The cheapest room I could find in the Buffalo, New York, area, well, not the cheapest as that would also be the sketchiest, so I’ll clarify: the cheapest room in a reasonable area was over in the city of Niagara Falls. For under $100 a night, we were as close to Canada as we could be without paying Canadian rates, where it’s more expensive because it’s safe and clean over there. We were able to have some sense that things weren’t as bad around here and hopefully safer than in Buffalo.

Update: In 2020, the Rodeway Inn we stayed at on Main Street was removed from the face of the Earth; I guess we have a knack for choosing places that are close to being condemned. 

The Why Coffee Shop is probably the cheapest place we’ll ever eat breakfast ever again in our lifetimes. There might have been something on the menu that cost more than $5.00, but the majority of plates were averaging about $3.50; I’m not joking. And no, coffees weren’t $4.99 to make up for the low prices. Then again, it doesn’t appear that anything’s changed since they first opened in 1979.

The third time was the charm; that was how many times we had to try to get on the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls. The first time we came here was in the year 2000. It was November, and the season was over. Two years ago, when we arrived in springtime when the Maid of the Mist should have already been running, there was still ice on the river and on the falls that was delaying opening day – and our schedule didn’t allow us to hang out until things cleared. So, nearly a decade after our first attempt, we are on the river, about to see the falls from a whole new perspective.

Still early in the day, we are under a thick gray cloud layer that is supposed to give way to a beautiful blue sky, just not yet. We are on the first boat of the day, going out to meet the crashing falls. As a youngster, I was not able to appreciate this as much as I am today. Watching the churning waters, feeling the stinging mist being shot off the rocks as the water from above plummets 183 feet (55.8m), and the deafening roar makes for a ride equal to the best rollercoaster.

I only wish I had been better prepared for the amount of water that is everywhere. I thought being downstairs on the boat would offer us at least some protection so I could snap off a few photos, but that was not going to happen as there’s no such thing as “dry” down at the foot of the falls. From the smiles, you can tell that this was super fun.

Wouldn’t you know it, we start to leave for Canada, and the skies start to clear. Maybe the depression that is Buffalo also attracts the bad weather.

I think I’ve written this elsewhere, but the city of my birth has been in decline since before I was born, which is tragic as it was at one time an economically and culturally successful city, but there’s nothing like racism, intolerance, and lack of imagination to destroy the things that once were an example to a country. Enough said.

After the thrill ride on the Maid of the Mist, we walked over the Rainbow Bridge to Canada for a better view of the Horseshoe Falls.

Our timed ticket for Journey Behind The Falls and The Cave of Winds was more than an hour away, so why not eat first?

And in an instant, the sun comes out to warm our faces…

…before helping all the flowers bloom just for us because that’s the way life is in Canada.

Time to eat, and then we head down there.

After lunch at Elements on the Falls, we got in line to await our turn, going down the elevator with rain ponchos in hand.

Standing in the Cave of Winds, we watched subtly shifting patterns of changing brightness and shadow depending on the volume of water and its vertical depth directly in front of us fall from above and, in an instant, be gone and simultaneously replaced by the ever-flowing, roaring waters that mesmerizes us into not wanting to give way for another visitor to have their chance to gaze into this moment of amazement.

Outside, we are standing next to the foot of the falls that tower overhead, dropping tons of water not far from our very heads.

Yep, we were that close.

I can easily say that I believe I’ll never see a scowl on my mother-in-law’s face as the adventures of the three of us have filled her with eternal happiness.

Spilling out of Lake Erie, the waters now known as Niagara River will flow onwards to Lake Ontario prior to becoming the St. Lawerence River, only to drain into the Atlantic Ocean up around Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

All the Canadians apologized and moved out of view when they realized we were taking a selfie; the rest of the people behind us were obviously not Canadians.

Back above the falls, the sky is now clear with the sun and mist in the air, delivering rainbows that flash into existence and fade, adding icing to the cake we are enjoying today. Jaded we are not; our sense of wonderment is alive, healthy, giddy even.

Time to leave Canada and Niagara Falls – for the moment.

South of Niagara Falls is Grand Island on the Niagara River and on Grand Island is Beaver Park. It is here on this Memorial Day that we meet up with my Aunt Lillian and her son, my cousin, Brian Marynowski. Lillian was named after her grandmother, Luba, who I mentioned in yesterday’s post.

Brian’s kids, Jonathan and Jacob, were at the park, too, but we hardly saw them since they were busy playing. It was already late in the day, and after their traditional day-long picnic with friends and family, it was nearly time to wrap things up as we were arriving.

Leaving the park, we drove to Eggertsville where my aunt Lillian lives in the same house she grew up with my father and my grandparents. It’s difficult to catch up with just a few hours to visit, but we had a great time bringing my mother-in-law into a short version of my family history, and she enjoyed meeting my aunt and cousin.

A few photos ago, I wrote that we had to leave Niagara Falls – for the moment. Well, I knew that after our family get-together Caroline, Jutta, and I were going back to the falls for a night-time view.

And it just so happened that on Sundays and Fridays, there are firework shows at the Falls, and since this is Sunday it really is our lucky day (or, rather, night).

Not bringing my tripod with me limited the opportunity to take proper fireworks or waterfall photos, but I did manage to get this halfway decent photo of the falls before calling it a night.

Standing over Hell’s Half Acre, the rapids just upstream of the American Falls, between Luna and Goat Islands.

An ambitious day was planned so that, if all went well, we would see a big chunk of New York City over the next hours. After all, this might be Jutta’s one and only trip to NYC. We began at 6:30 a.m. by boarding the subway at Pavonia station and heading to 33rd St., where we transferred trains going north to 72nd St. From there, we walked up Broadway to 80th St. to pick up breakfast at the famous H&H Bagels.

We wasted no time with a sit-down breakfast, we were eating our bagels and drinking coffee as we walked over to Central Park West and 81st St., entering the west side of Central Park.

Forty-five minutes later, we exited Central Park and were on 5th Ave. next to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which wasn’t open yet, so a visit would have to wait for a return trip. We boarded a southbound bus getting off at 50th St.

In planning this vacation back east, I had to choose wisely the places that would best convey a sense of having somewhat properly visited enough iconic places that my mother-in-law would earn bragging rights back home in Germany that “she’d been there and done that.” The bus dropped us right at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where we rode an elevator to the Top of the Rock – Rockefeller Center. That’s the Empire State Building behind Caroline and me.

The view from the other side was perfect, and to those anonymous people on the web who wrote we should visit the Empire State Building at night and the Rockefeller Center in the daytime, we offer a big appreciative “THANK YOU!”

Across the street, we briefly visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral. While Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI have all held mass here, sadly, there will be no sermon led by the holy pontiff today.

That’s the Rockefeller Center building standing 850 feet (259 meters) over New York City.

From there, we walked over to Grand Central Terminal to learn about the history of this landmark and snap a few photos. It is 10:45 as we leave Grand Central on the subway, going towards SoHo for some lunch.

Another tip from the web, arrive at Lombardi’s Pizzeria early if you want to miss the crowds. We arrived at 32 Spring St at 11:15, but they don’t open till 11:30! Luckily, that didn’t stop them from inviting us in early, offering us drinks, and taking our orders. It must have been 11:35 when our pizza arrived, and sure enough, it lived up to its reputation as one of the best pizzas in America. Lombardi’s is considered America’s first pizzeria!

Back into the subway as we need to keep moving quickly, and it’s doubtful our feet will be able to drag us over all the miles of the city I have planned for us to see.

Next stop, Wall Street.

After photos in front of the Stock Exchange and a quick walk around this very crowded corner of NYC, we tried visiting Trinity Church which was having mass at the time and restricted to those wanting to attend the service.

No problem, we started walking east to our next big stop, but first, a quick photo with one of New York’s Finest.

Nope, we’re not there yet. Maybe we should have grabbed a taxi?

Finally, here we are at the Brooklyn Bridge! We walked across the full length of the Brooklyn Bridge on its old wooden planks, over the traffic below us, and into Brooklyn Heights. It took about 45 minutes to mosey across, with many a pause for the mother-in-law to rest and admire the views.

Over here in the green, quiet Brooklyn Heights, it was like entering another world.

After getting our fill of the world-famous brownstones, we sat in the park for a while resting our feet and listening to the kids play before walking along a few more of the streets enjoying the architecture. As we approached the river we had a nice view of the city to which we would soon return via subway under the East River.

Once back on the Manhattan side, we visited the South Street Seaport, had ice cream, and began the long walk back toward Wall Street.

This city will not be experienced by taxi, bus, or subway; you must get out among the throngs of residents and visitors in order to best feel the vibe that seems to extend into all corners and side streets.

In 1793, this former mansion was built by James Watson, the first Speaker of the New York State Assembly. Following the Civil War, the house was purchased by Irish author Charlotte Grace O’Brien, who converted the property into the Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, which houses the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton. It’s great that New York has been able to preserve some of its heritage as one of the most modern cities took shape on this island.

Then, just a couple of hundred feet away, the city looks different. No matter how much we’ll see today, it can never be enough to get a proper introduction to this dense city for my mother-in-law but it’s better than never having been to New York City.

At Battery Park, it was near sunset and 6:00 p.m. as we sat down on a park bench at the riverside to look out on the Statue of Liberty. We are tired; our feet, which have not recovered from our long walks in Washington D.C., are mighty beat. We debate if we are going to keep our dinner reservation or just grab a quick bite from a streetside vendor. Fortunately for us, we muster the gumption to move on and keep that reservation. At Bowling Green subway station we board the train going north.

We disembark at Canal St. Station near Chinatown and walk to Mulberry Street in Little Italy. We are thrilled to be here.

There must be more restaurants along this street than nearly anywhere else in America. Sidewalks are taken over by tables and diners who watch the throngs of people walk down the center of the street looking for a bite to eat for themselves or maybe just to gawk at the crowds.

A band of wandering locals walks up Mulberry, playing Italian favorites like the theme of The Godfather. We sit down at Pellegrino’s for a great dinner and enjoy the people-watching as much as the food.

It is dark as we leave Little Italy. After reaching the subway station, we were reenergized to be entertained by The Meetles, a band paying tribute to classic rock and the Beatles. We debated going back to Times Square but were all in agreement that it was time to call it quits. It was 9:30 p.m. when we arrived back at Pavonia Station and our hotel. We did all that we could, though we have one more iconic NYC moment on the agenda for tomorrow.