Grand Hotel / Mackinac Isle

Grand !!!    Yes, indeed !

What a place !!

...a day in Michigan

This morning's sunrise ...as we start south thru Michigan

We drive along Lake Michigan.....it is gorgeous!

Then stopped at Mackinaw City to take the boat out to Mackinac Island. This pix is take from the island.

The Historical Village....and yes, it's pretty touristy!

Bike Rentals...is quite a business as there are no motorized vehicles on this island.

A neat place for walking, seeing the flowers + the historic bldgs.

But the real reason we visited the island was to see the "Grand Palace"...a wooden structure over 125 yrs old. Next posting will be our "walk about"  of that place !!

Crossed border ~ U.S.A.

Today's drive across Wisconsin was colorful !!

Many, many lakes of course.

Since there are no by-passes we drove thru + enjoyed each charming town.

Then across  Michigan's  Upper Peninsula ... 

....we continued to enjoy more color !

Ahhhhhhhh...the south shore of Lake Superior !

Taken from our camp site....the sun setting over the Lake.

And.....more color !!

....on to Winnipeg

We spent today seeing Winnipeg.

Almost complete......

Winnipeg's idea of how to save their historical buildings.

Old warehouse... now a market space.

Lunch in their China Town

Visited their "Manitoba Musee"...this was a part of the Hudson Bay exhibit.

Ivory carved ship...about 12" long

....and The Nonsuch, a full sized ketch !!

....departure from Banff

This was the view from our RV site.  Banff is completely surrounded by majestic mts.

This was our view as we started our morning departure .....

Off we go ........on the Trans Canada #1

The mt.views were spectacular almost to Calgary.
Then across the prairie provinces of Alberta + Saskatchewan. Those many miles were on really good roads, with interesting scenery .......and a nice surprise!  No semi trucks on those smooth 'n rolling roads.

Banff, Canada

Once upon a time....

Our picture..today !  One fabulous place !

The Hotel Banff Springs

Banff Parks Museum...opened 1903

The museum's mission was to include a representative for every known creature that resided in the park area.

  And it does!!  It has celebrated over 100 years of public viewing.

Lake Louise, Canada

Lake Louise...just as stunning as I remember it ! 

Our family visited this site when I was a "young'n".... some 60 years ago.

This is a postcard overview, with the Chateau at the bottom of Lake Louise.

Drive on Icefields Parkway

This was our "goodbye" as we left Jasper in the morning

These pix were taken as we drove along the highway heading east towards Banff.

View of one of the many ice fields, from a'far

At the highest elevation point.....the Columbia Glacier !
[White dot in middle of pix is a tour bus on a park road]

Down the other side, there were some spectacular lake views/ reflections !

Next we will arrive @ Lake Louise, then on to Banff.....