More Photos around Banff

These ones are from our travels yesterday to the Upper Hot Springs and then down to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. The picture of the Canadian Flag is remarkable.

Photos around Banff

Becoming a TV Expert

Two shows that I never thought I would watch, let alone appreciate: Style by Jury and Colour Confidential. Both shows talk about how to apply creativity and style to recreate and rejuvenate. In the former case, the subject is a person, in the latter, the subject is a living space. We are obsessed with experts these days, and they all are smorgasborded for us on the TV networks. When we watch TV we are standing at the top of Maslow's triangle of human needs looking out over all of humanity's possibilities. We can learn all of history, we can learn all about life, we can feel the agony of the present world strife, we can enjoy the greatest artistic performances, movies, we can siphon off the bottom feeding media and entertainment news programs, we can shop til we drop or we can just chuckle our way through endless cartoons. So much TV, so little time.

Up the Mountain Road

When you end up sitting in your suite watching Teletoons, you know it's time to get out of there. Watch for my feature blog on the subject of Teletoons, coming later. Today, we're just being lazy but we're trying to get outside. The weather is fabulous- sunny, 22C, scattered clouds, light breezes. Sorry everyone else in the country is under a heat wave! So I took a walk up Tunnel Mtn. Rd. thinking I might see something of interest. Taking the camera is good because it makes you observe closer. I was treated to some spectacular scenic views of the surrounding mountains. We'll have to see the wildlife another day.

"Good Food Served til 8pm"

That's what the sign said at the roadside restaurant. I'm wondering--what was the food like after 8pm? Another great name we liked was the ice cream stop called Two Scoop Steves in the border town of Yahk, BC. Idaho was a mere 10 miles away. It was at Yahk on the Moyie River that we saw THE WATER SNAKE. Actually, I think it was a garter snake that took to the water, perhaps a Western Terrestrial Garter Snake. He was fast. Every snake I've ever seen was always slithering AWAY from me as fast as possible. (I guess that's because I don't live in Asia, Africa or Australia.)

Is that your final antler?

So says the message on the T-shirt in the Banff gift shop. Here's another one: "May the forest be with you." or how about "Hairy potter" and the shirt shows a bear with a trowel and flower pot. We've been prowling around downtown Banff today, which by the way is under construction. One thing we both noticed is that there are Australians and New Zealanders working all the shops, same situation in Kelowna. No worries, just an observation.

Great drive into Banff yesterday. Spectacular scenery, even though some slopes have been entirely killed off by the pine beetles. Under the dead sticks grows up purple wildflowers and everything starts again.

Accomodations are great at the Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. The kids have moved in upstairs and the two of us are on the pull-out. Ian finally achieved his main goal of finding a new game for his DS- Pokemon diamond. We also had fun checking out the HUGE variety of gifts and crafts in the shops. It truly is amazing.

Signing off for now. Catch up tomorrow if I can.