After New Year in New York the desire to get here was too strong! Internal flight to Buffalo about $50 (buying the return separately!), rental car another $50 and hotel practically free given it was out of season!! Average temperature: -10!!! But we do not regret the choice... quite the opposite... arriving here in winter does not let you use all the services created specifically for tourism, but it does let you enjoy in silence and solitude that marvellous spectacle created by the waterfall.
We land at Buffalo airport in the evening and pick up the rental SUV. A little over half an hour of driving and we cross the border with Canada at Niagara Falls. We knew we'd be out of season here, but the atmosphere is wonderful. The casino lights illuminate the falling snow and the "white" that envelops us. The chosen hotel is practically empty, but the room is warm and cozy.
Naturally after a quick breakfast we go straight to the falls...and the first glance is another heart-stopping moment. There's snow and ice but the falls aren't frozen and the spectacle is different from the postcards but, perhaps, even more fascinating. On the terrace there are no tourists, no buses, just us and the roar of the water breaking the silence. We spend quite a while admiring the natural spectacle, from different spots and perspectives. We spend the day in total peace, strolling around Niagara Falls and browsing souvenirs and shops. For dinner we make use of the casino buffet (remembering the Las Vegas experience) and incredibly it's full. We realize we're not the only crazy ones who chose to come here! With nightfall, another round to the illuminated falls. Again different and beautiful. This time we stay in the car to admire them.
You only have to step out to be immediately covered in ice!!!
We wake up under a very heavy snowfall but we don't change our plans: today Toronto. Driving almost 200 km we're struck by the landscapes but above all by how the snow doesn't stop anything of daily life, we smile thinking about what would have happened back home... Toronto is nothing special, if you're passing through okay..but don't go there on purpose.
Today the day is gorgeous and we spend it visiting all the parks around Niagara Falls as far as Niagara on the Lake. We cross expanses of woods and immaculate snow. Beautiful. Peace, silence and nature.
Early in the morning we cross the border with the USA again and arrive in Buffalo with incredible time to spare before the flight to New York. We accept taking the earlier flight and staying longer in transit at JFK...we take off under a snowstorm bidding our farewell to this frozen corner!...For the record...we discover in New York that we were among the last to take off. Airport closed. We can smile about it!
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