I was glad we got to Lake Moraine early. As we were walking down the short access trail, bus loads were headed up. Perfect timing! Next up was the second most photographed spot in Canada (Niagra Falls is #1), Lake Louise. My middle name is Louise, so I was looking forward to seeing it. Surprisingly, I liked Lake Moraine more, BUT there is a hike up from Lake Louise that sounds pretty cool with tea houses another lake and a glacier that I think I would have liked if I had the time. The lake was much bigger than Moraine and there was a massive luxury hotel right on the lake...maybe that's why I didn't like it as much as Moraine.
Here is the view from the courtyard of the hotel and from the arched windows in the hotel. Fan-cy...In the winter, Leslie says you can ice skate on the lake and that they have a snow castle and stuff. Pretty cool! She says she still comes up early in the morning for runs and can get emotional to see such a sight. She LOVES living out here!
On the way back to Banff, we pulled over to see the Bow River along the train tracks. There is an option at the end of our upcoming leg to walk the tracks or walk the highway...we have yet to decide. The tracks seem more of an "experience" but it also sounds like it could be a harrowing experience because the trains come by fairly often...
Then we went to a viewpoint overlooking Banff. It's small and surrounded by mountains. Leslie says it has pretty much hit it's max in residents. It is like a little village, but much busier in the summer months. If didn't feel overwhelming and I expected it to be worse than it was with congestion. Leslie and Keith live just a mile from downtown and it's quiet and peaceful with mountains all around. This is the view of Mt. Cascade from Leslie and Keith's living room. There are views of mountains all around the house. Yeah, Banff is definitely a scenic place to live!
We headed to the main strip, which is only a mile or less long, and had dinner. Here is downtown with Mt Cascade in the background.
Kane, Leslie, E, Keith, me.
Final photo of the day is of the diagonal crosswalks. I'm such a fan...it's all about efficiency!Tomorrow, we have a very relaxed leave time with a short hike to a reserved campground. Once again, weather is NOT looking clear at all...we are just hoping our luck continues. We don't mind the rain, but we still want the views. I actually have loved having the clouds and cooler weather. Fingers crossed that it stays clear enough to see everything.