Friday 9 May, Jasper here we come

Bags out by 7 and then to breakfast armed with the Vegemite. Talking to some from our tour group re last night's dinner, they were seated at 6.45pm and their mains did not arrive until 9.30! I was not happy with our wait to be served our meals but that was nothing compared to them so they were not happy and one could left before their main eventually arrived. At the ridiculous prices they charged I'm happy that all our meal was included in the tour package as no way would I have paid what they asked. Anyway, light breakfast out of the way and in the coach for an 8.30 departure. View from our room this morning has set the day off to a great start. Photo is taken through mesh on window.

We are all onboard and setting off towards Jasper. Jo and I have been allocated the from seats on the coach. Great to see everything but not so good for taking photos. A black bear is spotted on the driver side of the coach so I got to see it but no chance to photograph it. you'll just have to take my word for it. Travelling along the Icefields Parkway e continue to see magnificent scenery.

The tunnel photo is actually a wildlife bridge where fencing has been erected along the perimeter to stop wildlife coming onto the road as the fence line directs them to the open bridge. Very clever and apparently works. All along the route we wind through the Canadian Rockies past glaciers, vast Icefields, valleys and lakes. Amazing!

And then we see another black bear right in front of us on the passenger side. My photos will make you search to see it but I saw him perfectly!

We have entered Jasper national (established in 1907 and is one of Canada's oldest and largest national parks. We then reach the Columbia Icefield.

Dale, our tour guide has mucked up the timings so we note have an early lunch at the information centre/ shops and are then booked for the 12.15 trip to the glacier. We are initially bused near to the glacier and we then board a specially designed Ice Explorer vehicle to journey right into the glacier.

It is amazing and such an awesome experience to be standing on an ancient glacier...

All too soon or half hour is up and we get back on the Ice Explorer, then the bus and back to the info centre.

Continuing along the Parkway we pass a glass bottom lookout. Apparently that lookout spot used to be free and provided great views, even immoderately below it but to create this protruding glad walk way, they blew up below the original lookout and charge something like $70 to go on the walkway!

Continuing on, we can see mini waterfalls through the cliffs. Then we spot some big horn sheep who were totally unfussed by our presence.

As we continue on we are confronted with the devastating of last July's wild fires. As far as the eye can see and all the way up mountains to the top of the tree line is black. It is heartbreaking but slowly there is some regrowth noticeable. As they don't know how hot the fire was so don't know how deep down it burnt, they don't know if these trees will regrow. We do at Athabasca Falls and have a chance to wander around it.

We are on our way again to Jasper. The town is slowly regrowing but has s long way to go. Our hotel for the night is the Fairmont Jasper Park lodge. We are told that Bing Crosby loved staying here. The original lodges were burnt down and have been replaced with cement ones with log facades. We see a couple of Loons (the bird variety) in the lake. As the lodges are spread out over a number of acres we are told that we may need to call reception to get one of the golf carts to come and pick us up to take us to the dining rooms... Thankfully our room is only a few minutes walk so we trundle off to our assigned cabin, open the door and see 1 bed.... I call reception who take ages to answer, and tell them that we need a twin bed room. I'm told there are none available. I tell the smug last in the phone that this won't do. She tells me that our group are asked a room but not the bedding confusion. I again tell her that it won't do so she tells me we can have a second room and be charged for it. I tell her 'well that isn't going to happen' and hang up. In the mean time, Jo had headed back to reception to catch up with Dale who speaks with her contact at the hotel and shortly after we are provided with a new cabin that does have twin beds. 😀 Once out suitcases arrive in our room we have just enough time for a glad of wine, I do some minor handwashing off my smalls and not so smalls and we head to dinner. Fairmont certainly know how to charge like wounded bulls.

Just as well we aren't paying for it! I tried bison for the first time and if no one had told me what it was, I woyldn't have guessed it. It simply tastes like steak and was very nice. Good company for our evening meal and time to head back to our cabin for an early night. It's been another great day with walking on the glacier a huge highlight.