Niagra Falls at Night

As amazing as Niagra Falls are during the day, at night they are equally as impressive and mystical. The falls are painted with colored lights throughout the night. The Canadian side of the falls is abuzz with casinos, resorts, restaurants and attractions. You're only a stone's throw from the most impressive part of the falls. So close in fact, that you can see and feel the mist as you approach within a good distance from the falls themselves.

I can only imagine how impressed the early settlers and native people before them felt when the falls were first discovered. I'm sure they would have never imagined the falls looking like Vegas at night, but nonetheless it adds to the ambience. Granted it is a very "touristy" destination and can get crowded, but one that we had to experience, and well worth the trip.

The day my love was born

So today was Wendy's birthday. We came up to Niagra falls for 5 days to spend some needed quality time together and also to see some family. We had a great time up there. From journeying under the falls, to jet boating through 12 foot class 5 rapids, to eating at a rotating resturaunt over looking the falls, to picking cherries from cherry trees (eat your heart out George Washington), we had a blast.

It's nice be deeply in love. I sometimes stare at her and reflect on the fact that I am the luckiest man on earth to have her by my side. It's nice to spend quality time together, which we sometimes don't get to do as often as either of us would like. We're one month away from the one year anniversary of our marriage and two weeks away from our 4 year anniversay together. Our love grows every year and every day.
Happy birthday mi amor...

Marine Life in Captivity - Bad

The Orcas (aka Killer Whales) were at first a beautiful sight against the deep azure blue pool on this hot summer day. However, seeing these beautiful pelagic creatures held in relatively small facilities, strictly for the entertainment of the average tourist and revenue for the owners of the venue (Marineland in Niagra Falls, Canada) truly sickened me - this only days after a report about a mother and pup sea lion dying from heat stroke in the Los Angeles aquarium. Marineland also had about 10 Beluga whales, also restricted to the confines of a relatively small pool. Although there were no educational aspects of the exhibit, you can pet the whale and they can even tell you his or her name for $8. I have mixed feelings about seeing sealife in captivity, especially large pelagic species. On one hand it does provide an educational tool for children and adults alike to help raise awareness of the beauty of the marine environment. Awareness is the first step towards conservation. But this is contingent on educational programs, which seemed absent from the experience I had in Marineland.