Canadian Attraction
The Better Side of Niagara Falls, But Is It Really?
Being a resident of Ontario means having the privilege to reach the magnificent Niagara Falls within 1.5 hours by car. We also get to proudly show off that our side of Niagara Falls is better looking, which is true: we face the waterfalls whereas the USA faces the water about to fall.
Besides maple syrup and the embedded kindness, Niagara Falls is one of the first things that comes to mind whenever someone mentions Canada, making it one of the most popular Canadian landmarks and top-5 destinations that tourists would like to see during their visits.
Niagara Falls is not just the falls, it is a city surrounding the magnificent waterfall. The population of the city, based on my quick Wiki search, is close to 50,000; it has a local transit system, grocery stores, all in all a functioning municipality providing its residents with basic needs (based on personal observation). What strikes me the most about this area, is that a city with such a renown reputation looks like it was frozen in time since its establishment.
The supposed downtown area of the city has a few hotels, casinos, bars and restaurants, game arcades and entertainment facilities that accommodate the tourist traffic. What it doesn’t accommodate for however, is up to date service and modern entertainment giving an impression that the urban planners and the city council (or whoever is in charge of designing the infrastructure of the city) tried to make the Niagara Falls as the Canadian Vegas.
The strip appears to be untouched since the day it was brought up which is evident from the prop décor on store front, almost nostalgic looking colors that I would associate with the word ‘creamy’ and the general architectural aesthetic. It gives a cool feeling like you traveled back in time, but as a foreigner, a tourist, a traveler and soon to be a Canadian citizen, it striked me as a place that I would not proudly present on the global market.
But, not to completely talk down the wonderful region of Niagara, let’s chat about Niagara on the Lake: the charming little town full of cozy looking houses and wineries. While I think the majority can agree that the taste of Canadian wine might not be so refined and elegant, we can all agree that when it’s a beautiful weather outside and you go on a bike wine tasting tour with your friends, wine tastes just that much sweeter.
Yulia
