As I ramble about a perfect day of local tourism, please attempt to have an open mind about Niagara Falls. Niagara-on-the-Lakers have such an opportunity right on our doorstep, but only a surprisingly small percentage of us have experienced the Maid of the Mist.

The Eiffel Tower, the Hofbrauhaus, the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach — all must-sees around the world. Nearby Niagara Falls is as famous as any of them.

Last Sunday, my well-travelled daughter and I took an international visitor friend on one of the most famous boat rides in the world. Our six-hour outing had been organized perfectly, including the warm weather.

Here’s how we accomplished a quickie Niagara Falls visit on an early summer day. It could have been a traffic gridlock nightmare, but she had it all figured out.

We left Old Town just before 9 a.m. and meandered south along “one of the prettiest drives in the world” — or at least, that’s how the lower Niagara Parkway has been described for decades.

As we got nearer to the Whirlpool Bridge, the traffic got heavier. “Don’t worry about it, Dad, I’ve got this,” said my daughter.

She deftly and legally parked in front of the Niagara Parks Police building facing the American Falls, and we walked about 30 minutes north to the top of the incline railroad.

It took us down into the 170-foot-deep gorge and to the world-famous boat ride. Carrie had purchased our boat ride tickets online earlier that morning. Of course.

Talk about the efficient movement of tourists. It seemed effortless, and before long, we were wearing our very stylish blue wet weather ponchos, and standing along the lower rail of the boat.

Tourists from around the world, literally, all wide-eyed and anxious to see the mighty Falls up close and personal.

Captain Bill Bert’s announcements were clear and understandable, providing enough information to make this the boat ride of a lifetime. They had obviously spent enough on sound.

After about 15 minutes, we were in the swirling mist. Those of us who chose to stay outside suddenly experienced the full force of nature. Water, water everywhere.

They tell us some 600,000 gallons of water go over the three falls per second. That sounds like a lot to me, but this might be a case of “a lie told often enough becomes the truth.” Just trust them, and don’t be cynical.

The excitement, speechlessness and enthusiasm of everyone on the boat. And so unfiltered. We stayed outside in the misty elements, and laughed as the drenching continued. Again, proof that laughter has no foreign accent. And no profanity.

After about an hour, our indescribable experience in the Niagara gorge was over. We had been completely immersed in world-famous Niagara Falls. The Horseshoe, Bridal Veil and American Falls exceeded everyone’s expectations (but that 600,000 number still sounds like an exaggeration).

A ride back up to Queen Victoria Park, and then a short walk back to our car parked in front of the Niagara Parks Police building. Talk about walking with a view. We had paid for two hours, and didn’t have a ticket. A happy day.

By about 1 p.m., we were at Walker’s Country Market on the Parkway, enjoying generously portioned fresh sandwiches and iced tea as a picnic lunch. Egg salad, turkey breast, pastrami on rye. Absolutely fresh corn on the cob (or is it cob on the corn?).

The freshest of fresh Kawartha Dairy ice cream, sitting on a bench gazing at the deceptively amazing Niagara River. So many flavours, but I always lick the butterscotch ripple. Merci to Josh and his enthusiastic fellow scoopers.

We take this river for granted, as it continuously drains four of the Great Lakes. And it’s all fresh water.

So many people in the world need more drinking water, and water for irrigation. Canada, our home and native land, is so blessed with natural resources including what seems to be unlimited fresh water. We have hundreds of thousands of lakes in Canada — purportedly.

So, what was so confusing up in Niagara Falls? I know a wee bit about trade names and intellectual property, but what the heck happened to the Maid of the Mist? An old, very old brand name.

All the visitors, from Canada or abroad, think they are on the Maid of the Mist. But on the Canadian side of the river, the signs don’t say this — they say Hornblower, Voyage to the Falls, Niagara City Cruise.

It shouldn’t confuse me, or cause me to worry, but what the heck happened to the feel-good moniker Maid of the Mist?

This has been a bit of a pushy Ramblings, but I do hope many of you will break routine and enjoy the Maid of the Mist (or whatever it is called).

Take a few hours. Be curious. A tourist in your own backyards.