Day 21 LA to Toronto and Niagara Falls

P, I, Kat & Livy checked in for LHR whilst I had a 9 hour wait for the ‘red eye’ to LA.

Caught some sleep arriving here at 0630 where Reception were kind enough to give me a room 10 hours early!

View from coffee bar

View from room I had bought a day tour off TripAdvisor to Niagara including fireworks over the Falls and caught the coach from Starbucks.

Gloria was a unique tour guide, recently widowed after 50+ golden years, Gloria did a non-stop stand-up with Syed, the driver. Syed was protected from her barb having brought along his four children and extended family for the ride.

We travelled around the Lake edge out of the city on the Queen Elizabeth Way (named after the late Queen Mother). The QEW was named when the then King visited in the late 1930s, meeting with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in preparation for war in Europe. We collected more tour party members and struck nose to tail traffic. For all Gloria and Syeds’ entertainment value they had room for improvement on the organisational aspect of conducting a tour! They argued (all day and night) over the best route(s) and had not booked a winery for the scheduled wine tasting. We turned off and drove along roads unsuitable for coaches to wineries only to be turned away; but Syed turning the coach around with Gloria outside to harangue other visitors was a diversion. Fortunately no individuals were hurt.

We got lucky at the Pillitteri winery selected as official wine partner of the Canadian Olympic team! They apparently produce the present Queen’s favourite ice wine – it would have been an opportunity missed not to try it:

We travelled on taking wrong turns (with inevitable bruising commentary from Gloria), trying service roads and ‘short cuts’ and being caught out by planned road closures our tour were unaware of. However, we certainly saw a lot; theoretically Toronto to Niagara is 66km

We stopped at a very small church

Some of my fellow passengers were becoming unsettled and many were complaining of hunger by the time we reached the Whirlpool.

The American and Bridal Veil Falls

The Canadian Horseshoe Falls

The boat trip under the Falls was fun

The Canadian Falls were lit up with a display of changing colours; this explained why the American tourist we had overheard at Uluru (see Day 12, 2017) expressing disappointment at the colour changes (natural) at dawn over Uluru.

The firework display was very good but Niagara was not improved by a firework display.

There were further significant traffic jams at 2300 on the way back; I was amazed by the amount of traffic in Ontario in the middle of the night and small hours.

Despite the somewhat bizarre coach trip, it was all a great and welcome experience that I had not expected!