Maw Maw and Paw Paw arrived on Tuesday, September 16th for a 2 week visit. We were so excited to see them!! They didn't have too much time to settle into Calgary before we hopped in the (rented) mini-van on Thursday the 18th for a trip west to Kelowna, British Columbia. We hadn't made it to BC yet, and we had heard that Kelowna is beautiful and warm. Couldn't wait to get on the road!
We planned to stop in Lake Louise around noon to enjoy a picnic lunch by the lake. Sadly, it was rainy and cool, so although we did stop at Lake Louise, we had a quick potty break and then ate in the van. Hopefully we will have nicer weather on the way back for Dad and Sherry to see the lake when it's not so gloomy.
We made pretty good time as we drove, although we did run into a bit of construction which slowed us down. We had a few "tourist" stops planned...the first was the Spiral Tunnel Viewpoint. The Canada Pacific Railroad tracks along a stretch of line west of Kicking Horse Pass were so steep that runaway trains, crashes, and other disasters were common. Around 1910, the problem was solved when two spiral tunnels were built down through 2 kilometers of solid rock to the valley floor, which lessened the grade dramatically. The tunnels were a ways off in the distance, rather hard to see, but can you spot me in the tunnel? :)
Another stop we made along the way to Kelowna was at the Natural Bridge. "This section of the Kicking Horse River is actively cutting down its bed. The main processes involved in this area are solution of the limestone in the river water and abrasion by sand and gravel being carried by the water. Both these processes were involved in the formation of the Natural Bridge." So spectacular...
Near the Natural Bridge is Emerald Lake, named for its beautiful emerald waters. The lake is about 3 kilometers from the small town of Field, BC. The rain seemed like it was starting to clear up a bit, but still a light sprinkle coming down.
We continued on our drive and stopped in Golden, BC at A&W for dinner. And then we drove and drove and drove. The sun was setting and this last stretch seemed exceptionally long, but we finally arrived in Kelowna around 9 p.m. We checked into our hotel and crashed hard...exhausted!
We took it pretty easy on day 2. After breakfast, we made our way downtown Kelowna to stroll, take pix, and enjoy the beautiful day. We got our toes wet in the lake, walked along the boardwalk, and just enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine.
Around noon we found the Kasugai Gardens, tucked away in the middle of downtown Kelowna. The gardens were completed in 1987 to symbolize the friendship between Kelowna and Kasugai, Japan, sister cities since 1981. So many beautiful things to see, and the kids loved looking at all the koi fish.
After the gardens, we were on the hunt for some lunch. We found Sturgeon Hall pub right on Water Street, just a few blocks from the gardens. We were able to sit outside and soak up all that warm sunshine while enjoying a delicious meal.
It was time to make our way back to the car. It was quite a long walk, but we stopped off at City Park for some playtime and admired the flowers. And of course, we stopped off at Moo-Lix ice cream shop for a late afternoon treat. These ice cream cones were so big...the kids couldn't even finish their cones, which is saying something!! We were all a bit weary when we made it back to the hotel, so we ordered some pizza (although we were still full of ice cream), played some card games, and just enjoyed time together.
Day 3, September 20th, was another gorgeous day. We drove about 45 minutes north of Kelowna to Davison Orchards for the morning.
Davison Orchards has a fantastic play area for the kids, so we spent a few hours driving tractors, sliding, and being put in "jail" for "bruising the apples".
After our tour, we had some time to just stroll around and relax before our dinner. As you can see in the pictures, Mission Hill was hosting a sculpture exhibition by a famous Icelandic artist named Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir. Greg and I had some fun with these sculptures during our visit, but they really were quite unique and added some extra beauty to the winery. We could have even brought one home...too bad I left my $100,000 at home.
Time for dinner! I had read amazing things about the Terrace Restaurant by Travel + Leisure magazine..."one of the top five winery restaurants in the world…the centerpiece of the Canadian wine tourism industry…one of the most glorious dining experiences around." Greg and I definitely had an experience that lived up to that kind of praise. Gorgeous views, spectacular food, and of course, being together to celebrate 14 amazing years! Cheers!
We started our last day in Kelowna by hiking up to Knox Mountain Lookout. Great views of Kelowna and Okanagan Lake.
After the hike, we drove around for a bit to do a little wine shopping. Stopped off at Summerhill and Cedar Creek wineries.
Finally...what the kids had been waiting for...BEACH TIME!!! We joyfully spent the afternoon at the beach on Okanagan Lake, splashing, swimming, and making sandcastles. A truly perfect way to end our trip. We picked up some dinner on the way back to the hotel so we could clean up, pack, and relax before hitting the road home in the morning.
Bright and early on Monday, September 22 we headed back to Calgary. It was a foggy morning, but once the skies cleared, we could enjoy the beautiful fall colors.
We snacked as we drove, so we made up enough time that we could stop at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. Yay!! I'm not sure these views will ever get old...absolutely breathtaking. Lots of tourists, enough that we found the road leading up to Moraine Lake closed as we were leaving. Made it just in time!!
Dad, Sherry, and I jumped out of the van for a quick stroll by Lake Louise. A bit cloudy, but no rain this time. Love this place.
And finally, HOME!! Another long travel day, but it was well worth it. Kelowna was amazing, and we were so glad to share the adventures with Maw Maw and Paw Paw!! And best of all, we still have another week together!
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