#WeekendCoffeeShare: Weekend in Canada

Published on by Yinglan

If we were having coffee, I would tell you good morning and thanks for joining me for another lovely weekend chat and WELCOME TO CANADA!It had been one hell of a busy week. Between making trips from home to the small engine shop to get the lawn mower repaired and packing for my trip to Canada as doctor’s appointment and my mother’s errands, I was exhausted by the time Thursday came along and to be honest, I almost didn’t want to go on this trip but what the hey, at least I get to get away from my mom for a while.

Anyway, after almost 12 hours of driving from home in northern Utah, my aunt and I finally reached Lethridge, Alberta, Canada late Thursday afternoon. It was surprisingly easy to go through Canadian customs, at least easier than Chinese customs between mainland China and Hong Kong. My aunt and I didn’t need to get out of the car and haul our luggage through a series of inspection and customs. We just stayed in the car while the officer checked our documents and asked a couple of questions.

When I reached the motel that night, I felt so tired yet proud of myself for enduring such a long drive but I have my thanks to my aunt for keeping me awake with her conversations and my iPod which thankfully played continuously in the car.

After a night’s rest, we hopped into the car again, this time it was my aunt’s turn to get behind the wheel since the roads here are a little more complicated than the U.S. Our next destination was Banff National Park.

After consulting with the weather experts the day before the trip, I decided to alter the itinerary. I was going to see Lake Louise first but since it’s predicted to rain, I decided we would see Banff first instead. I was quite impressed with Banff when we stopped by for lunch. It’s quite a town with just about everything from supermarkets to theaters. It’s a small town with a big city feel.

After fueling up – both stomachs and the car – we returned onto Highway 1 and found our way to Johnston Canyon 15 miles away. There, we hiked and photographed the forest, mountains, river, and waterfalls until it rained hard which got us rushing back to the car.

Mini-Waterfall, Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park
Lower Falls, Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, Canada
Johnston Canyon

Today will be the third day of the trip and I am hoping to see Lake Louise and Morraine Lake. Hopefully, the weather will be good enough for me to capture some photos of the blue-green tint of the lakes.

Lastly, if we were having coffee, I would thank you for joining me and hopefully I can join you again next weekend.

35 thoughts on “#WeekendCoffeeShare: Weekend in Canada”

  1. if we were having coffee, I’d be asking you if you were planting the peas of the beans for me today. I kinda sorta suspect you would reply “Neither but I’ll watch ya work.”

    🙂

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  5. Yay, welcome to Canada. We do have nice staff at the boarder by car or by plane. We always notice the difference coming out of the US from a vacationand back into Canada. The boarder guys smile and are actually conversational. Enjoy your timeframe here Yinglan 🙂

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    1. I’ve noticed the people here are a little friendlier than some places in the U.S. 🙂
      I am so far enjoying the snowy mountains and the lakes. The landscapes are so breathtaking.

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      1. They are indeed. Generally I think we are more friendly bs helpful, but depends on the place. People who bump into you will always say sorry even if it’s your fault and many people are nice about holding doors open, woman or men. Have fun 🙂

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      2. I agree. I was frustrated today because two of the four washing machines at the hotel wasn’t working and the hotel staff kindly gave me the laundry money back.

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  8. Banff is beautiful. We use to go there once a year when we lived in southern Alberta. It is a bit to far of a drive for us now. I haven’t yet visited Lake Louise, but hope to this year or next. Great pictures accompanying your post. Thanks for sharing.

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  15. That would be a long drive! Never spent any time in Lethbridge, but have passed through there. I liked Johnston Canyon, though I suspect you’d see a little more water in a couple months when it’s warmer. Hope you like Lake Louise. Little known fact: Tom Wilson was the first European to see Lake Louise in the 1880s when he was scouting for the then-unbuilt Canadian Pacific Railway. I only mention because Tom was a distant relative of mine. He’s also got a mountain named for him along the Icefields Parkway.

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    1. It was indeed a long drive to Lethbridge and I did it all by myself. Yes, I have no doubt I will see more water in a month or so when the snow has melted.
      Oh, how interesting. I’ve been going to places along the Icefields Parkway for two days now and I’ll go one more time tomorrow.

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