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June 19, Wednesday
Went with Brewster Sightseeing to see Lakes Louise, Moraine, Emerald, along with Natural Bridge, and Takakkaw Falls
Our bus driver took us along a road more known for seeing some wildlife, Bow Valley Parkway. At one point, he noted that off to the left, he thinks he sees some bears! Everyone looked to the left of the bus...to see a wooden statue of three bears!
First stop: Lake Louise.
Probably, since with the way we communicate these days is with our social media (like I'm doing here), it's all about the pictures. The bus arrived at Lake Louise, one of the famous and picturesque places in the Banff area. The bus parked, and they said "Everyone be back in the bus in 20 minutes!" Actually, while not enough time to hike around, it was plenty to take our pictures!
Lake Louise also offered (for those with more than 20 minutes) canoe rentals. The price? $200/hr.
Ok, maybe Canadian dollars, but that's still a little high if you ask me.
Next stop, Moraine Lake.
We had a little longer time to spend there. Fortunately, nature had created a large rockpile that almost all of us climbed that gave a stellar view of the lake.
(On the way to Moraine, the bus driver told us about how the local scientists were worried about one of the bears that had lost her teeth. They referred to her as...the gummy bear. And this is his day job.)
This view from waters edge shows the natural beauty, but also the water levels are lower. Our guide noted that usually the lake is filled to where the arrow is pointing on the other side
What the tourist brochures also don't show is all the other people on the beach trying to get the same photos.
Our next stop, on the way to Emerald Lake (and lunch...woo hoo!) was a rock formation on the Yoho river called the Natural Bridge, where one could walk over the rocks as the river waters had somehow carved a path through these rocks.
Here are the swirling river waters
The water goes through the rocks and then behind where Merle is standing, as indicated by the arrows
Here is the backside of the "bridge" where the water exits, and clearly, someone could cross there.
Next stop was Emerald Lake, and lunch at Emerald Lake Lodge where we got to visit more with our co-travelers. We were some of the few people on the bus without an accent from across the pond.
Our guide noted that bears like dandelions, so Merle using one to try to seduce a bear.
Our final stop before heading back was to visit Takakkaw Falls. The trip involved us heading in our large tour bus up thin mountain roads, were if the driver were to be distracted, we'd plunge hundreds of feet into a deep canyon.
Part of the drive even involved the bus backing up one switchback part of the road since the turn would be too sharp for a bus.
At 1224 feet high
(I don't know, looked like 1223 feet to me),
this waterfall is the second highest in Canada
(still damn impressive)
Hard to get perspective with the distances, but it was amazing to see.
These little dots (at arrow tip) are other hikers going up the base of the falls.
Up at the top, the water shoots out forward after bounding off a rock there.
On the way back, the bus driver was telling us about his having to take a urine test, and the nurse Lorraine was hovering over him, and he couldn't go. Eventually she gave him more space and then...with apologies to Anne Murray...he noted "I can pee freely now Lorraine is gone." (older viewers will get this)
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