There was a lot of driving and not much sightseeing while I was following the USWNT around Canada. However, since the quarterfinal and semifinal games were played so close to each other, I had an extra day in the Ottawa area. I spent much of my time on Parliament Hill in Canada's capital city.
I also crossed the Ottawa River into Quebec to explore Gatineau Park.
The World Cup final was in Vancouver and I got a chance to see more of the city and its surrounding area this time. After picking up Niki from the airport, we headed straight for Granville Island.
The World Cup final was in Vancouver and I got a chance to see more of the city and its surrounding area this time. After picking up Niki from the airport, we headed straight for Granville Island.
We also spent some time in Stanley Park
and Lynn Canyon Park.
The next morning we walked through Chinatown and the Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden.
She also wanted to check out the downtown Vancouver Public Library. The architecture made for some good photography.
The afternoon was focused on the World Cup final and the pandemonium that surrounded it. To read more about that experience check out my post entitled "World Champions".
With the World Cup over (but never forgotten), it was time to see more of what Canada had to offer. The Canadian Rockies were next on the list. Niki and I took off on the long drive from Vancouver to Golden, BC. We made a few stops at turnouts along the way.
In addition, we drove up the Meadow in the Sky Parkway in Mount Revelstoke National Park.
The next day started in Yoho National Park with Wapta Falls, Natural Bridge, Emerald Lake, and Takakkaw Falls.
It ended in Banff National Park with a stroll through the town of Banff and hiking in Johnston Canyon.
Day 2 in Banff National Park was all about the lakes. Moraine Lake in the morning.
Lake Louise in the afternoon. I took the opportunity to go on a pretty hefty hike up to Little Beehive and the Lake Agnes teahouse. Then, coming down at the far end of the lake so I could walk along the length of the lake shore.
Next, we drove up Icefields Parkway. It's a pretty spectacular drive filled with lakes, glaciers, and waterfalls.
The drive ends in Jasper National Park. We made a pit stop in the town of Jasper and with no concrete plans for the afternoon we followed the recommendation of the waitress to go to the beach at Edith Lake. I took a quick dip in the refreshing (AKA colder than desired) water.
Unfortunately, there was a forest fire that had just started very near to our location, so that ended our day in Jasper National Park.
The Canadian Rockies were just as the books described. There was beauty in every direction!
Click here to see more photos of my Canadian Road Trip.
