This is the 26 June 2005 edition of this page
Chapter Three
THE DELIGHTS OF BANFF
Having had very little sleep (even though there was an insignificant, almost zero, traffic
noise ) at KELOWNA it was now time to depart for the 'Rockies Proper'. There had been no obvious
way of cancelling the digital-alarm (I couldn't even RESET it to a different alarm-time! Still, we'll be
on our way soon after the 6.45a.m breakfast! I went in for BLUEBERRY PANCAKES and had MAPLE
SYRUP. (Why not? We are in the Maple Leaf Country!!) I even had three of them!
The beautiful fillings to these pancakes 'set me up' for the day, and I accompanied these
with Coffee and fruit-juices - all for $8.45! Not only beautiful tastes, gastronomically, but this place
showed its beautiful taste with the accompanying COUNTRY MUSIC.
Opposite our hotel were adverts which had changed since yesterday. They read "Fire-
breathing, Tire Eating, Top Fuel Funny Cars at Orchard Park". Thus, especially next Tuesday and
Wednesday (while I'm NOT here unfortunately!) there would be some GREAT DRAG-RACING on
their local track!
Back in my room I prepared for our departure from KELOWNA ( of course - I remember now -
I'd seen adverts and reports about this track at home in the UK) via Lake Okanaga, Manashee Mountains,
the Revelstoke National Park, Rogers Pass (saw a video of it) and the Glacier National Park. We stopped at
several places, including the Visitor Information Center at ROGERS PASS. There, we watched a Video
on Grizzly and other bears.
Further on, we travelled via the Columbia Mountains, Emerald Lake (took some photos there!)
which was quite a highlight from this trip. Steep mountains and cliffs were everywhere, and we covered
the Kaking House Pass before arriving at the beautiful BANFF (no rain here, but tomorrow would be a
different story!)
So my plans for tomorrow's exploration around Banff continued in my room in the evening.
I had already realised whilst back in the UK, that Banff was too large for a totally 'walking' set of
discoveries. The plan was to hire a push-bike and get further afield and explore the beautiful scenery.
So this evening, in my room, I sorted out the info on cycle shops from where to hire from. I found a
few, and the hire-charges were, generally, about $24 per day. We are not far from Calgary (about 100
miles) so that would be possible. Since I entered Alberta, I gathered that I needed to put my watch
one hour forward. I then went to a local shop in Banff and purchased some food and drink to keep
me refreshed this evening and tomorrow.
One such item was a wonderful apple, raisin and cinnamon loaf of bread. This lasted ALL
day and was scrumptious!! I turned into bed about 10pm for my best night's sleep for ages - not
perfect - but very good!!
Arising on the morning of 7th August (1995) I went for a casual breakfast at 7.40 am.. It was a
beautifully prepared Mushroom Omelette; moreover it had some delightful Country Music to
accompany it - 'modern country' , but fortunately good stuff!! That set my day off well - despite
the pouring rain which bedevils us now.
By the time that all my 'cards' had been written, the stamps bought and the whole lot posted, - it
may be a bit brighter, I hoped, for my hiring of, and trips on, a mountain bike for the day!! [ I had
purchased some International Stamps - at 90c each - for their journeys to the UK!] During the
purchase of a second batch of cards, I acquired some ice from an ICEBOX (to add to by Diet Pepsi,
bought yesterday). Due to the rain, I wrote on these cards and delayed my cycling take-off until
the weather, hopefully, improves.
As I went out, the rain stopped, so I prepared to walk to two "cycle-hire" shops in town. They
were dry walks. As I filled in the 'hire form' they insisted that they wanted a CREDIT CARD as
CASH was not good enough or them!! Now, I've never had anything on 'credit' - preferring
always to have the money before buying anything (except a house - you understand!) so this
statement came as an afront to my dignity! I was really offended!!
After several more round-trips to my hotel, which was one mile from the cycle-shops, I realised,
in retrospect, that the term 'credit card' was being used loosely and probably included 'debit cards'.
In which case one of mine would have been OK! By then, I was pissed off by the possible cancellation
of my carefully made plans - but, halleluya, within minutes, it had started to RAIN again!! I decided,
finally, to do my exploration on foot anyway, walking shorter distances than I might have accomplished
on a bike. Walkers and cyclists, I'd found, don't get much consideration from vehicle drivers and
traffic planners!
I returned to the hotel, missing the cafes and restaurants en-route, preferring to use the 'known'
environment of the hotel's restaurant. One SNAG in that philosophy was that it didn't do light
snacks - or anything at midday!! It doesn't even 'open' until 5.30pm! The jumbo-sized girl on the
desk (not physically ON - but AT) couldn't deal with possible questions, as her phone took continuous
precedence. All I wanted to ask was "where can we get midday snacks?" In the end, I asked the girl (not
on her phone!) at the 'liquor counter'. She replied that the next-door place is OK. " The gas station?",
I enquired. "Yep" she replied.
It certainly was 'OK' - and I purchased more cheese, crisps, non-sugar-mints and took them back to my
room for a 'meal'!
Later, I walked to the "Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies" and went ALL through it. Totally
unimpressive!!! It was like the UK museums used to be, but now fortunately recovered from! At least,
the UK museums have a logical time-sequence or structured approach to aid one's learning. This one
didn't - having just a load of random items from which it was impossible to learn anything!
Other English people agreed with me here on that - and also with my assessment of the over-zealous use
and insistence on plastic credit-cards. Another problem, here is with the 'language' - in the USA & Canada
they use English of course - but it means different things to different people. Fot instance, both of these
English-speaking countries have 'dishes' that they call 'salads'. What they contain is 100% lettuce (granted many
exotic variations)! Have
these nations never heard of salad-items like cheese, radish, cucumber, onions, beetroot, eggs, cold meat,
pilchards and a whole host of other delicious salad ingredients?? They show less imagination without such items.
After watching some Athletics on TV in my room, - noticeably the World Championships from Sweden
(three cheers for Kelly Holmes!) - it was bedtime for 7th August, - coz tomorrow I leave Banff and head northwards
into the real Canadian Rockies,
Let's return to Canadian index for reorientation.
Return to Roy's home page for full list of books and other writings either finished or under preparation.