Hot!

We have another day in Banff. Our morning visit is to the hot springs - hey, we arranged that for the morning after a campsite; we have hot water and a soak at least! The reviews said to get there early before the buses and yes that was a great idea. There are just a few people there, and the view is beautiful from the hot spring. You can see where the hot water comes tumbling down the mountain, steaming along the way, and registering at about 40 degrees C. Otherwise it is just like an outdoor, public pool, not the natural hot spring that Rip and I found 20 years ago. We had to blaze our way down a logging road that time; the road is now closed which is too bad. After our soak we head over to the gondola the goes up Sulphur Mountain. Jen and Przem brave it up on foot - 1 hour and 15 minutes of hard, steep climbing. You can see the path on the gondola ride and it winds under the lift a few times. We ride up with a couple from San Francisco whose cultural heritage is India. We keep the guy chatting as he is afraid of heights and trying not to look at the view - which is spectacular! We find out about their work and take their email address - new friends! After our ride we sit on the back deck of the Banff Springs Hotel, again with mountains all around us and beautiful flowers. The hotel is like out of a Victorian novel and there is a harpist playing Pachelbel's Canon in the lobby dressed in a long Victorian gown. We notice that there are 3 weddings later in the day and another 3 for the next day. The place is huge and we decide that it is the perfect place for a honeymoon. It is hot on the patio and we have an expensive but delicious lunch - well worth it. The whole day was hot from beginning to end!