Banff, Canada
Feb 11th 2008, 12:44 pm
#16
Brisbane's friendly cop
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,766
Re: Banff, Canada
Last one
Feb 11th 2008, 2:12 pm
#18
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Poole, Dorset
Posts: 1,217
Re: Banff, Canada
I have been there but we went in the summer time. We had a great time.
Hope you have a fab trip.
Hope you have a fab trip.
Feb 11th 2008, 2:45 pm
#19
Up Around the Bend
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Serenity
Posts: 5,292
Re: Banff, Canada
Well we had an absolutely fantastic time! Got back yesterday and feeling a bit jet lagged! But we absolutely loved it - loved Banff, loved the skiing/boarding and loved Canada. Definitely the best skiing/boarding we've ever done.
It was cold but totally manageable with the right clothes on (lots)! And it was fine when you were skiing (although bloody freezing on the chair lifts!). We skied in Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise. Even had a go at night skiing.
Also visited the natural hot springs which was worth doing - they were proper hot (40 degrees) which was funny with snow all around you.
Anyway, it's crap to be back, I just wish we were still there, we loved it! I'll try and attach some pics....
It was cold but totally manageable with the right clothes on (lots)! And it was fine when you were skiing (although bloody freezing on the chair lifts!). We skied in Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise. Even had a go at night skiing.
Also visited the natural hot springs which was worth doing - they were proper hot (40 degrees) which was funny with snow all around you.
Anyway, it's crap to be back, I just wish we were still there, we loved it! I'll try and attach some pics....
It looks like you had a lovely time , the hot springs were lovely from what I remember
Feb 11th 2008, 8:52 pm
#20
Gutter Gob!!
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 13,098
Re: Banff, Canada
Glad you enjoyed it. It is truly my favourite place in the whole world.
Feb 11th 2008, 10:41 pm
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
Posts: 61,698
Re: Banff, Canada
We're going skiing there next week, just wondered if anyone had been and whether you liked it? I can't wait! It's been nice having something to look forward to after Christmas. And we're not going to talk about the wedding or emigrating for the whole 10 days 
.
Now I've just got to hope I can remember how to ski.... it's been a long time
.Now I've just got to hope I can remember how to ski.... it's been a long time
Banff and area is truly one of the many wonders of the world. We love visiting there. My brother, husband and a few friends go there every year for a week of skiing.
Feb 11th 2008, 10:41 pm
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
Posts: 61,698
Feb 12th 2008, 8:44 am
#23
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: Banff, Canada
I lived in Canmore before it became a tourist mecca and worked at one of the hotels in Banff. My boyfriend at the time worked at Sunshine so we used to ski just about ever day off we had. I can remember clearly my 20st birthday sitting in the hot springs with snow falling on our heads. It's really fantastic, isn't it?
Glad you had a good time and enjoyed our Canadian hospitality. If you get a chance to go back to Canada, try to see something other than the western tourist spots. The eastern regions of Quebec are absolutely stunning, as is northern Ontario. I also lived for a couple of years north of Lake Superior in a very small (just over 100 people) town. The scenery on Lake Superior is some of the most stunning anywhere.
Glad you had a good time and enjoyed our Canadian hospitality. If you get a chance to go back to Canada, try to see something other than the western tourist spots. The eastern regions of Quebec are absolutely stunning, as is northern Ontario. I also lived for a couple of years north of Lake Superior in a very small (just over 100 people) town. The scenery on Lake Superior is some of the most stunning anywhere.
Feb 12th 2008, 1:27 pm
#24
Brisbane's friendly cop
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,766
Re: Banff, Canada
I lived in Canmore before it became a tourist mecca and worked at one of the hotels in Banff. My boyfriend at the time worked at Sunshine so we used to ski just about ever day off we had. I can remember clearly my 20st birthday sitting in the hot springs with snow falling on our heads. It's really fantastic, isn't it?
Glad you had a good time and enjoyed our Canadian hospitality. If you get a chance to go back to Canada, try to see something other than the western tourist spots. The eastern regions of Quebec are absolutely stunning, as is northern Ontario. I also lived for a couple of years north of Lake Superior in a very small (just over 100 people) town. The scenery on Lake Superior is some of the most stunning anywhere.
Glad you had a good time and enjoyed our Canadian hospitality. If you get a chance to go back to Canada, try to see something other than the western tourist spots. The eastern regions of Quebec are absolutely stunning, as is northern Ontario. I also lived for a couple of years north of Lake Superior in a very small (just over 100 people) town. The scenery on Lake Superior is some of the most stunning anywhere.
Feb 13th 2008, 7:48 am
#25
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: Banff, Canada
It depends on where you want to go. If you fly Qantas you can go direct from Bris to Vancouver and then get internal flights for cheap on one of the domestic airlines. I would personally stay away from Air Canada, but WestJet are great. The direct flights from Bris to Van takes about 14 hours. If you go through the US it's about 24 hours to Toronto.
If you want to see a fantastic place then I would fly to Montreal, stay a few days using the Metro for transport then rent a car and travel east. Quebec City is beautiful as is the rest of Quebec. You don't really need a lot of French, either. So long as you have a basic knowledge and try to speak it to the natives they'll usually speak English to you if they know how.
I would also visit Ottawa/Hull. The tour of the Mint is fun and so is the National Gallery. There's a really neat market behind Rideau Street where you can get really cheap fresh fruit and veg, have your palm read and then have a beautiful seafood dinner. You have to go across the bridge to Hull to see the National Museum. If you go in winter you can skate along the Rideau canal as well. A lot of people who work in the city skate to work. It's cool to see all the executives in their skates carrying their briefcases. You can also take a tour of the Parliament Buildings and go up to the top of the clock tower.
I know everyone wants to see Niagara Falls, but really, it's a PIT. The falls themselves are nice, but the city of Niagara Falls is dirty - just filled with tacky souvenier shops and crap museums (Ripley's, Madame Tousaude's, etc) The rest of the Niagara region is fairly nice, though. Niagara on the Lake is really nice. You'll find lots of wineries there. Go a little bit north about 3 hours to cottage country in the fall to see the best colour show you've ever seen. If you go in October you can go to the Bala cranberry festival on Thanksgiving weekend. It's neat to see the cranberry fields being flooded so the berries rise to the top and can be harvested.
Wow! I've rambled on a bit here. If you want to know any more, just let me know.
If you want to see a fantastic place then I would fly to Montreal, stay a few days using the Metro for transport then rent a car and travel east. Quebec City is beautiful as is the rest of Quebec. You don't really need a lot of French, either. So long as you have a basic knowledge and try to speak it to the natives they'll usually speak English to you if they know how.
I would also visit Ottawa/Hull. The tour of the Mint is fun and so is the National Gallery. There's a really neat market behind Rideau Street where you can get really cheap fresh fruit and veg, have your palm read and then have a beautiful seafood dinner. You have to go across the bridge to Hull to see the National Museum. If you go in winter you can skate along the Rideau canal as well. A lot of people who work in the city skate to work. It's cool to see all the executives in their skates carrying their briefcases. You can also take a tour of the Parliament Buildings and go up to the top of the clock tower.
I know everyone wants to see Niagara Falls, but really, it's a PIT. The falls themselves are nice, but the city of Niagara Falls is dirty - just filled with tacky souvenier shops and crap museums (Ripley's, Madame Tousaude's, etc) The rest of the Niagara region is fairly nice, though. Niagara on the Lake is really nice. You'll find lots of wineries there. Go a little bit north about 3 hours to cottage country in the fall to see the best colour show you've ever seen. If you go in October you can go to the Bala cranberry festival on Thanksgiving weekend. It's neat to see the cranberry fields being flooded so the berries rise to the top and can be harvested.
Wow! I've rambled on a bit here. If you want to know any more, just let me know.
Feb 13th 2008, 8:52 am
#26
Brisbane's friendly cop
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,766
Re: Banff, Canada
It depends on where you want to go. If you fly Qantas you can go direct from Bris to Vancouver and then get internal flights for cheap on one of the domestic airlines. I would personally stay away from Air Canada, but WestJet are great. The direct flights from Bris to Van takes about 14 hours. If you go through the US it's about 24 hours to Toronto.
If you want to see a fantastic place then I would fly to Montreal, stay a few days using the Metro for transport then rent a car and travel east. Quebec City is beautiful as is the rest of Quebec. You don't really need a lot of French, either. So long as you have a basic knowledge and try to speak it to the natives they'll usually speak English to you if they know how.
I would also visit Ottawa/Hull. The tour of the Mint is fun and so is the National Gallery. There's a really neat market behind Rideau Street where you can get really cheap fresh fruit and veg, have your palm read and then have a beautiful seafood dinner. You have to go across the bridge to Hull to see the National Museum. If you go in winter you can skate along the Rideau canal as well. A lot of people who work in the city skate to work. It's cool to see all the executives in their skates carrying their briefcases. You can also take a tour of the Parliament Buildings and go up to the top of the clock tower.
I know everyone wants to see Niagara Falls, but really, it's a PIT. The falls themselves are nice, but the city of Niagara Falls is dirty - just filled with tacky souvenier shops and crap museums (Ripley's, Madame Tousaude's, etc) The rest of the Niagara region is fairly nice, though. Niagara on the Lake is really nice. You'll find lots of wineries there. Go a little bit north about 3 hours to cottage country in the fall to see the best colour show you've ever seen. If you go in October you can go to the Bala cranberry festival on Thanksgiving weekend. It's neat to see the cranberry fields being flooded so the berries rise to the top and can be harvested.
Wow! I've rambled on a bit here. If you want to know any more, just let me know.
If you want to see a fantastic place then I would fly to Montreal, stay a few days using the Metro for transport then rent a car and travel east. Quebec City is beautiful as is the rest of Quebec. You don't really need a lot of French, either. So long as you have a basic knowledge and try to speak it to the natives they'll usually speak English to you if they know how.
I would also visit Ottawa/Hull. The tour of the Mint is fun and so is the National Gallery. There's a really neat market behind Rideau Street where you can get really cheap fresh fruit and veg, have your palm read and then have a beautiful seafood dinner. You have to go across the bridge to Hull to see the National Museum. If you go in winter you can skate along the Rideau canal as well. A lot of people who work in the city skate to work. It's cool to see all the executives in their skates carrying their briefcases. You can also take a tour of the Parliament Buildings and go up to the top of the clock tower.
I know everyone wants to see Niagara Falls, but really, it's a PIT. The falls themselves are nice, but the city of Niagara Falls is dirty - just filled with tacky souvenier shops and crap museums (Ripley's, Madame Tousaude's, etc) The rest of the Niagara region is fairly nice, though. Niagara on the Lake is really nice. You'll find lots of wineries there. Go a little bit north about 3 hours to cottage country in the fall to see the best colour show you've ever seen. If you go in October you can go to the Bala cranberry festival on Thanksgiving weekend. It's neat to see the cranberry fields being flooded so the berries rise to the top and can be harvested.
Wow! I've rambled on a bit here. If you want to know any more, just let me know.
