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.