We are here...in Banff

I miss you girls. I am in room 1936 and Steve is in 888 at Banff Springs Hotel. Very beautiful country and hotel.

Our plane to Salt Lake was small. Only four seats wide...two on each side. Small but comfortable enough. The Salt Lake airport is small and quaint to say the least. Very strange experience leaving it at an international terminal. The arrival was over the great salt lakes...it was weird and sorta ugly yet wonderful at the same time. Very swampy looking.

We rode the same model of plane to Canada. When we boarded they changed my seat on the spot for reason unknown. I had an isle seat then a window seat. I was not happy but to request them not do that would took us even longer than they had made it to begin with. Once I got on the plane I realized it was not full and the isle seat next to me was empty. After the plane took off then Steve moved up beside me in the window seat. The country between SL and Calgary is amazing. When we landed Calgary I told Steve I do not know where the mountains went that I was expecting but I hoped they were West cause that was where Banff was located from Calgary. Only 60 miles away and we found them! Calgary was very nice and got to drive right thru it on the Transcontential Highway One! We found lots of food and a nice big Stadium with lots of folks walking to the stadium for some sorta of event. They had Stampede Jerseys on so I am guessing Canada League Football. We were tempted to stop and follow them...it was that friendly and nice of a day. We drove by the old Olympic skii center as we left town. The country side is green and wet. The highway is as good as any in the USA...maybe better. Many rivers and lakes on the way. Lots of folks with ski boats and kayaks.

Banff is a very lovely town...a lot like Estes but perhaps even more places to explore. Our hotel is about a 20 minute walk away from downtown. And you have to drive thru town to get to the hotel. Speaking of a HOTEL. It is a manson or castle....no kidding. I have had to use the map and explore a good bit just to get around. I have to mark numbers for floors at catwalks and tunnels that leads to other parts of the hotel. The clerk at the front said it was our treasurer map and he was not kidding.

On one trip I had to walk up a marble spiral stair case into a room with loud music and laughter. I was up on a Mezzanie and there was a birthday party going on with everyone dressed up in coat and tie....and may young people. They were dancing the next time I came by.
There are lots of stores and shops in the Hotel but the prices are very high. I will double check with downtown shops before buying here.

The room is okay...sorta nice but not big. My closet is small..small. Steves is a walk in closet that one could put a cot and let someone sleep in it. It is that big and deep. I was jealous. I do have an icebox though. Nice. Tomorrow I will go to the gym early and then we have most of the day to ourselves. We will look for other LANL folks to hook up with. At 7pm the receiption starts for several hours. Nice. I wonder if Steve wants to find a church to attend tomorrow? I will have to look online.

Oh, and Emily guess what? Almost every sign (even road signs) are in English and guess what other language? French? Nope...well okay...French! I know now the word for EXIT is in French ... can you tell me what it is?

Anyway, I miss you guys bunches. I am sure with the Grahams there y'all will be too busy to worry about me. More tomorrow. I gotta get to sleep. Love you. God bless.