indian legend about it. Story goes that the Indian tribes who used to inhabit the Niagara area were mysteriously dying. To appease Thunder God Hinum and his two sons, every year the Indians would send canoes filled with fruits over the Falls. When this didn't help, they started sending their most beautiful girls. One year, it's the turn of the Chief's daughter Lelawalo. As luck would have it, she was caught in the arms of one of the god's sons on her way down. The son told her that there's a snake that was poisoning her tribespeople. Knowing this, her tribespeople were able to spear the snake, who died near the edge of the Falls, giving it its horseshoe shape.

The blue poncho is not merely for show. The falls looks calm and serene from afar, but at close range (near Horseshoe Falls), it's like being in the middle of a rainstorm. There's a roaring sound all around us, and everyone who chose to stay on the top deck got wet - even with the poncho. I was using mine to shield the camera while taking pictures of the falls, which explains why my lower body was totally soaked. Was worth it though. After the tour, we spent some time at the observation deck and the nearby surroundings before heading back to our hotel in downtown Niagara, which is like 16 miles (26 km) away. Funny thing is, I can't decide whether our hotel is the Holiday Inn Select or the Crown Plaza Hotel. Well, the place is under major renovation, so it could be one or the other. Because of the lobby facelift, we had to enter through a side door. The lifts are dusty and dirty. The corridors are dark. The carpets are worn, and there are exposed cables everyone. I couldn't care less as the airconditioner is working, the beds are clean, and there is free WiFi.

Too bad it was raining outside, or else I would've checked out the new Seneca Niagara Casino right across the street.