VISIT CANADA –12

 

We left for Calgary in the morning, happy that we would have to travel 50 kms less than we had expected. I continued to look out of my window and tried to take in as much of the countryside outside as was possible. One sees the Rockies and they appear nearer as frozen water channels separate them from the tourists on the road. You can see the pictures below and perhaps understand what I meant by ‘seeing things in two dimensions’..

These frozen water channels, sometimes, turn into small frozen or thawing lakes and one finds bears, deer and horned sheep (see below) straying out of the forest that lies on the other side.. There are peaceful picnic areas along the way and also trails for short hikes

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Wild life seen above has been ‘shot’ by Manaswini while all other pictures of the Canadian Rockies, the Lakes, the Canyons etc have been taken by Mukul. You can see below some of the beautiful pictures taken by him during the whole tour except for the last one.

Seattle downtown as seen from the Space Shuttle.

Victoria. An impressive view of Empress Hotel

Roadside show at Victoria waterfront

With Queen Victoria in Victoria

 

War Memorial in Victoria

 

From Banff to Jasper (Below)

    

 

 

 

Turbulence and Tranquility (Below)

 

Rockies in varying configurations (Below)

Three Ms—Mukul, Manaswini and the Mountains

 

Manu now was at the wheel and we reached Banff in less than three hours. We had enough time for a leisurely lunch at a Sri Lankan counter in a food court. We reached Calgary even earlier and decided to drive around its downtown before going to the airport for returning the rental car. We had a road map of Calgary but it was not of much help and we soon lost our way. Mukul took over the wheel once again saying that he would rather drive by his instincts than follow the map. It worked and we were soon on the airport road.

We checked in at the airport and also went through the Immigration & Customs Counter that the United States maintains at Calgary airport. It meant that we would be simply coming out of the domestic section of San Francisco airport. I felt a little empty; perhaps it happens to all of us on reaching the end of all great holidays. I adjusted my watch since the local Canadian time was ahead of California time by an hour and walked into the duty free shop at the airport. I asked the young Sikh girl at the counter to give me two bottles of premium Canadian whisky--- I did want to extend my Canadian connection ….

                                                                                 (Concluded)