The trip to Jasper was amazing - flat rolling fields of canola (yellow flowers) to cows & horse ranches and further west of Edmonton, the hills start appearing. Amazing hills and blue water (glacier water melt) in rivers and lakes. It's amazing, even awe-spiring.
If you have been to New Zealand - South Island - the National park is 10 x bigger. The whole little bitty town of Jasper is catered for tourists. Surrounded by huge craggy peaks of the mountains.
And since it's the Canada Day weekend - can you imagine the crowd? Canada Day in Jasper - with speeches, parades (candy & flags tossed on the streets), being sprayed with water from fire trucks, pancakes breakfast, bands - it's really fun. Saw my first Mountie (RCMP) in their bright red uniforms - marching past.
Booked tour to Maligne Valley / Lake cruise. Amazing trip, like a safari on the roadside:)
First sighting of an elk (a she-elk), 3 white-tail deers, 2 bighorn sheep (another female), squirrels and finally a black BEAR. He was near the roadside, and we could hear him breaking old logs looking for bugs to eat. Very exciting.
Scenery was fantastic - Maligne Valley is a hanging valley - what is means is that it's a valley above another valley - Jasper valley. The lake is the 2nd largest glacier-melt lake - water was turquoise blue green. And freezing 4 degrees. Perish the thought of taking a swim. The 90 min cruise to Spirit Island - end of the 24km lake was really beautiful. Surrounded by mountains and forests, with green water.
Had the best blueberry scone I've ever tasted in the Lake Cafe. Sorry, no pic of scone.
After coming back to the hostel, I hiked 2 km uphill to the Whistlers Mountain Tramways. Paid $24 to go up in the cable car to almost 2,400m. The scenery and view was amazing. And the wind...brrr...8 degrees up there.
Took plenty of pics but sorry - cannot upload into the computer. It's too slow to do and internet / computer time is very expensive:(
Will have to find cheaper computers...like in libraries.
Gotta go for dinner.
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2 comments:
Wah! Sounds like an awesome weekend plus Mon you've had. The animal sighting sounds much more exciting this time...Will you get a chance to see a grizzly bear? The view...I imagine the hills are full of pine trees just like those we see in pictures??
So far no grizzly - they are shyer and stay in more remote places. Which I wouldn't hike by myslef:)
Some bits of it. Yup - like NZ south island.
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