Fourth of July on US-Canada Border?

The Canadian side!

Cute puppies we met at the park!

First of all, Happy Fourth of July! To celebrate America's birthday, we went off to Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the world. I've already visited Niagara Falls once before, but there's always new discoveries every time you visit. Well, this was kind of ironic as we celebrated our country's independence close to Canada as the "Maid of the Mist" boat ride takes you really close to the falls which is located on both the USA and Canada sides. And since there is no definite separation in between the water, we could have drifted on either side -- but this made our Fourth of July way more special. We celebrated Independence Day on the border of USA and Canada. So yippee!

The bridge connecting US to Canada

More great views!

Was able to get a panoramic photo!

After getting a quick breakfast at RPCC and Starbucks, off we went on our three and a half hour roadtrip. But honestly, this was a great way to bond. So if you would like to bond, getting trapped in car for a few hours may be the best way to go.

Once we finally arrived, we had lunch at Hard

As we prepare for the mist.

Rock Cafe. The food really wasn't anything too fantastic, but it was enough to satisfy my starving stomach. So once I had devoured the nachos and macaroni and cheese, it was time to burn off those fatty calories through walking and standing in massive lines under the scorching sun. Our first stop was Maid of the Mist, a boat ride which takes you close to the falls. Since it was my second time around, I knew what to expect from the signature blue ponchos to the wobbling decks on the boats. But no matter how often you visit a place like Niagara Falls, you still cannot resist the beauty.

As people gather for the Maid of the Mist ride.

Got to love the view.

The boat we traveled on.

 After taking pictures, souvenir shopping, and settling for ice cream, we sat down to see the documentary on how the Niagara Falls came to be. Also, it showed the dare-devil acts that many people did to test the strength of the magnificent waterfalls. Even though this was the second time I watched this documentary, I felt everything made much more sense but this time around. 

After the three and a half hour drive back to Ithaca, we decided to go to ZaZa's Italian Restaurant for dinner. And what can I say? My love for Italian food is only getting stronger and stronger. I had fried mozarella, grilled asparagus, ravioli, and a pomegranate sorbet. Just blogging about this is making me want more. :) So in order to prevent further cravings of food given that I don't have access to at the moment, I should probably leave the rest to your imagination. I simply loved the food and the service provided by the restaurant was excellent.

My ravioli with asparagus

Pomegranate Sorbet! Yum!

One slight drawback for today is that I wasn't able to see any fireworks. And in my home city, Hercules, there is a parade, a marathon, and fireworks in honor of July Fourth. This will be the first year in which Hercules is celebrating Independence Day this grand and I'm missing out on this. As I write this blog, my parents are enjoying the fireworks from the luxury of our home. Even though I'm missing out on my hometown celebrations, this Fourth of July is definitely unforgettable and will be cherished for years to come.