Niagara Falls, NY - 5/11 - 5/12

The Falls at Niagara Falls are one of the two 'Wonders of the World' that I have seen, the other one being the Taj Mahal. One; the work of God, the other, work of Man. Both white, pristine and divine.
Some observations:
1. The Maid of the Mist is truly one of the most blissful experiences, it makes man one with water. Having been a water-baby all my life, standing between the horse-shoe falls, I was completely at home!
2. I now know why they call Niagara Falls, a Desi Hub. At any point of time, (during the peak season, especially) you can find atleast 400-500 desi's there. The number-range is the result of analytical calculations made by all of us. The omni-presence of Indian restaurants, supplemented the analysis.
3. A ‘Return to Innocence’- achieved while feeling the mist from the falls, spray itself on my face.
4. Another co-incidence-that-has become-regular, when we walked into Elvis and his friends, whom we met in VA, a month ago.
5. The best place on the boat, closest to the falls, is right up in front and always has room for more people.
6. Five rainbows-displaying seven distinct colours, within five feet; each beginning from and ending inside the falls, to give an illusion of five colourful rings, half submerged in the water, are a rare ‘wonder’.
7. Seeing your parents and friends, all scream alike, with joy and awe, when the falls enclose and soak you, within them, doesn’t happen everyday in life.
8. Even after two years, the ‘desi’ dhaba we re-traced our paths to, served us the same quality-cooked home-made meal, we relished the first time around.
9. Chance meetings with famous cricketers in Rest Area’s can result in big arguments and varied opinions.
10. Natural barriers between nations, create a natural human inquisition about ‘the other side’, even though the other side is similar to this one, for all practical purposes. Feelings experienced at this border, however, lacked the "fear" experienced in Kutch, overlooking Karachi lights in the distance.
11. Projected Rainbow-lights from the Canadian side, onto the Falls, at night, honestly ‘chees-ify’ the whole day-time experience.
12. Water draws you towards it; its translucence, its innocence, its purity.
Falling water entices and grabs you, deceives and lures you, until you are mesmerized and struck by its rhythm…..until the sprays get the better of you and you are transported into a state of temporary virtue, a piece of paradise!