| Iceman Celebration Day 2016 - Niagara Nights |
| The difference between day and night is outstanding. Honestly, I'm not sure which one I like more. God's natural lighting certainly adds to the realism of the Falls but mankind's artificial color does a really good job of highlighting the mist. I was enthralled with both kids of beauty and hung out up there as long as I needed to to soak it all in. So far my Celebration Day was starting out better than imagined. |
| A lot happened today. But it was time to head back to the hotel and go to sleep so that I could wake up and do it all over again tomorrow when it truly would be Iceman Celebration Day. So far I had noticed that Niagara Falls was like the Wisconsin Dells on drugs. It's like a tourist trap times a billion, and here I was stuck right in the middle of it. But I would tackle that tomorrow as I ventured out into the city. Tonight I made it back to my room, knocked over this chair and figured out how to get my heart-shaped jacuzzi working. After all of this nonsense today, I had no idea what was in store for me tomorrow. O Canada we stand on guard for thee - the Iceman from America. |
| Once I solved the booze problem I set out walking to find Niagara Falls. Since today was Cinco de Mayo, I wore my Brewers / Cerveceros "Hombre de Hielo" jersey and a sombrero. Even though I was way North of Mexico, I still felt the need to celebrate this very important day. This elicited stares from anyone that passed by me, but would this day be complete without them? While walking, I saw Bridal Falls but I still hadn't see the main event. Even though I set up my data plan to work in Canada, I couldn't access the internet or Google Maps without wi-fi. so I was going old school (off the grid) and wandering around aimlessly hoping to figure it out. |
| It was only when I got to the top of the Skylon Tower that I realized how close I was to the Falls. From this vantage point I could practically jump in and go for one of the wildest rides of my life. But I (spoiler alert) did not, because I wasn't about to die today. I have managed to be present for 35 consecutive Iceman Celebration Days and I wasn't about to stop that streak now. From up here I could see how truly massive this natural spectacle was and why this has become a popular tourist destination. And now I was one of them. |
| I packed a little bit of booze with me (that I smuggled across the border) but in hindsight I should have brought a whole lot more. I mixed a beverage and set out walking to find some more for tomorrow. First I passed by a Hooters, but I kept on walking. Now wasn't the time or place, but I promised myself that I would go back there because the ladies there pretend to love the Iceman. I eventually found a liquor store, but the prices were outrageous. I could understand if I was buying imported goods, but I picked up some Canadian Club whiskey and Molson Canadian beer. By this point I think I was over thinking with my wallet. Even though I am no longer a kid (turning 35 years old tomorrow), I'll still say what the kids say - YOLO. You only live once. So I was going to live it up right now. |
| While some things don't always go according to plan, sometimes things work out as intended. When I was doing my research on Niagara Falls, I found out about the Skylon Tower. Standing at 775 feet from the bottom of the Falls, it offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. It cost somewhere around $15 Canadian to ride to the top, but I didn't care about price anymore. I was in full on Iceman Celebration Day mode now. I was going to do it. And I didn't care about who would pay for it tomorrow. |
| From up here I had a 360 degree view of the falls and the surrounding area. I previously mentioned how much it cost and let me tell you now that it was worth every penny (American and Canadian). These pictures are nice but the entire experience goes way beyond that. As you can see, I came up here during the transition from day into night and I couldn't have planned it better on purpose. |
| I didn't mind walking around in a strange city without knowing where I was going. If anything, that's the ideal situation to be in because it allows you to randomly experience new things. I left home at like 5 in the morning and it took me 10 hours to get here. So once I had a few drinks, I went from 0 to Drunken Iceman in like 5.5 minutes. But one of the side effects of drinking though is having to urinate frequently. I stopped into a casino (different than the one across from my hotel) because I knew there would be a bathroom there. But in my drunken state, I put $20 on black in Roulette (it hit red) and another $20 on black (it hit red) and within a few minutes, I was out $40. And all I wanted to do was use the bathroom. That was a very expensive pee. Thanks a lot Drunken Iceman. |
| I arrived in Niagara Falls and checked into my hotel. I wish that I loved a life of luxury and could afford the finer things. But I'm eternally on a budget and chose the least expensive option - a Days Inn on the North side of town. But even though I don't have a lot of coin (American or Canadian), at the last minute I decided to upgrade to a King Bed room with a heart-shaped jacuzzi. It was only a few dollars more per night and I thought that it would be weird. And it was. A single dude in a room with a heart-shaped jacuzzi. But that's Iceman Celebration Day. This hotel was right across the street from a casino. And if you know me (and Drunken Iceman), you know that this night will not end well. It never does. |
| To this day I still do not know how long I was up there. It seemed like an eternity because time no longer mattered. That is always the best part about celebrating Cinco de Mayo and Iceman Celebration Day - the passage of time is completely irreverent. All that matters is the here and the now. And right now I was on top of the World (well at least the part of the World overlooking Niagara Falls). When I was ready to head back down to the ground, I went. But I picked up this fridge magnet monkey to give to my Mother. After all, I have her to thank for Iceman Celebration Day. She gave me the greatest gift of all - life. Without her none of this is possible. |
| Right now I was faced with a dilemma. The hotel pool is only open until a certain hour, so I wanted to get back there in time. While I was walking around earlier I saw a sign outside of a bar advertising karaoke. As much as I love being in the water, karaoke won out tonight. While there I ran into a group of guys wearing sombreros and celebrating Cinco de Mayo. I feel like I made the right decision. There weren't a whole lot of people here tonight (it was a Thursday) so I had free reign to do whatever I wanted. I can't remember how many songs I sang but I do know that I did Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and Bryan Adams' "Heaven" (the latter of which I dedicated to every man, woman and child in Canada). Plus I did the B-52's "Love Shack with the karaoke host girl. It was a good night. |
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