Ohhhhh Canada!

It took us 2 “stop and drops” to get up here but we arrived in Banff Sunday afternoon just in time for Canada celebrations (like our 4th of July).  The Provincial Park we are in has no hook ups so we are “dry camping” using our generator and tanks.  BUT it has great Wi-Fi (with Dave’s magic connectors!!)… go figure!!!

Yesterday (Sunday) we settled in and went into Banff and walked around.  I left Dave in the “day care center” (read Irish Pub) while I shopped the “chotsky” shops.  It really didn’t take long.  Truly nothing but T Shirt shops!!  I guess I’m just not into “western art”.  The 2 “dress shops” I went into had furs and cashmere sweaters….not exactly garden wedding material!! LOL…. We tried to ride the tram up the mountain, but discovered that we would not be able to go to the restaurant, for it was closed for a private event and the parking lot looked like it was VERY crowded.

This morning (Monday, Canada Day) we got up and headed for Lake Louise.  The drive up there is beautiful and the lake is beautiful with a Fairmont Hotel next door!  They were having birch bark canoe races on the lake for Canada Day.

Lake Louise

Birch Bark Canoe Races on Lake Louise

They weren't expert canoers! 

A Dandelion field next to Lake Louise

 

Then we drove up the Icefields Parkway.  The lakes up there were just as pretty, if not prettier than Lake Louise.  We hiked up to the Peyto Lake and had views of the Crowfoot Glacier.  The hike took us to almost 7000 ft.  My knees did the climb really well… but we were both wishing for “low country” humid air in our lungs!!  Dave took MANY pictures…. Now can we remember which peak is which?  And will you know…. care????? Lol…. We decided not to ride all the way up to the area where you can walk out on the glacier.  We had done that in Alaska and it would have taken the rest of the day. One of the information panels said that the glaciers have lost 70% of their ice since 1990.  I kept trying to imagine what they looked like when Dad was here in the 90's.  And if trends continue they will not be here for Abbie and Ella.

Peyto Glacier

Crowfoot Glacier and Lake Hector

Peyto Lake
the blue color is from "glacier flour"

This documents we went to almost 7000 ft!!

As we were driving up on this great road, there would be grassy overpasses every few miles for the animals.  Supposedly you can watch a night camera and see them using them at……..Dave and I decided if you were a mountain lion you could just hang out at the overpass and catch your supper every night… lol  Go to www.parkscanada.gc.ca/transcanada to see the camera in action.  As we were driving, we realized that we are still in slightly southern Canada…. What other beautiful sights are north of us? 

Back in Banff, we decided to try the tram again.  Everyone was in town for the parade, so it was not crowded at all!  The views were spectacular!!!  We still didn’t eat in the restaurant, Daddy, because it wasn’t supper time!!  But I had orange ice cream with licorice pieces!!  We got back down the mountain just as they were closing off streets for the parade.  We got out our trusty segways and made our way to a good viewing spot.  It was bands, marching Mounties , the Japanese Society , politicians, the Shriners in Smart Cars instead of little ones, and beauty queens riding horseback.  We waved our Canada flag and clapped for everyone.  It was just “slightly different” from the parade in Fremont…. Then again everything is different from that!!!  It was fun… if hot….I wonder what little western US town we will be in on the 4^th of July…. Could be a great contrast… but probably more of a similarity. 

The Gondola Ride at Banff

View of Banff from the Gondola

Royal Mounties

Well they had Kilts and Bagpipes
Now quite as exciting as painted bicyclers.... but charming none the less!

Wow what a busy day! Tomorrow (Tuesday) we finally head South and East (we are already in a closer time zone!), though we will probably have one more campground in Canada.  We hope to get south of Calgary. 

A few observation on western Canadaians….They are VERY polite… and know more about us than we know about them…..They are very ecologically conscious….They are very diverse and seem to embrace their diversity with gusto.  They are a salad, not a melting pot….They are very proud of their heath care system and seem baffled by ours…They camp with LOTS of children! ….Their streams are crystal clear, you can see the rocks and fish and everything….and we are so far north, it doesn’t ever get dark!! At least not til 10 or 10:30…. (can we go to sleep yet?)