Page Five
Emerald Lake at Yoho National Park, is the most beautiful lake I've ever seen.
Each thumbnail is linked to a larger photo within a slide show. Enjoy the Canadian Rockies at your computer screen.
Maybe Jesse just knew what time of day would be best for us to visit (not long after sunrise), but the sunlight raked steam rising in the backwaters, and the lake's surface perfectly reflected the great beauty of the area.
We also enjoyed seeing a natural rock bridge on Kicking Horse River, where the water is, again, an amzaing glacial blue.
A tourist stop showed us how the Yoho Park was once underwater, a vast inland ocean, as was Kansas.
Our next stop was Banaff, Jesse's hometown. We had lunch in an Irish pub, then headed up a mountainside on a gondola lift for an inspirational view of the mountains and valleys around Banff.
We were lifted above the timberline. The weather got cool, and we had some snow. Lots of people were enjoying the view. Many of them took off on trails around the area, but we didn't walk far.
The gondola system was interesting. I'd been on a similar ride once in Switzerland. ("Yoho!")
Two young women let us break into the line waiting for a trip down the mountain and we rode down with them. They were crazy and fun...yet very polite to us oldsters.
Sunday, Day 7 of our trip, was Canada's official Thanksgiving holiday. Jesse missed out on eating at home to show us around Banff.
We saw old, impressive Banff Hotel, popular for well over 100 years, and nearby Bo Falls. We took a trip up Tunnel Mountain (where a tunnel was planned, but neverbuiltl). We had a beautiful view of the Bow River, the valley floor, and Banff Hoodoos (rock formation with a slightly human-figure look to them).
Some members of our group saw a moose below us by Bow River while we were looking out over the Hoodoos.
After a last rest stop in Banff we headed southeast, out of the mountains and onto the plains—with a quick look at Faith, Hope and Charity, triple peak of Three Graces Mountain.
Canadian plains reminded me of Kansas prairie lands (the part along I-70 from Topeka west through Junction City).
Still, Kansas does NOT have mountains easily viewable along the horizon.
Our final stop was in Calgary, scene of the 1888 International Winter Olympics.
Calgary is a big city, with skyscrapers. Clean, quiet on a holiday, impressive.
I enjoyed reflections of light and distortions of other architecture in the glass windows of skyscrappers. Our hotel made a neat reflection in the building across the street from us.
We had time to relax, gather to socialize at our hotel bar, then had a sunset view (could still see those mountains!) and supper atop Calary Tower, a space needle with rotating restaurant. |
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