Kenya - The Samburu Reserve
Foto: The luxurious Banff Fairmont Springs Hotel (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Canada - In just under half an hour, we arrive in the tourist town of Banff. We drive through Banff’s main street. From a viewpoint, we can see the characteristic Banff Springs Hotel on the opposite side of the Bow River. Eventually, we are dropped off at the Banff Hot Springs, about 6 kilometers outside the village. The hot springs are fed by water from the mountains. The water temperature is 39°C. It’s wonderful to relax outdoors in the warm water. After about an hour of soaking, we take two taxis back to downtown Banff. Banff is very touristy, with many souvenir shops. We do some shopping, order a sandwich for lunch, and by half past two, we’re back at the vans for information about the helicopter flight. Unfortunately, the weather hasn’t improved and the flight is definitively cancelled. This means we can spend more time in Banff. We walk to the Banff Fairmont Springs Hotel, about 2 kilometers outside the town. The hotel dates back to 1886 and is very luxuriously decorated. From the outside, the hotel looks a lot like a castle. We walk inside the huge building. Even the lobby is enormous. Through some corridors and stairs, we reach the lounge on the second floor at the back of the hotel. Here I order a Banff Springs Ale beer. We enjoy our beers in the luxurious ambiance. By four o’clock, we’re back in Banff and then take the vans back to Canmore.
City of Vancouver
Canada - Afterwards, we quickly head into the city before it gets dark. When it’s too dark, it’s not good for taking photos. We walk toward the station and the harbor. On the corner stands the Harbour Centre with its distinctive round lookout on the roof (closed ...
Icefields Parkway
Canada - The Icefields Parkway is often called the most beautiful highway in the world. The road is a mountain pass with views of towering peaks and glaciers. Because the view from the bus isn’t equally good on every side, passengers often switch seats during ...
Niagara Falls
Canada - From Toronto, it’s less than a one-and-a-half-hour drive to the famous Niagara Falls. The Niagara Falls lie right on the border between the United States and Canada. The most well-known and largest waterfall is the Horseshoe Fall, which stretches over ...
View from the CN Tower
Canada - About a ten-minute walk from the hotel is the St. Lawrence Market, an old market hall from the early 19th century. The market is still held inside the hall. At one of the stalls, we have breakfast. We then walk on to the Distillery District. Here, old ...