Banff is a pretty town – well it has to be given it is surrounded by a few mountains. All the street signs are animals (bear street, cougar… I think you get the picture), and all the buildings aren’t too high. Although I will tell you it is a very touristy town.

There must bee a large number of tourists in Banff who spend their money in the shops. All I bought was a couple of postcards and chocolate fudge – ah.

What I enjoy most about the Canadian Rockies is the sense of massive change. Visiting glaciers and appreciating how much they change over the years, and even in one season, to sculpt the landscape. The 93, icefields parkway, is as the brochure describes it, the most beautiful road in the world, at least that I have seen. While we have photos it is impossible to do justice to what was before us.

This morning we flew through the Rockies in a helicopter. If you think they look amazing from the ground, a helicopter adds a completely different perspective to it. We had a short stop off, which was in the middle of nowhere and a short walk. It was a great pleasure to be on our own, only with the helicopter pilot.

It is certainly an improvement over the “popular spots” even if the off-season they ar crowded with noisy tour buses. I can understand the desire to hike for days to get away from it. Some how the helicopter just seems easier!

We visited Lake Louise, and while the lake is beautiful, I am not convinced the hotel was a particularly good idea. Not to worry, there are plenty of other lakes without hotels on.

We have an easy drive into Calgary tomorrow.

Very cute library. Situated below the senior citizens centre.

The opening hours are great (take a look!) for the public.

As you come in there is a wide foyer (including booksale stand) and then the circulation desk. They also like you to turn off your mobile phones (okay hands up who would like to see that in SA) The library is fairly busy with tourists checking their e-mail. They do change you $1 for 15 minutes if you are checking e-mail (think of the money raising potential!), which is pretty good. They don’t charge you if you are not. I think this is fair given the amount of people they would get through here.

The noise level is pretty quite – no phones (ah), just people typing.

Large signs are everywhere indicating the collections and number areas. What is really cute is, while they may use the Dynix system (you can see behind the desk from where the 1st computer is located) they still stamp books in the from with a due date stamp – its very cute. The public have flat screens to use with the opacs. The music is colour coded (so simple to use!), and the children’s section is cosy.

A great local library! The staff are friendly too.

Although it doesn’t look like they have a library bag though.. , can’t have everything.

Elk: 2. One was on the corner of a road on our way out of Jasper. Thankfully we didn’t have to give way to him, as he was not indicating. These are very large creatures and apparently it is “rut” season and people should not go near them! :)

Moose: 3. One was sitting in someone’s backyard – we saw this from the train. The other two were eating – also from our view from the train. Sorry no photo.

Bald Eagle: 1. Again this was viewed from the train. Pretty impressive take-off!

Mountain goats: 2. On the road from Jasper to the Icefield Parkway (we actually managed to take a photo of these – but given the limitations placed on patrons in the Banff Public Library it is unlikely that you will be able to see them for a couple of days).

Squirrels: lots more! They are too fast for me to get a photo.

Ravens: lots.

So far so good… will collect a total towards the end.

We’ve been wined and dined to within an inch of our existence. The Rocky Mountainer was truly outstanding and certainly a vast improvement on the Spirit of Washington.

We have picked up our car, and are at the Crossing Motel tonight, halfway through the Rockies. It has been a beautiful day (upto 17, most blue skies with some clodes) niether words nor photos can do justice to the natural beauty in the Jasper and Banff national parks. We will try an upload some shortly from the Bowmanville Internet Cafe.

Of to Banff tomorrow, via a Helicopter tour. Hopefully the weather is a good as it is today.

Gotta go, running out of time on this machine.

.. via the Rocky Mountaineer!

For the last day we were in Vancouver – it rained again.

The day started well with a coffee + chai latte (in a real cup I might add – although it did have to be asked for – the third place we have had real crockery!) at Blenz. Which apparently is a Canadian Coffee company. After looking in Virgin we went on a full lap of the Millennium line SkyTrain – which was great. Got to see lots of houses and fall colour!

After which we ended up at Lonsdale Quay market – which wasn’t too bad (not as good as the Granville Island Market). It was still raining so of course we went to Grouse Mountain where it was wetter and foggier still.

The weather is suppose to be improving….

If you are interested in reading our lighthouse adventures, then scroll down HMK has posted one but it appears further down the page —- so read on down.

Victoria, I don’t recall if I have told you, is a very pretty city. It has about 400k people living there and has adopted a distinctly anti-hi-rise-development view of the world. They have instituted a 12 story limit on all buildings. Its small downtown is easy to get around and its parliament and other key buildings over look a gorgeous harbour. The trip to Vancouver on the ferry, passes truly picturesque scenery. The service is frequent and cheap.

Vancouver is now on the pre-olympics development binge, hi-rise apartments are being built everywhere. Nevertheless, especially in fall, Vancouver is pretty. I suspect it would be more stunning if it weren’t for the clouds that are partially obscuring the mountains. We will persist in the rain and visit Grouse Mountain today, and perhaps Richmond which is said to be one of the largest asian communities in North America.

Victory! At last I have Sting and Annie Lennox tickets for tonight! So, don’t worry I will be having fun! Even better, our Hotel is a short walk from the stadium.

KDT

Current Status:

Squirrel = lots. In Stanley Park in Vancouver they were everywhere! Okay I know they are probably a pest – but they do look cute.

Black bear = 1

Elk = 5 at least. On the side of road from Crescent City to Bodega Bay – yes I was driving again.

Seal Lions = lots (too many along the West Coast – wait until I upload the photos!)

Elephant Seals = lots!

Deer = 10

Apparently the coast is also the place to see Orcas – however it is the wrong time of the year. As long as I get to see a Moose I think I will be happy. But please not while I am driving!

It certainly is an impressive structure. The building itself is located on one whole square block, and looks like a large Roman colosseum from the outside. The building itself reminds me of a snail shell. One you enter the large foyer (will attach pictures as soon as we can get to a computer that will let us!!) in addition to access into the library there are a number of shops (coffee, florists, magazine shops) which make the place feel very alive.

We were there at approx 3.30pm yesterday and it was very very busy. First impressions are everything (or so JOhn Stanley tells us). I loved the security guard on the entry door telling someone to get off their mobile phone (why I have no idea given there are phones all over the building). There are seven floors with escalators going up & down to each floor. A lot of the floor space is taken up with shelves, desks, and tables where you can access the Librarians who specialise in a particular subject area. There are lots of computers (however only those on the bottom floor are for visitors – of which I may say are few!), and the area is very busy – like the whole library. They even have their storage areas on the 6th + 5th floor in compactus.

However, I felt that there wasn’t enough space for people to sit in a comfy chair and relax – apart from the floor that the fiction area is on. The Children’s area also has hardly any space for kids to lounge about – apart from the nooks at the side.

Great building – but they really seem to lack space for the people and the collections- given that they have only been open 9 years I would be worried!