After we left Vermont, we had a very, very long drive across upstate New York to visit Niagara Falls. We were all very excited to see this beautiful park! First, we checked in for an up-close tour of the falls. To prepare people for the tour, they give out waterproof shoes. (The shoes were actually just cheap plastic sandals, but the boys thought they were really cool! I had to remind them that the shoes were not really "free", because we did pay money for the tour!!)
After an elevator ride down to the falls area, they give each person a poncho. In case you were not sure if you were going to get wet...that should give you a big clue! HA!
As you walk around the outside deck, the sights and the sounds of the falls completely over take you! It really is amazing!
One highlight of the tour was getting the chance to reach out and touch the water...
Caleb had fun touching the water, but he received a big shock when some water got down his back...
We ALL received a shock when the boys and I posed for a picture just a few moments later!!!! One minute the water seems calm, but then it can come crashing down on top of you...
We took turns braving the Hurricane Deck where you are guaranteed to get SOAKED! First it was Alan and the older three boys...
Only Micah wanted to go back up a second time with me for a photo...
After our fun, very wet, and up-close tour of the falls, we headed back up the elevator and walked around to the other viewing areas...
We saw many beautiful rainbows that day...
We thought it was funny to watch a boat tour go "through" the rainbow...
From this angle of the picture, you can see the people on the water deck below us. That is where we walked during on our falls tour...
We have heard people say that the best way to experience Niagara Falls is on the New York side, but to get the best view of the falls, you should go to Canada. Over the past few months we had looked into the travel document requirements, and it was kind of confusing as to if our boys needed passports or not to cross into Canada and get back into the U.S. Some resources said they needed passports or passport cards, but others said they did not need them if we were traveling by land. As in a lot of things, requirements change and so we just decided to bring all the paperwork we had with us (birth certificates, Joshua's citizenship papers, and passports - only Alan and I had passports - the boys did not.)
Alan had actually seen Niagara Falls from the Canadian side many years ago on a business trip. This was my first time to Niagara Falls, and I really wanted to experience it from both sides. Since we were not sure the boys could cross the border without passports, Alan offered stay with the boys and catch a movie at the museum while I walked over to Canada for an hour or two, just to get the experience and to take pictures. I jumped at the chance of course!!!!
I grabbed my passport & camera, and headed over the pedestrian bridge!!! I was SO excited!
Crossing the International Boundary Line...
It is really fuzzy, but Alan was actually able to take this close up picture of me on the Canadian side from his location on the U. S. side. If you look a little left of the center, I am in a pink shirt bending over taking a picture of Alan with my camera! HA! Crazy!
Here is the view from the Canadian side of the tour we walked that morning. (Can you see the yellow ponchos??)
I have to agree with others...the view of Niagara Falls from Canada is INCREDIBLE!!!!
I walked for about 30 minutes and reached the beginning of the falls area as it pours down from the river....so breathtaking...
Another glorious rainbow!!!
So- while I was chatting with the Canadian Border Patrol (they ask a TON of questions!!!), I found out that the boys did NOT need passports to cross into Canada and back into the U.S.!!! They only needed their birth certificates!!! We decided it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, so Alan and the boys walked over the bridge to join me later that afternoon...
WELCOME TO CANADA, HAIGOOD BOYS!!!!!
We had only packed a picnic for lunch that day since we had not expected to be able to go into Canada. We were all hungry and thirsty, so dinner was our first stop. Along the way to the restaurant, we had a great time visiting all the sights around the city!
While walking around, we found this GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS Hershey bar!!! Let me tell you...this family LOVES chocolate...especially ME!!!! Too bad it wasn't real! Ha Ha!
Obviously this was a big tourist area because of Niagara Falls, so we saw all kinds of interesting things around the city! The boys got a big laugh from this crazy Burger King!!!
The Heaviest Man!
The Tallest Man!
After dinner, we all felt refreshed to walk some more and show the boys the Canadian view of Niagara Falls...
We found out that during the summer, Canada has fireworks on the weekends, so we decided to go ahead and stay for the show. The falls are also lit up at nighttime, so that was really neat to watch while we waited for the fireworks show to begin...
The fireworks show lasted only around 15 minutes, but it was still really fun to watch! I experimented around with my camera to try to capture some of the fireworks. I was happy that some turned out pretty well...
By the time the fireworks show ended and we walked all the way back to the bridge, it was almost 11pm! Although it had been a VERY long day of sight seeing, the boys were troopers! Alan and I did carry Caleb and Joshua a good deal of the way there, so our backs were sore along with our legs and feet!
I am so glad Alan noticed on the way into Canada that you needed cash to pay the toll to walk back over the pedestrian bridge to the U.S.! I thought that was kind of funny:)
Leaving Ontario...
Walking the bridge back home to the U.S.A.
Micah waited so that I could get this picture of him...the last member of the Haigood family to leave Canada!!!
For me, this was one of my favorite places to visit during our RV trip so far. We were excited to see Niagara Falls from the New York side, but to be able to take the boys into Canada was such a neat surprise...one we will all remember and be so grateful for! Niagara Falls is so beautiful, and it just reminds me of how amazing God is. The rainbows we saw throughout the day reminded me of His promises and His faithfulness. As a family, we have felt so incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to see so much this past year. However, it is not just all about sight-seeing. The time we have had as a family has been such a treasure. It has truly been a life changing experience for us!
Blessings to you and yours,
Jill and the boys:)
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