老荀的生活: 2008年夏美东10日游（1）：大瀑布加拿大边

7月底的时候我们全家去玩乐一大圈，顺带会见亲朋好友。
At the end of July, our family went out for a long vacation.

7月22日离开芝加哥，开啊开，从底特律附近入境加拿大。这有了绿卡就是好啊，什么签证也不用，到了那边就刷卡，连兑换钱都不需要。当晚住在一个城叫做伦敦的，简直跟美国没两样。
On July 22, we left Chicago. After seven-hour driving, we stayed at a town called London, in Canada. Canada has no difference from United States.

伦敦离大瀑布大约两小时车程，23号一早我们出发，一路上大雨瓢泼。我们心想这下惨了。开到了地方，雨还是下个不停，先吃个饭吧。找到一家中餐馆，停车场还停了辆旅游大巴，看来是做华人旅行社生意的。
City of London is about two hours of driving to Niagara Falls. We started early on July 23. It was pouring all the way. We found a Chinese restaraunt near the Falls.

吃完饭结账的时候，老板跟我们说可以把车就停在他们那里，走到瀑布边，只有15分钟路程，可以省下停车的钱。我们看雨小多了，凭信心，不带雨伞，祷告一下，就出发了。
The owner of the restaraunt said we can park our vehicle in their parking lot, to save some parking fee. The rain becomes much less, we decided not to bring umberella.

走着走着，头顶那片下雨的黑云就被风吹到美国那边去了。天气晴朗出太阳，两分钟，晒得就热了。
Wow, the raining clouds were blowed toward the United States side. And after a while, the sun came out and we were feeling hot!

面对瀑布的街道非常繁华，建了许多的大旅馆。Katie在街上摆pose，看到后面穿雨衣的人了吗？
The street along the falls and river is well developed, with a lot of high-end hotels. Katie was posing.

穿过一个花园，突然远远看到了瀑布。
Aroud a garden, we suddenly saw the falls.

姐姐说：Katie快看。Katie说：NOOOOOOOOOOO!
Rebecca said: Katie, look! Katie said: NOOOOOOOO!

近看，确实很壮观。尼亚加拉瀑布其实是由三个瀑布组成，这是所谓的美国瀑布(American Falls)，还有一个叫加拿大瀑布(Canadian Falls)。
Magnificant close look. Niagara Falls is composed of three falls, including American Falls, Canadian Falls, and a small one which I don't remember. This is American Falls.

发张美女，旁边还露一小小手。
A beauty. And a cutie's hand.

在发一张勤劳勇敢的帅哥的。后面的瀑布就是加拿大瀑布，水落到底下溅起巨浪，一直有水气上腾，在瀑布顶上形成一朵云。
A handsome. The falls at the background is Canadian Falls. The mist out of the falls forms a cloud, all year around.

到达瀑布，自然要下去坐船，开到靠近瀑布之处，感受磅礴之气。这就是著名的Maid of Mist(雾气女仆号，哈哈，我瞎起的名字）。加拿大这边好像有四艘，美国那边也有几艘，都叫同一个名字，以1，2，3，4 来区分。我们这一船碰巧人剧多无比。
It's a must to take Maid of Mist boat tour.

从底下往上看美国瀑布。水天相连。
American Falls from low.

每个人都穿上雨衣，典典Rebecca非常开心。
Everybody wore raincoat. Rebecca was very happy.

过了四五十分钟，妹妹Katie就很不耐烦了。加拿大瀑布下水汽太大，像下雨一样，很不好照相。
But Katie was not.

上了岸，自然要到此一游留个影，Rebecca照的，水平不错。看大瀑布，在加拿大这边看比在美国那边看好，可以看到全景。由于水是从美国流下来，所以在美国只能看到侧面。
Sean and Shirley, shot by Rebecca.

沿河就是城市的公园，我们慢慢往加拿大瀑布那边走，小孩子边走边玩。
We walked slowly toward the Canadian Falls.

这段路很长，有两三英里，走累了就歇歇，照几张像。后面是加拿大瀑布，已经很近了。
It's kind of long, about 2-3 miles. We are getting closer.

在瀑布下挣扎的Maid of Mist号。
Maid of Mist struggling in the mist. Poor maid.

这时遮日的云突然跑开，下午的太阳照在水雾上，反射出彩虹。
Sun came out, and rainbow!

再来一张远景的。Katie已经学会这叫大瀑布了，只不过她说：大PU PU。在美国小朋友要拉便便就说：PUPU。她也不清楚为什么我们在笑她。
Paranoma.

回首来时路，可见美国瀑布，瀑布旁边的长条形就是专门建的观景台，戳出悬崖老远，可以让人在悬空之处回望瀑布。那座桥就是连接美加边界的桥。
Looking back where we began. American Falls, the vista point built in the air, and the bridge connecting United States and Canada.

走到瀑布边上了，再花点银子下到瀑布边上去。像下雨一样，还特吵，像雷声一样。
Walking down by the Canadian Falls. It was raining and thundering.

景色不错。
Nice scene from here.

爬回平地，来到河水落下处。升起的水汽放射太阳光，又见彩虹。
Back to where the river falls down. The mist reflects the afternoon sunlight, forming a beautiful rainbow.

内圈明亮的七彩叫“虹”，外圈淡淡的七彩叫“霓”，两个颜色的次序正好相反。虹是一次反射加折射，而霓是多次放射加折射，所以很弱。不过说起来只有我这个搞光学的可以自得其乐，其他人都说：管它呢。
Rainbow, due to reflection plus refraction of light. Only I, an optical professional, can understand and enjoy this theory. Others don't give a damn.

远看，近看，上看，下看，左看，右看，反正就是这么个瀑布。经过几个小时后，也开始审美疲劳了。计划中两家好朋友从德州奥斯汀飞到多伦多，然后开车到大瀑布与我们会合。本来约好下午三点见的，结果飞机误点，要到七点多才到。为什么误点？因为美元贬值，国际原油价格暴涨，航空公司缩减航班数，正好减到我们朋友头上了。
After a few hour of looking at one same falls, we start to feel bored. Our friends will meet us at about 7pm.

下午六点了，正好歇会儿。
Now is 6, let's take a rest.

小孩子总是能发现快乐。
Kids always are joyful.

朋友们终于来了，可是他们急着去赶末班的Maid of Mist船，这是经典，不能不坐。我们只好接着等。这是休息的地方，小商店，面对瀑布，可以喝喝小酒。
Friends finally came. But they went to ride the last Maid of Mist tour, which they cannot miss. We just keep waiting. Here is a resting area, facing the falls scene.