Back from the Bears (Part 1.)

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Dear all, first of my blogs,so bear (tehehehe) with me.
Just got back from a week in the Canadian rockies, flew in to Calgary, straight in the hire car to Banff. Stayed in the Banff Caribou Lodge, very nice place, beds are so comfy, so nice after a long flight. Also has a great restaurant in the hotel,part of the Keg chain, can't beat a 14 oZ Prime Rib with garlic mash...mmmmmmmmm.
After a very early start, that damn jet lag, headed off up the Icefield's Parkway en route to Jasper. If you go flat out the journey only takes about 2 hours, but im not sure anyone would want to do that...so much to see on the way there.
In fact there are so many places to stop that it could easily take up 2 days!
A few highlights include: Peyto Lake (one of the bluest in the rockies), Maligne Canyon and Falls, some fablulous views. Columbia Icefield, the glacier tour, expensive, and very touristy...but so worth it...just to walk on a glacier.
The biggest and best thing about the highway is just the scenery as you drive along, but it is hard to concerntrate on the mountains when you are straining to see the wildlife. More about that later.
Arrived in Jasper in the late afternoon, stayed at Patricia Lake Bungalows, about 15mins north of Jasper. Spectacular views over the lake and Pyramid Mountain. Not a budget option, none of the places i stayed in were really very cheap, but this is because I was on a free holiday with the parents, so can't complain.
Highlights of Jasper include the Tramway, well its a cable car, but beware, its bloody cold at the top, at over 2000m, quite a temperature drop, it was snowing at the top, and we were in the cloud, glad i wasnt wearing shorts! About an hours drive west of Jasper is Mount Robson, in BC. The tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, and has the most fantastic hike to its base. Its about 5km, on an easy path to Kinney lake, really is very beautiful, and this is where I managed to capture the best picture of the trip, look in the gallery for that.
Right thats about it for Part 1. Part 2 coming later in the week.
Woooooo....only 7 days until I go to Malaysia!!!1

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Photos

Kinney Lake Reflection.
Just a fantastic Picture...love it

Glacier from Plane
Got this while flying over Greenland

Peyto Lake
So Blue!!!

Family Photo at Peyto Lake
The whole crew, im in the blue

Snowman
One of many, coming from the UK,having snow in May was really quite exciting...ah the little things!

Maligne Canyon
Rainbow in the spray..quite pretty

Maligne Falls
Just one of those nice pictures showing nature at its best.

Marmot
First bit of wildlife i saw, on the top of a mountain

View from the top of Jasper Tramway
Not quite the view we were expecting