Hotel or Castle?

Copyright Karen Schaler All Rights Reserved

This is the view from my room in Banff taken, believe it or not, from the window with my new BlackBerry phone/camera. A TRAVEL THERAPY first! When I got the new BlackBerry I said I’d never use the silly camera options, I mean I have all my new Nikon gear why would I waste time with a camera phone? I found out today…because it’s quick and easy! After leaving my place in Manhattan at 5:30a.m., and about six hours on the plane, after a delay at JFK, we arrived in Calgary and then immediately got on a shuttle to make the one hour trek up to Banff. The weather is actually pretty mild for this time of year; apparently the Chinook Winds are whipping up some warmer weather which is just fine by me! It feels so good to be surrounded by mountains and fresh air again. Calgary and Banff reminds me a lot of where I grew up in Washington State, north of Seattle.   I’ve just checked in my room and have to turn around and meet the rest of the gang downstairs for a drink and dinner but I wanted to at least take this first photo and write down my first impressions. The Fairmont Banff Springs is called Canada’s “Castle in the Rockies” designed with a Scottish baronial castle in mind and to the appreciate the amazing scenery I was put on almost the top floor with a breathtaking view of snow covered mountain vistas that are so close it looks like I could reach out and touch them. This picture doesn’t even begin to do it justice…taken thru a glass window, etc, but it gives you an idea. I’ll have my “pro” shots tomorrow when I’ve had a chance to catch my breath!