We kicked off T’s summer with a week-long visit to Banff, a town within Banff National Park in Alberta.
Our Canada Day departure got off to a slow start with a 2-hour mechanical delay, while we were already seated on the plane.
“Is the plane going to crash?” T asked loudly and I reminded him to use his inside voice.
The 4-hour flight was uneventful and T was mostly regulated with a few restless moments.
The 1-hour drive from the Calgary airport to Banff was incredible once the tall snow-capped Rocky Mountains appeared.
We took it easy on our first afternoon and explored downtown Banff and watched their Canada Day parade.
As we had been up since 3:30 am our time – Banff was 2-hours behind Toronto – we went to bed early after letting T swim at the hotel pool.
Waking up refreshed on our first full day, we set off on our first hike, after breakfast, up nearby Tunnel Mountain.
It was non-stop zig-zagging incline trails – and the hubby and I were cursing ourselves – but T was ever the trooper, often leading the way.
The scenic views of pointed snow-capped mountains and clear turquoise waters below revealed themselves, layer by layer, as we made our way up Tunnel Mountain.
We eventually made our way to the top, an elevation of 1,690 m and at a summit once made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939.
The burning thighs were worth it for the panoramic views.
T enjoyed the views too, wanting to document it amongst his photo memories.
T is at an age now, 9, where we can be less on top of him during hikes at more precarious places.
But he sometimes reminds us to keep a watchful eye on him.
An amused visitor from England said to us at the summit, “Looks like you have a monkey.”
Can you spot T on the tree below? Bet the view below was even more awesome from the treetop!
We retraced our steps back down Tunnel Mountain and enjoyed the scenic lookouts once again.
We then headed off for afternoon tea at the Banff Springs Fairmont Hotel, something I planned for the hubby’s enjoyment as he loves this stuff.
The view was not too shabby!
I’m not normally into tea parties but these scones with cream and jam were delicious!
Afterwards, we explored the scenic grounds of this beautiful hotel, which opened in 1888 and hosted famous guests such as Marilyn Monroe.
The hotel connected to Bow River and we hiked along the trail, which lead to scenic Bow Falls.
We headed back to our hotel in the late afternoon to relax then headed back out for dinner along Banff Avenue and enjoyed its scenic backdrop.
Banff is a place I’ve wanted to visit for a long time, pre-dating parenthood, and I am thankful we had this opportunity and to experience it with T and through his wonder-filled eyes.
It has been a challenging last few years for our family, filled with successive hard losses.
Taking the plunge with this family trip was a reminder to embrace the urgency of the now.
Explore our Banff Trip
- Day 1 & 2 – Tunnel Mountain, Fairmont Banff Springs, Bow River
- Day 3 – Riding Banff Gondola Up Sulphur Mountain
- Day 4 – Cycling the Legacy Trail and to Johnston Canyon
- Day 5 – The Quiet Beauty of Banff’s Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
- Day 6 – Hiking Takakkaw Falls and Canoeing Emerald Lake at Yoho National Park
My Life With T 
You allowed T to climb up that high up a tree?
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Yup! 😆
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T is all boy! As an overprotective mom he wouldn’t have gotten past the second branch! 🤣 This place is breathtaking Ab.
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Yes, the adventurous dads in us didn’t really mind but in hindsight, I am glad those branches up top didn’t snap or give in.
It really was such a breathtaking place and I’m glad we got to go!
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That looks absolutely amazing. How often the quiet voice goes walkabouts just at the right time…..
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Thanks Gary. It’s a beautiful part of Canada that I’m glad we finally got to d plots.
Yes, the quiet voice always has the worst timing. 😆
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O wow! It looks like it comes straight out of a fairytale book!
Linda xx
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Thank you Linda. It did feel otherworldly to visit! 💕
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🥰
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Just stunning 💛
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Thanks Cherryl. It was quite stunning indeed. You should visit us in Canada next!
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First, Is that really T in the tree? WOW! Second, Banff is on my bucket list! Love your photos! Third, Stayed at Fairmont in Mont Tremblant! It was a five star WOW! Fourth, LOL about using indoor voice with that question – that question is always in my brain, hence my fear of flying. Fifth, Love your amazing stories and adventures! V
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Thanks Vickie. It was so much fun. Yes, he climbed quite high up on that tree! 😆 I recommend a Western Canada visit as it’s quite beautiful. I do hope to visit again one day and explore more.
We did not stay at the Fairmont. Only tea. It sure looks fancy! 😊
By the way, T is hovering over me as I type this and he wants me to let you know that he says hello. Wait, I’m handing the phone to him now cuz he asking to do it himself.
Hi my name is T. I like M E S S I AND RONALDO TOO. I want to say hello to everyone. Bye!
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T, I am honored that you wrote to me! I absolutely love reading about your amazing adventures with your dads! You are making all your dad’s readers so proud! Enjoy your summer! 😁
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Love the views from your hike up Tunnel Mountain. Glad you had nice weather to enjoy the mountain scenery. It’s cute how T was taking pictures as well. Oh my gosh! It took me a while to figure out where T was in that tree. Here I was busy looking at the lower branches. That’s crazy how it made it up so high! Afternoon tea at the Fairmont sounds like a lovely (and fancy) way to treat yourself after all that hiking. Sounds like a great start to your trip (despite the delay and long travel day)!
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Thanks Linda. It was such an amazing trip and I miss it already. We had a great time and will sharing more highlights over the next few posts.
Hope you’re enjoying your summer. I bet you’re getting excited for your next trip!
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Beautiful, beautiful hikes — I could even almost smell the fresh air! When I was at his age, I didn’t even dare to climb a tree that high. I guess the views must have been really good up there. It looks like you had a great time in Banff, Ab!
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Thanks Bama. It was amazing and the cooler weather and fresh air was amazing. I miss it already. And yes, our kid has no fear. I’m just glad the thinner branches up top didn’t snap under his weight! 🙏
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Breathtaking photos, Ab! T’s life is so rich. He understands sadness and joy, adventure and beauty. What more can you ask from him? Oh, yeah…inside voice 🙂
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Thanks Margie. It was an amazing trip and I feel so blessed to have experienced it with T.
I have a whole post last on inside voice and things he said out loud during the trip. 😆
Hope you and the family are enjoying your summer too!
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What amazing places to make memories Ab! The mom in me had to take a moment to recover after seeing T up the tree- holy cow! I have to say, after seeing many different aspects of the US Rockies I think the Canadian parts rank higher on my breathtaking scale than any I’ve experienced down here.
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Thanks Deb. Yes, I was both amused and terrified of T up on the tree top. I’m glad nothing happened. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful place like this in Canada. I’m grateful to have experienced it with T. And also looking forward to exploring some of the sites across US one day!
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What stunning photos, Ab. The beauty of the Rockies never fails to fill us with a sense of awe. You picked a wonderful place to embrace the urgency of the now!
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Thanks Jane. It was my first time seeing them in person and what a treat they were. We really are so blessed to have them in Canada!
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Wow…and wow. I will confess. I took a tour through your gorgeous photos TWICE. They are stunning and it’s obvious that the three of you had the best time EVER. Thanks for taking us along…big hugs! 🥰
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Thanks Vicki. They are so beautiful and I’m thankful we got to experience them with T. What a treat they were to see up close!
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Love it! Hugs for all! ❤️
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Oh, I love these amazing pictures from a beautiful trip.
And I’m still giggling about the inside voice. Didn’t you mean to say, “Please use the quiet voice for when you are articulating what everyone is thinking and noone is saying?”
And this caption, “If there’s a pebble or stone to be thrown, T will find it and throw it.” Oh yes!
So glad you all had such a fun vacation. You’re right – embrace the urgency of now!
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Thanks Wynne. We were so lucky to have seen them and I certainly thought of you and your recent mountain with the kids. They bring such a different context to the hike up, don’t they?
And yes, his comments make me laugh. I have a whole post later about the things he said on this trip that could’ve been expressed with a quiet voice, as you said. 😆
Enjoy the rest of your week with the kids and Cooper!
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