Saturday was hubby’s birthday so I took him to Niagara Falls for a 36 hours combo pack of leisurely observed nature, fleeting moments of elegance, plenty of cornball tourism and much giggling silliness.
Too much can never be said for a change of scene and for the power of the elements – feeling small in the face of majestic water, rainbows everywhere.
Kept thinking about my buddy, Shelley Niro and a video piece she did about being born on the border in Niagara, NY, and the old Iroquois name for the falls – Onguiaahra, meaning “thunder of waters”.
We did the “journey behind the falls” tourist thing, where you go down deep into some dark slimy tunnels and peer out at the wall of water, the sheer force of it overwhelming, terrifying.
Turns out there’s an old legend….
Iroquois legend tells of Lelawala, a beautiful maid given by her father to a brave she hated. Rather than marry, Lelawala chose to sacrifice herself to her one and only true love He-No, the Thunder God, who lived in a cave behind the Horseshoe Falls. She paddled her canoe into the swift current of the Niagara River and was swept over the Falls. He-No caught her as she fell, and together their spirits are said to live forever in the Thunder God’s kingdom behind the Falls.
We spent lots of time away from the thunder and cruising the luxuries of the hotel – some serious time in the jacuzzi in our room, in the swimming pool and hot tub downstairs, and just looking looking looking out at the Niagara river, endlessly pouring itself over the cliff.
Finally, time to go home….
follow your nose 
Wow! Some of the most incredible images I have ever seen of Niagara Falls! Gorgeous! Happy to be journeying with you in BFTH!
Thank you so much Nanette. Your comment from a new name got me over to your site as well – so very charming – you have such a wonderful eye and aesthetic. Makes me that much more touched that you like…
I absolutely and honestly love this travel post. Your photos are beautiful and include many incredible angles and glimpses of what must have been a great weekend trip. I also love that you contextualized your journey with the Iroquois place names and the legend of Lelawala so that she lives on in your telling of the story.
Thank you Carole! So very kind of you to stop by and even read all the written bits!
Wow mother nature is something special! Great post and love the pics. Hope your hubby had a great birthday! 🙂
Wow…. gorgeous images!!!
Katharine, thanks for sharing this with me. I love the falls. And I especially love the hotels that hang over them. Your photographs are so beautiful. We do take her for granted.
Thanks for the rushing water, beautiful images and text!