It made me laugh and made me kind of sad, at the same time when I saw it.
A recent article published on Expedia entitled the “The 55 most breathtaking destinations in the world” rates Niagara Falls New York (but not Niagara Falls, Ontario) as one of them.
“Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but some destinations leave us all in awe. From gorgeous landscapes to elegant city skylines, we’ve narrowed down a list—in no particular order—of the 55 most amazing places to visit in the world,” Expedia, the global online travel sales website writes, prepping us all for a neat sales pitch.
“Of course, we haven’t explored every exquisite corner in the world…yet. But life’s a journey and we’re always happening upon photo-ready coastlines, extraordinary architecture, and historic hideaways. Some of the world’s most beautiful places are small towns or wide open spaces, while others are busy urban centers filled with colorful and crowded street markets. Add some of these breathtaking destinations to your must-visit list.”
Here is what they write about Niagara Falls, NY
“The powerful falls are mesmerizing when the crashing water is at eye level. Surround yourself with all their glory from the decks of the Maid of the Mist, a tour boat that takes you to the bottom of the falls. No barrel rides necessary!”
If you click on the link, for Niagara Falls, you will wind up on a page dedicated to selling you online hotel rooms in Niagara Falls in both New York and Ontario.
So even Expedia knows enough to capitalize on Niagara Falls, New York. What they don’t write and perhaps don’t know is that most of the City of Niagara Falls, New York (but Niagara Falls, Ontario) lives in squalor.
It is peculiar that, with one of the greatest natural landscapes in the world, the city is dead broke.
With eight million people visiting with money in their pockets from all around the world, the people here are on welfare.
With a name that is better known than practically any other in the wide world, the city calls itself a loser and wants to depend on welfare (corporate and personal) and handouts and socialism.
Instead of being rich, the city and its people chose to elect leaders who submit to the theft of our assets by Albany (and New York City) , cry how weak we are, and who tell us we cannot rise without government holding our hands and wiping the tears from our faces.
We may be among the 55 most naturally beautiful, but with all our assets and our stinking clutching to poverty, and our stubborn determination to lament our bad fortunes, we certainly must rank number 1 in natural stupidity.
No, in the whole world, there is no place that had so much and did so little with it.
Don’t blame the politicians. They’re dumber than even you and I. No one has to believe them. And if you do, shame on you. Let’s blame ourselves for our own poverty.
Anywhere else if they had a world wonder, they would be successful. It’s only us, our weakness and stupidity, our silliness and cowardice that holds us down forever.
We are from Niagara Falls, a world wonder – of stupidity – because we can’t make a go of it despite having something that nobody else in the world ever had or ever will have – the Falls.
Who ever heard of a place with eight million people wandering through every year to see what we got, that couldn’t make a fortune?