Niagara Falls

I was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario. My Dad worked for Ontario Hydro, and there aren't many more exciting places 'hydroelectrically' than Niagara Falls. Because it's so close, my wife and I sometimes go there for day trips. We did so this past Sunday. We usually go to Niagara-on-the-Lake first and drive down along the Niagara River to The Falls. Last summer we did this on rented bicycles. There is a lot to see along this route, like the historic town of Queenston, the Brock Monument, the world's largest natural whirlpool, a butterfly conservatory, hydroelectric generating stations, and more. The climax, of course, is arriving at The Falls. They are beautiful and majestic, and the many cultures always represented in the onlooking crowd prove that people travel far indeed to see this sight.

If the onlookers turn around, though, they will see one of the gaudiest sights on earth. It's quite a juxtaposition. Natural beauty alongside man-made excess. There are giant hotels, two casinos, myriad souvenir (junk) shops, and worst of all Clifton Hill. The best description of Clifton Hill that I can muster is that it's the exact opposite of subtlety. It's basically the midway of a fall fair on steroids. Could we not have come up with something a little more tasteful?