It was another fine day to explore this paradise in the Rockies! Dave and I fuelled up with some McDonald's coffee and set off to embrace the million-dollar views, smell the evergreens and feel the sunshine on our faces! By the way, I'm thinking I may have become a McDonald's coffee convert! Who's with me?
We met up with Ingrid and she took us for a walk along the Bow Falls Trail - it's a lovely and relatively short stroll and the payback is definitely worth it, with rapids, falls, greenery and mountains in the distance. The Fairmont Banff Springs stands majestically overlooking it all. It's so neat how you can be in the heart of the town of Banff and after a short trek, you are surrounded by nature!
We said our goodbyes to Ingrid - another not-for-long farewell as she will be home in October - and climbed back into Roberto, and set off on the highway to Lake Louise. We should have taken the shuttle from Banff but instead drove the rv to a park-and-ride not too far out of our destination. Lake Louise is another spot I have dreamed of for as long as I can remember, and I did pinch myself when I saw that glorious bluish-green water with the Rockies standing proudly behind. There is nothing like it - at least, in what I've seen in my experience. Breathtaking, in a word! It's no wonder that place is packed with tourists!
We didn't have time for a long hike so Dave and I walked the trail around the perimeter of one side of the lake. When we got to the end, we were rewarded with a lovely view of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. I wonder how much a night there would cost - and I'm not sure I will ever know! Dave didn't bite when I hinted that a lakeside room there must have a spectacular view. I guess husbands don't always pick up on their wives' subtleties!
While on our hike, we could see a number of tourists all looking up and pointing at something across the lake way up high on the scree of the mountain - it turns out they were mountain goats! Those goats must have on amazing hiking boots because how they traversed that loose rock was very impressive!
Our animal sightings continued as we returned to our campsite. No, we didn't see any grizzlies. I would love to see a grizzly, yet I am so petrified to see one at the same time! There was a deer grazing on a corner lot in downtown Banff - and it seemed like it didn't have a care in the world! Near our campsite in the trees we saws tons of elk - I would say thirty or so! We saw a buck with a massive set of antlers, but I was too slow to snap a picture. I promise I saw it even though I don't have any photographic proof!
Tonight, we had another campfire and discussed our plans for tomorrow. Look out, Red Deer, here we come! Off to see some good old friends with Glengarry roots!
Wish you were here... xoxo
