After a stretched day by flying west over the globe, we arrived in Toronto where Bill [https://www.travelleaders.com/travel_agent/agent-details.aspx?id=184522], our outstanding Tour guide had organized an excellent coach, which brought us to Niagara on the Lake. So we arrived at the Prinz Edward Hotel, which has a very special styling of the interior. It is a matter of taste, and it is definitely not my preferred one, but for a couple of days it is alright and quite exciting. Take a look to the following picture and you may understand what I mean. Most impressing the over-sized oil paintings in the indoor pool. We enjoyed the stay, which was only for two nights.
Picture by Sabine Färber
The next day started with a bicycle tour for us, where the other part of the team was going for a hike. The bicycle tour was operated by an excellent organized company, owned by an Olympic medalist Steve Bauer. The technical equipment was the best I ever got by a bike hire company. The tour was excellently guided and very smooth. I.e. not to exhausting, what left a good opportunity to take a look on the marvelous landscape.
Picture by Michael Färber
The tour ended at the Klaus Reif Winery estates. First we got a lunch and vorious wines, followed by a tour through the winery. The place had a very special surprise for me, due to the fact that the owner Klaus Reif comes originally from the Palatina, the region of Germany I am coming from. Indeed the village he origins, is just 6 km apart where I grown up, and we both visited the same school. By the way, the wines made on the winery were excellent. Of course the very dry Rieslings were my favorites, as at home. On the other hand they make a large quantity of Ice-wine. Excellent stuff, but not my very personal favorite. But that’s the way it is, the tastes are different, and that makes the world more colorful. Very interesting is the fact, that we did not make any picture on the winery. May be, we were to much involved in eating and drinking, to take photos.
Picture by Michael Färber
Niagara falls was the point of interest in the afternoon. After a coach ride, we entered the Maid of the Mist boats, wrapped in blue rain coats to be protected of the water spray. Pasing by the US falls, we saw this procession of yellow coated guys on the cliff beneath the falls. It had the touch of some tribe going to a religious exercise.
Pictures by Michael Färber
This day concluded on the good earth cooking school, having an excellent 6 course dinner. The weather was suitable enough to have the dinner outdoor. We were accompanied that night by people from Siemens Westinghouse. Westinghouse plants in Hamilton were the scheduled visit for the next day, prior to our depart to Calgary.
Picture by Michael Färber