Our Return from 1985

aka Part 2 of our Adventure to Canada

We made it into Banff National Park early enough in the morning that it was still pretty chilly when we toured around Lake Louise.  Which is STUNNINGLY beautiful.  I have no words to describe how awesome it is.  It has a huge hotel “Fairmont Chateau” that had cute shops and a GREAT candy store.  The guys found Kinder Eggs and I thought they were going to pass out from excitement.  I think every Kinder Egg in the store was purchased.  At a discount due to Andrew’s bartering skills. J  And we wouldn’t have come across this little gem, but I insisted on getting a post card wherever we went.  Here's a photo of the hotel (that I stole from the internet since I didn't get a picture of it myself ):

Looking for geocaches, we drove through the town of Banff.  It is a lot like Sun Valley.  Quaint, touristy, a lot of personality and a lot of weird people.  We had lunch in Banff National Park – the best picnic ever.  I pack an AWESOME picnic – this time Andrew helped me with the meats & cheeses for the sandwiches and they were DELICIOUS!

After the park, we went to Calgary.  What a great city!  We drove all around looking for a place for dinner.  We saw Olympic Park from the 1988 Winter Olympics, we saw downtown (which was Snooty McSnootsville!) and ended up at a great steakhouse in one of their malls. I won’t admit to how long I researched the internet for the name of the restaurant – apparently there are like 20 malls in Calgary.  I finally asked Andrew.  That took 30 seconds.  Here is the website:   http://www.chop.ca/  My favorite was the Lobster, Scallop and Gorgonzola dip for appetizer.  YUM!

That night we stayed in Lethbridge, Alberta.  Very uneventful , but was the location of my one and only Canadian “Eh”.  I was at Starbucks and the barista said “Beautiful day out there, eh?”  Apparently, we came on the first weekend of all sun (not overcast and no rain).  I was just happy I heard an authentic “Eh”.

On our way to Glacier National Park, we went through really boring farm land.  And then we rounded a corner and there were the windmills!  Like lighthouses, I’m addicted to the things.  I could stare at them all day.  I tried, but Andrew & Travis said no.  So, I took a ton of photos to stare at later. 

We drove the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.  What beautiful scenery.  I’ve really been missing out – it was at this point of the trip that I wished we had more time.  Again, we had a picnic for lunch.  We stopped near Lake McDonald Lodge.   I couldn’t have picked better weather for our weekend.  What beauty my eyes saw far exceeded my expectations.  View on in our slideshow of our whole trip:

Faves & Least Faves:

Andrew~ 

Fave:  Reliving memories & comparing those places from when he was there many years ago.  GEOCACHING IN CANADA (sorry My Buddy Bob!!!)

Least Fave:  Skeeters the size of pterodactyls!  We had the opportunity for a geocache on the side of the road.  While the guys were looking for it, I went down a dirt road for a photo of some beautiful scenery.  I NEVER get bit by mosquitoes.  Ever.  But I got bit twice (I still have the scars).  I don’t think they were mosquitoes, though.  They were the bugs that eat the mosquitoes!  All for a cache (that was abandoned for being attacked) and this photo:

La~ 

Fave:  The Windmills.  Duh. 

Least Fave:  That it ended.

My favorite songs from Andrew’s killer playlist:

Time of Your Life – Green Day

Run Around – Blues Travelers

Why Don’t You Let Me Stay Here – She & Him

You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling – The Righteous Brothers

Any Moody Blues

Light It Up – Glee Soundtrack

Paradise City – Guns & Roses

Good Vibrations – Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch

Travis~

Fave:  Lake Louise.  The lake is ahMAYzing, the geocaches were cool, and the candy store!

Least Fave:  “That town we drove through with all of the crazy people.  You know… the one that we were stuck in traffic and there WERE SO MANY PEOPLE”.  Me, “Do you mean Banff?”  Trav, “Yes!  That was awful!”

Dear Elusive Moose:

Where were you all weekend!  We only had 2 rules that were required by La (required by law...get it?)

1) had to do with skips on the iPod and 2) was to stop if we saw you.  No matter what.  We did not see you.  At all.  We did, however, see several "fake out" moose.  A cow.  A horse.  An elk.  A tree stump.  All far away and COULD have been you.  But they weren't.  I know you're out there.  Next time!!Disappointed, La

Even though I didn't see a moose, and wished I had about 3 more days to sight see, it still was one of the greatest trips I've been on.  Thanks a million to Travis & Andrew for making it a memorable trip of a lifetime!