Home Safe and Sound

Now that I'm back to my desktop, I'll try to put in the pictures for the rest of the trip.

This is Moraine Lake

And here is Monica at Moraine Lake

The trail on the lakeshore with Monica in out in front of me, as usual.

The end of the lake

And the walk back--somehow, the walk back is always shorter than the walk there

Back at the hotel, we had Tea--this was the first course

And here was our view

Second course and a birthday treat

After Tea, we had a visit from my friend, Taffline, who used to be the head concierge at the hotel but is now on maternity leave. We got to meet her son, Logan, who is six months old and likes to bounce. Taff said he was fussy--we thought he was adorable and a very happy baby.

Birthday dinner was in the Fairview Dining Room (Fairview being the mountian that you look at, but also discribes the view)

We had rack of lamb

Took a picture from our room after dinner--it was after 9--the bedside lamp is reflected in the window

Friday was the half-way point in our journey. We took a bus tour to Athabasca Glacier. First stop was Bow Lake. I'm showing you Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Glacier:

Next stop was Peyto Glacier and Peyto Lake

Finally, we got to the Columbia Ice Fields. Here is Athabasca Glacier from the Visitor's Center:

Thirty-one years ago, on our honeymoon, there was no Visitor's Center and you could walk up to the glacier from the highway. We had lunch at the center then took the trip up onto the glacier. Here we are, standing in front of our Snocoach:

Here's Athabasca Glacier, close up, and us walking on it

Now, for the new stuff. Saturday, the 18th, was our Lake Agnes hike. it is one of the most popular, because it is one of the closest to the hotel, but it is also brutal. I've done it twice before. It is 4 miles, round trip, with an elevation gain of 1200 feet. There is almost no flat part in the hike. When it took me over an hour to get one third of the way up, our guide suggested that it woud be a good place to turn around. It was also the hotest day of the year for them. I wanted Monica to go to the lake with the guide--I could get back on my own. She opted to stay with me. So, we took pictures--the first is a lonely canoe on Lake Louise, the second is us at the turn around point.

So, back down the mountain we went. I lied to you in a precious post. The statue isn't Tom Wilson, it is commemorating the Swiss Mountain Guides who opened up the Lake Louise area to hiking. I rubbed his toe again anyway. We rested a bit, then changed out of smelly hiking clothes and did some sight seeing that I hadn't planned. First stop was Takakaw Falls, the second highest waterfall in Canada, though no one could tell us the highest:

The wildflowers were spectatular throughout the trip. I don't have a close-up lens, so I don't try to take too many pictures of them, because I just can't do them justice. Here is a small stand of Indian Paint Brush--just a tiny sample:

Next stop was Emrald Lake. We took a short walk but were surrounded by smokers and whiney children, so decided that we and already gotten our exercise for the day.

The last stop was called Natural Bridge. It used to be a waterfall, but the force of the water wore away softer rock behind the lip of the falls, and, well, this is what happened:

We watched The Devil Wears Prada, which we both enjoyed, then we slept very well that night. Sunday morning, we had brunch in the Victoria Dining Room, kind of lost on us, because believe it or not, neither of us are big eaters. Monica is more of an experimental eater than I am, in fact, I was very proud of her for trying new things. I didn't. Sad as we were to leave Lake Louise, it was onward to the Banff Springs Hotel. We just chilled the afternoon we got there. There was a bagpiper playing under our window. It was charming for the first few minutes... That night, we watched Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium--I cried.

Monday morning we were back sight seeing. We took a shuttle to Lake Minniwanka for another boat cruise. We cruised the length of the lake where we saw Devil's Gap

We had a wonderful guide on our cruise--full of local knowledge and fuller of personality. So we had our picture taken with him.

There are many stories about Lake Minnewanka. The Indians, or First Nation, as they are called in Canada, thought it was haunted. There are many faces that can be seen in the mountains surrounding the lake. I saw them there. Can you see them now?

On the drive back to the hotel, we saw a mama Big Horn Sheep and her baby. Would that be a Little Big Horn Sheep or a Big Horn Lamb?

We drove past Two Jack Lake, then back to the hotel.

Maligne Lake, we each bought stuffed mooses who slept with us. Here they are keeping the beds company at Banff:

Here are some views from our window at Banff:

There is only a tiny bit more, but I'm getting tired and so is Blogspot. I'll finish it tomorrow.

As promised

Well here I am, with 20 pictures I've picked out to post, and I'm having problems moving them around to go with the text. We have an 8:30 hike in the morning and I just don't feel like fighting with a computer--so I'll TELL you what we've been doing, then maybe tomorrow or the next day or when I get home, I can post pictures. It's a shame, because I have glorious scenery to share with you.
My birthday, that would be yesterday, was a wonderful day. Monica and I went to Moraine Lake in the morning. We walked the length of the lake and back, Monica always going on way ahead of me. I may be old and I may be slow and I may be fat and I may be sick, but I make it eventually. And because I manage t make it eventually, I'm guessing the chemo hasn't effected my heart.
We had an early tea in the afternoon, then a visit by my friend who used to be the head concierge but is now on maternity leave and her six month old baby. We had a delightful visit. Logan, the baby, is a big, happy guy. Monica and I are both in love. Monica napped in the afternoon and I wasted time on the computer (yes, that thing I don't want to fight with tonight). Birthday dinner was a very elegant event in the Fairview Diningroom. We both had rack of lamb.
Today was our coach tour up to the Columbia Ice Fields. We stopped on the way to see Bow Lake, Crowfoot and Bow Glaciers, Peyto Lake and Glacier, then had lunch at the Ice Fields visitor center and took the snocoach trip onto Athabasca Glacier. I have great pictures. The glacier has receded considerably in the 31 years I've been visiting it. There's still lots of ice there--sorry I can't show it to you tonight.
Now we're resting up for the Lake Agnes hike tomorrow. I'm sure I will take wonderful pictures there too. I've done the hike twice before, in 06 and 07--hope I have the stamina to do it tomorrow,
xxooxx

Birthday Eve

Sunday mid-morning we left Edmonton for Jasper. It was a lovely drive in, even though we did encounter basketball sized raindrops. Here is the view that we had from our cabin window:

And here is our cabin--the middle and to the right:

We had dinner that night in the Emerald Lounge, looking out at Mt. Edith Cavell and the rain. The only really distinguishing thing about dinner was that we both hoped that our waiter had not found his chosen career. He was the timidest little mouse we ever saw. You shouldn't be afraid of people if you are a waiter.

Monday morning, we were signed up for The Valley of the Five Lakes hike. The park service was working on the trail, so instead our guide suggested The Path of the Glacier. Fine with us. We bundled our hiking gear into the van, and off we were. These next are hiking pictures. They start with Monica's shoulder and Mt. Edith Cavell--there are, in fact, several of Mt. Edith Cavell, Angel Glacier, the glacial pond, Monica and Trevor, our guide, the glacial valley, and the two of us. You get to guess which is which.

The hike wasn't enough to keep us entertained. In the afternoon, we drove to Maligne Lake and took the boat cruise to Spirit Island. The first picture is of the lake, in the rain, then us in front of Spirit Island, then two shots of the island.

We had dinner Monday night in the Moose's Nook--not bad, but it took well over an hour to get out entrees. There was a really good trio that was playing--they had two breaks between our first course and our second. Grandma was NOT a happy camper.

Tuesday was our float trip down the Athabasca. Here we are ready to go:

There are no pictures of or from the raft--I was too scared. Monica loved it, and that was all that mattered. We had mostly dry weather on the float trip--from the top down, that is. We were soaked through to the skin from the river. It was really raining when we got back to the Lodge. When we got to our cabin, we changed everything and hung our wet clothes up over the bath to start the drying process. We were too tired and it was raining too hard--we had room service for dinner. It was much faster than the Mooses' Nook and quite good.

Woke up this morning to a beautiful day. The canoers and Canada Geese thought so too:

Breakfast, check-out, then a last picture of reception and of some of the provincial flags:


Stopped in town for some gift shopping. I found the Masonic Lodge!

And then we were on the road again. We stopped for pictures at Athabasca Pass:

And here is a picture of some of the millions of wildflowers we have seen:

Next stop was Athabasca Falls. We spent a while there and took lots of pictures.

Onward and southward, here we are, approaching the Columbia Icefields:

And a lovely waterfall by the side of the road:

We made it to Lake Louise around 4, checked in, looked around, then went out for the obligatory walk beside the lake. Here's Victoria Glacier--this picture wasn't taken from our room, but this is what we view:

We didn't walk quite to the end of the lake, but probably about a mile out. Here's a picture of the hotel on the walk back:

Just before you get back to the hotel, where the road forks to the Lake Agnes trail, there is a statue of Tom Wilson. Tom Wilson was the first mountaineer to explore this part of the Rockies. You rub his toe for good luck, a good hike, and to come back again:

Dinner in the Glacier Saloon, some shopping, then back up to the room to blog. Now I'd best get my bath and to bed or it will no longer be my birthday eve.

xxooxx

Getting here and Edmonton

This is going to be interesting--perhaps not to you, but to me. My wireless mouse is dormant, so I'm having to use the finger pad on the laptop. Not happy about that--but happy about everything else, so I guess I can deal with it.

Here is a picture of Monica and Grandma, with the trunk packed and ready to leave for the airport.

I was very nice to everyone and booked a flight that left at a reasonable time. We didn't have to get to the airport till just after 9 AM. It was all easy--checking in, security, the flight, customs, getting out connecting flight from Calgary to Edmonton. It did feel like we were on planes all day, even though the first flight was about two hours and the second was only 24 minutes. We picked up our car and found our way to the hotel. I know I printed the directions from the airport to the hotel, but I don't know what I did with them. We found it after a wrong turn or two. We have a lovely view over the Saskatchewan River looking forever over the plains.

Our adventure for today was a visit to the Ukrainian Cultural Center. Eastern Alberta and Western Saskatchan was were settled by a large migration from the Ukraine shortly after the turn of the twentieth century.

This family greets you as you enter the Visitor's Center. The cultural center is a recreation of the settlements, using original buildings that were moved to the center site. It is a living history museum, with costumed characters from the period. The first farm we visited was from 1918. The farmwife was home and gave us a tour of her home. The highlight for me was a fiddle case in the parlor, complete with fiddle--badly out of tune. She let me tune it and play it--I played Road to Boston. I missed my band!

Here's some of the livestock from the first farm:

And here, for my farm friends, is a picture of one of the fields:

The church is central to the whole park. Here is a picture from a bit of a distance:

Here is one of the smaller churches:

And this is the big church, closer view. It was really pretty inside.

This is the Hotel and the grain elevator

After two hours of walking around in the last century, we visited the gift shop and headed back to town. We were pretty tired. I was proud of myself for making it only sitting down till we got inside the church. It was a pretty long excursion for me. Back at the hotel, we went swimming--Monica longer than I. I got wet then tried the hot tub--which was REALLY hot. I figured my oncologist would not be happy with me spending too much time in that water, so I chatted with a gentleman who was there celebrating his 20th anniversary. We both dangled our feet in the hot pool. When it was time for his massage, I read, while Monica, the fish, did more swimming.

Dinner at the hotel then an earlish evening. It is almost 10 and the sun hasn't set completely yet. Tomorrow we head for the mountains and Jasper. More later as I figure out how to work this silly thing.

xxooxx

Serious Packing

It's Wednesday. We leave on Friday. I'm starting to hyperventilate. Now is the time to decide how many closets I can take with me. Oh for the days of steamer trunks! I also know I have to be realistic. What I take we have to carry at some point--there aren't bellboys everywhere--like car rental agencies. So what do I really need. The most we will be any one place is five days, so if I don't want to wear the same thing twice I only really need five outfits. This time, I'm stacking and organizing my stuff before it goes into the suitcase. That way, I hope, I will know what I'm taking and what, if anything, I still need.
Of the medical front, I see my PCP this afternoon to discuss the fluid retention and what meds she wants me to take with me. I visit the infusion center tomorrow to get my port flushed, to make sure it is open for my last chemo when I get back.
I got traveler's checks yesterday--I know, they are old fashioned, but I always feel more comfortable with them. I'm so excited--you'd think it was my first trip. It's my first really big trip since I got sick and I'm going back to the place where my cancer manifested itself. All will be fine. I will have enough cute clothes. We're not going to the back of beyond. There will be stores everywhere. We will have a blast. Onward to the serious packing.
xxooxx

More Catching Up

Thursday the 25th was my sister's birthday--my almost favorite day because it starts the three weeks that she is two years older than I. Silly the things that tickle us. It was also my mother's birthday. I saw my oncologist. Things are going well. My last chemo is scheduled for just after I get home from Canada. Did I mention to her that my feet and legs were swelling--of course not. They were--and are. By Friday, I was walking on two basketballs. I think it was the meds that my new doctor changed.
Saturday was an oops and a party. The oops occurred when I was taking the laundry downstairs. I missed the last step and went down flat on my shins--my filled with fluid shins. I did not break the hamper I was carrying--which already has serious cracks but which has been with me since 1970. I did get a few bruises and scraped my finger--and, of course, discombobulated my whole central nervous system. I was not in much of a party mood, but it was a 25th anniversary celebration that I didn't want to miss.
Sunday, I drove across the bay and met up with Gretchen and Jim. We went to a memorial for our former next door neighbor. Gretchen has kept up with all of them over the years. I haven't seen them for quite some time. It is hard to believe that we've all known each other for 53 years. The service was a lovely tribute to their mother. I was moving stiffly and hurting--still, I am glad I was able to go.
First thing Monday morning, I called my new PCP's office to let her know about the fluid retention. She's on vacation for a week. Rather than call her back-up, someone else I don't know and who doesn't know me, I called my oncologist's office and left a message for her. When she called back, I answered the phone with "Michelin Man here." She commiserated with me and told me to add one of the meds that I'd stopped taking and repeat my blood work on Monday to make sure I wasn't getting depleted of essential stuff. I can do that. I'm still puffy. I'll call the PCP's office on Monday and let them know the scoop.
That's about all the excitement from here. I need to do some serious thinking about packing for Canada. Now that it is July the trip is really going to happen.
xxooxx