Lake Louise

Today we had an excursion that took us all around Banff!! We got picked up at the Fairmont at 9:30 and were on our way on a small minibus. There were only a total of seven guests plus our driver/guide Robbie. We met two very nice couples from the UK. After talking to them, we quickly learned they would be joining us on part of our upcoming adventures. No spoilers. More to come on that later.  

 We first stopped at Two Jack Lake which has an amazing view. 

Then we went out to Lake Louise. It still had quite a thick layer of ice since it is the highest point within Canada. Did you know that Lake Louise is named for the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria? That's fitting since its backdrop is Mount Victoria. In the summertime the lake is known for its turquoise blue water. The color comes from the glacial flour since the lake is fed by a glacier. It's also much more crowded in the summer. While we didn't get to see the beautiful colors, I was glad to avoid the massive crowds. We walked a good distance around the lake through halfway melted snow and slush and got close to a frozen waterfall.   

After Lake Louise we had our lunch just outside the lake. There were several spots to pick from. We ordered The Gobbler which was a turkey sandwich on Focaccia with cranberry, red onion and honey mustard. We also had a Cajun chicken Caesar wrap. It had been awhile since we had a sandwich (they aren't really a thing in Japan). They both tasted really good. Also tried some chocolate banana bread which was a good balance of the two flavors . And we heard from Kyle that KitKat bars in Canada aee so much better than the equivalent in United States. And he was correct!! The chocolate was more flavorful and there is a better ratio to the wafer. 

Then it was time to head to Kicking Horse River Valley. This had a beautiful and large glacial fed river that led to a larger area. Even though it looks like it's a lot of water now, when the melting really starts in about a month, it will be a gushing river and the level will be more than two times higher.  

We then headed to an overlook which was high above on a mountain. You had such a great view of Banff. And if you look closely, you can see our hotel the Fairmont Banff Springs sitting between two mountains.

 Spectacular view!! We were also joined by some Bighorn sheep who were drinking muddy water from a large puddle.

 I think we all know that a collective of sheep is a flock. Trivia time: What is a collective of owls called? Answer below.   

After this Robbie brought us back to downtown Banff where we went for some dinner at Park Distillery. We tried G&T's which were very good with their house made gin. Must have something to do with the water. We also has chicken sandwiches and Caesar salads. All very good. Then we walked back to the hotel. We may check out one of the other hotel bars tonight "for science".  

Tomorrow we have a full day of activities at the hotel starting at 11 AM with a history tour. Then at 12:30, we have a hike. And at 6 PM there is a crafting activity.  

A collective of owls is referred to as a parliament.