Niagara Falls: by night, by day, and eleven thousand years ago

In August 2017 we were driving east through Cleveland. For two days it rained there and was overcast. From Cleveland we drove to Niagara Falls and soon were already in New York — not the city, though, but the state.

Flea markets along the way

Flea markets in America really are cool. At the start of the trip we stopped at them often: you can find loads of stuff there at a good price. In 2017 we found at flea markets a great travel mug for $2, shorts for Pavel for 4, and a fridge — a special ice chest — for 6. Now, though, in almost every town we went into TJ Maxx: it sells designer goods at low prices.

Once again we hadn't found a host for the night, so we planned to sleep in a Walmart parking lot.

The falls at night

Late in the evening we were at the falls and sent our family a night photo — a kind of live broadcast. We left the car at a casino while we took in the falls.

The edge of a waterfall up close in turquoise-green lights, below it a cloud of glowing spray, lights on the far shore — The falls at night, August 2017

The edge of a waterfall in red lights, spray floods the frame with red light, behind it the lights of high-rises — Red lights, August 2017

The falls at night, video without sound, August 2017

A dark, turbulent river, in the distance pink lit spray rises above the falls, behind it the lights of high-rises and a tower — Lights in the distance, August 2017

The city in the background is already Canada.

Night lights of high-rises and a tower on the other shore, the lights reflected in the dark water — Across the river is already Canada, August 2017

In all their glory

The next day we saw Niagara Falls in all their glory. Americans, by the way, pronounce the name as “Nye-AG-ruh Falls.” Canada is over there, on the other shore.

A green bank above the river, on the right water plunges over the edge of the falls, beyond the gorge the high-rises and tower of the Canadian shore — Canada is on the other shore, August 2017

White rapids on a wide river under a blue sky with clouds, in the distance beyond the trees high-rises and a tower — Rapids on the Niagara, August 2017

Niagara Falls is actually three waterfalls. The first is the American Falls.

The American Falls, video without sound, August 2017

The second is Bridal Veil Falls. It's hard to photograph; we only managed to get a small piece of it.

A white stream plunges over the edge of a cliff into a green river, pink flowers bloom at the edge, high-rises across the river — A piece of Bridal Veil Falls, August 2017

And the third, the biggest and most powerful, is Horseshoe Falls.

The falls are moving south

Wikipedia says that because of erosion these falls are moving south. About 11 thousand years ago the falls were near Lewiston on the American side and Queenston on the Canadian side. Now they are receding about 30 centimeters a year, while earlier they moved back a meter to a meter and a half: this movement is being slowed by reinforcing the rock.

During the day we were still in the city of Niagara Falls, but we were already getting ready to drive on — toward Rochester, and maybe farther.