1/22/2005

尼亚加拉瀑布风雪行 Niagara Falls in the winter


Canadian Falls, Goat Island, and Niagara River in the bitter cold winter.


American Falls, Goat Island, and Niagara River, in the winter sunlight.


2005.1.20. Thursday, Niagara Falls, Canada
星期四,尼亚加拉瀑布市,加拿大

一月下旬,正是冰天雪地的寒冬,最高气温不到摄氏零下十度。只有象我们这样疯狂的人才会开着一辆破旧的车,连暖气都没有的 1993 年 Saab,从安娜堡出发,向东北去,到尼亚加拉大瀑布“度假”。

经底特律的海底隧道,进入加拿大,上了平直的高速公路。两边是白雪覆盖的农场,稀疏的农舍。同样是冬天里的平原农庄,加拿大这边就觉得比密西根那边更和平。沿途只经过一个大城市 Hamilton,五个小时后就来到大瀑布区。

以 前曾来过尼亚加拉大瀑布三次,都是夏天。1992 年和 2000 年只能从美国那边遥望过来,2002 年才来到加拿大这边。这次是冬天,小城里到处是冰雪, 街上不见行人游客,但灯火辉煌的尽是娱乐场所,好莱坞似的,很滑稽。瀑布那边黑蒙蒙的,雾气蒸腾。晚饭后经过河边时,瀑布已经被射灯打照着,在寒冷的冬夜 里,义无返顾地倒泻着千万吨水,令人感到异常冰冷无情。

这是为庆祝我生日而计划的旅程,我们住在瀑布边的一家浪漫别致的维多利亚式的 B&B -- Chestnut Inn。夜晚,窗外一片灰白寂静;屋内,我们坐在电子壁炉旁品茶取暖,谈天说地。


Friday morning, looking out of the B&B window in Niagara Falls. Our 1993 Saab has no working heater, and the driver side door has a big gap when closed. During the trip between Ann Arbor and Niagara Falls, we had to scrap the icy frost off the inside windshield, and use a running laptop to generate heat.


Chestnut Inn, a beautiful Victorian B&B in Niagara Falls.


Snow and structures, from Chestnut Inn B&B in Niagara Falls, Canada.


Reflection.


Niagara River and Niagara Gorge, seen from the Canadian side below the falls.


2005.1.21. Friday, Niagara Falls, Canada
星期五,尼亚加拉瀑布市,加拿大

下楼早餐时,仍睡眼惺忪的。餐厅布置得很华丽,水晶玻璃的大吊灯,桌上摆着整套的餐具。女主人 Gail 端来橙汁、牛奶、咖啡、茶,和一盘又松软又香甜的法国面包,好吃极了!

下午两点半才鼓起勇气冒着严寒出门。虽是蓝天白云,但气温极低。我们都没有足够的御寒衣服,从停车场到瀑布走了十来分钟,就冷得不行,手指脚趾耳朵嘴唇快要冻掉了似的。

冬 天的瀑布有一股壮烈感。冰冻的水雾飞溅,打在脸上身上,颗颗粒粒的。河上满满地漂浮着冰块,随着水流千军万马般冲撞千尺之下,摔得粉身碎骨。水气腾腾升 起,瀑布半遮半掩。两岸的树木冰雪晶莹;岩石上整整齐齐地挂着冰串子。阳光照在树上雪上石上雾上,灿烂着有如火焰般炙热。

但 我们太冷了。一头钻回温暖的旅店房间,直到晚上饿得不行,才开车出门找吃的。沿河北下,黑夜中隐约看到路两旁一栋栋的漂亮小洋房,和 Niagara-at-the-Lake 小城别致的市中心。没有餐馆,只得回到好莱坞似的大街,找间中餐馆填饱肚子。寒夜中居然有人在街上派发停车罚单,真够冷的。


Niagara River and frost-covered islands, an upstream view above the Canadian Falls.


Ice on the railings next to the Canadian Falls.


Canadian Horseshoe Falls in the icy winter.


Canadian Horseshoe Falls with icy branches, with the mist and the water lit up by the beautiful sun.


Canadian Falls in the winter.


Niagara River and Niagara Gorge, below the Canadian Falls. American Falls is on the right in the distance, where the steam is rising.


Canadian Falls.


American Falls.


Canadian Horseshoe Falls in full view.


Canadian Falls in the afternoon sunlight.


Goat Island in the snow and sun. Niagara Falls.


Ice rushing down the Canadian Falls.


Ice survived the fall, on Niagara River.


2005.1.22. Saturday, Ancaster, Canada
星期六,安卡斯特,加拿大

早 起窗外仍是一片平静。十一点钟等我们磨蹭过后出门了,漫天大雪也开始了。大雪飘啊飘啊再也止不住。车里没有暖气,车窗内结了冰霜,用铲子一刮,霜雪一片片 地 落下,好像车里车外都在下雪一般。一开车窗,大雪就飞涌进来,里外都是白。麦克一直在不停地用力刮窗,累得呼呼喘气,窗上又迅速结了新霜。我笑说是寒霜守 恒定 律,到他我没有意识说情况的危这急,不是玩笑的时候。大雪越下越密,能见度极低。公路上的车辆越开越慢,很多车都停下来。从前边一辆小车中跳下一个女子, 跳上旁边一辆面包车,缓缓下了高速公路。到处是茫茫一片白,我们除了面包车的尾灯,什么也看不到,于是决定无论如何也跟着面包车走。不久连面包车也走丢 了,不知道我们到了哪 里。看来今天是走不下去了,找旅馆住吧。天地白茫茫中,车子掉到路旁的雪坑里,出不来了。

风雪交加,冷得要逃命 了!跳下车,狼狈不堪 间,被一辆小卡车解救了。车上不够位子,不管了,我勉强坐在麦克身上,把冻僵的手放在暖气上,已心满意足了。恩人把我们放到不远的一个加油站。下车时,才 看到是一家五口,黑人丈夫,白人妻子,三个小孩。我逃到 Tim Hortons 咖啡店,再也不肯出来。

咖啡店里满满坐着的都是被雪暴封住的旅人,兴高采烈地交换遇难经历。我们喝了热咖啡热巧克力,揣上四个三明治,一口气冲进街对面的旅馆 Maple Farms Motel。休息了整一下午,才缓过劲来,打电话找汽车协会帮忙把车子拉出雪坑。

加拿大。冬天。暴风雪。如此经历。


Saturday morning we left Niagara Falls B&B at the beginning of the deadly winter blizzard, not aware of the difficulties we would encounter later on.


After our car fell into a ditch during the blizzard whiteout, we were rescued by a pickup truck and sought shelter in this Tim Hortons in Ancaster, near Hamilton.


The poor Saab in the snow ditch by Hwy 53.


The Saab in the ditch, waiting to be towed.


CAA towed the Saab out from the ditch in Ancaster (near Hamilton, Canada) later Saturday evening.


2005.1.23. Sunday, Ann Arbor, Michigan
星期日,安娜堡,密西根

醒来的时候,窗外阳光明媚,白雪耀眼,一片和平景象,好像昨天什么事也没发生一样。车里还有很多昨天灌的雪,不肯融化。橘子和香蕉跟石头一样硬。上了路才发现一个车门根本关不严。麦克的座位没有热流,他便拿出手提电脑,开始计算程序,用电脑产生的热量来取暖。

下午回到温暖的家。真高兴!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very pretty pictures. Can I ask you what kind of camera do you use? Thanx.

Anonymous said...

These pictures are spetacular! I like your pictures and travel journals very much, i've been reading it from here or Wenxuecity since last year. Thank you so much for sharing! you are a very adventurous girl. --Janice

Anonymous said...

Wonderful pictures!!!Looking forward to seeing more...
renee