We kicked off T's summer with a week-long visit to Banff, a town within Banff National Park in Alberta.
Our Canada Day departure got off to a slow start with a 2-hour mechanical delay, while we were already seated on the plane.
"Is the plane going to crash?" T asked loudly and I reminded him to use his inside voice.
The 4-hour flight was uneventful and T was mostly regulated with a few restless moments.
The 1-hour drive from the Calgary airport to Banff was incredible once the tall snow-capped Rocky Mountains appeared.
We took it easy on our first afternoon and explored downtown Banff and watched their Canada Day parade.
As we had been up since 3:30 am our time - Banff was 2-hours behind Toronto - we went to bed early after letting T swim at the hotel pool.
Waking up refreshed on our first full day, we set off on our first hike, after breakfast, up nearby Tunnel Mountain.
It was non-stop zig-zagging incline trails - and the hubby and I were cursing ourselves - but T was ever the trooper, often leading the way.
The scenic views of pointed snow-capped mountains and clear turquoise waters below revealed themselves, layer by layer, as we made our way up Tunnel Mountain.
We eventually made our way to the top, an elevation of 1,690 m and at a summit once made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939.
The burning thighs were worth it for the panoramic views.
T enjoyed the views too, wanting to document it amongst his photo memories.
T is at an age now, 9, where we can be less on top of him during hikes at more precarious places.
But he sometimes reminds us to keep a watchful eye on him.
An amused visitor from England said to us at the summit, "Looks like you have a monkey."
Can you spot T on the tree below? Bet the view below was even more awesome from the treetop!
This kid has no fear!
We retraced our steps back down Tunnel Mountain and enjoyed the scenic lookouts once again.
We then headed off for afternoon tea at the Banff Springs Fairmont Hotel, something I planned for the hubby's enjoyment as he loves this stuff.
The view was not too shabby!
I'm not normally into tea parties but these scones with cream and jam were delicious!
Afterwards, we explored the scenic grounds of this beautiful hotel, which opened in 1888 and hosted famous guests such as Marilyn Monroe.
The hotel connected to Bow River and we hiked along the trail, which lead to scenic Bow Falls.
If there's a pebble or stone to be thrown, T will find it and throw it.
We headed back to our hotel in the late afternoon to relax then headed back out for dinner along Banff Avenue and enjoy its scenic backdrop.
Banff is a place I've wanted to visit for a long time, pre-dating parenthood, and I am thankful we had this opportunity and to experience it with T and through his wonder-filled eyes.
It has been a challenging last few years for our family, filled with successive hard losses.
Taking the plunge with this family trip was a reminder to embrace the urgency of the now.
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