Banff and the Fairmont Hotel are as close to heaven as I’ll ever be. I know I’ve said it many times before that I love the Rockies, but the Canadian Rockies are perhaps even closer to perfect than the ones in Colorado.
I met Hannah at the Calgary airport and we drove up to Banff on a perfect afternoon. Locals say this week is the best weather of the summer so far, as June and July were unusually wet and cold here.
Thanks to Hannah’s taste for luxury, we’re staying at the historic Fairmont Hotel with endless views of the mountains and river. The hotel was built in the late 19th century and is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Our first stop was for a drink and a snack on the patio.
Bow River runs past the hotel, which is not far from the headwaters at Bow Lake.
After settling in and a good night’s sleep, we grabbed coffee and pastry at Wildflour Bakery, then drove about 30 minutes north on the TransCanadian Highway to Johnston Canyon to hike and catch some stunning waterfalls.
The water really is that color turquoise.
Even though we shared the trail with lots of other tourists, this was one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done. Hannah liked it, too, and was happy there were only tourists and not bears.
Now we’re back at the hotel for lunchtime tea and some R&R poolside.
As I said: Heaven on Earth.
