Today, after a nice homemade breakfast at our hotel condo, a drive to Banff. We need to check out where the train station is and where we return the rental car on Wednesday. Not too far away, along scenic highway 1A, also known as Bow Valley Parkway, is the Johnston Canyon hike.

An easy hike, paved, walkways, beautiful waterfalls and amazing forest smells. Did I mention lots of people? Yes, there were a lot of people at 11 AM, yet it was a very lovely hike of 3.8 miles to and from the upper falls.

A short drive north on highway 1A is a great view of Castle Rock. There is also a hike to Castle Rock; not today for us. Instead we stop at Moose Meadows – no more moose in this area, still yet another awesome view of the mountain ranges in the area.

On our return drive, we stop along the highway to see the Vermillion Lakes with Rundle Mountain, Pilot Mountain and Sulphur Mountain in the background. Can it get any better?

Well, Lonely Planet travel guide says – you must have a drink in the Banff Springs Hotel (Fairmont) Rundle Bar. Okay, a stop there for a beer before we head home. The Fairmont is an amazing castle-like hotel built in the late 1800’s by the Canadian railroad barons of the day. And they knew exactly where the best view would be of the mountains.

Stacy finished her wine and low and behold, when she put the glass on the table – poof, the stem came off!

An exhibit in the hotel with some old photographs was interesting. The best was the man dressed as a Mountie!

Back in our hotel, another lovely evening. Rich grills us salmon kabobs and the mountains in view are crystal clear with a rainbow in the distance. What another fantastic day!