Just about every second person working in Banff is an Aussie. They are everywhere.
Another day touring around the town of Banff in the Rockies. This morning we had a bus tour starting with a drive by of Banff Springs Hotel, which I stayed at 26 years ago. Managed to pick out the corner room window that I stayed in.
A photo stop at Bow Falls was very picturesque. Typical postcard stuff. Another stop across the river for a frontal view of the Banff Springs Hotel then to the Hoodoos. They are natural spires of limestone shaped by wind and water. Our guide told of an Indian legend, but I can't find anything online about it to back it up. She talks a lot of dutch twiddle.
Next was Johnson Canyon which has some waterfalls, one accessed by a short tunnel to view the falls and get drenched with spray.
The bus then took us to Lake Louise (originally scheduled for tomorrow) where Tony, Margaret and I had lunch in the piss-elegant restaurant at the Chateau Lake Louise with the huge picture windows. All others on our tour only went to the cheap cafe. We ate some awesome food and enjoyed the view. We had a few minutes left to take a few pictures of the still partly frozen lake before we had to be back at the bus.
This afternoon we did our tour options for Banff. Tony chose a half hour helicopter flight around the Banff area. His pictures are fantastic… he also shot some video on his iPad3.
Margaret and I did the gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain. Wide sweeping views of the valleys and mountains surrounding the area.
Tomorrow we go north to Jasper with a white water rafting ride and the Athabasca Glacier on the intinerary.
Here's a few shots from today...
Bow Falls
Banff Springs Hotel
Bow Valley with the Hoodoos in the foreground
The Hoodoos
Johnson Canyon
Picture window at Chateau Lake Louise
Ice on Lake Louise
Sulphur Mountain
View of Banff from Sulphur Mountain
Sulphur Mountain
