When and where?

     So, if someone tells you to go to hell, do you want to go?

Probably not.

     Some of us, however are easily encouraged to take major adventures. Our friends tell of us where they have been and we want to go. Hell, not likely one of them.
      You are sitting around the lunch table and someone mentions a trip they took somewhere. You are more than interested and fortunate to have both the time and money to go. Do you listen or just let it go?
      It has gotten me into all sort of interesting adventures.

Name these places...

 

Five Statues: Calgary

In Olympic Plaza, downtown Calgary, Alberta there are these Five Statues. They represent the powerful and influential women of the area. In some ways it is a feminist statement and in others simply a testament to the quiet and profound power of women in that and every community.

Last year in September...

Waterton Lakes Narional Park

Waterton Lakes National Park is in southern Alberta and shares a lake and border with Glacier National Park in the United States.

This is a World Heritage Site and a beautiful area of mountains, lakes, wildlife and wildflowers. Much of it closes in the winter as it is obviously cold, In fact, even during the summer it can be chilly in the evenings.

 

The center building is the old railroad hotel of The Prince of Wales. We stayed there and ate there. Afternoon tea was delightful as were our meals. The rooms are not modern nor all that comfortable. They remind me of Crater Lake Lodge. It is in a magic place and the views may be worth the price to you. They were to us, but having stayed there, I’d stay elsewhere next time and go up to the hotel for Tea, cocktails and a late dinner.

While we were there, we struck up a conversation with the harpist playing in the lobby.  After work, she came back to visit with us and share things about her life, her Italian boyfriend, and her brothers who own a eatery in the village. This is why we travel. We go to meet interesting and talented people.

While there we went up to Red Rock Canyon and checked out the museum. The Village is slow and easy and really a nice place to walk. There are lots of galleries.

Speaking of food

In Canada we had picnics nearly every day. This was made possible by Marietta getting (as a birthday gift) this folding-packable cooler. It was a little too big for our food, but it kept everything cold.

A Toast to Toast

The Terrace of the BellaVista Hotel/B&B, Lake Como, Italy

 

The BellaVista is run by a nice family. The wife is the manager, the son and husband help out. Both mothers-in-law do light housekeeping. The mothers-in-law. in their long dark dresses, also keep the chairs in the lobby warm. This is real Italy.

The breakfast was excellent and shared with conversation with a couple from Ireland.

The reason for this post is the toast. Best toast I ever had. When it came to the breakfast, the husband was in charge - mainly of the toast. He made it the very best he could. He took pride in it. This is no small thing. It was superior toast.





Calgary Coke Machine

Water colors of the Rockies

One of the most striking things about Glacier-Waterton, Banff and Jasper National Parks is the color of the water. Some of these colors are from the reflected sky and others from the glacier flour suspended in the water.

In Canada signs would be shorter if they had one national language

 

Pictures from the plane and of the plane

 

Yes, that is Alaska's Tinkerbell plane...

Marble Canyon, British Columbia

No getting lost

My usual feeling is that the best adventures happen when you get lost. This is not true on the Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies or on the Road to the Sun in Glacier ... there are no places to turn off.
But, staying on the road is plenty cool...

When encountering a bear

Meet a grizzly in the woods and you do not wait for the guy (girl?) to be nicely centered in the frame or posing at the best angle.

Johnston Falls, Alberta, Canada

 

This gives no scale or anything to compare the falls to. I am 6'2" and this is as tall as at least eight of me. (10 meters)

Light rail

Like many cities: Calgary, Alberta, Canada has a great light rail system. It makes going to the center of the city or to major attractions very easy.

The "almost" no fail system

All over the United States and in Europe, we have this system for renting a car. We always rent the cheapest and often smallest car. Auto Europe, Europcar, Avis, Budget never have a really small car so they always have upgraded us to a nicer car at no additional expense.

Last year we were upgraded by Auto Europe to a Mercedes Diesel for driving the Alps. Sweet.

Well, Hertz/Thrifty does have small cars. Actually they have miniature cars. When you want to drive the Rocky Mountains of Canada - pulling some pretty big hills - you need a car with power. Two weeks and two thousand kilometers in a lime green, mean machine and I was bushed, but have new respect for Mazda.

Two people, two suitcases, two weeks, two hundred kilometers, too much?

Calgary Stampede Grounds, Alberta, Canada

Entry gate



Ride with city in background

Rodeo grounds

Exhibition Building

Rotary Club sponsored exhibit                                           Logo/Statue

Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Canada

This is August...

Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia

Okay, let's go to Radium Hot Springs and sit in the water...why would I want to do that? Wouldn't the radium make you sterile or worse? I hate showing off my old body without a tan. Geez. Wow, this feels great and no one is pointing at me and laughing. This is the coolest - er, hottest - I like it.