Fua fa'afana.

Oh my God, it was so amazing. We completely forgot to greet you: hello dear ones! Again now - it was so incredibly amazing. We're still raving about it. You will be showered with pictures today, forgive us. It will always be the same... but each and every picture means so much to us because it was so impressive. Oh, what are we talking about? The Niagara Falls were on the agenda today - but that was already mentioned in the last blog entry. 😋

Let's start from the beginning. First, we have to tell you a little side story. When we crossed the border to Canada the day before yesterday, we received a COVID test kit from customs. We both understood the customs officer to say that the hotel may require it. When we arrived at the hotel, no one was interested in it and so we had our best time in Toronto. End of the COVID story. We thought. 😄 In the morning during breakfast, Marie received an email (she also registered us via a mandatory app in Canada). The COVID test had not arrived yet and she was immediately instructed to contact the Canadian health authority. Failure to comply may result in a fine of 5,000 Canadian dollars. Heart rate went up. First, back to the room - we wanted to get to the Niagara Falls as quickly as possible. The hotel stole our Wi-Fi in the middle of the night, it's the day of departure after all - let's save some money on those who already don't have daylight in their room 😃. Slightly annoyed, Marie then had to perform a PCR test via video call with a public health department employee, which took a minute to fumble with her nose. Thank goodness we were able to drop off the crap at the reception and get going. Since we're leaving Canada a day later anyway, we don't understand the system. But we still went to the waterfalls with a one-hour delay.

And the day made up for everything. We have to say that the first impression of the city was anything but positive. It's more like a huge amusement park with all the attractions you can imagine. Ferris wheel, haunted house, cotton candy, shooting gallery, and so on. It had absolutely nothing to do with the actual natural wonder, but it brings in money 😃 here's a little preview, which looks even more extreme at night.

By the way, we found out on the same day that it's Canada's national holiday - Victoria Day. Well, we're glad we chose the Canadian side for the Niagara Falls 😐. But we arrived at a good time when everything was still very empty. The first thing we did was cross the Rainbow Bridge to the American side to take part in the famous 'Cave of the Winds' tour. But first, here are some impressions in advance. The first photo shows the American Falls (number 1 out of 3)

Cave of the Winds is a tour that takes you very close to the Bridal Veil Falls (number 2 out of 3). And when we say close, we mean very close. The wind was so good that we got completely wet where the poncho couldn't reach. But it was so incredibly unique and funny. Beforehand, we were shown the history of the Niagara Falls in a small cinema, very exciting and captivating. Did you know that the Niagara Falls move approximately 4 cm backward every year? Did you know that more water is used for energy generation at night and in winter (otherwise not, as the tourists wouldn't have anything to admire 😄)? We found all of this very impressive and could have watched it all day long. But every time Marie stared for too long, she had to go to the bathroom 😅.

We decided to air dry and explore the American side a bit more. At Prospect Point, we also saw a beautiful rainbow. Here you can see the Horseshoe Fall (number 3 out of 3) very well, named for its horseshoe shape.

At the end of the island, the Niagara River flows, and everything still seems so calm and relaxed here before crashing down 57 meters. Benny initially wanted to try sliding down with a barrel. Thank goodness he didn't. Just nonsense. But yes, some people have tried it. The first person to make it alive was homeless and wanted to make a lot of money. It didn't work out. Others died. So it's not necessarily desirable to try it out.

Back on the Canadian side, we had tickets for the Skylon Tower - an observation deck to see everything from above.

Meanwhile, it was getting crowded everywhere on the streets. It was around 3:30 p.m. and we headed to our boat ride, getting up close to the Niagara Falls. Now everything was crowded with people, but still a unique experience.

Now we had seen all the important sightseeing spots and had some breathing space to just relax. Going to bed early wasn't an option. Marie checked if there might be a fireworks display tonight. And, you won't believe it: YES! At 10 p.m. over the Niagara Falls. So, pants back on and back to the waterfront at dusk. It was simply magical. We passed the time taking beautiful photos of the illuminated waterfalls. Here's a sample:

And at 10 p.m. sharp, the fireworks started. Don't hold it against us... We only took one photo. We simply enjoyed the rest and let it all sink in. It was a classic American fireworks display. Anything but subtle 😃 everything looked so huge and unreal. It was beautiful! We wish you a wonderful day with the last picture and we look forward to you continuing to follow us! 

B ❤️ M