8 th May 2025


Very restless night but so good to be lying flat in a bed regardless of whether there was sleep or night.

Up showered and downstairs for a very busy breakfast before jumping on our bus and loosely meeting the 44 people we will be spending the next week with.
Our first stop was Windsport Athletic Centre on the outskirts of Calgary.
The centre is nestled under and around the 70 and 90 m ski jump. So pleased to see this, as we could see the jump from the Calgary tower yesterday afternoon.

It was great, outside the centre is the actual bobsled used in the film ‘cool running’ about the Jamaican bobsled team.





Inside we were able to watch the Calgarian ice hockey team training, some beautiful figure skaters training also.
Looked around at all the indoor facilities, there are 4 indoor ice skating rinks and the only indoor skeleton training track!
 Outside we could still see evidence of snow ski and board jumps, standard down hill and a half pipe.
 This joint hosts world class athletes from all over the world come to live and train here.











We settle in for about another few hours heading to lake Louise.
The scenery is now changing as we enter Banff National park and now we are being surrounded snowy mountains that rise almost right beside us.
Arriving in Lake Louise we are entering a tourist circus, not being judgy seriously coz I am one of them but so many people!!!
Anticipating the beautiful torquise water that one sees in all the pickiest, we were surprised and delighted to see the lake frozen and if it wasn’t beautiful enough, it started snowing.













We spent some time wandering around before making our way to the famous Lake Louise Fairmont Hotel.
As guests pay approximately $1000 a night, the facilities of the hotel are not open to the likes of us, but we are allowed inside to look.





We head off to Banff and after a quick tour around we are let loose to expose on our own.
But first lunch.








We perused the town, noting the number of people walking with their skis. The ski season is set to finish this weekend.
Our guide recommended to us ‘Beaver tails, not what you’re thinking…..



Big flat donuts that the Canadian’s top with all sorts or you can have it plain like we did. Absolutely delicious.

On the way back to Canmore we stopped at Bow Falls, a pretty spot where Marilyn Monroe filmed some films.
We also went Surprise Lookout  that essentially gave us a great few of the famous Banff Springs Hotel.











Time for home and thankfully not too far to go.

Back to hotel, dumped our things and the off to a pub next door for a beer and to watch some ice hockey.
The very important Stanley cup is being played tonight with Florida panthers and Toronto Maples.

After devoting ourselves to ice hockey for long enough we decided to wander in to downtown Canmore for some dinner. It’s a quiet little town but we managed to come across a great little restaurant with an equally great waiter.
Hailing from Watford in the UK he provided great entertainment.







Dragged ourselves home, thankfully only about a 10 minute walk.

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