Through deserted Detroit to Niagara Falls

Detroit has now many names - city that slipped into the abyss, dead center of automotive industry, Japanese revenge for Hiroshima (we read this not-too-funny joke somewhere on internet), the biggest bankrupt of America. On our way from Chicago to Niagara Falls we decided to check it ourselves. Does it really looks as depressing as they write about it online...?

But first we had to get there. We left Chicago quite late. Our goal for that day was Kitchener in Canada where family friend lives. Navigation was not very optimistic giving us 9 hours to destination. Not counting traffic... Last few months we spent driving on empty and friendly roads somewhere far west, now it was time for us to face Midwestern highways. And it was traumatic experience.

We drove most of the way on Interstate 94. Ugly, industrial landscape was all we could see. Whole Indiana and part of Michigan was jammed, road works everywhere, aggressive drivers squeezing in and driving over twice the speed limit on narrow overpassess under construction. So it's not only in Poland...

Utah and Wild West highways, empty spaces and no traffic at all changed our perspective. For someone who lives for example in Chicago area, it's probably quite normal. For us it was a nightmare. East coast sucked us in with its noise, pressure, speed. Luckily we had Canada and up state New York on the way so this transfer was a bit smoother - little more of rural idyll before smog completely covers up the sky.

After 6 or 7 hour drive (instead of 4-5 estimated by our navigation) we reached Detroit. On wide Michigan Avenue we were almost alone. Three lanes each way... After all it's a main road heading east, downtown. 

We passed by abandoned buildings, skeletons of burnt houses and empty lots where even the burnt remains fell apart. It's well known side effect of insurance market development. Now deurbanization is marked by burnt houses. It's not only American thing. In Poland it was the same. When new highway to Germany was built and it took over the traffic from the old road suddenly there was a real plague of fire. The fastest way out of business - as someone wrote about it. 

We were looking around with anxiety, expecting subconsciously that bunch of hungry zombies will come from around the corner. At last we got to famous abandoned railway station Michigan Central. We got out of car to take a few pictures. Another car came by - quick look at plates and face behind the wheel and relief - it's just some tourists. 

Michigan Central Station

Michigan Central Station is a symbol of fall of Detroit. But it doesn't have much to do with its current problems. 18-story building completed in 1913 was back than the biggest building in it's category in the world. But it was not a very thought through investment. Far from downtown (they hoped it would get the area on the market) it was supposed to be served by public transportation. In a city that became a world center of car industry it was a real paradox.

No parking, highway system development and more and more people with their own cars caused the number of passangers go down systematically starting in the 50s. Strangely when Detroit and car industry were booming, station was generating more and more losses and finally, in 1988 it was closed. Now the new owner who bought it for sentimental reasons is suing the city that wants to take it down.

We skipped a trip to downtown we could see from afar - it was getting late and not only we didn't feel comfortable driving there after dark but also we still had few hundred miles to go. We stopped at gas station next to the rail station. Employee behind bulletproof glass laughed out loud at when we asked for toilet... We paid quickly through carousel under the bulletproof glass and we left as quickly as we could. 

From there, feeling more and more curious look of Detroit's black residents upon us and remembering that in average it takes an hour for police to get on crime scene we decided to evacuate to nearby Canada. It was the first time in the USA we felt insecure. On the other hand though we skipped most of big cities on our way.

What will happen to Detroit? After we came back to Poland it filed for bankruptcy. Until now the biggest American bankrupt was Stockton, California, where we stayed a few days and it didn't look poor at all. Problem with Detroit is not only the crash of car industry but a complete social collapse. Now it's a poor, black ghetto (82%), where people are passive and not used to working.

What's more, it seems that African Americans, especially those with low or no income at all are not mobile so they don't move for work as easily as white or Hispanic people (which, by the way, is not a separate racial category). It doesn't bode well for Detroit. City will probably keep shrinking and getting more and more poor. Maybe at some point it'll go for some rescue plan, but probably not any time soon (with over 700 thousand residents).

We drove to Canada through the bridge that is just a few miles away from Michigan Central Station. Worth way over billion USD Ambassador Bridge is private owned. It's owner, Manuel Moroun is of Lebanese origin and is a billionaire. He is the one that bought Michigan Central Station for sentimental reasons. Maybe he could be hope for Detroit if he didn't sue city and federal government and for anything he can think of.

Moroun made on us 5 USD, as this is how much it costs to cross the bridge. On border crossing, to our surprise, we were asked for details of our last 6 months and plans for the future. Luckily we made a good impression on the guy as he finally let us in to Canada. We reached our destination after midnight. On our way there we tried to get back used to signs with kilometers and gas prices per liter.

In Canada we stayed at Pawel's mom's friend's. It was supposed to be just for a night, but we had such a good time we got lazy and we stayed two full days, during which we had some time for reading books, writing blog and seeing Kitchener and area, including cute, English-looking town Stanford.

With Zosia

We left Kitchener, surprisingly, according to our plan, at 10 am. Our punctuality and hurry resulted from the fact that a day earlier we found out, that our next hosts, Annie and Seth, old friends we met in Poland, who live in Naples, north New York state had to leave to Ohio for a few days. They could have just left the keys but last time we've seen each other was three and a half years ago in Israel and we hoped we could see them now.

For that reason we also had to decline the invitation for a coffee from Marianne, Boondockers Welcome founder and author of guide books we recommend. It was just 40 minutes drive from Kitchener to Marianne but then for sure we woudn't catch Annie and Seth. Oh well, we'll have it next time. 

From Kitchener we headed straight to Niagara Falls, which we decided to see (due to lack of time) only from Canadian side. If we had more time we would like to compare the view from both sides of the river. Despite the lack of time we didn't park at parking lot by the very falls. It would cost us 20 USD. Not much further we found parking for 5 USD per hour. Probably if you have more time to look you can find something for 2-3 USD per hour.

Hotel monsters

Niagara can be admired from the pavement along the falls and river. Behind our backs there were hotel-monsters and gift shops but views make up for this discomfort. Falls are impressive. There are two parts, the smaller one is on American side, just next to the bridge between USA and Canada, second, bigger one, bent like a horseshoe is shared between both countries. There is a terrace down by the fall, you can buy ticket to, you can also pay for a cruise to the bottom of the fall. One quick look at the boat and we were sure it's not our kind of fun.

We left the views from American side for next time, but from what we'd seen from the distance it looked a bit more friendly. There is boardwalk leading to the falls and civilization seems to be further away and less intrusive than on Canadian side. The whole area is a state park, the entrance fee is 8-10 USD per car, depending on which parking you choose.

We spent a little over an hour there and we headed off to Naples. At the border crossing they only asked us how much longer we were going to spend in the US. We were so surprised that we didn't even try to ask for a new stamp in our passports. According to some websites there is no way to get "new" six months and a deadline is still the first one you got when you first entered US. This is what we got.

Some people we met in Florida claimed that it's not a rule and it's possible to make your stay longer. They actually did, but after spending a few months in Canada, so we're still not sure if we'd get a new stamp after just a couple days. Anyway, we told a lady at the border we're going back in less than 3 weeks (which was true) and that was end of conversation. No new stamps in our passports.

We made it to Naples just in time to see Annie and Seth. We had just an hour to catch up, but still, it's better than nothing. After that they went to Ohio to look for a new house (they're moving there in a few weeks) and we stayed with their kids, Liam and Eliza.

For next few hours we felt like typical 2+4 family from Utah. We went to the river, than we had dinner and town tavern (it's not easy to get orders from three kids, take care of a fourth one and decide on what we want to eat), than we took Eliza to her grandparents. Liam decided to stay with us - grandma picked him up next morning before we left.

Maciek had lots of fun. Despite age difference Liam (10 years old) and Eliza (7) let him play with them. Maciek used all the English he knew, saying mostly "I know", "This one" and "I love you" and making up many new English-like words.

Annie, Seth and Eliza

We had fun too - we know Liam and Eliza since they were born. They spent their first years in Poland, then we visited them in Israel when Maciek was only 4 months old, it was nice to see how much they grew and changed.

Eliza, Liam, Maciek and Kalina

It was fun to stay at their house too. It's a barn built in 1905 converted for residential purposes in 1950s. Previous owner rented out part of it to holiday makers (area is famous for its wines, there is also a golf course nearby) while she had a studio in the basement.

There is a huge living room with enormous "medieval" chandelier, kids rooms have attics, there is a big kitchen and bathrooms on every floor in a tower that used to be grain elevator. It requires some work but even now it's a very pleasant house to live in.

Huge space made us wonder for a second what fun was it to live in an 18 ft trailer, but we remembered quickly. Traveling! That's why early next day we said our goodbyes and we left Naples. Our destination was calling. New York City, here we come!!!