We took the bus from the hotel, they gave us free bus tickets, and I was wondering how the people who live and work near the Falls every day view this wonder of the world. Does the spectacular become normal, the wonderful become routine? The journey took about 45 minutes by the time we'd stopped and started several times and then we turned a corner and the bus driver, rather excitedly, called me over and pointed straight ahead - I was hoping he'd keep his hands on the steering wheel. As I looked, I realised that he was showing me the water spray that was coming from the Falls. We couldn't see the Falls but we could clearly see the effects of them from a distance as the spray rose up and covered the view of the buildings acting as the back drop. It was a great sight but what thrilled me more in that moment was that this man - probably in his 50's, who had been driving this route time and time again, was still excited by what he saw and wanted me to be excited by it as well. He refused to let the familiar define his life.
He dropped us off, told us where to go - very nicely - and off we went, map in hand, to explore. Nothing could have prepared us for the day ahead, no picture, no words, nobody elses experience. We walked over the river that fed the Falls, we walked around the park, hearing the noise of rushing water, seeing the spray rising up, then as we followed the river along, suddenly it disappeared, falling hundreds of feet over the sheer face of the rock. It was a truly awesome sight!
But that was just the beginning. We continued the walk and our senses were bombarded with more noise, bigger and better sights and wetter and wetter clothes. The Horseshoe and American Falls were spectacular as over 600,000 gallons of water a second plummeted over the Falls, nowhere else to go, hitting the water below with a force that reminded you of the power of creation.
Totally taken in by the experience we had to experience the 'Cave of the Winds' and the 'Maid of the Mist'. The Cave of the Winds is a close up of part of the American Falls. You pay your $11, get equipped with a yellow waterproof poncho and plastic sandals, and then we queued for 2 hours! One of the elevators (lifts) was broken! We were left with no option, 90 degrees at midday! Mad dogs and English people....
Time to read! I'm reading a little book called, 'The Sacrament of the Present Moment' by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. He wrote it in the form of letters in the 1730's. It is about sensing and being obedient to God in the moment and as I was standing, waiting in line this was what I read, what he has to say about self-surrender. 'The only condition necessary for this state of self-surrender is the present moment in which the soul, light as a feather, fluid as water, innocent as a child, responds to every movement of grace like a floating balloon. Such souls are like molten metal filling whatever vessel God chooses to pour them into.' That was all I needed to wait patiently for 2 hours, each moment in God's presence. It was refreshing.
Finally we got to the front of the line and descended 200 feet to the base of the Falls. In front of us was a wooden walkway that took you up close and personal to the plummeting water. We got soaked, but it was an amazing experience to see, hear and feel. What power. The prize for the stupidest sign in the stupidest place goes to the 'No Smoking' sign at the base of the Falls where the water was at its fiercest and wettest. Still, always worth a reminder!
The boat trip was next on the Maid of the Mist, blue ponchos this time, as the boat took us right into the Horseshoe Falls. You couldn't actually see anything, the spray was too great, but our breath was taken away as we felt the power in that place. What a day to remember. Awesome beauty wrapped up in brutal power.
Having got close to it all we then walked across the Rainbow Bridge and entered Canada to see the Falls from the other side. It wasn't far but it was worth it. Seeing it from Canada and experiencing it from the US seemed to be the right combination.
Time to go back to the hotel. We got on the bus and soon we were the only ones left on it with a seemingly grumpy bus driver eager to get home. But, he started talking to us and got quite engaged in conversation. When he found out we were from England he started talking about the TV shows he enjoyed watching. And his number one all time favourite was - Only Fools and Horses, followed by Vicar of Dibley and Fawlty Towers (and he has Allo, Allo on DVD to watch!). Now there is one classy bus driver!
After today I was reminded of a verse in Psalm 53:1 - 'The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."' May each moment wherever we are be a moment to see God and know he is there. In the noise of waterfalls, in the stillness of waiting in line, in the faces of bus drivers.
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