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Sue & Mark - Canada 2023
  • Sue Williams
Sep – Oct 2023

Sue & Mark - Canada 2023

A 23-day adventure by Sue Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 16, 2023
    Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 1 - travelling

    September 16, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Set off from home at 10am after running around trying to leave the place spotless.....a miracle might happen and we could get a buyer for the house!!!
    Didn't feel too excited, last couple of weeks have been stressful with Mark finding out he has high blood pressure and then doing his back in!!!

    Pretty uneventful journey, everything went smoothly until we landed in Vancouver and no taxi!!!! Ordered and paid for in advance but nowhere to be seen. Rang the company to find they only wait 60 mins and then disappear. Our plane was slightly late and baggage took a while....not our fault!! Cheers taxi company. You can imagine Mark's face....huffing and puffing 😡.

    Finally got another cab and got to hotel, Vancouver Auberge, about 8pm local time (4am UK time). Found a really nice steak restaurant nearby and had a meal and a glass of wine and finally realised WE'RE ON HOLIDAY 😊    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 2 - Sail Away

    September 17, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Cruise day 😊
    Short walk from our hotel to the cruise terminal and 3 ships all about to sail (pic is of the biggest.....not ours...it was vast).
    Lots of in and out of buildings for this check and that check, thousands of people all doing the same thing, queues galore. The security line took about an hour, so many people (average age about 65 👵). For some reason I didn't realise it was going to be just like an airport security system but in a large hangar.
    Anyway, we made it onto the ship and found our room on Deck 7 out of 14 (nice big bed thank goodness). Luggage not there yet so went for an explore, get the impression it's not a party party ship as lots of quiet areas dotted around. Shame.....we only came for the nightlife 💃🕺🪩.
    Amazing choices for lunch in the buffet restaurant - Mark beware!! Danger of eating to excess 🤣. Waiters and waitresses on hand to look after your every need and keep the wine flowing - Sue beware!! Danger of drinking to excess 🥂.
    Went up on deck for the sail away and took lots of pics leaving Vancouver (great skyline against Stanley Park) then back to the cabin to unpack and catch up on some much needed sleep before dinner. Had a lovely meal, waited on hand and foot by what seemed like about 4 different waiters to each table. All the staff are of ethnic background, without exception I'd say - Asian and African if I had to hazard a guess - and all so lovely.
    Chatted to the couple on the next table for a bit (socialising in small doses). They're doing the same trip as us but have ended with the cruise (and they travelled around in an RV). Said it's the best thing they've ever done and the scenery is spectacular. Very excited for the next 3 weeks.
    Watched middle aged couples on the dancefloor for a while....live band playing all types of music. Oh how we love people watching 😉. Those that can really dance and those that really haven't a clue - very entertaining.
    Ended the evening in a lovely quiet bar with a nice glass of wine listening to a cello/piano duo. Very civilised and very chilled.
    Made it to midnight!!! So nice lying in bed with the sound of the sea through our balcony doors 🛳️    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 3 - At Sea

    September 18, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    A day at sea and time to get our bearings properly on the ship. It was quite choppy so I took a seasickness pill just in case, but it did make me feel a bit woozy. Probably not helped by the fact that I was still tired from the journey.
    Breakfast buffet - amazing!!! Didn't know where to start with so much choice. Fresh fruit, yogurt, English, Canadian, Chinese 😧, eggs of any kind, omelettes, breads, pancakes, muffins, waffles, french toast...... my idea of heaven.
    Decided to have a browse round the few shops and spent a loooong time in the jewellers. Mark offered to buy me an eternity ring for my 60th so it would have been rude to say no! Think he was regretting the decision when I was still trying on rings 2 hours later 😉. Well I ended up with a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring - thank you husband!!!
    After lunch I was flagging a bit so went to the cabin for a chill about 4pm and I'm sorry to say that was the day over 🤣🤣🤣. I went into a very deep sleep and slept through till 4am in the morning - only woke up briefly when the cabin attendant knocked on the door at 8pm and I thought it was morning, couldn't understand why I was in bed fully clothed with my makeup still on.
    Needless to say we had no dinner and not a drop of alcohol all day!    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 4 - Sitka

    September 19, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Day started off very early! After falling asleep yesterday afternoon and not waking up for dinner I was fully awake at 4am. Mark woke up....or was more likely disturbed by me.....soon after and we got up and went to find coffee at 5.30am. Amazing how many other early risers were wandering around - who knew people got up so early 😀.
    Breakfast opened at 6.30 so we were at the buffet bright and breezy. Quite enjoyed being up at the crack of dawn, and it was a beautiful sunny morning, clear blue skies.
    We docked at Sitka today and hadn't booked any excursions so the day was ours to wander as we pleased. Sitka is classed as a city but it's tiny and only has 8,000 inhabitants. Some fabulous clapboard houses like you see in the films.
    We walked the one street which was a bit like something from an old American movie. We looked in the Russian orthodox "cathedral" (tiny), and had lunch at the Crab and Burger Shack. This was pretty much a fast food place, really good food but very expensive.....70 dollars for fish and chips and burger and chips (about £56 😱). We then wandered round the coast path to the National Historic Park which has wooded walks and a totem pole collection dotted along the paths. They are huge and amazing carvings.
    There were signs warning you that bears are around and what to do if you come across one - we just prayed we wouldn't 🙏🐻.
    Loads of salmon to watch leaping out of the water (Alaska is the salmon capital of the world) and we spotted a sealion 🦭 bobbing in and out of the water. Tried to get it on camera but it was really hard to keep track of 😀.
    By 4pm my knees and Mark's back were aching so we went back to the ship and chilled till dinner.
    A great day!    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 5 - Hubbard Glacier

    September 20, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 5 °C

    Today was at sea and sailing to the Hubbard Glacier. The weather was awful, raining hard and miserable 🌧️ so I wondered how much we'd see in the murky greyness. Having never seen a glacier I didn't realise it's really white and you can't fail to see it whatever the weather 🤔. Hubbard is the largest in the North American continent and is still growing, in contrast to most glaciers which are shrinking - 11,000 feet above sea level and 76 miles long. It was stunning even in pouring rain - very white and blue. Googled why it looks blue but it's a very scientific explanation which I don't understand (physics wasn't my strong point much to my dad's dismay 😉).
    After taking all the pics, and getting soaked, we got changed and went to sit in one of the lovely quiet bars with a coffee and a gin and tonic to do some crosswords. Are we showing our age??
    Had a chilled afternoon and then I went to the spa for a 75 min massage and facial - was quite painful to be honest, particularly down the sides of my legs and my lower back, which the therapist said was due to the tightness because of my knees. I've booked Mark in for an acupuncture session to try and ease his back.
    We'd booked dinner in one of the speciality restaurants, which you have to pay extra for, and the whole experience would have been lovely except I was starting to feel ever so slightly seasick 🤢. The sea was really choppy and the restaurant was right at the back of the boat, our table (apparently one of the best) looked out over the water. Had it been really calm this may have been amazing but looking at waves bouncing up and down in the dark wasn't any good for me and I struggled to enjoy the food.
    We'd wanted to go to the Abba singalong and dance but sadly I just wanted to lie down and take a sickness pill 😦. It did the trick anyway and I went straight to sleep. Happy days 😋    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 6 - Juneau

    September 21, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    Whale watching boat trip in Juneau today 🐳. Lovely rainy day so we bundled up in waterproof jackets with our thermals underneath and headed off the ship. Entertaining bus driver to take us to the boat - a middle aged lady from California who said she comes to Alaska every season to do this job and has done for 19 years. Doesn't see her husband from May to October each year, maybe that's the secret to a happy marriage 🤔🤣.
    We did see about 3 humpback whales and a colony of sea lions but got very wet trying to take pics of whales who appear on the surface for about 2 seconds.
    The onboard naturalist was informative and we learned a lot about whales, which was interesting. Each whale has unique markings on its tail (or fluke) a bit like our fingerprints, so they can all be identified. They eat all summer in places like Alaska to build up blubber and then migrate to warmer places like Hawaii for the winter when they don't eat at all for a few months. Apparently most whales don't have teeth, but they have baleen plates which filter out the small fish (eg crill) as their throats are only the size of a grapefruit and they can't swallow large things. Fact of the day: if you end up in the mouth of one of these whales, don't worry, you'd be spat out again because you're too big to go down the throat ☺️.
    We were back on the ship about 4.30 so had a much needed drink to warm up and had a chat to a couple next to us about the Rockies. Mark went off for his acupuncture which he thinks helped ease his back a bit. May need more sessions once we're home....not at cruise prices hopefully!!
    Lovely dinner. The food onboard is very good and all the staff are so friendly and can't do enough for you. Can't fault the service at all.    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 7 - Ketchikan

    September 22, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    Spent a chilled morning by the indoor pool and in the hot tub as we weren't docking in Ketchikan till 2pm. Could get used to this lifestyle ☺️.
    Once off the ship we had a quick browse in a couple of shops before joining our tour. We had a bus trip round the town with a running commentary from the driver. The towns in Alaska are like something from centuries ago, very quaint. We visited Saxman Totem Park and were told the history of some of the totem poles. Apparently they only have carvings of live creatures (humans or animals) and they all have different spiritual meanings or stories.
    After the bus tour we went to a Lumberjack Show which was entertaining if not a bit staged 🙂 🪚🪵. The audience was either on the Canadian team or the American team and had to shout for their own side as the lumberjacks took part in various competitions. It was good fun!
    Back onboard the ship we had a glass of wine before getting ready for dinner - Evening Chic dress code so posh frocks and smart shirts 👔👗.
    Sat in the bar and watched the ship's dancers perform to 60s music, followed by fellow passengers on the dance floor. Love people watching 😉.
    Can't believe we've only got one more day on the ship and our first week will be over 😔.    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 8 - last day on the ship

    September 23, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Sadly all good things come to an end. Our last day on the cruise 😔 and we were at sea so just chilled. Read my book, had a nap (cos we haven't had enough sleep this week 🤣🤣), and generally did absolutely nothing. It's been such a nice week and so relaxing - feel very rested and ready for the next two weeks of adventures.Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 9 - Vancouver

    September 24, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Woke up in the early hours and checked my phone to find that we are grandparents again ☺️. Rhia gave birth to a baby boy, Griffin Byron Whittaker, this morning at 6 o'clock (British time). Fabulous news, so happy for her and Sam. Needless to say we didn't get back to sleep for a while.
    Disembarked from the ship in Vancouver at 8.30 and everything was quick and easy. Left our luggage at the hotel (the same hotel as our first night - Auberge Vancouver) but couldn't get into our room so went off to explore Downtown. Had breakfast in a great bakery and then pottered around in Gastown. It might have been because it was Sunday but the vibe was very chilled and relaxed, not like a city, until we headed for Chinatown and suddenly we were in a really rundown district with loads of homeless down and outs and beggars.
    Walked back to the cruise terminal and carried on round the "sea wall" towards Stanley Park. It was a lovely sunny day so we hired bikes and cycled round the sea wall (basically the perimeter of Stanley Park and by the sea), and into the park. Cycled about 10k in all, it was really lovely.
    Got back to the hotel about 5.30 and got our room key...... wow! Wasn't expecting a suite but that's what we've got 👍. Lovely sitting area, kitchenette and massive bedroom and ensuite. It's amazing 😀. Popped 100 yards round the corner to The Lions Pub (very British) and had a quick evening meal and then got back to the room to chill for the rest of the evening.
    Really good day 😃    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 10 - Vancouver

    September 25, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Bit of a wet drizzly day so decided to go to Granville Island, which is renowned for its indoor public market. We walked there, which was a bit of a trek in the rain and involved going over a very long suspension-type bridge. Mark was freaking out (his irrational fear of bridges hasn't got any better 😦) so I had to "talk him" from one side to the other. Once there we went straight to a bar for a big glass of wine to calm Mark's nerves 🍷and then mooched around the market and the shops for a few hours. Amazing market with the most fabulous stalls selling meats, cheeses, fruit and veg, pastries - never seen such massive steaks (see pics).
    By 5pm my knees were aching so took the lazy way back to the hotel and grabbed a cab.
    Went to the hotel leisure club for a swim in the 25m pool - we actually swam 500m which I was quite impressed with 🏊‍♂️. We then sat in the hot tub (more of a pool than a tub) which was 40 degrees and absolutely wonderful for my poor aching legs. Felt so relaxed after! We made the most of our suite and stayed in for the evening with wine and cheese from Granville market.
    A really good day 😀    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 11 - Vancouver

    September 26, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Was awake early because Mark had a job interview via Teams at 8am. Once that was over and we'd had a few cups of coffee we set off out for the day. Had breakfast in our usual cafe, Breka, then we got an Uber to the Van Dusen botanical gardens. Had a really lovely day wandering around the gardens, they were so beautiful.
    Once back at the hotel had a chill for a couple of hours and then went out for dinner to a diner-type restaurant, Rogues. Vancouver has been great, a really nice city, and we're now ready to set off on our travels through the Rockies.    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 12 - Vancouver to Whistler

    September 27, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Early start to get on the road out of Vancouver. Picked up our hire car and drove out of the city until we reached Stanley Park, where we swapped seats because Mark knew Lion's Gate suspension bridge was looming ahead and his irrational fear of bridges was kicking in 🌉. Didn't help that we'd been looking at the bridge for the last couple of days and cycled under it, so he knew exactly what was coming 🤢. So weird!!! He gripped the seat and sat with his eyes tight shut while I drove over it 😱.

    We stopped off en route to Whistler at Shannon Falls, which were amazing, then walked through the woods to the Sea to Sky Gondola. Another thing not really on Mark's bucket list (cable car) but not a problem, he was fine. Good job really as it cost $150 for the two of us - daylight robbery 😳. The views on the way up and at the top were stunning so it was worth it. We had a coffee in the cafe and then walked a couple of the trails. Yet another suspension bridge to negotiate (this time a footbridge) but there was no way Mark was going over that one so I went across and he took the path round and met me at the other side. Really enjoyed the afternoon and I'm pleased that my knees are coping well with all the walking we're doing.

    Carried on to Whistler and arrived at the hotel (Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel) about 5.00pm. Whistler looks like a cute town, very "ski resort" vibe with alpine-type buildings. The hotels over here are different to the UK (at least the ones we're staying at) in that they don't have much in the way of restaurants and bars but the rooms have kitchen and sitting areas. It's quite nice if you don't feel like going out. We were tired after all the walking and not really eating anything except a slice of cake all day (not recommended 🤔) so we nipped to the shop and bought wine (obviously the most essential thing), ordered a pizza delivery and watched TV (Friends and a couple of other sitcoms....with crap adverts every few minutes).

    Bed was very welcome 😴💤    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler
    Our hotel

    Day 13 - Whistler

    September 28, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Woke up to hear rain outside and looked outside to a very dismal day😦. I had a cold and felt very bunged up so got a bit more sleep and then we drove out to Creekside Village to a diner I'd read about, "Dusty's". Took ages to find it as it was tucked behind a hotel at the base of the gondola.
    Whistler was apparently built in a bid for the Winter Olympics in 1968; although they didn't win the bid then, the Olympics were held here in 2010. It's a very cute village and nearly everyone here is from other countries; loads of young people doing the summer or winter season as it's such a big ski and mountain bike resort. We spoke to an English lad the other day who told us it's a "fake" town - know what he means but it's also really nice. It's quiet right now as it's between seasons, so it's great for us. Can imagine it's heaving in the summer and the winter.
    Didn't do much today because of the weather but went out for dinner to a Mongolian BBQ restaurant. So good!!! You basically get a bowl and choose all your own veg, noodles, spices, meats, sauces (and there's a huge choice), then you give it to the guys at the grill and they stir-fry it all for you. Tasted amazing but was expensive 🤔. Eating out is not cheap here.    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler
    View from our hotel roomMountain in the distance from our hotel windowValley TrailLost LakeGreen LakeSlopes above Whistler pre ski season

    Day 14 - Whistler

    September 29, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Lovely sunny day so we decided to do a long walk to some of the lakes around Whistler. Grabbed some breakfast from the supermarket across the road then set off from the hotel and followed the Valley Trail. The scenery was stunning - I literally can't stop taking photos. The trail went through woods and we first came to Lost Lake which was quite small but so pretty. We sat for a bit and enjoyed the sun, then carried on to Green Lake - so called probably because it's so 'green' 😉. Apparently the lakes that are green are that colour because glacial water carries sediment, which reflects the light and gives it the blue/green colour. Whatever the scientific explanation, it's beautiful.
    We'd taken sandwiches with us so had our little picnic by the lake - everywhere is so peaceful, it's amazing.
    By the time we got back to the hotel we'd walked about 10k and were aching a bit so we sat in the hotel hot tub. We got talking to a Russian guy who lives in Singapore but is working in Vancouver for 3 months; we were then joined by two young Swiss girls who are midwives travelling around Canada in a camper van. They abandoned it for a night in a hotel due to a mouse 🐭 finding its way into the van and freaking them out😄.
    Went to an Italian restaurant for dinner which was yet another very expensive meal, but very nice.
    Had a great day 💚    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler
    Seton LakeSun Peaks Grand Hotel

    Day 15 - Whistler to Sun Peaks

    September 30, 2023 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 7 °C

    Sadly left Whistler today, it looked so beautiful in the gorgeous sunshine. Had a long journey to Sun Peaks (about 355km - halfway to Jasper) but we took it slowly and stopped off whenever we saw a nice view. Had a walk at Seton Lake for half an hour, which was really pretty, and then pulled in at Lillooet for petrol and lunch. Bit of a one horse town in the region where the majority of the population is First Nation (indigenous North Americans). The scenery was quite barren in contrast to the lovely wooded mountains on the way out of Whistler. However, once past Kamloops it became much prettier again with the woods and snow capped mountains. The mountains here are densely covered with conifers everywhere you look - never seen so many trees.
    Just before we reached Sun Peaks we hit a brief rain storm and saw the best rainbow ever 🌈. More photos of course!
    Our hotel tonight is really nice, in a small purpose built ski resort. Our room has two queen beds so......sorry Mark....we're sleeping separately 😋. Big beds all to ourselves, what's not to like?We also got a complimentary bottle of bubbly for our birthdays. Had a quick dinner and then chilled in one of the three outdoor hot tubs. Loving life 😄    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 16 - Sun Peaks to Jasper

    October 1, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    Glorious sunny day so we decided to have a walk around Sun Peaks before setting off to Jasper. It's a small, purpose built ski resort with alpine type hotels and buildings, so very pretty. We grabbed some breakfast from a cafe and sat outside at the foot of the slopes in the sun - my kind of start to the day!! I had the best yoghurt pot with granola, fruit compote and honey 😋. The hotels are literally at the bottom of the slopes but all the ski lifts are closed for maintenance in preparation for the ski season in a few weeks.

    Another 450km drive today and we'd been warned that there are not many petrol stations so to make sure to fill up in advance. We asked a lady where the nearest petrol station was and she said "at the bottom of the hill", which we assumed was about 500 yards 🤔.
    32km later we reached the bottom of the hill.....wondered why she asked if we had enough fuel to get there 😀.

    Driving is easy as the roads are pretty quiet and there's so much lovely scenery to look at - mountains, lakes, trees with all the autumn colours. Not like British motorways!!! We pulled off the road for a break and I could see on Google maps that there was a little lake nearby (Eleanor Lake, in a place called Blue River) so we headed there. WOW!!! It was the most beautiful, tranquil place. We sat on a bench and ate our sandwiches, just soaking up the peace and the stunning view.

    The clocks went forward an hour when we entered Alberta so we didn't get to the hotel in Jasper till after 7pm. Went straight for dinner and had an early night. Had the best night's sleep of the holiday 💤.    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler
    Medicine (the disappearing) LakeMaligne LakeMedicine Lake later in the dayMaligne Canyon

    Day 17 - Jasper

    October 2, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    Found a little bakery to get our breakfast and some sandwiches and set off for Maligne Lake, about 30k from Jasper. On the pics it looks a beautiful green but unfortunately that's only if the sun is shining. It was a little bit overcast so didn't get the colour but it was still lovely. Passed great scenery on the way, including Medicine Lake which apparently fills up every spring when water runs down from the mountains, and then disappears during autumn and winter. There wasn't much water left in it today.

    Saw some sort of goats by the roadside....think they were mountain goats but not entirely sure 🐐. We then came across a moose 🦌 but there was a coach and a few cars hogging the photo opportunity and then the rangers turned up and moved them on, so we didn't get a photo sadly. Amazing mountains to look at though, really striking.

    Had a walk round one of the trails once we were at the lake, which took us on a muddy path through woods and we saw nobody the whole time! We did question whether we were lost at one point 😀. Our walking boots have been a godsend, in fact we're giving ourselves a pat on the back because we packed all the right clothes for this holiday.

    Stopped off at Maligne Canyon on the way back to the hotel, which was really impressive. Another walk and more photos (obviously).

    Had an hour's chill in the hotel room and went to an Italian for dinner (run by orientals 😄). Collapsed into the best bed of the holiday so far.....so comfortable 🛌.    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 18 - Jasper to Banff

    October 3, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    On the road again for the final time 😔. The road between Jasper and Banff is the Icefields Parkway and it is stunning the entire way (288km). I'd done my research last night and written down places to stop off on the way so we had several breaks, all of which were fab. There are also loads of viewing points along the route so my camera was constantly on. I can't stop myself taking pics - even leaning out of the car window every few minutes 🤣.

    First stop was Athabasca Falls, which were amazing. Not so much high but the power of the water was unbelievable, and so clear. We then drove on and stopped off at the roadside viewpoint for Waterfowl Lakes - can't believe how blue/green the glacial lakes are, and all surrounded by stunning mountains.
    Peyto Lake was our next stop, which was a short uphill walk from the carpark and then suddenly the most fantastic view. Truly breathtaking! A coachload of orientals beat us to the viewpoint and completely monopolised the area for ages - no spacial awareness whatsoever!! Mark was not impressed 😡🤣 - but we eventually got to take some photos.

    We had planned to do the Icefields Skywalk, a suspended platform with a glass bottomed section. It looks amazing on the internet but luckily we drove past it and it was decidedly underwhelming from what we could see. It was just suddenly there at the roadside. Glad we didn't spend the money, think we've seen far better views for free.

    Arrived in Banff about 4.30pm and found our hotel (Moose Hotel and Suites). It's really nice, two queen beds again! There are two rooftop hot pools with fabulous views of the mountains surrounding the town so I think we'll be using those in the next few days. There's also a seating area with a firepit 🔥. Living the life!!! Went to the hotel's Italian restaurant and sat at the bar with a lovely glass of wine and chatted to the Scottish barman, then had a meal.

    Great day.....again!!!    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler

    Day 19 - Banff

    October 4, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Had a bit of a lie in, then ventured out to see Banff. The weather was lovely and sunny and there's a definite chill in the air, but we sat outside a cafe and had coffee and a muffin round a firepit. Banff is a really nice town, has a good vibe, although it might be different in the high seasons when it's rammed. Browsed the gift shops looking for presents to take home and then walked round the little farmer's market. Shared fab chips with pulled pork and ranch sauce from a stand run by a guy from Manchester 😀, sitting in the park by the river.

    We then walked along the Bow River Trail to the "Surprise Corner Viewpoint", which is so-called because you come to a corner and suddenly there's an amazing view over the river to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. It's the most enormous, castle-like hotel - very impressive, and I imagine very expensive. Banff is surrounded by mountains so the views are gorgeous everywhere 🏞️🗻⛰️.
    Ooh, and we saw an elk 🦌!!!

    Stopped for a sangria when we got back to town and then decided to have an early dinner, couldn't be bothered to go back to the hotel and get changed. It's been quite nice to be very casual since the cruise 😀. We found an Indian restaurant which had good reviews, and the food was excellent. Cheaper than most places we've eaten so far too.... always a bonus.

    We were back at the hotel by 8pm so I went up to the roof to the hot pool and lay in there for half an hour. It felt so amazing being outside in the cold air, and in a wonderful hot bubbly pool. My idea of bliss!!!! Mark didn't fancy the pool tonight so I just chilled on my own and enjoyed the relaxation, contemplating the holiday and what a fantastic experience it's been. I feel so lucky ☺️.    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler
    Not enjoying the cable car 🤣
    Loving the cable car!!Hot tub viewAnd relax....

    Day 20 - Banff

    October 5, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Woke up to beautiful sunshine ☀️ - we've been really lucky with the weather this week. Had our coffee and muffin at the cafe a few doors away from the hotel, sitting outside by the firepit, and got chatting to a couple of ladies from Ontario who were good company. Everyone's so friendly!

    Drove to the Banff gondola and went up Sulphur Mountain. Was expecting the views to be good but......wow.....they were unbelievably stunning. Clear blue sky, snow capped mountains all around, a 360° panorama of absolute beauty. It was breathtaking ☺️. Can't describe how good it was, I could have stayed there all day. Hopefully the pics do it justice.

    Had a conversation with a couple from Doncaster on their honeymoon who are travelling for 9 weeks. Thought we were pushing the boat out 😉. They've done Toronto and Niagara Falls, are now in Banff, then Vancouver, followed by Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, Dubai, Singapore, Sri Lanka....and probably other places I can't remember . We tried to work out how much it must be costing them and reckoned £40k at least😱.

    Once back in the town we finished our present shopping and then went back to the hotel and lay in the rooftop hot pool. I thought it was amazing in the dark yesterday, but it was even better in the daytime with the mountains all around. Enjoyed a nice glass of prosecco in the pool before chilling in the room reading.

    Lovely dinner in our hotel and bed. Yet another great day 😀    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler
    Chateau Lake Louise

    Day 21 - Banff

    October 6, 2023 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Sadly this was our last day in Canada 😔. We spent the day at Lake Louise and it was nothing short of awe-inspiring. We drove to just outside the lake and used the park and ride. When we got to the lake the view was just magical. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, the lake was the most perfect green/blue colour, and the mountains looked stunning with the snow on the top. I can't even describe how beautiful it was 😍.

    We walked the length of the lake and sat admiring the view - I felt quite emotional ☺️. I can't take in everything we've seen and experienced, it's been so amazing and so wonderful.

    Got back to the hotel around 6pm and chilled in the hot pool with a glass of prosecco. Had dinner in our hotel again - the food is so good we couldn't see the point in trying to find somewhere else to eat - and we spent the evening looking back over the last 3 weeks. It's been the best holiday and we have both loved every minute❤️    Read more

  • Sue WilliamsSue & Mark - Canada 2023Traveler
    Calgary airport - bye bye Canada

    Day 22 - Last Day 😞

    October 7, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Well all good things must come to an end. Packed up for the journey home, checked out of the hotel, and walked down to our regular Banff cafe for breakfast. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and everything looked so beautiful. Felt really sad to be leaving 😞. We had plenty time to kill so we had a walk before setting off to Calgary airport.

    Easy journey, easy check-in, and uneventful flight home. We didn't fly till 8pm so we lost a night's sleep - neither of us slept on the plane so we were very tired by the time we landed at Heathrow and then put the clocks forward an hour.

    Canada you were truly amazing. We couldn't have asked for a better holiday, everything lived up to our expectations and we had a wonderful 3 weeks.    Read more

    Trip end
    October 8, 2023
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