Niagara Falls

Before seeing The Falls up close and personal, I had naively imagined them to cascade down into a bottomless gorge. But now I realize that cascade is too sissy a word for the falls and does not at all describe the mighty, crushing force of the water as it continuously pounds, pounds - forever pounds - down to the otherwise calm, serene river below.

And the beauty doesn't stop with the falls. It flows as emerald green as you can imagine downstream to create rapids that are so swift and powerful that white-water rafting is no longer allowed. (Photos of the White Water Walk are on Page 2.)

It takes a better photographer than I to do justice to the falls' awesome presence, but these are what I have, and I hope they are enjoyed by many.

There are three falls that make up what we know as Niagara Falls: the most impressive and the one we've most seen pictures of is the Horseshoe Falls (straight ahead in this photo). Then there is the American Falls (seen on the left). To the right of the American Falls is a smaller one (separated from the American Falls by a very thin strip of land). That falls is called the Bridal Veil.

This view of the falls can be seen from Rainbow Bridge.

This view of the American Falls can be seen from behind the falls, on the American side. Most views of the American Falls are seen from Canada which is across the river from the front of the falls.

Yes, those are people standing out on that deck overlooking the falls. This view can be seen from Rainbow Bridge, and the observation tower can be reached only from the American side of the falls.

This is also a shot of the American Falls taken from the American side. It's amazing how strategically placed the observation decks and platforms are. Viewers are truly as close to the rushing falls as they can get without literally being in them.

The American Falls just after a rainstorm came through. The bridge (above) is the Rainbow Bridge, the passageway for cars and pedestrians between the U.S. and Canada. Passports are required.

There are several adventure tours on both the American and Canadian side that allow you to experience close encounters with the falls. This one (above and below), called Cave of the Winds, takes you to the base of the Bridal Veil. You reach it from the American side.

Another adventure, Maid of the Mist, is a boat ride that takes you to the foot of both the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls. Blue raincoats are provided. They help a little bit.

Another adventure tour that can be taken from the Canadian side is Journey Behind the Falls. It takes you in an elevator to an outside platform that is right at the base of Horseshoe Falls. It's an incredible view, when you can see through the spray.