Chapter Four - Across the Rockies - Part II

Hi All


Welcome to the second part of chapter four of our journey through North America. It takes up on our way to Banff.

After leaving Lake Louise, we motored on our way southwards leaving Jasper National Park and entering the northern end of Banff National Park.

Our destination was to be the ski resort and tourist destination township of Banff - our penultimate stop before Calgary, the last city on our Rockies journey. On the way there, we stopped for lunch at Johnston Canyon and Falls.

The start of the Canyon and Falls Walk

Anne and Denise on one of the many bridges near the Falls

The falls

Arriving in Banff, we found our accommodation to be not as salubrious as the Fairmont in Lake Louise, but it was comfortable, adjacent to town and on the main thoroughfare with ready access to free shuttle buses.

Banff is essentially a ski-town and a tourist destination for those visiting from nearby Calgary and from overseas. Much bigger than resort towns like Whistler and those back home, it has still been able to retain some of the village atmosphere despite its burgeoning recent growth.

The falls on the Bow river in Banff

We took the opportunity to ride the aerial tram up to the top of Sulphur Mountain and the to partake in the walm waters of the Upper Hot Springs (at least Anne and Denise did!) before driving out to Lake Minnewanka (it was no Mini so I'd hate to see the big one!) to walk and explore around the lake.

The Banff Aerial Tram (Gondola)

Looking back at Banff from the top of Sulphur Mountain

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - unfortunately, we didn't stay there!

Team Andersen on top of Sulphur Mountain

Me - looking out to Lake Minnewanka

Lake Minnewanka in all its pristine glory

Anne at the marina at Minnewanka in preparation for Canada Day

Saturday was our last day in Banff and by chance, it was Canada Day, celebrating 150 years of Canada's unification of the provinces and territories (it's like Australia Day back home). Our hotel was right where the street parade commenced so we grabbed suitable vantage points and watched the entire spectacle from there, taking about 4000 photos of which a small sample or shown below.

Anne braved the early morning for the Pancake Breakfast in the park

A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in full uniform

The Mounties on horseback

The local Canadian Indian chief looking resplendent

A cowboy on horseback in the parade

The Calgary Stampede Show Band in action

Baby horses pulling big blokes in a toy carriage, Go figure!!

The guys and gals from the local LGBTI community proudly marching onwards

The Calgary Stampede Cowgirls

A tasstle-hatted  marching band

After the parade, we said goodbye to Banff and heading out of the Rockies and out onto the plains to the east and the city of Calgary.

Calgary proved to be an interesting city with a rich history and heritage - and...it's the home of the Calgary Stampede which we unfortunately missed as we were there one week too early!

The view of the ice-hockey arena and train station from our apartment in Calgary

The stadium where the Stampede is staged - again from our apartment

An eat-in dinner one night in Calgary

Our first full day there was spent touring the city and then visiting the Heritage Park where numerous buildings have been meticulously rebuilt as the relocated original houses or exact replicas of the originals.

The ladies approaching the train in Heritage Park

The actual house where the first Canadian women to campaign for
and gain the right to be declared as "people" schemed and planned

One of the old model T Fords that work around the complex

On the train around the Park

The replica of an 1880's mainstreet

Some of the cars in the historic Automobile display

Ancient petrol pumps

More of the old collection

Gas signs and the like from a by-gone era

The Park is massive with numerous attractions and a huge number of buildings representing the times and culture of the 1800's. The exhibit of vintage cars on display is phenomenal. Although we initially thought that this place was just showy and for the kids, we all really enjoyed the time we spent there.

Last on our list for the day was a ride up the Calgary Tower which proved to be interesting, informative and quite fun despite having to queue for an extended period to get up in the lift and an even longer time to come down - having one of two lifts closed for service did nothing to hasten the experience in either direction.

Looking up at the Calgary Tower 

Looking down from the top of the tower

Denise's rather tentative step onto the glass observation walk on top or Calgary Tower

Statues on the main drag

Laurie and Denise sitting on a bail of hay in the cowboy city

On our tour tour around own - the 4 Musketeers with the Stampede Stadium behind

Japanese warrior on full armour - there was an Amine convention in town!

Statue of one of the women suffragette's who fort for recognition

Our departure from Calgary airport on the next morning marked the end of our Rocky Mountains odyssey as we headed on our way to Toronto in Ontario. The cross-Rocky Mountains journey had been fantastic - one punctuated by stunning scenery, interesting and extremely enjoyable side-trips and many great adventures.

In the planning stages of this trip we were debating the merits of travelleing from Vancouver to Jasper by rail on the famous Rocky Mountaineer luxury train and then continuing on by ordinary rail to the final destination - Calgary.

In the end we decided against this option and instead booked a package where we hired a car and drove ourselves across the continental divide, stayed in some fantastic accommodation and were able to do numerous side trips and explorations under our own steam (without the railroad) along the way.

As to whether the car journey or the train trip is the better option, not having done both means that we can't rightly say - however our own experience was one that we would unreservedly recommend to others thinking of making a similar trip.