The wind is blowing a fine, refreshing spray of water into my slightly sunburned face as I desperately try to hold down my rain poncho to protect my camera from getting wet. It was a stupid idea to have it dangling from my neck when I boarded the boat. But even if it broke, this would still be worth it. The sound of water thundering down from high above is getting closer as we’re getting nearer the Niagara Falls with our boat, the Maid of the Mist. The force of the water is sheer unbelievable and I’m full of joy. And why wouldn’t I be? I’m just sailing into the Niagara Falls!
Our day tour starts at 8:50 am. I have booked it with the hostel for only 55 CAD (29 GBP / 38 EUR) thanks to my HI membership*. Tour guide Salim from King Tours makes a good entertainer for a troop of 20+ backpackers and travellers in his bus, informing us that Toronto traffic only knows two seasons: Winter and construction. Apparently, the amount of construction going on in Toronto not only annoys Torontonians but also makes the traffic unbearable.
Before heading to the falls, we stop at the Diamond Estates Winery just outside of the picturesque little town of Niagara-on-the-lake for the ice wine tasting we have on the agenda of our day tour. When tour guide Salim announces the stop with the words “Now we’re doing a wine tasting. Who’s driving?” I wasn’t aware that we would do the wine tasting already in the morning but at the same time, I don’t object to the idea.
The wine tasting is taking place just in front of the wine boutique. We start with a 2013 Gewurztraminer Riesling from their FRESH line which is very light and refreshing to drink, followed by white Gewurztraminer and red Cabernet Sauvignon ice wines which are both very tasty. Exploring the boutique, I also taste a 2014 Kerner and 2013 Riesling table wine. I like the Kerner more, it has a very nice, citrusy fruit and is again refreshing to drink.
Our next stop is the town of Niagara-on-the-lake. Together with some girls from the tour we take a quick stroll around the short but very charming main street. It’s a tidy little town with shops, cafes and a wine store named Wine Country Vinterns.
Our little look around the shop turns into another wine tasting because here, different local wineries are on offer. My favourite this time is a local Sauvignon Blanc from Trius Winery. The Riesling from another winery doesn’t convince me but in fairness, it is very hard if not impossible to beat the Riesling from my home region, the Saar valley 🙂
With a considerable amount of alcohol in my bloodstream for that time of the day, we move on towards Niagara Falls. When I almost don’t find my way back to the bus after a quick toilet break, I think to myself it’s probably a good thing that there aren’t more wine tastings on the agenda for now.
Arriving at Niagara Falls, it turns out most people have already booked their boat for the Maid of the Mist cruise in advance. The Maid of the Mist is the pool which both the Horseshoe Falls (on the Canadian side) and the Bridal Veil Falls (on the American side) plunge into. I decide to take a stroll along the road before determining whether or not I’ll do the cruise, from which the view of the falls is already breath-taking. The amount of waters plummeting down is massive and the noise is incredible. As I look down into the Maid of the Mist pool, a double rainbow has formed underneath through which the boats are gliding. Some guys from the tour are going for a beer but I now really feel like being on one of these boats and getting an even closer look.
Our bus is already leaving in an hour so I quickly walk back to the cruise tickets sales booths where tickets for the 20-minute cruise leaving every 15 minutes are sold for 22.50 CAD (12 GBP / 15 EUR). I get on a boat immediately and pick up a red rain poncho before boarding. Red is for the visitors on the Canadian side whereas the Americans on the other side of the river are wearing blue.
Straight away, I’m so glad that I have decided to take the boat. Although the views from the top were absolutely incredible, the Maid of the Mist cruise brings you so much closer to the waterfalls. I realise the sheer vastness of these falls as we first glide past the slightly smaller Bridal Veil Falls and then head over to the increasing noise of the waters thundering down Horseshoe Falls. Getting closer, the spray forms a kind of fog just above the waters which reduces the visibility but looking up, I can see the water plummeting down clearly and close-up. I just stand there stunned, in total admiration of this natural wonder. Despite my rain poncho, I am completely wet now but as temperatures are up to 25 degrees, that’s more an advantage than a disadvantage.
Happy about the wonderful day and how it all worked out, I join the guys in the pub with a view to the falls and reward myself with a nice, cool Niagara IPA.
Some facts for waterfall admirers and wine lovers:
- Niagara Falls are the world’s largest in volume (not in height): more than a million bath tubs plummet downward every second (that’s almost four million cubic feet (110,000 m3) in average) while the falls are “only” 50 metres high.
- Ontario is Canada’s biggest wine-production area, most of it on the Niagara Peninsula
- Lake Ontario moderates the climate, which makes it suitable for e.g. Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet franc and Pinot Noir grapes, among others.
- The Niagara Peninsula Wine Region is situated at a similar latitude to northern California and further south than Bordeaux. Nearly forty wineries are listed on the website http://winecountryontario.ca
*HI (Hostelling International) is a chain of hostels. With a membership card, you not only save on accommodation in these hostels (which are still usually a bit more pricy than other, non-chain hostels) but also on travel with various tour operators, the Greyhound bus operating long distance bus journeys and the VIA rail services, the main train operators in Canada.
