Niagara Falls Jan 6

 We checked out the Bird Kingdom in the morning.

Ahh we're going down the falls! (Don't they look scared?) There was a bit of a museum before we got into the aviary proper.

 An owl!

 The small bird area was really neat because the cage is huge, and you are in it! The birds were flying right past our heads, and we also got to watch them fighting over nesting materials.

 Jennifer was finally happy by this point in the tour. Earlier she was very upset because I insisted she have a stamp on her hand. That's also why she refused to take off her mittens. Until they got pooped on. Then they came off in a hurry!! :o

 The big birds were in a separate place, and it was fun to see them too. We went in one place where Matthew had a bird land in his hair! He thought it was so funny!! Evelyn and Jennifer wanted to hightail it out of there after they saw what might happen to them there!

 Then we walked past the falls again. This time the skies were clear. From our home we go by the American Falls first, and then get to the Horseshoe Falls.

 The Horseshoe Falls look like a cloud making machine!

 The ice formed from the mist makes for a beautiful landscape.

 And with the sunshine is a beautiful rainbow!

 We did ask Jennifer not to climb up there again. Wouldn't take much to land in the water...

 and over the edge you would go! What a scary thought!

 Our passes included a tour of the "Journey Behind the Falls". This is just a hyped up title for...

 permission to walk in the tunnels under the falls that were built for exploiting tourists like us. The first tunnel "portal" gives you a view just at the edge of the falls. Nice view with icicles hanging over your head! You can't get close enough for them to fall on you though. :p

 And from this viewpoint the rainbow is even more impressive! Too bad the colours don't show as well here.

 The second (and last) view of the falls from behind is exactly that, behind. It must have been quite the engineering challenge to finish the tunnel off at the end, with the cement drying and all that. No details on the few boards that are up with information.

 You can't see anything out through here, at least, you'd expect to see so much more on a sunny day! But the constant roar of the falls and the thought of it running right over top of you does impress!

 The walk home took more than 30 minutes. We timed it because we were hoping to go see the fireworks at 9pm when they showed. It'd be cold though!

 There were a few neat board games in the house, so we tried them out. Fortunately Google could find me the directions for the Penguin game in English...as my German is a little rusty.

 The game started yesterday continues on...requiring much thought and deliberation.

We went out for dinner...driving to it instead of walking this time. We drove past the falls after dinner and saw them lit. We saw some of the "light festival" stuff as well. And then we decided to watch the fireworks from our house. It was -13 and windy. Brrr! We could see the fireworks that went up high enough...and it lasted about 2 minutes. When it was all over we agreed that 40 minutes walking for a 2 minute show would not have been worth it. We were cozy and warm and well entertained after all. ;)