Niagara: Waterfall and Wine
Niagara. With this word, everyone who at least a little is familiar with geography is associated with huge streams of water falling with a terrible roar of two stone cliffs and racing with the tremendous speed of deep canyon. And few people have a concept "Niagara" associated with. Canadian grape wine. Viticulture and winemaking in the country with which we are neighbors through the North Pole? Yes. Imagine. And this is not surprising: the Niagara Falls lies about one geographic latitude with the northern regions of Moldova and Rostov-on-Don – places where there are quite good fault.
For the first time, Niagara Falls I saw more than 35 years ago. From american shore. And therefore – mostly his American part that the Canadian separates a rather wide strip of a stone with a stone framed by trees and shrubs framing the island from Polkilometer long. Honestly, the roar of the terrible force of the depth water of the Niagara River, reaching here 260 meters of width, water, which, flying 21-34 meters, flew to small splashes on huge boulders, made a big impression. Canadian part, famous "horseshoe", From the territory of the United States, it was possible to see with difficulty, only coming out for a special viewing platform, built over the canyon next to the Rainbow Bridge, which binds US and Canada. But for "form in profile" The impression was lost.
And here is a new meeting with Niagara. This time – from the Canadian side, when you can almost close to the huge "horseshoe", The comb of which stretches 670 meters, and the water solid monolith drops from a height of 57 meters. Splashes from blows about water (the depth of the river in this place reaches 55 meters) in the form of wet dust, similar to couples, rise to a colossal height. Even in many kilometers you can see a high pillar, resembling a cloud who hung over this place.
Summer through the waterfall passes over 283 cubic meters of water per second. Where she is from? Niagara originates in Lake Eri, which is part of the Great American Lakes. It is located just 58 kilometers (this is the length of the famous river), but 99 meters higher than Lake Ontario in which it flows. This height difference gives the river the flow rate, strength and power.
Falling with high height water – fascinating sight, which is impossible to describe. Niagara must be seen to admire and admire the waterfall. It is for this purpose that up to 12 million people come here for a year, for which entire hotel complexes are erected on both sides of the river. Waterfalls can be observed not only standing in the park at the edge of the water, but directly from the windows of hotels, as well as from the observation and restaurant sites of the 230-meter tower "Skylon". And it is possible and rising by helicopter. Through the system of tunnels you can approach the place of falling water with "horseshoes". And on two-plated vapor "Misty girl" – approach almost close to the lower beyfall. Passengers stuns the roar of water and envelop the myriad splashes, and no wonder they give them raincoats. The state of an unusual euphoria caused by this spectacle makes the half-hour voyage of the journey of life.
But if the overwhelming majority simply admires seen, there are mandrels that are asked by the conquest of Niagara. First in modern history roving "Float" From the top of the biefe "horseshoes", there was a school teacher from the US state of Michigan 63-year-old Anna Taylor with his cat. When the barrel in which she made "travel", discovered, pretty rumped "Recordsmen" long came to myself, and a cat during this time. I’ve gotten from fear, becoming absolutely white.
The last registered case was "Honeymoon" Young couple who was preparing at the same time to wedding and conquering a waterfall. To their greatest delight, everything went well, but the penalty for violating public order and the attempt on his own life had to pay, he, by the way, threatens to all those who try to repeat this adventure.
Not far from the top of the bief "horseshoes" From the Canadian shore you can see the axles of barges, grown. Demolished while trying to go between the shores she "held a course" on a waterfall when salvation for her crew from two people came in the form of stones that the ship stumbled. Lucky removed 29 hours later. But in 1960, a boat of a certain grandfather, in which he decided to ride young grandson and granddaughter, turned over, and he drowned, despite the rescue vest. The girl who had to grab the branches of bushes growing on a small island, removed with a helicopter. And grandson Roger Woodward.
When steaming "Misty girl" That day came to the place of falling water, the captain in the terrible whirlpool noticed an orange life jacket. A few minutes later the boy was raised on board – stunned, lumpy water, frightened, but, what is called, without a single scratch!
From the bridge of rainbow Street leads to the area of entertainment town, bearing name Naigar Falls – Niagara Falls. It begins with the Museum of Exhibits, related to the achievements listed in the Guinness Book of Records. These include the very barrel of Anna Taylor, as well as a rope figure made from wax. Which in the XIX century walked over the Niagara next to the rainbow bridge, and one day he suffered "At risk" Mayor of the city. Entrance to the museum "Protected" The sculpture of the highest person on earth, "Vyashhavich" Up to 272 centimeters. Among entertainment – constant chambers of horror, the museum of wax figures, dinosaur park, as well as causing constant interest "Mareland" with excellent trained dolphins, whale-white, stunning his readiness kissing with children and other attractions.
The history of Niagara Falls has 12 thousand years, and, as scientists came to the conclusion, at that time he was 11 kilometers below the river. All these millennium he gradually "Moved" Up, leaving behind a deep canyon. When the first European appeared near the waterfall in 1678, "horseshoe" was 50 meters below the flow than now. In the 50s of the last century "traffic" reached one meter per year. Thanks to the measures taken to regulate the runoff now, according to experts, it slowed down to 36 centimeters in 10 years. "Propeller" Waterfall is soil erosion under its top limestone and dolomite layer. Soft breeds are washed out, and the upper pressure of water is crumbling.
A trip along the canyon, which is reached by a depth of 107 meters, delivers a lot of pleasure. It is in these places that the vineyards approach almost the very banks of the river. Their total area is small – only a few dozen square kilometers. But the variety of grape varieties allows you to make wines resembling French, German, Austrian. White and red. Dry and semihow. Merlot, Cabernet, Savignon, Riesling. However, there are wine to which Canadians are especially proud. His bottle in Toronto stores, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec worth about 60 Canadian dollars (about 40 American). It is called Ice Wine – "Ice Wine".
As a gift, I brought a bottle bought in a shop, located in the middle of the vineyards of Hildebrand, where you can also purchase and taste with a dozen varieties of its products. On a bottle two labels. "Late harvest. Vidal variety. White wine. 19.5% alcohol to volume. 1997" – This is one. Second – from the back: "This wine, the volume of production of which is limited, was born on the beautiful vineyards of the city of Niagara-on-lake. The bunches of grapes instead of the usual collection in October reserve for late harvest in December. Berries, possessing this time a unique bouquet, turn into juice, and pour it on the barrels to then get a rich sweet unique wine with an excellent natural aroma of apricots and honey".
In this explanation, two things were not specified: in December, grapes on a 10-degree frost freezes. Put it without touching modern technology – "extruded". The first spin wine is particularly cool, and therefore so expensive and costs. The second spin he is a little inferior and costs a little cheaper. Store wine in the cold and drink chilled.
Canadian wine is not too famous in the world primarily due to its small amount.
However, back on the highway, which stretches between the vineyards and the river. In one of the points of the river is quite cool turns. And over a large funnel on a 100-meter height, a cable car with open trays for a walk above the raging water is extended. The pleasure is not for the faint of heart. He is opposed by the tranquility of the Botanical Garden Landscape Park and "Conservatory butterflies" – Huge glazed hangar with thousands and thousands of butterflies of various climatic zones, as well as the world’s largest floral clock.
In 1812, in these places one of the decisive battles of the US-Canadian war, which lasted 3 years, which ended with the defeat of the Americans: Anglo-Canadian troops reached Washington and burned the presidential palace. Restored, it was painted with white paint and from that time known as the White House. Niagara has a simple Canadian named Laura Semod, whose name is revered so far as a heroine, accidentally hearing the conversation of American officers who discussed the place of strike in the Anglo-Canadian troops, passed through the front line and everything told her commanders. The fight was the Americans Plagran, True, the English General who commanded the troops in this battle was killed. At the place of his death, a high column is installed, and the loury house can be saved as a museum. Not far from it – the old Fort of St. George. There is still a Canadian garrison, wearing uniforms of that war. Each of the visitors can taste here and the soldier’s porridge of that time. But for modern dollars.
From the American side, Niagara is also preserved Bastion. His guns look at the pretty town of Niagara-on-lake, once played a major role in the history of the country. There’s no house – a memorial plate: the former building of the Parliament, the court, the first on the continent of the pharmacy. Residents in him hardly dropping 15 thousand people. But from tourists there is no postboy. And the repertoire theater operates where Shakespeare is played.
This well-kept Gorodishko is located just in the very place where the Niagara River, suddenly lost his head, quietly and greatly rolls its waters in Ontario lake.
