Vacation 2005
Niagara-on-the-Lake
May 28-30, 2005

	Elaine poses by Juliette, William's little red car, at a Canadian truck stop on our way to NOTL. Juliette is our traveling companion as well as our transportation. We can get pretty silly about her: be forewarned.
	We stayed at this B&B. The sign on the door reads "SKYEHAVEN Circa 1787." Many older homes in NOTL sport such signs. Our favorite sign was on a plain bungalow that read "Anna's Circa 1946."
	We loved this cast-iron door stopper in our room.
	Our room was spacious but very cozy at the same time.
	Right next to the entrance to our room.
	Juliette waited patiently right outside of our room. (Don't say we didn't warn you.)
	Downtown NOTL
	The tulips were nearly spent, but still provided beautiful splashes of color to Queen Street.
	A fresh tulip in a shady spot.
	The Royal George Theatre, where we saw The Constant Wife.
	Many shops sold beautiful cutwork and lace. This was Elaine's favorite - a tablecloth.
	But where would you wear it??
	George Bernard Shaw.
	Chestnut trees were in bloom everywhere, but this was the first red one we saw. Elaine couldn't remember ever seeing these before and got all goofy over it.
	A delightful little bookstore where the owner helped us choose some books by Canadian authors
	On the walk from the B&B to Fort George.
	Fort George was a British fort that was attacked by the Americans from Fort Niagara in the War of 1812. Elaine poses by a cannon.
	More cannon.
	William at Fort George.
	If you look real hard between the trees you can see Fort Niagara. It's right across the Niagara River.
	Fort George fortifications.
	The obligatory hourly musket demo.
	Ready, aim, FIRE.
	The powder magazine at Fort George - the only building to survive to today. All the other buildings and structures are reconstructions.
	The view through a gun-sight in the stockade.
	View of the gun-sight in the stockade.
	View of Fort George from the Niagara River shore.
	View of the American Fort Niagara from NOTL across the Niagara River where it empties into Lake Ontario.
	Vineyard near NOTL.
	The Niagara River on our way up to the City of Niagara Falls, where we visited the Butterfly Conservancy and crossed into New York State.
	Elaine and Juliette took a rest on the Niagara River Parkway.
	More Niagara River.
	This gentleman had just caught a huge fish that he threw back. We couldn't understand the name he called it, but it wasn't good to eat.
	More Niagara River.
	Informative sign. The escarpment also effects the climate of the area making it perfect for vineyards.
	The Queenston-Lewiston bridge over the Niagara River. The Niagara escarpment is visible in the background.
	More Niagara River.
	American hydropower plant on the Niagara River.
	Canadian hyrdopower plant on the Niagara River
	More Canadian hyrdopower plant on the Niagara River.
	The Butterfly Conservancy in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
	The Butterfly Conservancy entrance.
	Butterflies.
	Butterfly on Elaine's hat.
	The butterflies would land on anything and seemed to stay forever.
	Butterfly chrysalises.
	Butterfly.
	Butterfly - it was really hard to resist taking their picture.
	Butterfly
	Butterfly on William's hat.
	Elaine's hat butterfly is prettier than William's.
	Butterfly on Elaine.
	This butterfly parked here for a really long time. The green on his wings was luninescent. Elaine was mesmerized by him.
	One last butterfly on Elaine.
	On our way to find a bridge to New York, we stopped to look at "The Whirlpool" on the Niagara River, which occurs at a major bend in the river. Here lines for a cable car pass over "The Whirlpool." William mused about the necessity for Canadian and US customs on this cable car, but Elaine pointed out that both ends of the cable are in Canada - it just crosses the bend of the river.
	A wider view of the bend in the Niagara River.
	A view of the city of Niagara Falls from the Rainbow Bridge. There are several bridges between the US and Canada at Niagara Falls (six to be precise), and this one is the closest to the Falls. We narrowly avoided a huge traffic jam at another bridge, decided to try this one, and surprisingly, made our escape pretty rapidly.
	Our only glimpse of the Falls during this trip was when we crossed the bridge.