Picture this: two intrepid travelers, filled with excitement, embarking on what they hope will be the ultimate bucket list adventure. Destination: Niagara Falls! But little did we know, what began as a straightforward plan to see one of nature’s most breathtaking wonders would turn into a day of serendipity, a comedy of errors, and—best of all—a little bit of unexpected magic.
We kicked off our journey by driving from Buffalo to Niagara Falls, parking our car on the American side. We were pumped.
But hey, we found ourselves on the Rainbow Bridge, gazing at the falls, surrounded by a crowd of tourists, some grumpy Canadians who thought we’d stolen their maple syrup, and a whole lot of mist. You know what they say about Niagara Falls: it's not the destination, it's the soaking wet journey that counts.
Time for a "Hopocalypse Now" 🍺😆
We saw the Skylon Tower, rode the boat close to Horseshoe Falls (with the exact amount of mist you’d expect), and—because we were soaking wet anyway—why not embrace it, right? The beer situation was just like back home in the Netherlands—except at the Hard Rock Cafe, where it seemed like the glasses had been picked out of a bargain bin. But who are we to judge? It's all about the vibe, and the vibe was “wet and wild.”
After leaving the falls we crossed into the USA like seasoned border-crossing pros… until we found ourselves trapped in the border control building. Yes, you heard that right. Not exactly the sort of “welcome back to the USA” experience we were expecting. Picture us, two grown adults, tugging at the door like a couple of kids trying to sneak out of a classroom. Border control had to come to the rescue, and the agent was like, "Folks, thousands of people pass here daily, no one has ever had trouble opening that door!" . Yeah, well, guess we just made history.
We tried to hit up the Ommegang Brewery, but, uh, we took a wrong turn. Instead of winding our way to beer heaven, we stumbled upon Letchworth State Park, aka the Grand Canyon of the East. Seriously, no one told me you could find a jaw-dropping gorge like that on the way to a brewery. Nature’s got a sense of humor, huh?
Hopocalypse (part 2)
We rushed to the brewery, only to find that, by some miracle, we had arrived right before closing time—and there we were so lucky there was a special event! The brewery stayed open for an extra two hours, so we were able to have a great dinner and grab a few beers (in the right glass, finally!) and enjoy some live music by a firepit. We might’ve been tipsy, we might’ve been stoned, but we were also in that perfect “this day is so ridiculous, it’s amazing” state of mind.
Moral of the story?
If you plan to visit Niagara Falls, don't sweat the small stuff—like getting locked in buildings or losing your way to the brewery. Sometimes, you end up finding the best places by accident. And remember, always check your exit doors before they check you.
Until next time, Maine—get ready. We've got more adventure, more laughs, and definitely more beer to discover.
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Good you didn't mention the "adventure" of me leaving my bag in the Uber! The bag which held not only my phone and wallet but also my passport! And when I discovered it was missing your phone was dead. I absolutely did sweat and panicked...until our sweet driver surprised us and came back to where he dropped us (yes a Brewery) with my bag. As you already know, life with me with me is never dull! 🤣