Snowy scenes again

Last week, I had to go to York for a meeting. Because of landslip problems on the railway line at Corbridge and changes with diaries and schedules, I ended up travelling across via Leeds on the Carlisle-Settle train line. Despite making plans to travel on the line for recreational purposes with family sometime last summer, that never happened so it was with a sense of deja vu that I looked out onto a snowy landscape as it was wintry weather when I last travelled across in March 2015. We really must do better this year and make that summer journey

Lake of the Little Fishes

Lake Louise was named by Victorian explorers (as was customary at the time) for a child of Queen Victoria although the aboriginal name for the lake is “Lake of the Little Fishes”. It’s a stark reminder that before the coming of settlers, the railroad and generations of explorers and tourists, the area was home to the Stoney Indians and a myriad of animals such as bears, lynx and moose. Now, conservationists have a challenge to manage the enormous numbers of visitors to the area while maintaining the habitat of an increasing number of vulnerable species. That presents a real challenge.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a truly beautiful place, Having only ever seen the lake and Victoria glacier in photographs, I decided to take a bus up to the chateau style hotel that dominates the eastern shore and explore. The hotel, originally developed at the turn of the 20th century when the coming of the Canadian Pacific railway began opening up travel opportunities, gives visitors wonderful views out onto the lake. Being winter, the lake was frozen and the mountains blanketed with snow, creating a magical, fairy-tale landscape. It was definitely worth slithering about in ski-boots on the ice for the views!

Fourteen years on!

Thank goodness for Google! During our recent holiday, Andy and I had one of those inconclusive conversations on a chair lift about the length of time since our previous visit to Lake Louise.  Dredging our memories, we remembered sitting in our log cabin at Castle Mountain watching Australian, Steven Bradbury (no relation!), win a gold speed skating medal during a Winter Olympics. Once back at our hotel, we were straight on the iPAD where a swift Google revealed that our namesake skated to Gold round the “Korean crash” in Salt Lake City during 2002. That was 14 years ago! Impossible!

It's all downhill from here

I was talking to a colleague about skiing in Canada as he went on his first holiday a few years ago and had become, or so I thought, an enthusiast.  But, it transpires that he has become bored with the concept of downhill skiing, seeing little point in catching a chair lift up a slope merely to ski down.  Apparently, his new enthusiasm is for cross-country skiing which appears to him, to have a greater purpose. Having just enjoyed 9 days of downhill, I can’t say I agree with him but then I’ve never tried cross-country! It’s food for thought!

Parting is such sweet sorrow....

Canada is a wonderful country; tolerant, diverse and with an outdoor and sporting lifestyle that would suit our family very well. So, whenever we visit, our thoughts invariably lead us to the “If only we had discovered Canada sooner” conversations. But sadly, according to Canadian immigration rules, we’re too old to make that move, and in my case, the cost of health insurance would now be astronomical. However, being positive people, after allowing ourselves that indulgence, we remember to count our blessings as we are very lucky, enjoying happy, fulfilled lives in the UK. But leaving Canada is always bittersweet. 

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! In true celebratory fashion, Mr Glis and I spent the magic hour tucked up in bed, dead to the world and the sounds of any local merriment. And the rest of the first day of the new year hasn’t been much livelier, with a short appointment first thing, an afternoon with Nerea in front of the fire watching The Sound of Music (while Alex and Mr G rebuilt rose arches), a damp, muddy, dog walk and then an evening catching up on some festive TV! We really know how to party and live life on the edge!