Checked off a bucket list item: Niagara Falls, and wow, they’re even more spectacular in person! Woke up around 7 am, sneaked out of my bunk like a ninja, and got ready. Brushed my teeth, grabbed my bag, and headed downstairs for breakfast. And let me tell you, the hostel breakfast at the Planet Traveler Hostel? Hands down the best I’ve ever had. They had 15 types of cereals (yep, you read that right) and 10 different bagels, plus milk and all the usual spreads. I went for bagels with peanut butter and packed some extras for the road.

Tour Pick Up

At 8:20 am, King Tours picked me up right in front of the hostel. The driver took me to their headquarters, a cozy office just 10 minutes away. I stood in line, paid up, and then waited for the big bus to roll in.

When the bus finally arrived, I snagged a spot in the backseat. It was a medium-sized bus, somewhere between a tour bus and a minibus. We took off, I cranked up some tunes, and drifted into slumber mode. I thought it’d be a two-hour drive to Niagara Falls, but with all the stops along the way, it turned out to be a bit longer.

A Visit to a Wine Farm

First stop: a wine farm! They harvest grapes here to make ice wine. Now, I’m no wine connoisseur, but I gave it a shot. Tried a few wines, but honestly, I’d rather be sipping a beer. The only wine I can tolerate is white—red wine? Not a chance.

I picked up a few wine facts, which was actually pretty cool. Afterward, we had the option to buy some wine or sample an ice wine for $2 (the first two samples were free). I wandered around, checking out maple syrup and other Canadian souvenirs. In the end, I passed on buying anything—it was a bit pricey. All in all, just another tourist trap on our route.

After about 30-40 minutes, the bus moved on. I had no clue this was part of the tour, but when unexpected stuff pops up, I just go with the flow, enjoy it, and let it happen.

A Touristy Town

Next stop: a small touristy town, but I didn’t catch that. Had my earphones in, so I missed the bus driver’s announcement. I was the last to get off and, of course, lost the group. I ended up following some random folks and somehow stumbled upon Fort George. Took a few pics of the outside, but I quickly realized I was in the wrong place—no sign of the group anywhere.

I walked back to the bus, only to find the driver was gone too. So, I headed over to the tourist info center and sat down. Asked if I could charge my phone, and they said yes. The guy working there started chatting about the German-Argentina match, so we talked for a bit. Eventually, the bus driver returned and asked where I’d been. I explained what happened and told him I wasn’t bothered about missing the small town. Honestly, those tourist shops weren’t my thing—I couldn’t stand them.

The Niagara Whirlpool

Ten minutes later, everyone returned, and we were back on the bus, finally heading to the Niagara Falls. Of course, that’s when it started to rain, which was a bit of a downer. Our first stop was at the Niagara Whirlpool, it was stunning, but the rain kind of ruined the vibe. Thankfully, there were two shelters, so I managed to snap a few pics without getting soaked.

It was a quick stop—just 10 minutes. We left and, finally, headed to the Niagara Falls. Ten minutes later, we arrived, the rain had stopped, but I was still bummed about the lousy weather. I had hoped for sunshine, but that clearly wasn’t in the cards. The driver gave us a 4:30 pm return time and led us to the boat company for our tour. He said we’d be back in 45 minutes. After that, I’d have another 2 hours to explore Niagara, the town I was in right now.

Boat Ride to the Falls

They handed out ponchos because the Hornblower ride was bound to get us soaked. We didn’t have to wait long. I thought there were just two waterfalls, but it turns out there are three! The first is the American Falls, right across from the boat terminal. The river between Canada and the US forms the natural border, hence the name. Right beside it is a smaller waterfall called Bridal Veil Falls (first two pictures, last row above). I actually thought they were all part of one big waterfall, but hey, live and learn.

As the boat got closer, I tucked my camera under my poncho to keep it dry. We zoomed past the first waterfall and headed straight for the last one: the Horseshoe Falls.

The mist from the Horseshoe Falls was intense, and the water soaked us all. I managed to snap a few pictures, but I had to constantly wipe the lens, which was a bit frustrating. No stunning photos, but the experience was incredible. Thankfully, the pictures I took later from the outlook were much better.

After the Horseshoe Falls, the boat turned around and headed back. The whole cruise lasted about 30 minutes. Once back on Canadian soil, I walked over to the big outlook and snapped some pics. It was cloudy, though, so those won’t make the cut. Later, I managed to get some much better shots.

Exploring the Major Tourist Trap Town

I decided to check out the small town, but honestly, I was pretty disappointed. It was noisy, packed with kids, and way too touristy. I couldn’t stand it—the sounds were overwhelming, and the crowds kept getting in my way.

Clear Skies

I grabbed some overpriced food at Burger King and got out of there. The weather was warming up, and the clouds were starting to clear. The sky brightened, and I was pumped—I knew I’d finally get some better shots of the Niagara Falls. I mean, who wants a gloomy overcast in their Niagara Falls pics? Not me!

I walked down to the river and snapped pictures from all kinds of angles, playing around with different zoom levels.

Soon enough, it was time to head back to the bus. We made our way back to Toronto, and I slipped into slumber mode again, tunes in my ears. About an hour and a half later, we arrived, and I was the last to leave the bus. I had a quick chat with the driver, and all around me, German fans were celebrating. The driver called his friend, who told me that Germany won in extra time with a single goal. I was stoked—I’d been cheering for die Mannschaft!

Drinks with Sofia

In the evening, I met up with Sofia again—it was the last time I’d see her. Tomorrow, I was planning to visit the CN Tower, but she wasn’t interested. Too touristy, too lame, she said. She was probably right, but I’d find out for myself the next day.

We met at Dundas Square, right in front of Eaton Center, near the drummers (yeah, there were people drumming there). I took the subway and got there quickly. As soon as I arrived, I noticed German fans honking their horns everywhere—kind of like the Argentinean fans in Montreal last week. Two blocks from Dundas Square, I saw police cars blocking the road. I was stunned—the German fans were absolutely going wild at the square. Flags flying, people cheering. I loved it! So glad they had won. It was hilarious that their match had caused such a traffic mess. I stood by Eaton Center and saw an Islamic stand with some people protesting or something. They didn’t seem to be reaching many, though—German fans were taking over. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was funny to watch.

Sofia showed up 10 minutes late, but I didn’t mind. She was amazed by all the fans, and I couldn’t help but smile, enjoying the chaos around us. She wasn’t into football at all, but then again, Sweden didn’t make it to the tournament.

Toronto Boulevard

Tonight, Sofia was going to show me the boulevard. I had met Sofia on the Greyhound bus ride from Montreal to Toronto a few days ago. We walked there from Dundas Square—wasn’t too far, but not exactly around the corner. We chatted the whole way, and it was great. Sofia and I had become good friends, and I really enjoyed our conversations.

From the boulevard, I had an amazing view of the CN Tower—it looked spectacular. As the sun set, the skyline got even more beautiful. The tower and the lights were just stunning. We walked towards the bridge with the illuminated ship decoration, and I snapped a few more pictures of the CN Tower. I was hoping to grab a drink at Amsterdam BrewHouse, but only if they had Dutch snacks—I wanted Sofia to try some. After using the restroom, I checked the menu, but they had zero Dutch options. Outside, Sofia mentioned they had more places like this, so it turned out to be a chain.

I was getting hungry, but Sofia wasn’t. We walked back over the bridge and headed to the other side of the boulevard, where she knew there were some restaurants. We settled at an Irish pub, ordered drinks and food, and had an amazing evening. I told her about my day at the Niagara Falls. I had so much fun talking with her. I was really glad I met this girl on the Greyhound bus.

Goodbyes

Around 11 pm, we headed back. I said goodbye in the subway—she was staying on, and I had to get off at Queens Park. I figured I’d probably see her again in Europe once Sofia had settled in Copenhagen.

Back at the hostel, I grabbed a quick drink and headed upstairs. The main area was closing, so I quietly got into bed and put on some music. Tomorrow was the last day, and in the evening, I’d be catching a night bus out of Toronto. Around 2 am, I finally decided to get some sleep.