JASPER TO LAKE LOUISE

The only meal we had in Jasper was in our room.  There was a market nearby, so we bought ingredients for nachos and chicken.  The wine was from the American Melody.  A fabulous Merlot from Paso Robles.

So yesterday, we left Jasper for Lake Louise in a van with a guide and three others.

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In particular, Jake, our guide from State Farm....nah, Alberta Blue Sky tours...talked about that terrible wildfire of 2024.

The ride continued, and scenery was awesome.

We stopped by Athabasca Falls.

A few miles further on was a smaller falls.

I should mention something I've never seen before.  The pine cones for spruce trees are only at the very top of the tree.  Why?  Evolution has taught the tree to place future seeds up there to minimize animals eating the nuts.  Plus, if there is a forest fire, the outside protects the inner cones.

More scenes.

We stopped to film one of the Columbia glaciers.

The highlight of this tour was the Athabasca Glacier.

We were greeted by a Black-bill Magpie.

Off we went on a bus to the staging ground for our glacier walk.

Snowmobile took us to the glacier.  Got off onto the glacier.

Note that the glacier is blue.  I'll explain why later.

A 30-minute walk was too long for me, for it is difficult to walk on a glacier.  Back to the center.

On the way back, ran into three mountain goats.  Apparently, they need to eat salt, which they lick from the road.

Had lunch at the center.

Made it to the Fairmont Lake Louise.  Our room is on the second floor with perfect view of Lake Louise.  Maybe the most wonderful view we've had in our lives.

Saw the Black-bill Magpie again.

We were exhausted, so fixed up some nachos to have with a Macallan Single Malt and Ten Gin.  Followed up with ramen and beer.  What a view.  It is now almost 10PM and here is the view from our room.

Well, nearing an end to our journey, which started in Honolulu, then Las Vegas, Denver, Memphis, American Melody down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, flight to New York City for a couple of days, on the Viking Octantis from Manhattan to Toronto, a few days there, then three days on Rail Canada, a stay in Jasper, and van tour to Lake Louise.  Today, our van ride continues to Banff, to be followed by a couple of days on the Rocky Mountaineer (with WiFi because we spend the first night in a Kamloops hotel room), two days in Vancouver, than a flight home to Honolulu on Sunday.

Google AI says that our drive today from Lake Louise to Banff will be a short (50 miles) but spectacular scenic route.  Then:

Part 2: Rocky Mountaineer (Banff/Lake Louise to Vancouver) [1]

The First Passage to the West route connects the mountains to the coast over two days of daylight-only rail travel. [1, 2, 3]

• The Experience: Features glass-domed cars with oversized windows, gourmet hot meals, and beverage service, often described as a "small-ship cruise on a train".
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  Highlights:Spiral Tunnels: Incredible engineering marvel in the Rockies.
  • Kicking Horse Canyon & Rogers Pass.
  • Hell’s Gate: View the rushing waters of the Fraser Canyon.
• Journey Details: The train travels from Banff/Lake Louise to Kamloops, where you spend the night in a hotel, before continuing to Vancouver the next day

End with some cuisine, music and harmony of Hawaii, through the marvel of AI.

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