So the fun continued for us as we went to Niagara Falls for a day trip on August 16. We flew to Buffalo on a 7AM flight and flew back to Baltimore on the 8 PM flight all in the same day. If you have never been to the Falls, I recommend that you add it to the bucket list if you have one. We have been talking about doing this as a family for the entire time that we have lived in Maryland. I travel several time a year to Buffalo to visit stores and have saved this special occassion for when I could experience it with Ron and the girls.
First off, our day was interesting as the car charger in our rental car did not work, and yes there was only one. I never learn how to get anywhere because I have become dependant on the talking box attached to my windshield, and by the time we realized the charger did not work, we were far from the airport and almost to Niagara Falls. I would say that Niagara Falls NY is not a glamorous place and there is no where there that I experienced that one would want to get lost in. We made it to the park where all tourist go by following the road signs and decided that we would leave a little early to head back to the airport in case we got lost.
We decided to take a guided tour of the area and attractions and I recommend this to any first time goers. Our tour started out solemn as we learned that a 12 year old girl had fallen into the Falls the day before and had not been recovered as of yet. No one except a few daredevils in homemade contraptions have ever survived falling in the water. The current is so powerful that you cannot even dip your toe into the water without being sucked in and carried away. News crews were everywhere as the search continued and we were told that they would all leave by the end of the day as the history of these accidents were that what ever fell into the Falls would end up surfacing in the whirlpool a few weeks later.
We went on the Mist of the Maiden, Cave of the Winds, and spent time touring all around the park. If you have a passport, you can walk across the Rainbow Bridge into Canada where it looks beautiful and much much nicer than the US side. At Cave of the Winds, you get a funny pair of Sandals to wear and a yellow rain coat. You have to experience this just once!
On the way back to the airport, we had extra time because we found our way without navagation!!! I took everyone to a locals favorite called Schwabels. This family owned restaurant has been around since the early 40s and reminds me of my Grandpa Dusty. He would have loved the bar glasses that are tall and skinny as he had some just like it. All of the waitresses are in nursing outfits, and the head butcher and meat carver is in a long white butcher coat. They carve your beef for the "Beef on Weck" at the bar and serve it with hot homemade german potatoe salad. Weck is a super salty roll with Pretzel type salt on the top.
The first time I went to Schwabels, a few years ago, it was snowing in Buffalo like crazy and the only other person in the restaurant besides my group was Tim Russert. He grew up a few blocks from there and was in town to finish filmong the special report he did on caring for aging parents. Big Russ still lived just a few blocks away and did not feel like coming out in the snow for lunch that day. Tim stopped at our table to tell us that we had picked the best joint in town to get a bit e to eat. He then thanked everyone working there for a fabulous sandwich as usual and said he would see them soon. And out the door he went.
Ron and the girls enjoyed our day in Buffalo, and I am so glad I waited to share the experience of Niagara Falls with them.
