Going to Canada on the Cannibus
Hello Lovlies,
I am back with the first international trip that I went on without my parents. The only other international places I have been are China and Taiwan but that were all accompanied by the parental.
This past November I had the opportunity to go to Canada with one of my dearest friends. We spent 4 days in Canada. We arrive in Calgary on a Thursday and spent the whole day there before we head to Banff for the duration of the trip ( Quick note, to go to Banff you have to fly into Calgary and drive about 2 hours to Banff and there you can lodge and hike).
Thursday
We arrived in Calgary around noontime and picked up our car rental and went around Calgary. We stopped at two malls to look around and pick up some last-minute items. We had some tasty Ramen at Shiki Menya, the portions were HUGE and the broth and noodles were very rich in flavors. A must, especially in the wintertime. The temperature was around the 40s when we were there. After Ramen, we stopped by the CORE mall and Stephen Ave. Lastly, before we headed to Banff we ended out the night at Dandy Brewery in Inglewood. The beer taps were really good - we both enjoyed the sour beers and she likes the coffee one as well ( great for coffee drinkers). They also have interesting tapas-style bites. They were all different types of dishes that we never had. From Calgary, we drove to Banff, which was about an hour and a half drive. We stayed in Banff that night at a hostel (Samsun) it was a great experience, I would love to stay at more hostel and would recommend it as a cheap and entertaining alternative to a hotel. The hostel was set up by Co-ed, Female, Male, and individual room deals. We decided to do the all-female door and got lucky that only 2 other girls were staying that night. It was all bunk beds with one restroom in a single room. The hostel had a bar and lounge area that was packed that night because it was Halloween night. Everyone was drunk and partying - we were really tired and wished we had costumes to partake. We just went straight to sleep. The next morning we woke up and had free breakfast at the hostel. The best part was the view outside. You could see the whole mountain view right outside on the streets.
Friday
We woke up and ate at the hostel and then around 8 am we left for Lake Louise. We missed the sunrise at the lake but caught it outside our hostel. Lake Louise was about a 30-minute drive from Canmore. The drive was the most scenic ever. As we drove we saw the mountains and it was very breathtaking. We also saw MOOSE hehe Once we parked we made our way down to the lake. Being that we went in the middle of the month which was about fall but before winter we were unsure of what to expect exactly. When we got to the late we saw that it had already been frozen over and we saw several people walking and playing hockey on the lake. It was a great sight to see and such an awesome experience being able to casually run, walk, slide on top of a whole frozen lake. Being from the south you never see a lake frozen not even a puddle. We had a blast skating on top of the lake and felt lucky that it had frozen in time for us. We did several hikes that day - 6 Glaciers and Lake Louise Trail (2 hours). The weather was around in the 30s but hiking made us much warmer. The only things that froze were our toes and fingers, I would recommend getting a bunch of hand warmers for your shoes and hands. I bought us these portable electric hand warmers that were a lifesaver. The hikes were so relaxing and beautiful we enjoyed every view. We ate at a nearby local hotel restaurant and then did another hike to Lake Anges (1 hour). We cam to find out that the whole lake was frozen and covered with snow so we weren’t even sure where the lake was ( we only had a general idea but it was a small lake). At Lake Anges, you couldn’t even tell how deep the snow was, at some point our feet would dip above our ankles. We did one more hike (45 minutes) up to the lookout peak which took you to a high balcony that overlooked the whole Lake Lousie. The high altitude view allowed you to see how truly blue Lake Lousie was, it looked fake.
For dinner, we ate in Banff downtown at a Chinese restaurant. It was a quick eat before we head to the Fairmont hotel for their mineral pool and hot spring. We ended up buying a pass to their spa which included an indoor mineral pool and an outdoor hot spring. The outdoor hot spring was very small and unfortunately, they were doing construction that weekend, which meant they had walled up blocking the mountain view. I would recommend going during the day maybe there is a better view because it is not pitch black. The mineral pool and the whole spa overall was relaxing after a long day of hikes. We went after 7 pm so it was $50 a person!
We ended our night driving 30 mins to Canmore ( a local city close to Banff - cheaper housing) with wine at a hotel that we booked Canmore Rocky Mountain Inn.
Saturday
This day we booked our Gondola in the morning because we wanted to do the lunch buffet. The Gondola plus lunch buffet is a must, not even a recommendation it’s you are going to do it if you go to Banff. The package deal included a Gondola ride up to the mountains and then you had a buffet lunch up there with a gorgeous view of the mountains and a ride back down. It was $ 85 a person which I would say is beyond worth what you get and see. The ride up was really pretty but as you go up it gets colder. I would dress extra warm because it was windy and cold up in the mountains. The lunch buffet was flavourful and tasty - it was not just lunch food it was a combination of great taste and food selection. We walked around the top of the mountains before we head down. This took up half of our day and then once we got back we walked around Banff town. We made a stop at the Banff Brewery, drank some beer and then walked around some more. We end the night at a restaurant called The Park! We still dream of their squash dish. This restaurant was sooo good, not only was it a restaurant but they made their own distilled alcohol. We order a flight of shots and then a squash dish, macaroni, half a chicken dish. Would highly recommend this restaurant!
We ended the night back at the hotel and packed for our trip back home.
Sunday
Packed up our bags said our last goodbyes to the Rockies and Canada and flew back to the states. IT SNOWED the day we left -____ -
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Overall Canada was an unbelievably self-enriching trip. I was beyond grateful to travel with one of my bestest (I know its not a word but it is my word) friend who I appreciate so much and so grateful to have in my life. We had many great talks throughout the trip.
This trip opened my eyes up to how much there is in this world to see. Why be consolidate to one environment when you can see the world you were put on. My goal now is to travel as much as possible with every opportunity there is. I also want to see nature more because living in a city you forget what is out there.
Canada, I will be back, eh.
p.s. I hope you enjoy our Canada video, there are not any crazy edits and video can only capture so much of the true beauty of nature.