TIME OUT

What does Michelangelo, the Wild Orchid,  a Meteor Storm and the Golden Odyssey have in common?

I have rediscovered that tacky tourist souvenirs are about the same the world over.  We have had a very welcome rest day, not leaving the hotel for brunch until after eleven.  We wandered around the shops at the Fallsview Casino.  I had to laugh at a Lego set in a toy store window: The Big Bang Theory.

I ordered Canadian bacon and eggs.  What arrived was five enormous slabs of bacon sitting on a pile of fried potatoes, two pieces of toast and two eggs.  No way could I eat it all.

 I saw this sign which reminded me that Canadian is a bi-lingual country.

Inside the Casino itself were so many slot machines I couldn't begin to count them.  At a guess, well over a thousand.  We finally made our way the gaming tables and watched with interest various gambling options.  Not really tempted to try though.  We had a bit of trouble finding our way out, through the banks of slot machines everywhere.

That is our hotel on the left.  The fountain is in the fore court of the Casino and has lovely flower beds as well.  We had a coffee sitting here just watching the crowds stroll by and listening to the water.

I even managed an afternoon nap in our room.  After we walked few blocks to discover a whole different part of this town.  It was all geared to the tourist, in a lowest common denominator sort of way.  Kind of gross but in a garish, over the top way.  Sort of Melbourne Show on steroids.

So to gain equilibrium we wandered down to river, to see up close the water rushing over, to hear the pounding it makes, to faintly feel the mist and see it rise.  It is another perfect day weather wise and so many family groups are along here, on the lawns in the parks opposite.

If you can imagine, we are standing across from the falls, at about the same level, looking down at the river below.  Apparently ice several kilometres thick carved this river valley as it pushed forward ages ago.

Tonight we have read there might be a fireworks show above the Falls at ten o'clock.  Sure hope so because our room should offer a front row view!

And the answer above is they are all names of SLOT (or poker) MACHINES!