Welcome to Calgary!
The city of Calgary is located in the province of Alberta and is one of Canada’s biggest cities. Many people asked us why we decided to go to Calgary as it’s generally not in many tourists itinerary. The truth is, it was too expensive to stay in Vancouver/Toronto for so many days as accommodation is pretty pricey, so we decided to slowly mooch our way across the country as we had a flight departing from Toronto.
We ended up staying here for 2 weeks and we really liked it. It gave us a chance to catch up on some much-needed rest and work. We stayed in the ‘Homewood Suites’ by the Hilton which is essentially an aparthotel, where the room includes a kitchen. It meant we were able to save a bit of money (and calories) by not eating out and cooking for ourselves. It also included a nice pool/gym so this was a very much home from home situation.
Not much happens in Calgary, but the downtown area is like any other city. Although it is one of the biggest cities, it really doesn’t feel crowded or city like at all. It was nice to be able to wander about with being caught up in the hustle and bustle of many modern cities.
Banff
We did decide to take a little trip up to Banff National Park which was glorious. Unfortunately, Alberta was experiencing some forest fires, therefore the overall air quality wasn’t as good so the views weren’t as picturesque as it could have been. Nevertheless, we still had a great time.
The views in Banff are stunning! We first stopped by Lake Louise which is a turquoise glacier-filled lake and is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. On the lake, you can do various water sports such as kayaking. As we were here only on a day trip, we didn’t have time. Facing the lake is the Fairmont Chateau, which is a place we would have loved to stay. Instead, we had a quick snoop inside and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! We also managed to bump into a Mountie here, which was high on my Canadian bucket list! We chased her down and managed to get a photo with our own Mountie Maurice!
Our next stop was at Lake Moraine, nestled in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. It arguably has slightly better views than Lake Louise, but both are worth a visit.
We stopped in the local town for some lunch and tried our first ‘Beaver Tail’. This is basically a flat doughnut where you add various toppings. It was a bit too sweet for Wendy, but think Mike enjoyed it.
After lunch, we passed the Castle of the Rockies, another stunning hotel which looks over the Bow Valley. (also worth popping in to have a look at their quirky decor). We then had a quick photo stop to look at the Hoodoos, which are naturally formed. On our way, we also came across a National Park staff member who educating us about the different bears that live within the park. As we were driving back, someone on the tour bus who had a very good eye managed to spot a bear cub in the bushes who was rummaging for berries. That definitely topped the day off, it was so cute!
Banff was lovely and we would love to visit and spend longer here, whether that is doing some hikes in the summer or even trying out skiing.
We are off to our next destination now…see you soon!