Day 8 Lake Louise to Jasper

Up at 4am to watch state of origin. Last morning in Lake Louise. On bus to Jasper. First stop is the ice fields. Get onto a huge ice bus with massive tyres and drive up onto the Athabasca Glacier. The glacier is 1 km wide, 2km long and 300 metres deep. Solid ice. Very cold up there with the wind blowing off the ice fields across the glacier. Have a great time walking around on the glacier. Not slippery is it might seem as a surface of chopped up ice. Next to glacier skywalk. One of those ridiculous glass platforms hanging out from the edge of the cliff over the valley floor 300metres below. I had small walk on it and Judy walked right around. Don’t get the point as the view is no different from just looking over the edge. Continue on to Jasper stopping to look at the Athabasca falls.
Been looking for bears for days and despairing. Then when nearing Jasper suddenly see bear walking along not far from side of ride. Very exciting. Managed quick photo. Then not long after see a wolf stalking an elk and her calf. Bus couldn’t stop for photo. Elk females are giving birth now so might see more of them while here.
Check into Jasper park lodge which has cabins in a lake side setting. Dinner in restaurant and early bed after long day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ottawa II

Thursday. Really good day today. Start out early after breakfast and Oscar’s piano accompaniment. First to parliament to try to get in-demand tour tickets. Get some for 2:20 session. Then just in time for changing of the guards ceremony in front of parliament. Spectacular display of very British process. Pipe band, brass band, lots of guards, precision marching etc. took about half hour. Next go down to locks to watch boats climbing up into Rideau Canal. Apparently takes each boat about 1.5 hours to climb up through 6 locks. Catch water taxi across river, coincidentally crossing into Quebec province with the border in middle of river. Go to fascinating Mosaiculture exhibition in Jacques-Cartier Park. From a distance this looks like topiary animals, but is actually shapes built with framework then covered in flowers. Fascinating process. Massive wire frames in general shapes. Then small “buckets” of compacted soil are attached. Whole thing covered in fabric membrane. Then small holes
Read more

Toronto

Toronto, or Trono as we locals say. Here the locals say that the 2nd T stands for Tourist. Quite good flight from Vancouver. Check into Fairmont Royal York hotel. Good big old grand hotel. 3 hour time difference threw us a bit and found us staying up until 1am and getting up at 10.  First day, Judy still sick so did the hop on hop off thing which minimised required walking. Good overview of city. Dinner in ordinary Italian place near hotel. After dinner drink in the hotel’s library bar, comfortable old style bar. Meet server Michael who becomes a great source of info. Recommends 3 restaurants and some things to do. Next day get back on hoho bus (48 hour tickets) to visit some places drove past yesterday. First St Lawrence markets. Good big markets with everything you can think of fruit, veg, meat, fish, bakeries,  deli’s, all sorts of food outlets, clothes, souvenirs etc. good morning there. Then onto boat cruise (included in hoho ticket) for cruise around Toronto islands. Islands
Read more

Brockville

Back on train this morning for short trip further up the St Lawrence river to Brockville. Check into 1000 Islands B&B. Nice older well maintained house in tree lined street. Leave bags and head out exploring. Wander along shopping streets with interesting shops, cafes, restaurants  etc. bit of a country town feel. Have breakfast at little old fashioned bakery. Lots of fantastic old architecture. Can’t stop taking photos of buildings. Walk down to waterfront where there is a marina with lots of expensive looking boats, plus a couple of tall ships. Big park lining the river bank. Next check out the train tunnel which is supposedly the oldest in Canada now an historical item but also a thoroughfare under the town’s streets. Next do a 1.5 hour cruise on the river around the “1000 islands”. Actually 1800odd islands along the river. All sizes, some privately owned with houses, some public parks, many just islands. Pass by lots of big houses lining the river. Really good cruise. Back to
Read more