makeshiftmind

It’s 10 PM on our last day in Banff.  We did a lot today — not big things, but a handful of smaller, relaxing activities that have rounded out our vacation quite well.

Brittany wanted to see the sunrise this morning, so she got up early and took her camera to Lake Minnewaka, just inside of Banff National Park.  While she waited, she saw two Elk grazing in the meadow, and was able to take several pictures of the majestic beasts before they slowly walked away.  A bald eagle also made an appearance, but she was only able to take a snapshot as it flew away, since it evaded her with superior aerial acrobatics.  Although the sky was overcast, Brittany managed to capture the nearby mountains in the morning stillness.

When she returned, we packed up for the day and headed to the town of Banff.  We walked the main town strip, popping into various stores and sampling various wares.  We stopped by a local coffee shop (of course) for a morning pickup, and photographed the interesting townsfolk and visitors in the streets.  We ran into one couple that even had a Whippet (in Canada, right).  We struck up a quick conversation and they told us that just that morning, their little puppy had chased an Elk across a field.  Apparently she thought it was a giant squirrel.  For lunch we ate local fare at Rose and Crown Pub and Restaurant.  The waitress convinced us to dip into pints of Alexander Keith’s, since, unbeknownst to us, it was Mr. Keith’s birthday.  The beer was cold and refreshing — probably my favorite Canadian beer so far.  I ordered the smoked Reuben with curry and coconut soup, and Brittany, the Albertan Beef Dip sandwich and fries.  We shared the soup (which was actually amazing) and devoured our sandwiches (which were pretty much epic) and were quite happy with our day thus far.

We decided to drive around for a while, and went on a short hike to one of the lesser local attractions, the remains of a small mining town called Lower Bankhead.  We took a few pictures, then drove back into town for some afternoon coffee (at the fine establishment, Second Cup).  Brittany ordered a frothy dark chocolate latte, I ordered a bold coffee, and we sat and watched people go about their business for a little while.

When we were finished we drove up to Upper Hot Springs, a large public pool fed by natural hotsprings that overlooks Mount Rundle.  We soaked in the pool for 30-45 minutes, letting our achy muscles relax, then sitting on the side of the pool in icy mountain air until we had to slide back in for warmth.  It was like being in a giant outdoor sauna — so calm and relaxing.

On our way back through the town, we parked the car at a public lot near Banff Central Park, and walked the trails for a bit while the sun set.  We took some very nice pictures and watched as people walked their dogs, played Frisbee, or just sat on a bench and held each other.  It was a nice way to end the day.

You can see our pictures in the Banffventure 2009 Day 7 web album!