Banff

So the conference got over (I don't feel like a detailed blog about that, it was a good experience but nothing travelogue-ish to share)! Now I am sitting in a dorm in the Hosteler's International's Aspen Lodge at Banff. Me and two Spanish girls in this room.

Man the bus here was like an airplane on roads. They had a video of safety instructions, push back seats, each seat with ear phones and radio.. and beat this - free WiFi on the bus! I was really impressed. Stop over at Calgary airport and then onward to Banff. The way was amazing. First plains; we could see the Rockies looming in the distance. Then the vegetation got more wooded, and in a short while we ended up in the village of Banff, which is just inside the Banff National Park.

I left immediately after I checked in and went to the Banff Gondola. Really really awesome! Seems they discovered this whole place when they were doing the railroad construction in Canada. The 8 minute ride with an elevation gain of about 680m is too good to describe! It takes you atop the Sulphur Mountain. The panorama of views from here - slopes covered with boreal forests with little bald patches in the middle; the tops of the surrounding mountains were snow capped, with little patches of snow in the lower elevations. Looked like someone made mountain models and then stuffed cotton wool in some places!
You can then walk along a boardway to a disused weather station atop Sanson mountain where this guy called Norman Sanson climbed up and down for almost 30 years, many times giving up all hope of leaving Banff alive. The place has very fierce thunderstorms off and on! All along the way are boards with information about the wildlife here and also about Sanson. It even had excerpts from Sanson's journal with drawings and in his handwriting! Nice. His hut is also preserved intact; complete with a loaf of bread and plate with a fork and spoon, even shoes!

tomorrow planning to go on a lake cruise and also maybe a natural history museum. Currently almost asleep on my laptop so will go now and catch you guys later!