The Coin:
Using the coin minting machine, I prepared this coin having the ‘statue of liberty’ on it.
Souvenir:
A souvenir I liked at the gift shop. They are using recycled paper for environmental conservation.
Niagara State Park attractions:
A man showing his talent for flying giant bubbles in the air using sticks and strings. He expects to collect some donations in return for his performance. In the USA, people who are looking for donations even do not resort to emotional blackmailing and coercion rather they try to sell their art. We used to have the same culture in Pakistan where snake charmers, portable rides, and animal trainers would roam the streets asking for donations in return for their talents.
Train the park:
Hop on-hop off train circumferences the entire Niagara state park. One can visit the entire park riding on the train.
Suicides:
According to unofficial sources, an estimated 5,000 bodies were found at the foot of the falls between 1850 and 2011. On average, between 20 and 30 people die going through falls each year. The majority of deaths are suicides, and most take place in the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Many of these suicides are not publicized by officials.
Ice cream fiesta:
We got two scopes of ‘Mango Crunch & Vanilla with Caramel’ from the ice cream parlor at the Niagara Fall state park. Too big for a single person to finish we ended up sharing it!
Meeting Buddy Corso:
He is a proud Husky dog. His owner rescued him from an abusive environment, and
in turn, he saved his master’s life at the workplace. I had a chance to have a candid photograph with this amazing dog who is lovely and friendly to strangers even.
Nikola Tesla Monument:
Tesla invented alternating currents and was instrumental in the construction of the first hydroelectric plant in Niagara Falls in 1895.
Sunset at Lake Erie:
Returning from the Niagara Fall while heading towards Cleveland we made a short stop at Lake Erie to view the ending of the day. Sunset was never as spectacular as it was there because of the clean water, endless unobstructed view, colorful horizon, and roaring water. Saad and I, got a picture to capture the moment forever and headed back to our car. We still had a long journey ahead!
It is rightly said by St. Augustine. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
The writer is a Fulbright Ph.D. candidate at Texas A&M University and graduated from The University of Tokyo. He is currently the President of the Geo-Institute chapter of Texas A&M University.