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Showing posts from June, 2014

Exploring some of Banff's eye candy

While at the CVF convention in Banff we did several walks however for the blog I am going to combine a couple we did to showcase the highlights of the town site. One was done Friday morning and the other - with a huge group - on Saturday morning.   As I mentioned in a previous post we were so very very lucky with the weather - it can be a real downer when it rains in the mountains.  So here we go off to explore the townsite and see the famous Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Falls and a surprise or two!  We started off on the multipurpose path that runs along side the Bow River - conveniently right behind the hotel we stayed at - the Bow View Lodge It's not every day you get piped off on a walk! First surprise - an elk!!  They are a common sight around town. The beautiful Banff Springs hotel Crossing the Bow River View from the Bridge - not a bad view anywhere in this town! Bow Falls - it's not exactly Niagara Falls but hey, the setting can't b

To market to market, on a boat

Okay now we're back in Vancouver...day three of the fun weekend Julie and I had together.  If you remember, Julie is my friend from Australia who I hadn't seen since the mid 80's when she lived in England.  We had such fun together and plan to meet up again somewhere else in the world in the next few years.  Anyway we decided to visit Granville Island and have breakfast at the market.  From there...no real concrete plans... We had a ten minute walk over to the Yaletown dock  and  I did something I had never done before in Vancouver  - took a small water bus over to the market.  Such fun!  Why didn't I do this before?  I don't know but I will sure do it again!  Yaletown Dock - we tried to find a coffee shop but none other than Starbucks so we held off - and we were happy we did!!!  Our water bus - isn't it cute? (I guess if you are a teenage girl or a cougar you might wonder what I am calling cute)  I believe it cost us four dollars to cross.  More exp

A walk to the Vermillion Lakes in Banff

 I recently spent a wonderful weekend in Banff National Park in Alberta.  Three of us from my local walking club did a nine hour road trip together to the Canadian Volkssport convention.  You may have read my posts about doing my 10 km walks.  This is what it's all about!  I will be writing an upcoming post (but don't hold your breath!) about Volkssport and how it has changed my life and there will be more posts about the convention coming up.  In the meantime if you want to read more information about it click here.  Vermillion Lakes are a series of three lakes located west of the Banff townsite.  Archeological  evidence shows that there was human activity around this lake as far back as 10,800 years! The weather was absolutely amazing - we were so LUCKY!  Everyone at the convention was overwhelmed at how beautiful Banff was - yes I do live in an amazingly beautiful country. The first full day of the convention my friend June and I did an 11 km afternoon walk to the V

A fun day out on Bowen Island

The next day after Grouse Mountain Julie wanted to visit a nearby island and Bowen Island seemed the ideal fit.  Bowen Island is a small island of 20 square miles and with approximately 3300 residents.  It lies 25 km north west of Vancouver - a twenty minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay.   We took the express bus #257 to Horseshoe Bay and just made the 9 a.m. sailing. ($12 dollars which covers both ways - you pay going over) I love the cloud covered mountains and ocean views on the way over. Almost there!  Need I add that we stayed on the open deck the whole way over?   We're here!  And we got to unload before the cars!!! First things first and it was time to get some breakfast... The Snug Cafe - my kind of place! Doggie central on a lovely sunny day and a wonderful place I am sure to sit inside on a rainy day.  Ham, cheese and egg on a croissant Lots of goodies and freshly cooked meals. Fully sated we headed off on the bus to Killarney Lake ...t