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Our honeymoon trip to Alberta Canada was planned less because of a lifelong spiritual desire to experience the majestic Canadian Rockies, but because round trip airline tickets from Boston to Calgary were available for less than $400. Our arrival to the Calgary airport brought me back to a time (the late 1980’s) when industrial flooring covered the ground at airports instead of carpeting and the bathrooms didn’t have toilets that automatically flushed. We reserved the cheapest smallest car available but the rental agency mistakenly gave us a Hearse, which was a bit morbid, but it was easy to lie down in and get some rest. Our first night in Calgary was spent eating a midnight meal at a very crowded Denny’s restaurant. We drove a bit out of town and slept in our car next to a gas station near the facility of which the 1988 Winter Olympics were held.
We spent the next afternoon in Cranmore, which had some cool hiking trails and a chill residential vibe. That afternoon we checked into our hotel, Brewster’s Mountain Lodge in Banff. We stayed in the honeymoon suite. They must have thought that honeymooners would be so busy celebrating that they wouldn’t
notice the lack of maintenance on the room. For the amount of $$$ they charged, I expected perfection, which wasn’t the case. The front desk clerks were impolite and unhelpful. The town of Banff is located in a very beautiful location although some of the picturesque feel was ruined by major downtown construction. We went out for dinner on two occasions in Banff and our dining experiences were not outstanding (although the service was good). You can also expect to see a lot of mosquitoes if you plan to visit Banff. The area surrounding the town of Banff is amazing. The nearby Hoodoos outcropping is interesting and the Johnston Canyon hike to the Ink Pots brings you to an absolutely incredible valley in the mountains. We also spent an obligatory afternoon in the Lake Louise area where we canoed on the lake and rode horses up to the nearby Lake Agnes Teahouse, which was so crowded that there was at least a one-hour wait for a cup of tea.
Our next destination was Jasper National Park via the Icefields Parkway. This road between Banff and Jasper has the dramatic contour and cold temperatures of the Swiss Alps but it
is surprisingly found at the low elevation of 7,000 feet. We checked out the retreat of the Athabasca Glacier on the Columbian Icefield. The nearby visitor center is full of so many elderly and Japanese people in tour busses that you might think you’ve been transported to Las Vegas. Considering our circumstances, we thought it would be suitable to camp at Honeymoon Lake. The site was full of RV’s and its cute name attracts the crowds so nothing was available and we moved on to the Mt. Kerkeslin campground, which was magnificent. That evening we ate in Jasper (it was raining... so no cookout) and discovered the town mascot... the viscous unrelenting mosquito. Considering that this section of Canada only has seven hours of “darkness” each night (Sunrise=5:00am/Sunset=10:00pm) it feels like you are in a perpetual state of evening, which might explain why the mosquitoes are so plentiful. I call it “darkness” because even at 2:00am in the morning you can see the sun vaguely glowing in the northern skies.
The next morning had us visit Stanley Falls, which was surrounded by a chain link fence to protect stupid people from falling off the cliff. We also went to
the Path of the Glacier, which brought us to a picturesque valley of glaciers. We next drove to the Miette Hot Springs. There we found a hiking trail that actually takes you to the top of a mountain (most hikes take you around a lake or to an attraction). Sitting in the hot springs was a relaxing way to end the day. That evening we slept in our car in downtown Jasper.
We woke up early the next day and went river rafting in British Columbia under a spectacular view of Mt. Robson. The rapids were moderate at best, but it had its moments. We spent the rest of our day and night at the upscale Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. In contrast to Brewster’s Mountain Lodge this place was incredible. The facilities were perfect and the employees were friendly and polite... Wow!!!!
In the morning, we drove thru Jasper and Banff to make our way back to Calgary for the Calgary Stampede. This internationally known cowboy/cowgirl event was a definite highlight of our trip. The music was awesome. We saw the MTV worthy band Finger Eleven perform numerous hits. The Country Music Tent a.k.a. the Cheap Beer Tent
was a blast. Onsite gambling gave the place a true “wild west” feel. A few of the carnival rides were like nothing I had ever seen. We’re talking you sit in a bubble that drops you forty stories and brings you back to where you started in a matter of a second... totally insane. As a side note, we did find free parking in a nearby residential neighborhood in which you entered The Stampede from the “back side”. We also managed to sleep that evening in our car at the airport car rental drop-off center.
Click Here to Download Maps Link to Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Link to Calgary Stampede
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