Lake Louise and Surrounds

After disembarking from our cruise yesterday morning, we flew from Vancouver to Calgary.  

We rented a truck  and drove on the TransCanada Highway, past Banff, to Lake Louise.  The scenery along the way, from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains covered with farms and rolls of hay, and then along the Bow River once we were in the mountains, was beautiful!  We arrived at our hotel, Deer Lodge, by 6 p.m., dumped our stuff in the room, and walked directly to Lake Louise, just a few moments away.  We arrived just after the sun had set and it was breathtaking!

We got up this morning, had coffee, and hit the road.  Our first destination of the day was Moraine Lake, about 6 miles from Lake Louise.  Moraine Lake was on the Canadian $20 bill for many years.  The water was the most beautiful shade of blue/turquoise we have ever seen.  We learned that the color comes from glacial silt.  The glaciers at the head of the valley which are the source of the lake's water, grind up limestone into a fine glacial silt known as "rockflour". This flows into the lake and makes it look blue.

 

After walking at Moraine Lake for a couple of hours, we stopped at a bakery in the village of Lake Louise with freshly baked goodies.  We drove up the Yoho Valley, along the Yoho River, which looked like milky blue glass.  At the end of the road, we came to Takakkaw Falls, 

one of the highest in Canada.  Again, just beautiful!

We drove past the village of Field and up to Emerald Lake, another "one of the most beautiful in Canada."  We walked part way around the lake and had a picnic.  The temperature was in the 

low 70's.  The day was just about perfect.

Banff National Park and Yoho National Parks are two of the most naturally beautiful places we've ever visited.  Canada declared them National Parks in the early 1900's, and they are pristine.  

There is very little development.  The natural beauty is stunning. 

Butchart Gardens

We cruised into the port of Victoria, BC, yesterday afternoon.  Papa and I took a bus to Butchart Gardens.  I have wanted to visit these gardens for many years.  We wound through downtown, past The Empress Hotel and Parliament, then north another 20 miles to Butchart Gardens.  

Butchart Gardens was breathtaking! 

Skagway

Skagway is an historic town of 800 that entertains over 800,000 cruise guests each summer.  There were three other ships in port when we arrived, so there were people everywhere!  Skagway is pretty with snow capped mountains on every side and a pretty street of shops in early 1900's storefronts.  Wooden sidewalks line the storefronts, filled with jewelry, trinkets, furs, sculpture, and art.  We walked up and down the main street for a couple of hours, mostly taking photos.  The cruise out of Skagway was up a fjord, lined with waterfalls and glaciers.  Quite beautiful!

 

Juneau

Juneau is a beautiful small town state capitol city.  Surrounded by mountains, with waterfalls flowing down the sides, and on the water, it is in a stunning location.  The streets are lined with historic buildings from the late 1800's/early 1900's, painted in colorful themes, with names to match.  The Red Dog Saloon comes to mind.  Papa and I walked to St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, then by the State Capitol building, through the thick of downtown, and back to the cruise docks. 

Fog, then a Whale!

This morning was very foggy, so foggy that we were not able to see Sawyer Glacier and had to turn around after cruising toward it all night.  I was still on deck, in the fog, just to check it all out.  As I was walking around and around the deck, a small group of people called out, "there's a whale!"  I waited a few moments, and it's fin came above the water.  I also saw lots of seals floating on a small iceberg.  Even in the fog, it was a beautiful, surreal looking morning.  Shades of gray, 

with bright blue icebergs floating by.