Safety

Safety in Canmore is a high priority for the city council with these warning/how-to signs. The button when pushed also announced "WAIT".

 

Canmore

Visited Canmore because......

It has a great award wining quilt shop The Sugar Pine Co. with lots of fabric and patterns.

 

Snowy

Still a bit snowy on Sulphur Mountain. The drop down is steep!

We were amused by the antics of a band of striped squirrels as they scampered about the rocks, picking up bits of food dropped by visitors. One grabbed an apple, larger than he was and dragged it away for a juicy meal.

The weather station of Sanson for 30+ years.

 

 

Sulphur Mountain

Up via the gondola for brunch with a view at 2,281m.

Love the views of the ring of mountains around this high point. Just stunning! Photos don't even begin to prepare you for the amazement of nature!

We are a long way from home!

 

Well!

We stayed at The Banff Caribou Lodge and Spa. This greeted us and then each time we entered the bathroom. No animals were harmed in the manufacture of this plastic replica!

 

Rocky Mountaineer #2

I forgot to mention the scenery! Amazing views and a nice commentary to inform us about what we were about to see.

Hell's Gate, a very narrow part of the gorge on the Fraser River.

These photos have been taken through the dome, so some reflection occurs.

A few tunnels including spiral tunnels!

The Rocky Mountaineer

Well, what an experience! The service and friendly staff - all fantastic from start to end of our journey from Vancouver to Banff Alberta in the Gold Leaf carriage.

The RM is celebrating 25 years of travel on this private rail service and there are many journeys to choose from.

We had been warned about the food. It just kept coming and even when we were delayed on arriving into Kamloops on day 1 they catered by giving us a light dinner. The following photos are not in any particular order. Breakfast and lunches are served in the dining car, below the special high, clear roof viewing upstairs seating.

 

The Flying Pig

Dinner out in Gastown Vancouver at The Flying Pig which seemed to be a very popular spot. We got a seat at the window looking out on the street action, but the photo above is looking in, behind us.

Bob had the Steelhead Trout with mash and salsa. Don't be alarmed by the green sauce, it all tasted great.

Veal and risotto for me, all delicious!

 

Canadian geese

This family of Canadian geese crossed in front of us in the park. After feeding on the grass they were making their way to the waterfront, but the tide was out.

Rocks and green algae below but not a problem for Mum and Dad who flew down.

The goslings peered over the ledge. "You have got to be joking!" But then over they tumbled, rolled and were upright, toddling off with their parents.

 

Rubbing

There are so many plaques in public areas that I have been spoilt for choice at times. Walking around Stanley Park we came to several at a viewing point. Here the white sails of Canada Place can be seen in the distance above my hat and the plaque is about the cruise terminal. A hot day makes the rubbing go very fast.

Most of the park benches have a dedication plaque also.

 

 

Totems

Stanley Park also has an impressive collection of totem poles. A dry ditch separates the enthusiastic tourists from these tall, carved structures which tell a story of a clan or person. They were not worshipped by the native peoples but are very much part of their heritage.

On the right above is a burial totem and originally the remains were in the top section. The eagle, wolf, bear, beaver, frog and orca were some of the animals represented.

The Douglas Fir tree and other pines grow to enormous heights on the BC wet coastal areas so it is little wonder that the totems are so tall.

 

Vancouver aquarium

We had a day in Stanley Park Vancouver an visited the aquarium to see the Beluga whales, sea otters and many other fish and sea creatures from the British Columbia province as well as from around the world. The colours of the cold sea anemones surprised us with bright pink and green varieties.

Gotta love the almost transparent jellies.

 

 

Meanwhile

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to rub the door mat at the FibreWorks yurts! We have been fortunate with the weather on the Sunshine Coast, BC. And the days have slowly been getting warmer in this Northern Hemisphere Spring.

Ah, I knew it would look good.

 

Playing with trees

Just having some fun wrapping my fabric around tree trunks near our Oyster Shack. Two applications of paint here.

Then a transfer to a slightly different bark texture for some oil paint stick.

Don't know what this fabric might become, but I'm happy and content. Missing getting work underway.