DMS Blog #11

Hello,

This will be my first of two posts that are for my Buffalo landscape tour project. First of all, this is my second year here at UB, and before I went to school here I had never been to Buffalo before in my life. So, honestly everything was new to me.

I have been to Niagara Falls before though, when I was a lot younger. However, going there recently it seemed a lot different to me. When I went there the first time I was on the American side, but when I went there the second time I was on the Canadian side. On the American side it is a lot darker and open, it looks more like a park than the other side does. On the Canadian side there are the lights that light up both sides of the falls at night, the fireworks are set off from the Canadian side, and there are so many more stores and attractions surrounding the falls than there are on the American side.

I realized that going to Niagara Falls just to “sight see” is much more exciting when you’re a young child or an elderly person. Also, the falls just seem bigger and more exciting when you’re a kid. I remember going on the Maid of the Mist when I was younger and it seems like you go right next to the falls, but then when you see the boat from above it doesn’t even go close to where the falls are. I guess it just amazes me at how this landmark can be so majestic and simple, yet display so many illusions. Each angle you see the falls from looks different.

My reaction to the falls is mostly a good feeling; even though it doesn’t excite me as much as it did when I was younger it still gives me a warm feeling inside. Once you’ve seen Niagara Falls once the excitement is gone, and it just becomes a nice place to go with family and friends to marvel at nature and the beautiful, little things in life.

As far as interacting with Niagara Falls, there’s not much you can do. When you are near it you just take in the sight. When you go on the Maid of the mist you get to hear, see, and feel the power of the water, it really is a beautiful thing. Imagine you were a blind person going to the falls for the first time (which I am not hating on blind people so don’t turn this around and get angry at me). You wouldn’t be able to see the falls physically, however you would be able to hear the roaring of the water and feel the mist against your skin and you would picture this giant wall of water in front of you. That’s the beauty of it you don’t need to see it to know its beauty.

I think if I go again I’d like to go in the winter so I can see it covered in ice. All in all, Niagara Falls is a beautiful place and a great place to visit if you’re ever near Buffalo.

Signed,

A to the T