Banff

After Emily and Bernard's wedding, I signed up to a tour to the Canadian Rockies. I've always heard about the beauty of the Rockies, but this would be my first time to see it with my naked eyes. In excitement, I embarked on Brewster's tour bus, heading towards Banff.

The bus passed the flat prairies. Suddenly high and rocky mountains appeared in my eyes. It wasn't one mountain, but a series of mountains, one after another. They were all different in shape. Some were sharp, others had flat tops. As the bus turned, a lake filled the bottom of the mountains. The bus continued winding in the mountains. Shortly the bus entered the Banff National Park and arrived at the town of Banff.

The bus first stopped at the Hot Spring place. Before the Banff National Park opened, three railroad workers from the Canadian Pacific Railway company accidentally found this Hot Spring and opened up hot bath business to tourists. Consequently the company built hotels around the Hot Spring, including the current Spring Hotel in Banff. This marked the beginning of theBanff National Park. After the visit to the Hot Spring, the bus took us to the town of Banff. Although the town is essentially a tourist resort, it has all the essential facilities, such as a post office, a pharmacy, a grocery store, a public library, and a city hall. The streets were stacked with gift shops and brand name stores like Luis Vuitton, Gucci, Roots, and Coast Moutain Equipment. Like everywhere else, it also has Mcdonald's (also called the American Embassy). Guess where did I have lunch?

After lunch, the bus took us to a Fall nearby and then the Sulfur Moutain to ride the Gondola. Sitting inside the Gondola, I felt bufferflies in my tummy. It was going as fast as a rollercoaster. Within 8 minutes, I was already at the top of the moutain, which is over 2000m in elevation. The moutain took its name because of its richness in sulfur. At the crest, the town of Banff appeared as an jewel carved within the mountains. The emerald-coloreed Bow river snaked between the majestic mountains. One side of the mountains was carpeted with evergreen pine trees, yet turning around, the other side of the moutains were bare of subalpines. Breathing in the fresh air, the scene was so majestic and pristine.

After coming down by the Gondola, the bus returned to Calgary. Even though the view of Banff was still floating in my head, I was already anxious to get onto my next trip to Lake Louise on the following day.