Double Rainbows and a leprechaun??!

Is it lunchtime yet???

"Mommy, we're out of carrots and granola bars!!"

After hiking throughout Niagara Falls and Goat Island we decided to take a lunch break on Goat Island.
There's a cute little restaurant at the top of the Horseshoe Falls called Top of the Falls.

Do you remember we were at the Top of the Rock a few days ago and today we're Top of the Falls.

(http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/Files/top_rest_menu_2011.PDF)

Can you believe this was the view from our table...... WOW!!

After a pleasant air conditioned lunch with a phenomenal view we were up for another adventure, so we decided to board the Maiden of the Mist for a ride up close to the falls.

 It was very reasonable for a boat trip.(about the cost of a movie night)

(www.maidofthemist.com)

"We're ready for our Maid of the Mist voyage"

The Maid of the Mist was a 30 minutes ride on a double decker boat that took us 170 feet below the brink of all the Falls and back. 

They provided us with the raincoats because on this ride you will get wet drenched!!

Click the link below for live webcam footage of the American Falls!

(http://www.niagarafallslive.com/american_falls_live_webcam.htm)

The water hits the rocks with unbelievable force!

Cookie was so excited to see the rainbow and she was sure that the treasure was under those rocks in the water.

Isn't this the most beautiful shot of the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls taken by Bam.

This was probably how our boat looked headed toward the Falls from above.

Double Rainbow by the Canadian Horseshoe Falls

Heavy mist and dew on Cookie's camera lens

Unbelievable refreshing! Now where is that leprechaun?

Bon Voyage Maid of the Mist

Cookies thinks she spies a leprechaun!
No Cookie, that is not the illusive leprechaun!!

My pride and joy with smiles on their faces and feeling tired after a long day of chasing rainbows with Mommy.

At days end, we had a beautiful view of Niagara Falls fireworks and full illumination. 

Although, due to full memory card in camera all we can offer is stock footage.

 And believe us when we tell you it was more amazing looking than these photos below....

Can you taste the rainbow? Yes you can!!

Beams of light come from Skylon in Canada
(www.skylon.com)

That's ahlattawatta!!

It's another day of FUN in the HOT, HOT Summer Sun....
(Try to guess where we are from just the first two photos below)

This place is very popular with the tourist....

We're almost there.....

"Red Maple Leaf" 

Any guess yet.....

Yes! We're at Niagara Falls!!!

I love that you can see Bam's reflection

This sign says it all; 'Welcome to Niagara Falls'. What family road trip would be complete without a stop to a popular national park like Niagara Falls.

(www.niagarafallsstatepark.com)
(www.nps.gov/nifa)
 (http://www.niagarafallslive.com/facts_about_niagara_falls.htm)

Bam is so excited!!

The rushing and roaring of the waterfall was more louder than any we've ever heard!
Absolutely AMAZING!!

It's crazy that the railing isn't more back away from the edge.....

The mist from the falls is everywhere and quite cooling for a day like today's triple digit heat.
We were all soooo very....
 Exhilarated
 Energized
 and
 Exciting

"Mommy can you believe that Ontario, Canada is literally a stones throw away!"

"I don't think this water will ever stop flowing Mommy"

"I can't wait to journal about this!"

The vortexing whirlpool is mersmerizing....

Vortexing whirlpool???
Yes...
The huge volume of water rushing from the Falls is crushed into the narrow Great Gorge, creating the Whirlpool Rapids that stretch over a mile. The water surface drops 50 ft. and the rushing water can reach speeds of 9 miles per second. In a Whirlpool, you can see the "reversal phenomenon." When the water travel over the rapids and enter the pool, then travel counterclockwise around the pool past the natural outlet. The pressure builds up when the water tries to cut across itself to reach the outlet and this pressure forces the water under the incoming stream. This swirling water creates a vortex or whirlpool.

check out this live webcam link below
(http://www.niagarafallslive.com/Niagara_Falls_Webcam.htm)

Niagara Falls Landscapers are they fearless or  just crazy!

Did you know........

1. The Niagara Falls has a 167 foot height (or 52 meter drop)
2. Niagara Falls in the second largest in the world next to Victoria Falls in Africa.
3. One fifth of all the fresh water in the world lies in the four Upper Great Lakes-Michigan, Huron, Superior and Erie. All the outflow empties into the Niagara river and eventually cascades over the falls and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean.
4. Niagara Falls attracts 12 million visitors every year to marvel at her beauty
5. The volume of water is 600,000 U.S. gallons per second or 32 feet per second, that go over the Niagara Falls. This causes the water to fall at between 280 and 2,509 tons of force at the various falls.
6. The falls create 4 million kilowatts of electricity which is shared between Canada and the U.S. Niagara Falls is the largest producer of electric power in the world.
7. The Niagara Falls consist of the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horse Shoe Falls.
8. The Horse Shoe Falls are known as the Canadian Horse Shoe Falls but actually 1/3 of it is on U.S. Territory according to the United States Geological Survey.

THIS IS A DEFINITE MUST SEE!!