Murthy's Blog

We left New York/New Jersey on 14^th May’05 2 hrs behind schedule, at 10.30 AM (since we were busy doing laundry yet again!). It took us almost 45 minutes to get out of the city, despite best navigational aids on the road and by Vidya (our younger daughter who was in the co-driver’s seat). Incidentally, it is very easy to drive to any place (even if you haven't been there before) in USA, using directions supplied by mapquest. It is a fantastic guide on the web, which gives details of lanes, by-lanes, streets, turnings, etc with impeccable directions to any address, from any address in the United States and Canada. The sign posting on the highways and streets give you absolutely correct and unambiguous information on weather, traffic accidents, speed limits to be maintained, exit information and distances to destinations. Also, at places one could find temporary signs on current traffic status and road information on detours.

The drive from Secaucus (New York/New Jersey) to Youngstown (upstate New York, Buffalo and Niagara Falls) was initially through heavy traffic (in spite of this, we were cruising at 55-65mph) on the interstate. The terrain was undulating hills with dense forest on both sides of the highway. It was hill driving which needed precision control. After 2 hours of driving, the terrain became wooded and rugged with pine trees (lots of them had fallen down due to winter storms). We also came across a lot of water bodies all through. It was a fantastic drive.

During the drive invariably we halted for 15-20 minutes at places earmarked to refresh and recoup. The latter part of the drive that evening was under heavy rains with poor visibility at a number of places. We reached Youngstown, a small fishing village on the banks of the Niagara river/Lake Ontario at about 8.00PM. Incidentally, the sun sets here also only around 8PM. There was still daylight when we reached Youngstown and we enjoyed driving through this small town.

Youngstown reminds one of a well-kept military cantonment. We stayed in a delightful little inn called the 'Fyfe and Drum' (which was modeled from an old Victorian house). Quaine Webber, an American lady, manages it. There were no other guests at the house, and we had the place to ourselves. It was very well kept with fantastic, old-world interior decor. The Fyfe and Drum is a two-level house with all amenities one could ask for. There was surfeit of hot water. The weather was cold, and we had a bite in the local Irish pub (Brennan). We came across a very nice quote in the Brenan's Irish pub: "May the saddest days of your future be happier than the happiest days of your past", which beautifully captured our feelings at that point of time. This place also provided great opportunities for morning walks. The place is ‘young’ at heart and ‘ageless’ in pride. Every second house has a boat with an outboard motor fitted on a trailer to be taken to the waterfront for pursuing water sports in summer. A very popular sports activity in this coastal area. The Niagara River, which takes off from Lake Erie, flows towards Lake Ontario and Canada (which is right opposite Youngstown across this river).

We left early morning next day (15^th May’05) to visit the Niagara Falls - a short drive from our inn. The first glimpse of the falls was bewitching and intoxicating.

We used the Niagara State Park trolley to take us to the Niagara State Park. Our first stop was at the ‘Maid of the Mist’ dock (American side). We were given ponchos (rain capes) on the Maid-of-the-Mist tour - a ferry ride through the bottom of the falls. It is an experience of a lifetime and was totally awe-inspiring. It is to be experienced to be believed. Henry Longfellow, the American poet, had this to say about the falls in 1879:

"I stood within a vision's spot
I saw, I heard, the liquid thunder
Went pouring to its foaming hell
And it fell
Even, even fell
In to the invisible abyss that opened under"

In the last 12000 years the Niagara Falls has shifted, 11 Kms due to scouring/geological action, to its present location. Till 1910 the scouring action was 3 feet/year and later 1-foot/10 years controlled by certain ecological/environment action taken down stream like setting up of power plants etc. All visitors try to capture the fury and beauty of the falls in their cameras and camcorders. Both the falls - the Horseshoe (97 Meters fall) and the American falls (55 Meters fall)- are wonders of the modern world. As the saying goes, we would definitely like to make a second visit here. A number of bridges across the Niagara River connect the US to Canada in this area. The Rainbow Bridge, which is closest to the falls, is a walking stretch (around 400 meters) connecting the US to Canada.

The visit leaves anyone visiting with an ever lasting/memorable experience of a lifetime.

Among the crowd who visited the falls with us that day (and there was definitely a big crowd!), at least 40% were Indians! We had a piping hot lunch at a Punjabi dhaba. We spent quite some time in the general falls area after lunch, including time at the islands of 'the three sisters'. We were as close as 1-3 meters of the falls from a viewpoint on the US side (Terrapin point). We could see and hear the falls in its full fury. Overall it was a fantastic visit. We had a good glimpse of Canada, across the falls too. Here is a great aerial shot of the falls - http://www.spaceimaging.com/gallery/ioweek/archive/05-04-17/niagara_falls_state_park_1024.jpg

We returned to Youngstown after a long drive along the Lake Ontario. We halted at Fort Niagara - where the Niagara River enters Lake Ontario. The lake is so vast that there was no land visible on the horizon. The St Lawrence River rises in Lake Ontario and after a long journey pours out at the Atlantic Ocean.