July 12

Helen suggested I drive into Banff National Park, then return to Calgary.  The park is only 1 1/2 hours from the city, and it is a dramatic drive when the horizon fills up with the Canadian Rockies as you head west.

I stopped in the town of Banff and saw the grand old hotel.  Great building.  No picture, though, as there wasn't anything close to a parking spot available.  Banff is Sun Valley cubed.  A little bit away from the hotel, I stopped to see this.

Then I got back on the Trans-Canada and headed for lakes Moraine and Louise.  This shot is on the way to the lakes.

Here is Lake Moraine where I ate lunch before hiking to the vantage point overlooking this shot.

And here is Lake Louise, taken from the hotel restaurant patio where I had an excellent orange parfait, followed by an ounce of 18 year Glenfiddich, neat.  After leaving Lake Louise, I put on my leather pants because it was a tad brisk.  Funny thing is, they're a shade tight now.   Whodda thunk that might happen?

Melt water from glacier on the mountain at the far end of the lake pours a fine sediment, sometimes called 'flour,' into the lake.  This helps give the water its distinctive color.

Anyway, a fine day, capped when I took Helen to a late dinner at one of her favorite little French places.  A number of other places she likes are closed because of flood damage.