Canada's Niagara Falls

Where the Humbling Power of Nature and a Man-made Follies Go Hand inHand

BY CHRISTINE SCHRUM

The spectacular 170-foot drop of Niagara falls attracts millions of visitors each year.

Tens of millions of tourists descend on Niagara Falls, Canada,each year, from countries as distant as Australia and China. One afternoonin May, I decided to see if they were on to anything.

Niagara Falls is one of the weirdest places in North America—but alsoone of the most spectacular. Where else can you find gigantic waterfalls,Buddhist stupas, sex shops, haunted houses, amazing Asian cuisine, quaintbed and breakfasts, and pristine gardens all within walking distance? Andthat’sjust skimming the surface.

The Falls

The most obvious motivation for visiting the area is, of course, to checkout the falls. After all, it’s pretty neat to see Lake Erie drainingitself like a big old bathtub into Lake Ontario, via 170-foot drop. Somesix million cubic feet of water hurtle over the crest-line of HorseshoeFalls (the Canadian waterfall) every minute, which, if you do the math,is equivalent to about 1 million bathtubs-full. That’s one impressivesoak.

You can view the falls while strolling on a walkway, gliding on a Spanishaerocar, or cruising far overhead in a helicopter. The adventurous caneven take a guided tour behind the roaring wall of water. And if you’reup to shelling out ten bucks, you can join the hordes of tourists whowrap up in plastic ponchos and tug-boat their way right up to the faceof the falls. The Maid of the Mist is a money-making tourist-trap to besure, but I highly recommend the ride. On a good day, you’ll seeimposing limestone cliffs, lush greenery, and sky as blue as Superman’stights. You’ll be pinned to the rails by the beauty of the falls,and you’ll laugh as they spray water in your face. It’s alwayshumbling to experience the awesome power of Nature firsthand, and besides,you get to keep the tacky poncho. It could come in handy if you live somewhererainy (like, say, Iowa).

Harebrained Feats

Horseshoe Falls has a wacky history of daredevils—those extremelybrave and/or demented individuals who went over the falls of their ownvolition—which I think bears mentioning. But first, some perspective.The falls are approximately 170 feet high, and the river at its base is184 feet. This means that anyone who goes over the edge is, in effect,plummeting down a wet and thundering 17-story building into a roilingswimming pool of approximately the same depth. That said, on to the DaredevilChronicles.

Annie Taylor started it all. On October 24, 1901, this 63-year-old Michiganschoolteacher strapped herself into a special harness inside a woodenbarrel and, with newspaper crews and bystanders gaping, took the plunge.Slammed this way and that by the rapids, the dazed but triumphant Anniesurfaced 20 minutes later and slurred, “No one ought ever do thatagain.”

Bobby Leach and Charles Stephens should have taken her advice. Thesetwo Brits both took their turns barreling over the falls in the early80s on separate occasions. Stephens’ barrel sunk to the river bottom,and he along with it. They later found his tattooed arm washed up on theshore. Leach spent six months recuperating in the Intensive Care Unitafter his stint. A string of about a dozen other fame-seeking adrenaline-junkiesfollowed, many of whom were also fined by the government for their trouble(if, in fact, they survived). And here’s the kicker: in 1960 a seven-year-oldboy accidentally fell into the drink and went over the falls protectedby nothing but his bathing-suit. He emerged completely unscathed.

Other Entertainment

But enough about the falls. The city itself is just teeming with wonderfuland wacky attractions. Clifton Hill, for example, boasts a strip ofneon whose electricity bill probably rivals that of Vegas (okay, I’mexaggerating). There are slot machines, casino facilities, haunted houses, “alienencounters” freak-shows, and places like the Ripley’s BelieveIt or Not Museum, where parties interested can “See a genuineshrunken head and learn the secret process used to shrink it.” Justwhat you’ve always wanted. There is also a wax museum Rock ’n’ RollHall of Fame, and one for Criminals as well. Most of this stuff seemedpretty grisly to me, but the teeny-boppers love it.

Nature Tended & Untended

If you’re more of a nature buff, you might want to stop by theBotanical Gardens, where you’ll find 100 acres of impeccably groomedgardens. Or follow your nose to the Fragrance Garden at the Niagara ParksGreenhouse, where plants are selected for their unusual textures, tastes,and aromas. If, however, you prefer to experience Nature before the manicure,you can hike in the gorge that stretches seven miles from the base ofthe falls. You can also pitch your tent in one of the region’s manycampgrounds.

History

Other spots of interest include the Skylon Tower (hoist yourself 775feet in the air for a Canada-goose-eye view of the falls) and heritagesites, where you can learn about some of the bloodiest and most inaneterritorial battles in human history. Take the War of 1812, for example.Apparently, this was a little dispute between the U.S. and the Britishtroops over who got to keep what on the Niagara Frontier. After two yearsof bloodshed all along the Canadian border, in the Chesapeake Bay region,and along the Gulf of Mexico, the armies were back where they startedand everyone who was left decided maybe they should just sign a peacetreaty and call it a day.

Good Eats

You can treat yourself to some pretty good eating in Niagara Falls, ifyou know where to go. There’s the usual slew of fast food chainsand “family dining” type restaurants, but if you’reup for something different, try one of the Asian restaurants. And of course,there’s no end to the fudge-houses, ice-cream booths, and sweetshops in general.

Hotels & B&Bs

Accommodations are easy to come by (but book ahead), and for a fairlyreasonable price, you can find a decent hotel or motel room. The NiagaraParkway, with its string of cozy Bed and Breakfasts, is a well-known hotspot for honeymooners. The well-maintained Victorian buildings offer charmingrooms and the Niagara Wine Region is just a quick drive down the road,so lovers can stock up on bubbly. In fact, because the Niagara regionis located in the fruit belt of Ontario, the area is pretty Dionysianin its bounty during summer months. A final note on the B&Bs: theprices can run a bit steep (around $100 per night for two people). Butfor the bountiful, home-cooked breakfasts and the rustic ambiance, it’sprobably worth the extra cash.

Other Visitors

Avid people-watchers will be fascinated by the incredible diversity ofvisitors who make their way to Niagara Falls. Animated French Canadiantourists come by the truckloads, in 18-wheelers sporting names like “TourMonde,” and “La Quebecoise.” Asian tour buses are commonas well, filled with passengers carrying stacks of high-quality filmingequipment. There are Europeans in stylish scarves and heels, and Europeansin wool socks and Birkenstocks. There are droves of school kids and packsof teenagers. There are elderly couples strolling through the parks.

The Paradoxes

I think the most paradoxical discovery I stumbled across in Niagara Fallswas a large Buddhist temple tucked in beside a hotel on the Niagara Parkway.Home of the Buddhist Association of Canada, the Cham Shan Temple warmlywelcomes visitors. Entering the stupa, I slipped off my sandals and leftmy camera at the entrance, as requested by a small cardboard sign on thedoor. It was the first time I’d been reminded to show respect foranything all day.

Inside, the air was heady with jasmine and sandalwood. The walls werelined with hundreds of golden Buddha statues reposing on yellow hardwarestore shelves. The concrete was cool beneath my feet as I walked pastprayer cushions, large gongs and drums, and even larger deity statues.A woman—I assume she was a Buddhist nun because of her flowing blackclothes—gently arranged fruit, flowers, and candles on a long altar.It was the most relaxed I’d felt all day.

But then I heard a blasted cell phone ringing. I spun around to piercethe offending tourist with a glare, and seeing no guilty parties, reeledback in time to espy the woman at the altar bringing a receiver to herear. “Hello?” she said loudly, “Oh yes, helloooo, hithere!” It was then that I noticed that beside the offerings laya small, battery-operated cassette player that emanated recorded chantings.I had to laugh.

Clearly, Niagara Falls is a city built on paradoxes. Each day the age-old “Manvs. Nature” war is waged anew, as can be seen in the thick, electricalcables that wind through tree trunks so tourists can see sculpted gardenspast sunset. There is breathtaking beauty and indisputable cheesiness.There are toy stores for imaginative kids, and there are lovers’ boutiquesfor even more imaginative adults. In spite of these polar extremes (orperhaps because of them), the city thrives year after year. Or maybe,as some people muse, Niagara Falls is in fact a geographical area permeatedwith an unfathomable, concentrated spiritual power that subtly impelstourists to make pilgrimages year after year. In any case, I’d sayit’s a pilgrimage worth making.

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