Oo-la-la Louise!

Lake Louise is surely the crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies. 3.3 million people visit it every year.  Somehow it manages to seem pristine in aquamarine glory even with the giant Fairmont Hotel looming grandly over its shoreline.

I must mention our hike the day earlier to Bow Lake.  

An 11K round trip, we enjoyed the rich colors of the forest undergrowth and the smug satisfaction of hiking early enough to beat the afternoon rain.

The sapphire lake sparkled under brooding mountain peaks and we picked our way carefully over a rockfall to find a picnic spot. We got back to the RV just as rain began in earnest.

On to Lake Louise, we stop at the Visitor Center to get maps, etc. Hildegard and I take a break in the old ski gondola on display.  We ask how far it is to the town and are informed that the little shopping mall next to the Visitor Center IS the town!  Pricey and crowded, but Lac Louise (now in French, as are all signs) makes up for it.

In the morning we set out to Lake Louise with the plan to hike on to Lake Agnes and Little Beehive.  Lake Louise seems to become a brighter aqua the huger we go.  Canoes on the lake appear as swimming red ants.

Today is Hildegard and Matthias's 33rd wedding anniversary - the date of their legal wedding.  Though there was a second church wedding and 800 guests.

Big Beehive looms over Mirror Lake.  Sturdy hikers can ascend Big Beehive up a steep trail to an observation hut on the very top.

Ben wants a picture of the Lake Agnes sign in honor of Marie, our most recent German exchange student.  Ben and Marie raised an avocado seed to seedling and Marie named the tree Agnes. A good "father-daughter" project.

We get back from hiking and want to see the imposing Fairmont Hotel, built in 1925 after the original burned.

We make our way to the elegant lounge and are squared to a table between comfortable sofas and with superb views.

With fancy desserts and drinks, we celebrate that each of us have managed to be married 33 years . 1982 was a very good year!