23rd July to 24th July.... we chose those 2 days for our trip to Niagara falls by a Bus, fm Boston & back there, at the end of the tour.
So, our journey began in the early morning of 23rd, when we boarded the tour bus. It was a motley crowd of Europeans, Indians (in a large no.), chinese & ors. Everyone of the passengers seemed to be in the best of his or her spirits........ everyone had just one agenda in common i.e to see & enjoy the spectacular & powerful waterfalls on the river Niagara, known as Niagara falls.
The journey was peaceful thoroughly so far....... things falling in places i.e limited stoppage of the bus for the passengers to have breakfast and tea, words from the lady announcer on microphone, giving description of the places to pass through and the places to come next..... all from time to time.......to keep the passengers alert & awake.... to give them relief against the long and strenuous bus-ride plus play of a comic action movie in the Tv sets within----------- it was sort of a smooth journey. Even it drizzled for some time to provide us some respite against the weather which was hot & humid outside. However, it was immaterial on account of the fact that the Bus had its own AC system.
Then, out of the blue, the AC of the bus failed. People murmured and then resented. As the temperature was rising ouside and inside also, passengers burst into feats of anger. The lady conductor tried in vain to appease a section of the angry crowd, when the driver brought the bus to a sudden halt and we were advised to have a break and khana (for lunch), while he (the driver) tried to restore the faulty system.
Wastage of time & nothing else------------ the driver told us that while we reach & enjoy the Niagara tour, he will, in the meanwhile, have the system rectified. No other option.
So, we bore with the situation or rather had to bear with it, and the bus was driven on & on.
Finally, the goal was achieved and it was near the waterfalls where everybody got down.
A movie show awaited us..... name: Maid of the mist. It deals with a legend which depicts the spirit of a native girl who lived near the great waterfalls of the Niagara and was bold enough to break free from the bondage of marriage to a wise as well as respectable man, much older than her & respond to the call of the nature & eventually die in the waterfalls, as she, after disregarding her own community's decision, could scarcely live in her own village. So,she remained an unmarried girl and died and acquired the immortality of being acclaimed as the maid of the mist.... ........ people say that her spirit lives in the mist of the Niagara waterfalls & some even go to the extent of seeing her there, in the midst of the water-particles or the mist rising high.
Next, we went down the gorge, by an elevator, of course, & enjoyed a boat trip, on the river. The waterfalls have two sections i.e the American side and the more renowned and attractive horse-shoe waterfalls of the Canadian side where the water really falls from a much greater height than the American side. Plus, in this Canadian side, the waterfalls are more voluminous & consequently more powerful. By the way......... hydro-electricity is derived easily and on a very large scale fm the Niagara falls in USA and Canada.
How shall I describe Niagara waterfalls? It is spectacular & sort of a treasure in one's memory. So, cameras clicked, clicked and clicked. People enjoyed the great natural phenomenon from a close range, between the waters of the river Niagara in US side as well as the Canada side. One has to wrap up in a plastic raincoat one's head & body, as far as possible; but, still one can not get rid of being wet and sometimes drenched even.
Up again, we had a view of the Niagara and Runi, Yash & dada ventured to go upstairs to get a closer look..... of course from quite far. They were really drenched when they returned and joined us.
Next, we had our dinner at an open-air eaterie (India restaurant) which was basically a mobile van with a water supply and a power line connected there within, and an Indian Tri-color flag flying atop to attract probable visitors from the sub-continent. Dada and myself chose to have Veg Biriyani whereas Yash, Runi & Boudi opted for some other dishes, according to their own choice. We had our dinner sitting on chairs and the dishes were put on the table.... everything in the open area near the mobile restaurant.
The Bus driver had meanwhile restored the AC and took all the passengers to the Goat island, which divides the river-water into 2 sections--- one in US side & the 2nd one in Canadian side. It is the top view of the waterfalls & we saw lights of different colors being focused on the Niagara waterfalls creating a rainbow which was a feast of the eyes. Should I call this as Niagara by night? The tour operator perhaps said so, earlier.
From this point, the bus drove all of us to a hotel for night-stay viz Comfort inn, quite comfartable really. We were too tired bec. of the strains & did go to bed without a second thought.
In the morning, I prepared myself for the brkfast & had the same downstairs, along with Runi and Bou-di. Runi fetched me some good brkfast, in a hurry. Bou-di was also having brkfast , while Dada was still not there with us. However, as the bus was ready to go, Runi and Yash carried brkfasts for 3 plus also more for all.
A 2 and 1/2 hr. drive fm this hotel, brought us to the famous Thousand island Park, which is an archipelago of more than 1700 islands between US & Canada waters. Each island is a separate entity with cottages and residents (not all of them), migratory birds and trees on it. Some have birds and trees only to live and grow.... some are smaller ones with just a single tree and sometimes migratory waterfowls living on the same.
The TI Park is already known to us, the Indians, for Swami Vivekananda's historic trip there, upon an invitation from Miss Mary Dutcher, an artist and owner of a cottage in an island, in this TI Park, in the June of 1893. I learnt fm Google search that Swami Nikhilananda mostly, as well as some other monks of the Ramakrishna order and also many other admirers of Swami Vivekananda restored the cottage of Swamiji to a modern-day condition, after sincere research, spending of money and dedication ----though the said cottage where Swamiji once lived for a few weeks and held classes also, remained in an obsucrity for more than 50 yrs., after his departure.
I could not know which one is the island where Swami Vivekananda once set his feet upon.
Our tour operator had arranged for us a boat which ferried through the waters of the TI Park & we saw a lovely sight of so many islands at a distance... some with inhabitants and cottages and trees and also sometimes we saw birds on the trees. Some of the islands were , however, uninhabitated, but, trees were there as a sign of life. This boat cruise would be a lasting memory for all of us.
From here, the bus started for the return journey to Boston; but, after travelling some distance, all of us heard loud noises of the engine and the driver gradually sidelined the bus. The lady announcer had earlier been much scolded for the failure of the AC . That upset her and she was , at that time, moved to tears. Now, came the final blow for her.... yet she announced that there had been a break down and the bus won't go any further.
We waited. The driver tried hard with all his experience, knowledge as well as his available handy set of tools. But, no........ the engine did not roar and it seemed to be a lost case. The driver-conductor contacted with another bus coming from behind. Their driver came and checked and gave his valuable opinion------ you have to wait till we come back here again, after some time i.e after we drop our passengers on board to a hotel. Thereafter, we will come here again and pick all of you up and take you to a place of rest. The process may take about one hour or so.
That was agreed to , but what about our own bus? Was it going to re-start?
Yes----- you would have rest & food/tea/coffee at that pl. for about 3 hrs. and then this bus would be ok and re-start.
In the meantime, everybody got down and was was either standing or sitting in the open space down the road. A police officer came in his patrolling car and took stock of the situation.
People found time to interact among themselves now. Yash, while introducing me to an Indian origin passenger, said....... He is kaku to me... he loves to blog everyday. Maybe he will write a lot about this happening i.e the AC failure & specially the break down of the bus.
The young co-passenger remarked----- a few pics. of the bus standing on the road-side & all of the passengers sitting or standing behind, shd be attached .
Yes---I agreed ----- perhaps I would allot just 2-3 lines for Niagara and many lines for this episode.
The rescue Bus came and loaded all the passengers and started for the Oasis place...so to say. While going, the conductor/announcer (Of the new bus) tried to boost up our sinking morale....... Break downs are rare in USA, but, such things can happen in reality. I remember....he went on saying....... the incident of a bus brk down, while I was in China, many yrs. back (he was a chinese).... we were stranded in a forest-like place and in the midst of a heavy political situation, as a war was going on at that time, between China and another country (He named, but somehow I failed to listen to).
In short, he tried to be bold enough to console us and face the situation in good humour. In fact, we all had already been doing so, in the absence of any other option.
The place of rest was a Mcdonald's food joint........ here we attempted to get some food & coffee; but, adverse circumstances for us came full circle, when their ( Mcdonald's) coffee machines failed. However, good news are on the other side of the coin, so far showing bad news & we got reports that our main Bus had been set right & was approaching. In a hurry, Runi and Yash procured some food & drink for the night & also took some food in packets, for the journey.
The rest was good news really------- the bus came in about 10 mins. and we all boarded (save for a handful of passengers who already went to their own destinations thru separate arrangements) the same. Now, did that matter at all in the night, when after covering quite some distance towards Boston, the light & AC again failed? The lady conductor was desparate enough to declare :--- We have a 2nd bus behind us. Those who want to avail, can avail that one. AC & light are on in our next bus. Will any of you go??
One or two hands were raised , in utter frustration perhaps ------ hoping against hope. Then as it was realised that Boston was only about one hour or so away, better senses prevailed upon everybody, and none went to argue with her.
Came Boston at about 11-45 P.M & the lady was now generous enough to smile and declare----- there are Taxis here in the Taxi stand. Please get a taxi & go home..... Our company is paying for you.
So------ all is well that ends well & when we had two taxis (fare paid by the travel agency) heading for Brighton, where we live, the driver of the taxi in which I was there, along with Yash, asked Yash a question.... what is this fuss all about?
Yash explained the situation & the taxi driver wisely remarked.......... break downs do happen, but most of the travel companies shrug off their responsibility. You are lucky enough to be compensated by this Co., I think.
We were at one with him. Both the taxis had reached the destination.
It was an eventful tour of course, but, at the end of the day or night, whatever it was.... we began liking the whole affair from a different angle.
So, our journey began in the early morning of 23rd, when we boarded the tour bus. It was a motley crowd of Europeans, Indians (in a large no.), chinese & ors. Everyone of the passengers seemed to be in the best of his or her spirits........ everyone had just one agenda in common i.e to see & enjoy the spectacular & powerful waterfalls on the river Niagara, known as Niagara falls.
The journey was peaceful thoroughly so far....... things falling in places i.e limited stoppage of the bus for the passengers to have breakfast and tea, words from the lady announcer on microphone, giving description of the places to pass through and the places to come next..... all from time to time.......to keep the passengers alert & awake.... to give them relief against the long and strenuous bus-ride plus play of a comic action movie in the Tv sets within----------- it was sort of a smooth journey. Even it drizzled for some time to provide us some respite against the weather which was hot & humid outside. However, it was immaterial on account of the fact that the Bus had its own AC system.
Then, out of the blue, the AC of the bus failed. People murmured and then resented. As the temperature was rising ouside and inside also, passengers burst into feats of anger. The lady conductor tried in vain to appease a section of the angry crowd, when the driver brought the bus to a sudden halt and we were advised to have a break and khana (for lunch), while he (the driver) tried to restore the faulty system.
Wastage of time & nothing else------------ the driver told us that while we reach & enjoy the Niagara tour, he will, in the meanwhile, have the system rectified. No other option.
So, we bore with the situation or rather had to bear with it, and the bus was driven on & on.
Finally, the goal was achieved and it was near the waterfalls where everybody got down.
A movie show awaited us..... name: Maid of the mist. It deals with a legend which depicts the spirit of a native girl who lived near the great waterfalls of the Niagara and was bold enough to break free from the bondage of marriage to a wise as well as respectable man, much older than her & respond to the call of the nature & eventually die in the waterfalls, as she, after disregarding her own community's decision, could scarcely live in her own village. So,she remained an unmarried girl and died and acquired the immortality of being acclaimed as the maid of the mist.... ........ people say that her spirit lives in the mist of the Niagara waterfalls & some even go to the extent of seeing her there, in the midst of the water-particles or the mist rising high.
Next, we went down the gorge, by an elevator, of course, & enjoyed a boat trip, on the river. The waterfalls have two sections i.e the American side and the more renowned and attractive horse-shoe waterfalls of the Canadian side where the water really falls from a much greater height than the American side. Plus, in this Canadian side, the waterfalls are more voluminous & consequently more powerful. By the way......... hydro-electricity is derived easily and on a very large scale fm the Niagara falls in USA and Canada.
How shall I describe Niagara waterfalls? It is spectacular & sort of a treasure in one's memory. So, cameras clicked, clicked and clicked. People enjoyed the great natural phenomenon from a close range, between the waters of the river Niagara in US side as well as the Canada side. One has to wrap up in a plastic raincoat one's head & body, as far as possible; but, still one can not get rid of being wet and sometimes drenched even.
Up again, we had a view of the Niagara and Runi, Yash & dada ventured to go upstairs to get a closer look..... of course from quite far. They were really drenched when they returned and joined us.
Next, we had our dinner at an open-air eaterie (India restaurant) which was basically a mobile van with a water supply and a power line connected there within, and an Indian Tri-color flag flying atop to attract probable visitors from the sub-continent. Dada and myself chose to have Veg Biriyani whereas Yash, Runi & Boudi opted for some other dishes, according to their own choice. We had our dinner sitting on chairs and the dishes were put on the table.... everything in the open area near the mobile restaurant.
The Bus driver had meanwhile restored the AC and took all the passengers to the Goat island, which divides the river-water into 2 sections--- one in US side & the 2nd one in Canadian side. It is the top view of the waterfalls & we saw lights of different colors being focused on the Niagara waterfalls creating a rainbow which was a feast of the eyes. Should I call this as Niagara by night? The tour operator perhaps said so, earlier.
From this point, the bus drove all of us to a hotel for night-stay viz Comfort inn, quite comfartable really. We were too tired bec. of the strains & did go to bed without a second thought.
In the morning, I prepared myself for the brkfast & had the same downstairs, along with Runi and Bou-di. Runi fetched me some good brkfast, in a hurry. Bou-di was also having brkfast , while Dada was still not there with us. However, as the bus was ready to go, Runi and Yash carried brkfasts for 3 plus also more for all.
A 2 and 1/2 hr. drive fm this hotel, brought us to the famous Thousand island Park, which is an archipelago of more than 1700 islands between US & Canada waters. Each island is a separate entity with cottages and residents (not all of them), migratory birds and trees on it. Some have birds and trees only to live and grow.... some are smaller ones with just a single tree and sometimes migratory waterfowls living on the same.
The TI Park is already known to us, the Indians, for Swami Vivekananda's historic trip there, upon an invitation from Miss Mary Dutcher, an artist and owner of a cottage in an island, in this TI Park, in the June of 1893. I learnt fm Google search that Swami Nikhilananda mostly, as well as some other monks of the Ramakrishna order and also many other admirers of Swami Vivekananda restored the cottage of Swamiji to a modern-day condition, after sincere research, spending of money and dedication ----though the said cottage where Swamiji once lived for a few weeks and held classes also, remained in an obsucrity for more than 50 yrs., after his departure.
I could not know which one is the island where Swami Vivekananda once set his feet upon.
Our tour operator had arranged for us a boat which ferried through the waters of the TI Park & we saw a lovely sight of so many islands at a distance... some with inhabitants and cottages and trees and also sometimes we saw birds on the trees. Some of the islands were , however, uninhabitated, but, trees were there as a sign of life. This boat cruise would be a lasting memory for all of us.
From here, the bus started for the return journey to Boston; but, after travelling some distance, all of us heard loud noises of the engine and the driver gradually sidelined the bus. The lady announcer had earlier been much scolded for the failure of the AC . That upset her and she was , at that time, moved to tears. Now, came the final blow for her.... yet she announced that there had been a break down and the bus won't go any further.
We waited. The driver tried hard with all his experience, knowledge as well as his available handy set of tools. But, no........ the engine did not roar and it seemed to be a lost case. The driver-conductor contacted with another bus coming from behind. Their driver came and checked and gave his valuable opinion------ you have to wait till we come back here again, after some time i.e after we drop our passengers on board to a hotel. Thereafter, we will come here again and pick all of you up and take you to a place of rest. The process may take about one hour or so.
That was agreed to , but what about our own bus? Was it going to re-start?
Yes----- you would have rest & food/tea/coffee at that pl. for about 3 hrs. and then this bus would be ok and re-start.
In the meantime, everybody got down and was was either standing or sitting in the open space down the road. A police officer came in his patrolling car and took stock of the situation.
People found time to interact among themselves now. Yash, while introducing me to an Indian origin passenger, said....... He is kaku to me... he loves to blog everyday. Maybe he will write a lot about this happening i.e the AC failure & specially the break down of the bus.
The young co-passenger remarked----- a few pics. of the bus standing on the road-side & all of the passengers sitting or standing behind, shd be attached .
Yes---I agreed ----- perhaps I would allot just 2-3 lines for Niagara and many lines for this episode.
The rescue Bus came and loaded all the passengers and started for the Oasis place...so to say. While going, the conductor/announcer (Of the new bus) tried to boost up our sinking morale....... Break downs are rare in USA, but, such things can happen in reality. I remember....he went on saying....... the incident of a bus brk down, while I was in China, many yrs. back (he was a chinese).... we were stranded in a forest-like place and in the midst of a heavy political situation, as a war was going on at that time, between China and another country (He named, but somehow I failed to listen to).
In short, he tried to be bold enough to console us and face the situation in good humour. In fact, we all had already been doing so, in the absence of any other option.
The place of rest was a Mcdonald's food joint........ here we attempted to get some food & coffee; but, adverse circumstances for us came full circle, when their ( Mcdonald's) coffee machines failed. However, good news are on the other side of the coin, so far showing bad news & we got reports that our main Bus had been set right & was approaching. In a hurry, Runi and Yash procured some food & drink for the night & also took some food in packets, for the journey.
The rest was good news really------- the bus came in about 10 mins. and we all boarded (save for a handful of passengers who already went to their own destinations thru separate arrangements) the same. Now, did that matter at all in the night, when after covering quite some distance towards Boston, the light & AC again failed? The lady conductor was desparate enough to declare :--- We have a 2nd bus behind us. Those who want to avail, can avail that one. AC & light are on in our next bus. Will any of you go??
One or two hands were raised , in utter frustration perhaps ------ hoping against hope. Then as it was realised that Boston was only about one hour or so away, better senses prevailed upon everybody, and none went to argue with her.
Came Boston at about 11-45 P.M & the lady was now generous enough to smile and declare----- there are Taxis here in the Taxi stand. Please get a taxi & go home..... Our company is paying for you.
So------ all is well that ends well & when we had two taxis (fare paid by the travel agency) heading for Brighton, where we live, the driver of the taxi in which I was there, along with Yash, asked Yash a question.... what is this fuss all about?
Yash explained the situation & the taxi driver wisely remarked.......... break downs do happen, but most of the travel companies shrug off their responsibility. You are lucky enough to be compensated by this Co., I think.
We were at one with him. Both the taxis had reached the destination.
It was an eventful tour of course, but, at the end of the day or night, whatever it was.... we began liking the whole affair from a different angle.
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