Spunkygirl Monologues

Traveling as a family can be a lot of fun, and sometimes a little expensive if it’s you + 3 or more people. But being on a budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out on great destinations and fabulous experiences. All it takes is a little more planning and research.
Banff has a reputation of being expensive (almost every town in a National Park has this rep). Hell, if all you’re going to do is shop along Banff Avenue, than yeah, you’re going to get that impression. However, if you dig a little deeper and venture OFF the avenue, there are a lot of price-friendly options.

Sleeping

A drive along Banff Avenue will show you that Banff has a lot of hotels.  The question is, which one do you choose? If you’re looking for a hotel that has lots of activities for the kiddos and offers great views of the mountains, then driving off Banff Avenue is required.

Douglas Fir Resorts & Chalets is located on Tunnel Mountain Rd and offers reasonable rates. Unlike your standard hotel, the Douglas Fir has amenities such as a waterpark, a 2-level playzone, arcade, swimming pool, sauna, fitness room, BBQ area, convenience store, coin laundry and more.  All their rooms come with a wood-burning fireplace (You can gather more wood from a shed on the property) and full-size kitchens that are fully stocked with everything you would need. *The hotel also offers a ‘Cook Your Own Breakfast’ or ‘BBQ Your Own Dinner’ specials where they stock your fridge with all the necessary food for one night of your stay.

HI Banff Alpine is another great family option. Located off Tunnel Mountain Road, on Hidden Ridge Way, HI Banff Alpine Centre is away from the hoopla of the main town centre and offers stunning views.  As with most hostels, the HI Banff Alpine has a self-catering kitchen, family rooms, laundry facilities, a games room and more. If you’re planning a drive along HWY 93 during your stay in Banff National Park there are some amazing HI hostels along the way. These hostels are secluded and offer a unique experience.

Eating

Self-catering is obviously the cheapest option when you travel, but sometimes a break is needed. Finding a cheap place to eat with good food can be a challenge.  There are some amazing restaurants in Banff, but they’re not exactly on the cheap side.

Old Spaghetti Factory is located on the second floor of the Cascades Plaza, and is a great family restaurant and pocketbook friendly. Did I mention the food is yummy? Who doesn’t love a spaghetti & garlic bread dinner?

Magpie & Stump is located on the corner of Caribou & Bear Streets. The menu is TexMex and the prices are along the lines of Tony Roma’s or Boston Pizza.

Aside from local restaurants, Banff is also home to the usual chains, McDonald’s, Subway, Boston Pizza, Tony Roma’s, Chili’s etc. There is also a food court on the bottom floor at the Cascade Plaza.

Activities

When you’re in a National Park there are ALWAYS a ton of things to do that are cheap or free.

Hiking is a big one. There are a ton of hikes in Banff for all levels of hikers. If you prefer to travel without a guidebook ask locals for recommendations or stop by the Information Center and speak with a Parks Canada staff member. They’re a wealth of information and they have handy maps!

Canoe/ Kayaking is another fabulous activity in Banff National Park. There are a lot of beautiful lakes and rivers in the park that are begging to be explored. If you didn’t bring your own canoe, you can rent on from Blue Canoe and paddle the Bow River or Vermillion Lakes for about $34/hr. Cheaper than rafting!

Banff Upper Hot Springs is on the way to the Gondola. Located on Sulfur Mountain, the springs contain Sulphate 572 ppm, Calcium 205 ppm, Bicarbonate 134 ppm, Magnesium 42 ppm and Sodium 6.6 ppm. Cost for the springs is $7.30 for Adults & $6.30 for children.

The Whyte Muesum -started by artists, Catherine Robb & Peter Whyte, the museum houses stunning works of art based on the Canadian Rockies. Admission to the museum is $20 per family (2 adults and 2 children), or $8 for Adults, $5 for Children 5 and Up (Children under 5 are FREE).

Take a Drive- Banff National Park is ruggedly gorgeous. One of my favourite activities is to pack a lunch and go for a drive. The Bow Valley Parkway is beyond gorgeous, as is the Icefields Parkway. No matter which road you decide to explore, you won’t regret it.

Check the local paper- Depending on the time of year there are usually FREE events happening that you and your family will enjoy. Be sure to check the local paper and talk with people who live in the area. Festivals, live bands, art show and the like are always a lot of fun.

Going on a family vacation is about having fun and making memories. It’s not about how much money you spend. You and your family can have a lot of fun on very little money. That being said, it’s always nice to treat yourselves from time to time. Either way, sit down before you leave home and make a plan. Talk about what you’d like to do and be open to changing plans once you arrive at your destination.

With 14 days left in Canada, my round-the-world trip is finally starting to come together. Sure, I’ve been planning this for months- years even. But life has always stepped in and changed things up. For this reason, I don’t do a lot of in-depth planning. What’s the point? Besides, living in the moment can be more fun- after the stress and panic attacks end.

As my time in Canada comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past few months. The past year has been full of changes. There have been a lot of highs and a lot of lows. I can honestly say that I’ve experienced more change in the last 10 months, than I have in my entire life.

In the last 10 months I’ve lost a Grandmother, a favourite Great-Uncle, and an Aunt. I’ve had 2 different bosses at work. I’ve experienced painful infections due to stress. I’ve battled with my landlord over throwing out my furniture. I’ve quit my job and I’ve moved. That’s a lot of heavy things, in a short amount of time.

On the flip side… I started Spunky Girl Monologues. I re-connected with a cousin and her family. I traveled to Seattle, New York, and 2 trips to Vancouver. I’ve met some cool bloggers/travelers/writers/photographers. I’ve quit my job. I’ve purchased a plane ticket to Bangkok.

Taking 6 weeks off before my trip sounded SO good in June, but when August rolled around, I was dreading it. I went from being crazy busy to having tons of free time. It was both good and bad. Thankfully I had a trip to Banff to mix things up a bit. Thanks to the lovely folks at Brewster Canada, I took a Guided Fishing Tour on Lake Minnewanka, explored the Columbia Icefields, and enjoy the BEST burger in Banff.

August was also a great planning month for my trip. I made plans with my cousin in Korea to come visit and hopefully teach English for 6 months- I even bought a plan ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul. I also decided to go to the World Expo in Shanghai in October- which meant I needed to drive up to Calgary and apply for a tourist visa. This coming Monday I’ll drive back to Calgary to pick up my passport at the Consulate for China and hopefully there will be a visa inside it! So exciting!!

September is a big month for me. It’s the month that I start my round-the-world adventures.  On September 12, 2010 I’ll be boarding a bus bound for Portland- where I’ll be spending my birthday. After Portland, I have stops in Seattle, Reno, Sparks, and Los Angeles before flying to Bangkok.

I’m excited to begin my trip and share my adventures with you, I hope you’re just as excited to read them!

For almost 10,000 years, Lake Minnewanka was inhabited by Aboriginal people known as the Nakoda people (Stoney Indians- this name was given to them by white explorers). In the early years, the Nakoda people referred to the Lake as the “Lake of the Spirits”, as they believed a mer-creature (half human and half fish) lived in the lake, attacking vessels and killing people. Sound familiar? For similar reasons, the European explorers referred to the lake as Devil’s Lake. Not a very enticing name. However, In 1888, 3 years after the opening of Banff National Park, the lake was renamed. It was Devil’s Lake no more. Instead, it was named Lake Minneanka- ‘Lake of the Spirits’.

Although I have been to Banff, Alberta several times, I had never driven to Lake Minnewanka, until this past week when I was invited by Brewster Inc. to try a guided fishing tour in Banff National Park.

My initial reaction was to laugh. I haven’t gone fishing since I was 12 years old. My last fishing memory is of me sitting in a boat with my Grandfather and brothers on Duck Lake in Montana. I had an aversion to worms, touching slimy fish and cleaning them after they were caught (actually, I still have issues with all three of those things).We would sit on the boat, listening to my Grandfather talk about the big grand-daddy fish in the lake. You know, the one that’s 50 lbs and can never be caught.

“Don’t tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.“- Mark Twain

With fond memories of larger than life fish stories, and a continuing aversion to worms, touching slimy fish and cleaning them, I made the 15-minute drive from the Banff townsite to Lake Minnewanka. Like many lakes in Banff, Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake, with enough rock flour to give it that blue-green colour that Lake Louise is so famous for (Although not nearly as intense). Standing on the shore near the boat docks, it’s impossible to see the end of the lake as it wraps around mountains. In fact, Lake Minnewanka is the largest lake in Banff National Park, measuring 28 kilometers in length and 466 feet n depth.

As I waited on the docks for my guide to arrive, I had mixed feelings. I was excited, nervous and a little worried. The wind had picked up, a lot. Plus, there was the fact that I have a fear of being in small boats on large bodies of water. I wasn’t going to admit it though, I’m a tough girl and I wasn’t willing to look like a wimp! When my guide, Ian, arrived to collect me I smiled, laughed and pretended to be completely at ease. When I boarded the boat without falling flat on my face, I was like a kid at Christmas!

Our first method of fishing was down-rigging. Ian did a great job explaining the concept, however, as a non-fishing girl most of the technical info went over my head. Basically, the down rig is suppose to present the lure to the fish above the bottom of the lake. A major part of down-rigging is adjusting the weighted line to the bottom conditions of the lake. This meant we were constantly checking the fish finder for our depth and adjusting the lines.

In calm conditions, this is a great way to fish. However, in windy conditions, it can be a challenge. It was windy. As we drifted in the lake, the boat would turn and instead of floating with the waves, we were floating against them. This caused the boat to rock, a lot. In fact, I was nervous about tipping (Remember the whole fear of water, being on small boats thing? haha). If I had been by myself, I probably would have- not like that will ever happen in my lifetime, I wouldn’t be caught dead in a small boat by myself. I felt bad as I tried to figure out where to stand, while my guide was adjusting the lines, checking our depth and righting the boat so we were floating with the waves. After 30 minutes of this, we were awarded our first catch, a lake trout.

It was a small little guy, but I didn’t want to release him (I’ve decided that all fish are men- makes me feel better. haha) in case I didn’t catch anything else. So, we tossed him in the tiny hold with some water and continued further down the lake. As we cruised for calmer waters, Ian spoke about some of the history of Lake Minnewanka. He spoke about the dams. The first one which was built in 1912, was flooded and is now under water (actually the road you drive across the lake to the parking lot is the top of the submerged dam) and has become a favourite site for scuba divers who visit the lake. After WWII another dam was built, as more electricity was required due to the war effort. This dam still stands.

As we made our way around the point, Ian guided to boat towards some Bald Eagle nests. It was an amazing sight. I’ve never had the opportunity to observe Bald Eagles in this kind of environment before. They flew so gracefully through the treetops. I only wished I had a stronger lens on my camera!

After a few minutes of Eagle-watching, Ian took me to a spot close to the end of the lake. We were the only ones past the point and the water was calmer. After cutting the engine he explained that he’s had quite a bit of success in this area, and prepared a fishing pole so he could teach me to do jigging.

I couldn’t help but wonder about the good old days, when fishing meant you sat on a boat, cast your line into the water and waiting for a tug. I stood on the deck of the boat as Ian explained the art of jigging. He explained that I wanted my line to go to the bottom of the lake. I would then tighten my line a little by reeling a bit in. Once my line was taut, I ‘jig’ the line back towards me, then move the rod/line back down towards the water, slowly reeling my line. I would do this motion three times before reeling my line all the way in and starting over again.

With more than a little nervousness, I started jigging, letting my line go the 135 ft to the bottom of the lake. I jigged once, then slowly moved back down and waited a few minuted before jigging again, slowly getting use to the motions. Ian was the one to notice that there was a tug on my line. I jigged up quickly and felt a big pull. I had a fish! The problem was that my line was still 100 feet away. My right hand ached and my left hand felt awkward as I tried to reel in my catch. Ian held my rod and coached me through the motions. The fish was fighting, I was smiling and giddy as a school girl on her last day of school. I wanted to fish, like now! After a few minutes of fighting we could see my fish through the water. He was a big one- well bigger than our first catch of the day. Ian grabbed the net as I kept reeling in my catch. When it was finally onboard the boat, I wanted to do a little dance, I was so excited.

Once my fish was in the hold, I kept opening the lid to look at him, “Hello little guy”. My guide suggested that I not name him. I didn’t. We spent the next 2 hrs fishing in this little sweet spot, where we caught two more fish and threw them back. The weather was fair and I was enjoying myself. There is not a chance in you know what that I would have lasted this long if I had been fishing on my own, or with a friend. Fishing with a guide who knows the area makes a huge difference. I learned things about the lake and area, that I wouldn’t have known otherwise. I saw animals in their natural habitats and awed at their grace. I caught a 4lb Lake Trout!

Whether you’re a novice like me, or an avid fisherman/woman/person… taking a guided fishing tour in Banff is a great option. Both of the fishing guides from Minnewanka Lake Cruise (Ian and Blair) that I met were friendly and professional. They knew the lake, and the sweet spots for fishing. It worth the extra money you’ll spend.

I’d like to thank Brewster Inc. for sending me on the tour and Ian, Laura and Jane for cooking my fish afterward. It was super yummy!

Banff National Park was the first National Park in Canada and the third National Park in the world. At a size of 6,641 sq. kilometers, Banff is one of 4 National Parks that encompass’ the Canadian Rockies (The others are Kootenay, Yoho & Jasper). Over the years I have made several day trips to Banff. I’ve gawked at the Rocky Mountains, snapped hunderds of photos, breathed the fresh air, listened to the birds, connected with amazing people, enjoyed yummy food and more. There is always something new to see and discover, and although Mother Nature doesn’t always co-operate, I’ve enjoyed every minute.

Writing a single post that encompasses all of my favourite things about Banff would be hard. In fact, it would probably turn into a novella. Instead, I’m sharing 5 of them with you.

Cascade River near Johnson Lake

The Cascade River is fed by Lake Minnewanka and flows south to Rundle Mountain where it meets with the Bow River. The colour of the river is due to rock flour. Rock flour is silt-sized rock- generally due to glacial erosion (Banff National Park has 250 Glaciers), that flows into lakes and rivers. When the sun shines on the water, it reflects off the rock flour, which gives the water a turquoise colour.

Big Horn Sheep

Big Horn Sheep are more use to humans than they should be. Like White tail and Mule Deer, Big Horn Sheep can be easily spotted within Banff National Park. If you have a vehicle, a drive to Lake Minnewanka will often prove rewarding, as there is a herd in the area who often graze near the roadside. Although you can get pretty close to them, remember they’re a wild animal. Big Horn Sheep are not the only animals in Banff National Park, the park is also home to Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, Mule Deer, White-tail Deer, Mountain Lions, Silver Foxes, Moose, Bald Eagles, Elk, Osprey and more!

Bow Lake

Bow Lake is one of my favourite spots in Banff. As a glacial lake, Bow is often blue-green in colour- similar to Lake Louise. However on stormy days, the water can often reflect the darkness that surrounds it. Bow Lake is also a great place to spot black bears. I’ve had a lot of luck here, spotting a mama bear and her 2 cubs almost every year. Early morning hours are the best. Bow Lake is located along HWY 93 towards Jasper.

Hoodoo Viewpoint

Hoodoos are not uncommon in Southern Alberta. What is a hoodoo? Hoodoos are spires of rock that consist of soft sedimentary rock top with harder stone. Unfortunately there is not a trail along the riverbed leading to the Hoodoos photographed above- just the viewpoint trail which gives an overhead view. If you’re thinking about doing some back-country hiking, speak with a warden first and make sure the area you’re going to is safe- ie no Bears (Black or Grizzly) hunting in the area or dead animals that would cause a bear to stop in for dinner.

Basin

If you drive along Banff Ave, over the bridge to the lights, turn right and the road will lead to the Cave & Basin. Although the cave area is under reconstruction, hiking along the basin is still open. The Basin is my go-to spot in Banff. It’s location- on the back of Sulfur Mtn- is supreme, and a little stinky! Sulfur Mtn is home to natural springs that flow in several areas of the Basin at the base of the mountain. As the mountain hosts a variety of delicate eco-systems, there are wooden walkways throughout the area for visitors to use.

For more information about Banff National Park visit the Parks Canada website. Entrance into Banff is $9.80 per adult per day.

Yes, I know. I’m committing  a major blogger faux pas by claiming to have just eaten the BEST burger on the planet. However, as of today, at this moment in my life, I have. Seriously.

While walking around Banff earlier today my eyes were drawn to a place called The Eddie Burger + Bar on Caribou Street. The place looked cool. It was small, with a simple and clean look and it was busy- a good sign. But, I was meeting Rob from Brewsters Canada at Saltlik, so I decided to pass (for the moment).

While we were sitting on the patio talking about travel, Banff and all the great things Banff has to offer, Rob mentioned that The Eddie had the best onion rings in town. As a girl who loves her onion rings, I was intrigued and wanted to find out for myself.

There are three things that make a restaurant a great place to eat. 1. Ambiance, 2. Food, 3. Service. As I mentioned above, The Eddie is small, but that’s one of the things that makes this place worth a stop. I loved the clean lines, the dark wood and the cozy feel. For a small eatery/bar, it’s equipped with 4 flat screen TVs. Yes, 4. Why? No clue.

Food

The Eddie offers more than your standard AAA beef burger. Customers can try burgers like Elk, Bison, Lamb, Chicken, & Veggie. Customers also have the option of ordering off their standard menu, or creating their own burger (which I understand is a bigger portion as a 1/2 side dish is not included).

I opted for The Eddie Classic Burger and a 1/2 order of Onion Rings. At first glance, the burger looks small, but in all honesty it was the perfect size- for me. The burger was moist (I actually got burger juice on my top, lol), and a little tall. In fact my big mouth, wasn’t big enough! I had to squish it to eat it. The onion rings were done just right. The onions weren’t over cooked, and the oil they used to fry them was fresh. I know that sounds weird, but it’s important. Eating fried food that has been fried in old oil is disgusting. No matter how good the food is, the old oil after taste kills it every time. For the first time in a LONG time I enjoyed onion rings that were fresh.

Service

I’m a pretty picky person when it comes to service. I believe in tipping well for good service. Being a waitress/waiter is not an easy job. In fact it’s a pretty thankless job. However, if they want to make money, they need to be on their A-game on each an every shift. My waitress at The Eddie was one of those waitresses. She was friendly, informative, polite and fast. I think I waited all of 10 minutes for my food and less than 5 for my beverage (The Trash Can- WOW!).  Although I didn’t sit at the bar (it was 6 feet away from my table) I did take note of the bar tender. No, I was not ‘checking him out’, I was observing his treatment of his customers, which was friendly and polite.

Banff gets a bad rap, a lot. It’s been blamed for being snobby, rude, uptight etc. It’s not. There are bad experiences in every town in the world. Nobody is perfect all the time. Thankfully, my meal this evening wasn’t one of those bad experiences. It was one of those great experiences. I didn’t feel like I was eating in a tourist trap, I felt like I was eating in my favourite local joint. I was greeted by smiling staff within seconds of walking in the door, the service was fast, the food was scrumptious, and the price was reasonable.

Total Meal Cost (food + drink) $23.00

The Eddie Burger + Bar. #6 137 Banff Avenue (on Caribou St. between Banff Ave & Bear St.) facebook: eddieburgerbar

Oh, what was I thinking!! I am so unbelievably camera shy, and here I am shooting my first video. The idea was to do videos for my 2yr old niece while I travel, so I’m hoping this whole process will become less embarrassing as time goes by. Oh, please let this get less embarrassing! Check it out for yourself and try not to laugh too hard! haha

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M93eBU9C78]

Okay, so now that the embarrassing part is over, it’s over right?! Let me tell you a little bit about Banff.  As I mention in the video, Banff is very touristy and therefore very expensive in some respects.  However there are some amazing vistas.  Whenever I feel the need to grab my camera and get away, I usually end up in Banff.  Below are some of the photos I took while in Banff today.

Inside Cave at the Cave & Basin National Historic Site

The Basin

View by Bow Falls

A quiet seat near Bow Falls

-30 C, my fingers were frozen within 4 mins and unable to snap anymore photos. Banff National Park, South of the Cave & Basin, Alberta