A road well travelled
Through the arch of the window, Lake Louise is a perfect Wedgewood blue. When you get close, it becomes more like Bombay Sapphire Gin, perfectly clear but with just a hint of blueness such that you think you might be imagining it. But I’m not near the water at the moment, nature is perfectly contained in a picture postcard view, from my table at the Lakeview Bar of Fairmont’s Chateau Lake Louise. Bec has gone horse riding and I’m enjoying a small bottle of mineral water, complimentary nuts and snide glances from my server.
The Chateau has been photographed so many times that it is almost a destination in itself, separate from the lake. The main part is a little faded now, especially downstairs with a mall of tacky yet expensive shops. But behind the signs that say “Guests Only beyond this point”, poorly enforced despite my wearing Teva’s, you can get some idea of what it was like in its heyday. The heads of long-dead animals look mournfully at you from every room. Light from the many chandeliers leave shadows of elk antlers on dark wood panelling. Sitting here on a sunny Saturday, a harp serenades us, unfortunately with “Stairway to Heaven”.
I also hear the dulcet sound of bear bells. Inside. These bells are sold to attach to your person, or your pack while hiking in grizzly bear country. The idea is that the constant ringing will alert the bear to your presence, preventing a startle-induced attack. I have also heard them described as “dinner bells” as they are apparently too soft and monotonous for the bear to notice until you are in his territory and then give out an excellent signal of exactly where in the undergrowth you are quaking as you hide. NB Hiding is not recommended, instead one should back away slowly while talking to the bear to make him aware of your humanness. One should not run. Apparently if the bear does knock you to the ground, but is simply being curious, one should play dead until he loses interest. However if he is attacking, one should attack back. There are no instructions on how to tell the difference between playful and predatory. Also lacking in instructions, despite being sold everywhere, is Bear Spray. It turns out is not like Aeroguard but more like capsicum spray. But, despite owning neither of these weapons, I feel reasonably safe at my table and begin to look around me.
There are a few younger people here for lunch, but the majority appear to be middle aged, probably on the trip of a lifetime. Most of the national park carparks have a special section for the grey nomads and their campervans. There is also a bus section for the hundreds of tourists that pour in to have their photo taken by Lake Louise, and then leave, on to bag the next tourist peak. We went one better. Have a look at the current edition of the Lonely Planet for Canada. Substitute a green canoe for the yellow kayak and it could be us. It’s Moraine Lake, slightly less touristy than Lake Louise but still fairly far from intrepid exploring. That’s hard to find in a national park that’s visited by a million people a year. Climbing up to the teahouse above the lake, we did end up hiking through snow. I was still wearing my Teva’s which helped with that intrepid explorer feeling, you know, woefully unprepared for the conditions, likely easily prevented by talking to the locals.
But I was probably too busy talking to Bec. Because one of the things about travelling is that by seeing these incredible new places and meeting great new people, it really makes you appreciate home and the incredible places and great people you have left behind.
Tags: Canada, Fairmont, lake louise, Moraine Lake, Travel
