Banff & SNOW

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Calgary 5/6 June 2008

We arrived in Calgary on 5th June., 2 hours after we left the UK. weather was bright and we had a good transfer to the Marriot hotel. feeling a bit jet lagged we went looking for dinner on a fairly warm evening. Finally settled for a restaurant/bistro with outside tables. So at 8.30pm (local time), (3.30am BST) Lin was eating Sea bass and I was tucking into Alberta Elk (medium rare). Finally crashed at about 11 pm.
Woke on the 6th June to rain for the bus trip around Calgary (obligatory). Spent some time at the Heritage Park (interesting) and a quick fly by the Calgary Stampede grounds. Afernoon was free to do what we liked, (like being let out school early for the afternoon). We found a place to have lunch, and then went to the Devonian gardens which sit on top of a shopping plaza undercover (bit like the Eden Project). Loads of the locals take ther lunch/papers/books to chill during lunch. Heavens opened while we were in the gardens, ethunder, lightning the works. So we sat and chilled watching the Koi carp & terrapins in the pools. It did clear up and so we went up the Calgary tower to view the panorama of the city. Great to see the snow on the Rockies and all the place where we toured during the morning. We were to have had dinner in the tower in the evening but unfortunately it was closed for renovation. Very disappointing as we had our welcome dinner in restaurant attached to the hotel (bit of a fast food joint).

Banff 7 June 2008

Woke to torrential rain for our transfer to Banff.

After a hearty breakfast (and they are hearty) we boaded or coach for Banff. Driving out of calgary the rain relented a little whilst we visited the ski centre where the winter olympics were held, all everybody remembers about the ski jumping is Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards, nobody remembers who won. We travelled to Sulphur mountain for a trip to the top by the Banff gondola (pre booked) so we had to go. Well as we climbed the cloud got thicker and the snow fell. When we reached the summit it was like a winter wonderland but not what we expected. We had a bit of lunch but as there was not much else to do came down early. Rooms wern't ready so we toured the local golf coarse looking for wildlfe, elk mainly. We were not disppointed, apparently they are classed as a hazard on the course. After booking in we wandered around looking fo a place for dinner, sttling for a nice Italian, you can't beat a good Canadian Italian.

Catch you all later, Alastair & Lin xxx

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