August 3 - Still more to see in Canmore

I always love waking up in the mountains. They are truly mystical.

It turns out that my brother and his family were in Canmore for the day, so we met up with them for lunch at the Grizzly Paw. It is one of our favourite local family restaurants. In the evening it turns into more of a pub feel. After a short visit with them it was time to visit with my dad at the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) Barracks Historical Site. It has been restored to its 1921 state with period furniture and original paint samples and still rests on its original land from 1893. Inside you will find historical information about the building and the area. In fact, original artifacts, which belonged to the original tenants are displayed in their original setting. You can also purchase a small souvenir or relax for a cup of tea in the back room. The story behind the structure and the families who lived there is worth the visit.

Hubby and the boys went off to enjoy a quick hike up Grassi Lakes with my brother and his family, while I stayed behind to take photos of the rabbits and flowers in the gardens behind the NWMP Barracks. It was my turn to be eaten alive. I'm not sure why the mosquitoes seem worse this year than previous years. I enjoyed some tea and visited with a few other tourists and some of the locals. I also took a quick stroll down main street to buy a book from Cafe Books, another one of our favourite local businesses.

Hubby picked me up, so I could look for a couple more of my "big things". I took a photo of an Inukshuk and stopped at what I thought was one of the underground coal train. I am pleased to report that it was not. It was simply a train car flower basket thing. Although lovely, certainly not worth the stop. The question then, where is the antique underground coal train? Perhaps I will find that on my next visit. I will also continue my search for old coal mine relics, which can be found throughout the region. However, as land developers continue to purchase the land these historical reminders are being destroyed. Some developers are doing what they can to preserve many of the items, but without outside funding moving them or maintaining them becomes a challenge.

After a day out and about, it was time to head back to the condo. We needed to get ready for our dinner out at the Thai Pagoda. My youngest loves the purple dumplings, as he calls them, and my oldest loves the stuffed chicken wings. The adults, we enjoy trying a variety of the dishes. While the service is slow, the environment is relaxing and the staff/owner is friendly and knowledgeable.

August 2 - Canmore Day Two

After dropping the boys off to hike, my mother and I went to find the original mine entrance. Beside the mine entrance is the original lamp house structure. I was excited to see this one, because I had read so much of the history. First, my mom and I needed to wind our way through some street and then find a place to park. Once we left the vehicle, we quickly realised the errors of our ways: we'd both sent the mosquito spray with our men. Hoodies up, we braved our way through the long grass. I was mortified to see how much vandalism and graffiti had overtaken the sight. It reinforced the need for someone to take ownership of the propriety and for more funding for the arts.

Covered in mosquito bites, we decided to stay in the car for the next few items. It turns out we stayed in the car longer than anticipated, as we drove around trying to find the metal rooster. We drove around the whole industrial area. Some how we ended up back on Hwy 2 and needed to take an exit back into Canmore. One more quick tour to try and find the rooster, before giving up. Heading back to the condo, I decided to make a quick stop to get a photo the eagle statue in the creek parking lot.

A quick drive by the hoodoos and the day is of big thing hunting.