30 august 2007

Ma olen turist ja ma elan siin. Niagara Falls.

Mõnikord me pakime natuke provianti ja mõned riided spordikotti, hakkame turistideks ning läheme linnast välja. Eelmisel nädalal käisime Niagaras jugasid vaatamas. Internetis paistsid nad teistsugused, kui kohapeal. Kohapeal oli võimas. Nojah, Norras nägin võimsamaid veekukkumisi, aga Niagara on ka ilus. Isegi pilvise ilmaga.
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From time to time we get adventurous, pack along some clothes, food, assume a tourist label and take a trip out of the city. Last week, we visited the Niagara Falls. The funny thing was, they looked completely different than what we saw on the Net. Reality was far more magnificent. I have been to Norway and seen falls there but Niagara seemed to beat them all hands down. Even when it was cloudy.


Niagara jõe Ameerika poolne osa näeb välja selline.
Tuleb lai kärestikuline jõgi, möödub kahelt poolt ühest saarest, mille nimi on Kitsesaar (Goat Island) ja kukub 51 meetri sügavusele alla.
Kolm juga on - American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls ja Horseshoe Falls.
Kaardil on need märgitud valge lainelise joonega.
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Niagara Falls are actually split between Canada and the US. This is what the American side looks like. Imagine a wide field of water, cluttered with rapids. Right before the falls a large island or Goat Island as it is known splits the flow in two. Between the Goat Island and Canada are the largest of the three falls, the Horseshoe Falls. They fall mostly on the Canadian side. Between the Goat Island and the US are the smaller American and the Bridal Veil Falls. There is a small patch of land between the Goat Island and the American mainland called Luna Island.
If you look on the map above you can make out the falls where the thick white line is.



Majad jõe teisel kaldal on hotellid ja kasiinod, mis asuvad Kanadas.
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Development across the water are hotels and casinos in Canada.




Kollastes kiledes inimesed laskuvad siit kuskilt alla Tuulte koopasse ja ronivad siis mööda treppe Bridal Veil Fallsile päris lähedale.
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People clad in yellow ponchos waiting in line to be taken down to the Cave of the Winds where, if they want, they can climb out to the foot of the falls.
Seal all nad nüüd ukerdavad, mööda libedaid treppe.
Ühel trepil on suur silt "No smoking".
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A look at them from high above. The National Park Service has built a wooden walkway to where they can be showered by the spray.
One of the stairs had a large NO SMOKING sign as if you can keep anything lit in this soup.
Siit paistab vaatetorn ja Vikerkaaresild (Rainbow Bridge).
Silda mööda saab Kanadasse minna.
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Observation tower and Rainbow Bridge across the river to Canada.

Horseshoe Falls.



Ilus heleroheline vesi.
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Turquoise water.
All paistab laev, millega viiakse kõige suurema - Kanadale kuuluva Horseshoe joa juurde.
Laevapilet maksab 12.50 dollarit.
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Down below you can see a ship called Maid of the Mist.
It will take you to the foot of the Horseshoe Falls for a charge of $12.50.

Meiega koos tulid laeva peale ka amišid.
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Amish people waiting for the boat trip.

Kõik lapsed võetakse kaasa, ka need, kes on alles siia ilma saabunud.
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Everyone will come along even the recent addition to the family.

Väike sissepakitud amišipoiss.
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A little Amish in his poncho.

Kõik me pakkisime ennast sinisesse kilesse.
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Everyone gets the plastic, no exceptions.

Meestel olid kaabude kaitseks spetsiaalsed kiled kaasas.
Sest kaabu peab peas olema.
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The tour furnished blue tarps only. If you had to wear a religious head garment such as an Amish straw hat you had to provide your own protection for it.




Horseshoe Falls.

Laev sõitis joast ülespaiskuva pilve sisse ja seisis seal mõnda aega.
Kaelasadav vesi oli soe ja puhas.
Jalad said märjaks.
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The boat ride jokingly known as the "soak trip" takes you to the American Falls first then moves on the Horseshoe Falls. That guarantees your shower and spray. Water was clean and warm. If you follow the instructions and wrap yourself in the provided tarp it's not too bad. Of course your shoes will get wet one way or another.
Üks mu tuttav eestlane küsis - kas New Yorgis ka juute on :)
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One of our acquaintances wanted to know if there are Jews in New York City. We always like a good laugh. The proof is in the pudding :)
Pärast laevasõitu sai mööda treppe American Fallsi juurde ronida,
need sinised mummud on inimesed.
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After the boat returned you could climb up from the pier and get up close and personal to the American Falls. The little blue dots in the picture are actually visitors going to the foot of the falls.

Peale jugasid läheb jõgi üsna rahulikult edasi.
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After the "broken waters" the calm returns to the river and it continues on it's long journey to the Atlantic.
Öösel on jõgi ja joad valgustatud.
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Illuminated rapids at night.
Taustaks Kanada kasiinod-hotellid.
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Colored spotlights from Canadian side.
Talvel jäätub kõik see värk, ma arvan, et see oleks ka ilus vaadata.
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In most winters the falls become shrouded in ice. Wish we could come back and see.
Tee Niagarale läks mägede vahelt.
Meil oli tagasisõites väga vihmane ilm, sellepärast need mäed auravad.
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En route to our destination we passed through several mountain ranges. It rained a lot and you could see all this water vapor.
Üks turismiinfo koht.
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A scenic overlook area with tourist information.

Kiirteede ääres on puhkealad (rest area), kus on vetsud ning turismiinfo ja joogi- ja näksiautomaadid.
Need kohad on puhtad ja korras ja ööpäev läbi lahti.
Brošüüride hulgast leidsin ka sellise, kus oli hunnikute viisi hotellide sooduskuponge.


Meil oli neist küll abi :)

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Interstate road system has a lot of well-kept rest areas where you could use a rest room, get a cup of hot coffee or a snack. Not to mention streching one's legs. One of the them had a concession stand with local hotel discount coupons. We sure used it...

29 august 2007

Niagara Falls'i linnake. City of Niagara Falls.

Niagara jugade juures on Niagara Falls'i linnad - üks USA-s ja teine Kanadas.
Meie olime USA poolel.
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There are two cities named Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada and Niagara Falls, New York. We stayed on the American side.


Kirik ja kasiino.
Kui internetis kohalike hotellidega tutvusin, siis kõigil oli ära märgitud, kui kaugel see asub jugadest ja kui kaugel Seneca kasiinost.
Kasiino on nagu majakas keset madalamate majadega linna.
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We did a little research before we set out on our trip. Seemed like anything that could house people had a distance from the Seneca Casino marked next to it. Turns out the casino is a landark. It's the tallest building in town, all others loose out to it by a large margin.

Selle maja ees on silt "A romantic wedding chapel".
Siin saab abielluda.
Voodit ja hommikusööki pakutakse ka.
Maja nimi on Vikerkaaremaja.
Inspireerituna päikesepaisteliste ilmadega Niagara jugade juures säravatest vikerkaartest on linnas palju kohti Rainbow nimega.
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A bed and breakfest called The Rainbow House. In addition to the ordinary housing comfort you can also get married here. Being that a rainbow almost always hangs over the falls, there are a lot of places in the city that have a word "rainbow" in the name.

Kohaliku suveniiripoe uksel räägitakse millegipärast ka vene keelt.
Muuseumina on esitletud pildid seinal, milledel inimesed sõidavad erinevate vahenditega jugadest alla.
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A local souvenir shop with a Russian-language sign on the door. It has a number of pictures of daredevils in assorted vessels trying to make the falls.


Kummitustemaja ja õhupall.
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A haunted house and a balloon ride.


Õhupalliga saab õhku tõusta ja ülevalt linna peale vaadata.
Peale vaatamist keritakse õhupall nöörimööda alla tagasi.
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They lift you up in the air and I bet you get the most magnificent view there is. Later they reel you back in to the ground.

Selles majas peaks kogu perega (loe: lastel) lõbus olema.
Sees olnud atraktsioonid paistsid kulunud ja määrdunud.
Aga öösel särab see maja värvilises valguses ja on päris ilus vaadata.
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Niagara Playland house. A lot of activities and rides for the kids as well as for the whole family. Most of them were pretty worn out, though. They turn on the lights at night and the building is a pretty pleasant sight.


Lõbutsemise reeglid.
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House rules.

Siin saavad pisipõnnid mänguautomaatidel kätt harjutada.
Et selleks ajaks, kui juba päris kasiinosse lastakse, oleks soojendus tehtud ja asi selge.
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Children's slot machines so the kids can get their casino legs early on. No wonder, the real McCoy is only half a mile from here.




Lillepeenar indiaanlasekujuga.
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Flower bed with an Indian statue.

Kohalik omnibuss, mis sõidab mööda parki.
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Tour trolley

Tuli pargi töötaja, jalutas, selline nummi autoke käekõrval, esimese laternapostini ja pistis juhtme posti. Nii nad tangivad. Ma vajan ka sellist autot.
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We were listening to a story of Nicola Tesla (what a befitting coincidence) when a park ranger pulled up in his electromobile. He was running out of juice so he reeled out an extension cord and stuck the end plug in the nearest receptacle. That's how they gas up. Wish we had a car like this.

Kasiino öösel.
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Seneca Casino lit up at night.
Siit saab välismaale.
Kanada piiripunkt autodele.
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Border crossing to Canada.

Siit väravast saab Kanadasse astuda. Näitad dokustaadid ette ja jalutad üle Vikerkaaresilla ning oledki Kanadas.

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Pedestrian entry to Canada. Show your ID and 150 yards later long live the Queen.

Vasakul park, paremal Kanada (selle maja nurga taga).
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Interesting composition of directions. Go left and you end up in the park. Go right and you end up in another park, albeit a larger one, Canada :)

Vikerkaaresilla kõhualune öösel.
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A view under the Rainbow Bridge at night.

Me magasime sellises motellis. Natuke reisi statistikat: sõitsime maha 1450 km (New Yorgist Niagara Fallsi ja tagasi, kohapeal väga palju ei tiirutanud). Bensiini läks 130 l (autorendist saime auto Dodge Avenger - rendifirma väitis, et neil pole väiksemat autot ja et see on väga ilus auto ja mis tähtsust sel on, kui palju auto kütust võtab).
Autorent $154 (2 ööpäeva)
teemaksud $18.45
motell $45.19 (üks öö kahele)
laevapiletid $25 (2 tk).
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We rested overnight in this motel. A few stats from our trip: all in all we drove a tad over 900 miles or 1450 kilometers. Knowing that the drive was going to be lengthy we tried to get the most economical car possible. The car rental had a bit different agenda, they tried to push the biggest gas-guzzling, house-size block-of-steel they had. Speak of differences of opinion. Eventually we had to settle on Dodge Avenger with some 26 mpg on highway so we used a fair amount of gas (130 liters according to my darling's impeccable accounting). We were charged $154 bucks for the two days we had the wheels which was not too bad. Highway tolls came to $18.45. Maid of the Mist boat was $12.50 a pop. And oh yes, we lucked out with the motel, it was only $45.19 for two, thanks to her keen eye and coupons.
All in all it we really enjoyed it and some day we'll do it over again.