That was the first planned trip ever in Canada. I had heard about it a lot, seen pictures of it very often but this was the first time in my life I was gonna see it. Actually it was a beautiful feeling…. a mixture of excitement and joy.
It was a long journey from the city of Brampton where we live. I think it is more than 350 km, through the cities …along the highways for more than 3hours. Finally we were there; “Welcome to Niagara Falls” it read on the board. We had to go another about 3 km to park our vehicle. From there they had an arranged bus service to the waterfall area. We were all hungry and tired too. So the first thing was to find a good place to treat ourselves.
While eating in the café I almost felt the cool and fresh air and heard the huge river flowing. Quick lunch done and we were again on our feet; this time with full of spirit. It is always better to satisfy your hunger and thirst before enjoying the nature. (‘coz we are not so sensuous and poetic minded as Wordsworth or Keats ) My brother’s little one Kevin clinging on to my finger I walked and walked with them. (Actually they had been to this place before: so I guess it was not that exciting for them)
However for me, it was the first time ever…. And here I am at Niagara…. Just in front of the huge waterfall watching the flow covering large area in a half circle [it is called a ‘horse shoe’] It was really enchanting and the sound was as if to say “hey.., look at me how powerful I am” . For an hour or more, I was just wandering along the sidewalk to and fro , to find the best view my camera…. Amazing! Everywhere it was as beautiful and mighty as it was in the real sense of words.
Then my brother suggested that we could go close to the waterfall in a boat. That was fine idea and we loved it though it seemed at glance risky and challenging. At the entrance we were supplied a covering kit for the whole body and it seemed they were gonna give us a real bath in there. it was full of people , enthusiastic and curious just as we were. Anyway then all were ready on board for the voyage to experience the mystery inside that huge flow of waters. The ‘maid of the mist’ (as they call it) started to pick up its speed in the river to wards the falls and we began to feel the mist really among ourselves. The announcer went on speaking throughout the travel and all of a sudden he raised his voice “ ladies and gentlemen…. Niagara Falls” at once we all were covered in the huge spray of water everywhere. Then only the people must have realized why we were given the covering kit, specially the youths who have neglected the kit on the floor.
They were fully wet, and all the people were laughing at them. But I didn’t and I don’t know why. May be …because my inner thoughts were saying that it was the real fun. Then I felt like throwing my kit away so that I also could have got it all over me. Now ‘maid of the mist ‘ approved of truly what its name was. Everybody on board was now covered in the mist created by that powerful gush of waters. As usual the boat knew the utmost distance it could go close to the huge beauty without endangering the lives of the people, So it began to turn back…Once more embracing, (as if giving it a great big hug), everybody on the dock got wet in the white spray of water. We all felt the might of the waterfall even though the falls might have felt nothing.
On the way also we stopped and took some pictures. Then only I saw the most delightful sight one can ever see at a waterfall… a rainbow had just showed up right over the waterfall. It was just like a unique creation of the heaven. Little Kevin seemed to enjoy the most of it. I could hardly imagine a person couldn’t enjoy that scenic beauty which enhanced the natural beauty of the waterfall.
Well …though I wanted to stay more with the heavenly creation it was already time for us to go. So I reluctantly said goodbye to the bliss of nature got on my feet. We had to catch the collector bus for the parking lot. When we started from there it was about six in the evening and everybody was tired. Its another three hours or more the way back home …so why not a good nap? …In few minutes I felt that we’re still with the ‘maid of the mist’.
