Day 3 – Girls’ Weekend in Niagara Falls…

Our last day. We lingered over our coffee and although we had a couple of things we wanted to do on the way home, we weren’t moving too fast – and it had nothing to do with the amount of booze we’ve consumed these last couple of days. Unlike yesterday morning, there was no fog and the sun shone brightly – an omen for a wonderful, scenic drive home. Still it was a bittersweet morning. We wanted to go home to our husbands and big-Jesus dogs but there was something magical about the weekend that we didn’t want to end.

Once we got checked out and called for petrol, we made our way to the floral clock. I remember visiting it back when I was a young girl the year my mum and I went and spent a week at my cousin’s house. I’d forgotten how far out of town it was. On our way there, we made a couple of stops along the Niagara Parkway to take photos. Even though it’s not the falls, the whirlpools and magntitude of the cliffs make it a breathtaking sight.

Boat tour heading up river

At one of our stops along the parkway, a Zodiak filled with tourists in plastic raincapes and life jackets worked its way towards the falls. Even it struggled against the strength of the current.

 

 

 

Eventually, we arrived at the Floral Clock. It’s almost all the way to Hwy 405 and the bridge to the USA. The clockworks were under repair but the flowers were still gorgeous. Too bad the background is scarred with hydro pylons and wires because of the power dam.

The Floral Clock

This trip to Lock 3 on the Welland Canal was much more pleasant than when we took  my friend, Anne, from Wales there back in 2005. Unlike back then, this was a much better route and was far more direct.

The bonus of this trip was a ship was going through the lock just above the one we were going to as we crossed the lift bridge. Couldn’t have timed things better.

I’ve seen ships pass through the locks at Iroquois but that’s nothing spectacular because of the lack of lowering the ships to exit at the other end.

Today was fantastic! Watching the lift bridge rise and the massive freighter approach the lock was breathtaking.

Coming under the lift bridge
Approaching the lock
Entering the lock
Lower gate opening
Exiting the lock

After watching the ship clear the lock and the gates close once again, we had a picnic lunch at the visitor centre and got back on the road.

We had a great time in the ‘falls’, made new friends, and it was the experience of a lifetime. I’m really glad we went ahead with our trip rather than cancel it.