After three years of fighting Dermatomyositis (DM) I have finally reached a stable point where I felt like I had enough strength to travel again.  My sweet and loving hubby (Lonnie) suggested we go to Niagara Falls, NY.  We had planned on going there just before I fell ill.  So within a week, we were off on an airplane to Niagara Falls.  We only had three days to see the sights, including travel time so I pushed myself hard.  Maybe a little to hard, cause now I am paying for it physically.  But, I am overjoyed at being able to have seen this natural wonder of our beautiful world. 

The falls are so beautiful and majestic and powerful.  A sight everyone should see if possible.  We rode the Maid of the Mist, a boat that brings you right next to the falls.  It was like standing in a tropical storm.  The water pelted the flimsy raincoat we wore from every direction.  We journeyed behind the falls and saw a beautiful rainbow which stretched from one end of the falls over and beyond to the rainbow bridge which connects Canada with the US.  We strolled down the White Water Walk where we could see the powerful rapids up close.  We rode an elevator 520 feet up to the Skylon tower to view the falls from above.  We had lunch at the top of the tower with the falls in our view.  What an awesome sight.  We also visited the Flower Clock, Butterfly Dome and the Bird Kingdom.  Then, at night we viewed the falls with a rainbow variation of colorful lights shining upon them. 

We stayed at the Crown Plaza on the US side.  We had a large suite and the huge king sized bed was so plush it was like sleeping on a cloud, literally!   Pillow after pillow filled the top half of the bed while the covers were layers of downy soft cottony quilted blankets that were light and heavy at the same time.  After a full day of travel and then walking a few miles on the US park reserve and Goat Island, it was a welcomed feeling to sleep like a baby.  That was one bed I could stay in forever!

Sunday morning, Lonnie and I woke up early to get ready for the tour we were taking that morning.  We had planned to walk over the border to Canada for 9:00 to catch a tour bus.  Well, Lonnie was a little tired from the day before so he stayed in bed a little longer than usual.  It was 8:15 and time to get moving.  We heard car alarms going off every now and then so we thought nothing of the siren type alarm we heard until it was followed by an announcement for everyone to quickly exit the hotel!  An emergency was called and we were to take the stairs immediately!  Oh my gosh....we were on the fifth (5) floor!!! 

Besides not even being dressed yet, I had to think really fast about what to take with us.  I knew when we got down there, they wouldn't let us back up until everything was clear and that could be hours on end.  We would miss the tour bus if we didn't prepare to leave for that too.  With clothes on our backs, money in our pockets, tickets in hand and my camera we closed the hotel door behind us within three minutes.  

When we stepped out into the hallway, several other couples, half-dressed and with their hair all spiked and messed up were just leaving their rooms too.  Their eyes showed they'd just woken up as ours did.  We all headed for the stairwell.  I didn't know how I was going to make it down five flights of stairs, with my muscles being weak from the DM.  I thought about sliding down the banister while holding Lonnie's hand, lol....  Thank GOD that we only went down one flight when someone told us that we could go back to our rooms....the situation was under control and the "fire" was extinguished.  Someone had burnt toast in their room!  What a fiasco!  Too much excitement so early in the morning.  We were only delayed about ten minutes and still made it to the tour bus on time.   Memories to last a lifetime.....

The rest of the day went as smooth as cream pie.  We were able to see all of the sights, which most were on the Canadian side.  We had to pass through customs to get into Canada and back into the US.  The agents are very, very strict!  They mean business and if you're just a little bit suspicious they could deny you entry back into the US!  After the third time we walked through...I finally learned to keep my mouth shut!  Only speak when spoken to and don't cock an attitude...any attitude with them!  I guess I showed a little bit too much happiness and smiled one too many times...they didn't like my excitement, lol.  And, don't step up to the desk until you're called upon to do so!  Even if no one else is in line.  Period!   Didn't you read the sign???   What sign???  The sign was a piece of paper taped to the handrail, not at eye level or where you could notice it.....go figure.   

Monday morning we visited the Bird Kingdom which was filled with beautiful, exotic tropical birds.  We were limited in time because we had to be at the airport in Buffalo for 2:30.  It was at least 30 minutes away and it was 2:00.  I still wanted to go to a souvenir shop to buy a couple of t-shirts.  We went to two places and the shirts were just not what I was looking for...too cheap lookin'.   So we tried one more place, Three Sisters Trading Post, just around the corner.   They had what I was looking for and it only took five more minutes.  But, that was five minutes we did not have to spare.

Lonnie was driving the rental car.  It was a Ford Focus and drove like a go-cart.  Zoom...Zoom...Zoom....  He had brought his GPS with us which was a life saver cause we didn't get lost (a true blessing).  We were traveling along on I-290 when Lonnie spotted a blue cruiser stationed in the median.  We whizzed on by him at 75 mph....  "Oh crap"...I hear Lonnie say.  "That was a cop!"  Sure enough, he catches up to us and flashes his lights.   I ask what's the speed limit and Lonnie says 55....

To make a long story short, I think the State Trooper liked our accent cause he asked a lot of questions and then let us go without giving us a ticket!!!  And who says NY's finest aren't good cops?   They're great!  Just told us to slow down and get there safely.  We did get to the airport with just a few minutes to spare, just to find out that our flight had been delayed an hour, lol!

By the time we left Buffalo and arrived in Chicago, then left for New Orleans, it was dark.  The full moon filled the sky above as it's reflection bounced off the wing of the plane.  A beautiful sight.  It was midnight before we laid our heads down on our own soft pillows and wrapped ourselves in the warm quilts on our own bed.  Within minutes, we both were in la la land, dreaming of Niagara, no doubt.

I've uploaded 32 new photos of the falls and some of the sites we visited under a new gallery called NIAGARA FALLS.  Three new furry friends from Niagara were added under ANIMALS; two new images under "OUR MOON"; and five under LAGNIAPPE (If you've never flown before, here's a view from above).  I've also added one new image under "CLOUD FORMATIONS/SIGNS."  Also check out the new "PIC OF THE WEEK" on the LAGNIAPPE page.  It's a beautiful work of art inside the Chicago/Ohare International Airport!  (Look for a larger image under the Lagniappe gallery.)

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
SLECA FARMER'S MARKET & CRAFT FESTIVAL--OCTOBER 6TH:  Come on out and see my photographs in print....along with over 200 hundred other crafters!  And there's an actual Farmer's Market selling fresh produce and vegetables.  I'll be stationed across from them at the front of the building.

Until next time......."Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler!"

~Darlene~