Stepping Back from the Rail

Niagara - FALLS OCT 2014

 

I’m so glad to be back blogging about my favorite subject – and I was so glad to be back in my favorite spot in October!  My mom and I took a leisurely girls’ trip away from Pittsburgh up to Niagara. We moseyed our way through some shopping, attractions… shopping… dining….and a little more shopping. (You’re welcome, Canada). The weather was a little iffy much of the time, but the sun cooperated when it counted most, and one of those times was the last afternoon of our trip.

We parked in the “big lot” and moseyed our way across the foot bridge to Table Rock and made our way to the edge of the horseshoe. It’s a spot that always makes me feel like I’m on a boat as I look down, and I never want to leave.

But we did pull ourselves away and moseyed down the sidewalk. I have to admit that over the past couple years, I have noticed a new phenomenon. I’ll call it the “CHEEKY SEAGULL”. This involves a seagull landing on the railing rocks VERY close to tourists. See the photo below. That is not zoomed in. It is not cropped in. That was from my phone, people!

 

Niagara - Cheeky Seagull 2

 

Evidently, some seagull got some food this way and told two seagulls, and they told two seagulls… and so on… and so on. Though I haven’t seen anyone giving them food for this trick, but I can’t figure out any other motivation, unless seagulls have developed a love for the paparazzi.
My mom and I observed several examples of this behavior as we moseyed our way a little way down the park sidewalk and back. Then we sat down on some of the stones next to Table Rock – just a few yards from the rail. We sat and people-watched for a little while.

Here are a few pictures I took of people taking pictures of these Cheeky Seagulls. I found it very entertaining. People are funny. I realized I had been one of them just a few minutes ago and it was very possible someone was chuckling at me, too.

COLLAGE

 

I also realized that from our vantage point you couldn’t see the Falls – only see the beautiful railing that was installed who-knows-how-long ago. So distinctive and such a gift to the visitors of Queen Victoria Park.

It made me think that this is one wonder of the world that people actually look DOWN on. It suddenly seemed so odd to me. You walk a few feet away and the Falls disappear. Maybe that’s why they made the railing so beautiful.

 

Niagara - railing Victoria Park

 

People are always looking up at things. City architecture, the Eiffel Tower, Mount Rushmore… the world’s largest ball of twine. “Looking down on” something is usually a bad thing.  I hate to think of people “looking down on” the Falls.  But I guess the mist takes your eyes back up to the heavens from which this spectacle was given.  With all the shopping, attractions… shopping… dining….and a little more shopping – and cheeky seagulls … it’s important to take some time to mosey into the park and lean on the rail and look down on this wondrous gift.

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