The Real Banff Blog
Hi, this is the Real Banff Blog page. In these Blogs and videos you will find real people sharing their real stories about their real experiences in Banff National Park. Also we will share cool things to do, locals tips and secrets and of course have contests and giveaways. There are different bloggers from different walks of life sharing here. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
Reggie and I have had such a busy week and it's only Tuesday. It's been an exciting few days for us and our wedding planning company. In between weddings and consultations this past week we managed to get together with friends, watch some movies and take time for us. We went to Lake Louise and walked across the frozen lake. What a fantastic time we had! We LOVE Lake Louise so much that we got married there in October at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. When we were walking across the lake on Sunday, there was a horse drawn sled full of travelers. The ice sculptures were still standing proud, there was a hockey game going on and figure skating as well. It was so exciting.
Then I saw the advertisement that I can't stop talking about.....Elemental! The outdoor show on ice at Lake Louise. I haven't always been particularly interested in figure skating but with the Olympics on my interest has been piqued. I need to go to this show. I have been asking Reggie to take me on a date to this show for three days. I can't wait to go! I think that a skating show with music on Lake Louise just might be the date to end all date this year. So mark your calendars and we will see you at Lake Louise for Elemental! Now....I need to figure out a way for Reggie to buy me some new beautiful shoes for the event and we are set!
This weekend is Valentine's Day! For many years I did not like Valentine's day because the only person I was dating were my best girlfriends at Tommy's! Now the times have changed and I am married. It's still hard to find special and unique things to do on Valentine's day even if you are married but this weekend Reg and I are going to see what is going on in Banff and Lake Louise.
Valentine's is special for us because two years ago Reg emailed me on February 14 to introduce himself through the online dating service that we were using. I was hooked in his three line email and the rest they say is history. When we first started dating we would do anything to get out of the house and spend time alone together. Long walks by the Bow River, even though it was freezing out were one of our favorites. We also liked to spend weekends at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. We really like to hike, walk and cross country ski. Or try to cross country ski is more like it. We recently took up snowshoeing and went out on the Great Divide trail that is near Lake Louise. Snowshoeing is a great work out and nothing is more romantic than being alone on the trail together with the mountain view high above and surrounding you both. It's a great place to steal a kiss or two under the watchful eye of no one else but Mount Temple in the distance! Here's a romantic trail tip: your thermos can hold 16 ounces or red wine instead of hot chocolate to warm you up while on the ski trail! This weekend we will be at Giorgios in Banff for dinner and I'm sure Reg has something romantic up his sleeve already! I do too but I can''t tell you because we write this blog together and then it wouldn't be a secret anymore!
In our first blog for Banff/Lake Louise all we aim to do is introduce ourselves to you. This is a portrait of our life in Banff, Alberta. Reg and I are like everyone else as we are trying to keep up with facebook, twitter, and the world around us. Reg and I met online and our relationship kicked into overdrive so we moved in with one another after being together for six weeks. There has been a lot going on in the short two years we have known each other and we do things nice things for each other every day to try and be positive and hope for a better tomorrow.
We live in an amazing place in Banff, it's full of the ups and downs with living in a resort mountain town. Reg and I are newly weds and we are trying to keep our feelings for each other on the surface. We have always shown each other a lot of pride, respect, strength and passion but now it's even more important to both of us to keep it going. We just try everyday to do something nice and respectful for each other and keep our romance alive. This blog will be totally un-cut and uncensored. It will give our readers a very transparent look into our lives and how we are trying to stay newly weds. We fight, we get angry, and yes, we even get really, really mad at each other. But we love each other so passionately that we would do anything for the other one. You know what the pay off is? Being able to spend every day with your best friend on earth in a really cool mountain town. Being able to learn so much from someone and wanting to spend all of your time with each other. The pay off enriches and cultivates our everyday existence.
You turn to face your friends, where once you could see enthusiasm and energy, there is now only enthusiasm and fatigue. It’s that time again. You got up early, ate a huge breakfast and stood in the cold waiting for the first bus. You strapped your board to your feet while waiting, at the front of the line, for the lifts to open. Lunch was a hurried affair of sandwiches that have been flattened from a morning in the backpack, hot chocolate and a selection of granola bars. Everybody knew this was going to the last run but nobody called it. You never call last run. You don’t say it out loud. To speak of the last run is to summon misfortune. Time is pressing. All that is left is the ski out. With a final nod to your friends, and with the remaining strength you have left in your legs, you head for the bottom of the mountain and dream of a shower, a rest and the last granola bar.
You get off the bus, say bye to your friends and head home. You can’t wait to get clean, changed and fed. It has been a long and productive day on the hill. You have a few hours at home and then you are all meeting up again in town for a drink and to greatly exaggerate all of the day’s stories. You turn the corner to you house and stop.
You stop and just stand there. You don’t know what to do. A life in the city in England has not prepared you for this. There is a deer stood outside your front door. A big deer. With antlers.
As this fits no previous frame of reference, you end up just standing there. Standing in the street, snowboard under arm, looking at the deer. The deer stops eating and looks back at you. There is a face off. This deer is much more used to seeing people, than you are to seeing deer. Especially a deer, with antlers, that is stood in front of your door.
You turn to your housemate. It is clear from his expression that he also has no idea what to do. Where are all the Canadians? This isn’t weird to them. How can I get it to move. I want to get inside my house!
People may come to Banff to do all sorts of different things, but they all come for one reason, to get some stories. Stories about experiences you can’t get back home. So while sometimes it might a day on the hill that gives you plenty to tell your workmates on your return. At other times these things just creep up on you. And sometimes, just sometimes, they land right at your door.
Wardy
Banff Local
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