Banff, or see if you can pronounce it

Well, the next day on our trip was one that I would just as soon forget, but I can't. It started off OK, but then I got an incredible nosebleed, and got to experience Canadian Health Care (actually, it was very good), but while the rest of the group did fun stuff such as riding up a gondola, and visiting lakes, I was lying around, bleeding, with a nasal tampon (yes, they make them) up my nose, and trying to recover from the loss of 1 liter (litre) of blood. The next day was better, and we just walked around the town of Banff, with its beautiful Bow River, its quaint shops, and its magical view of the mountains. I still wasn't really up to eating, but did manage to get some ice cream down. In any event, the next day's journey would prove to be spectacular.

On the road again

All right, we're on the road again, this time headed back into Alberta, after our brief foray into Montana, and where we stopped on the way was a resort that was for the very rich - anyway it produced some glorious photographic experiences, both the scenic kind and also the down at your feet kind.

Travelogue, Part Two

And so, our next day's events took us back to the States (barely), to upper Montana, and Glacier National Park, where we got to ride in Red Jammers (faithfully restored old buses, with convertible tops), where we rode past the scenery, and would stop periodically to take pictures of places like Snow Goose Island. Boy, did we ever feel like full-blown tourists. Anyway, it was very relaxing, very scenic, and we had a great time, and the weather was fabulous. But then that evening we got to go back to Waterton, and were free to move about, mingle, eat ice cream (it seems that this is the national pastime). Little did we know that tomorrow would be the day that it turned out to be.

Our most recent travelogue

OK, now that you've gotten some of the flavor, we're beginning out travelogue through the Canadian Rockies. We started in Calgary, Alberta (picture No. 1). Then we moved on to the Rockies proper, with a trip to Waterton. Now Waterton is not at all well-known outside Canada, but is a marvelous place of incredible winds and scenery. The town of Waterton is a charming tourist attraction that has some of the tamest deer anywhere near the 49th parallel, as well as a majestic waterfall within the city limits. A great place to start.

Guess where we've been

Well, we came back last night, from an adventurous vacation. It actually was not going to be too adventurous, but I got the "nosebleed from hell," and we were waylaid for two days, as I gradually got my strength back after losing a liter of blood, and discovering the available medical care in rural Canada.
Anyway, we're happy to be back.
See if you can guess the location of these photographs - some of the hints I dropped before taking off can get you there.

More from Out West

This time, we get a chance to see the incredible variety of scenery out west. The first is from Bryce Canyon, in Utah, an absolutely stunning display of eons of erosion. The next one is also from Utah, this time from Zion Canyon. The next is obvious - it's Highway 1 in California, and I can't even think of all the movies that have been made from that stand. And the last four are just showing off some of the extremes of scenes one can see - the fourth picture is from the Badlands of South Dakota, the next is Olympic National Park in Washington, and this picture is a mere 20 minute drive from the ocean. The next one is from the salt flats of Utah. And the last one - well, I really think you know where that one's from. Enjoy these pictures, because I'm off to Canada in the morning, recharging my photographic batteries.