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Hello all!
We apologize for the lack of posts over the past little while - we've been without wireless for a little bit. After re-integrating back here we promise to post some photos from the last leg of our journey.

love!
J & S

G'bye Edmundstown

Being a philosopher, I have come to accept that all good things must come to an end (including, I suppose, being a philosopher . . . although I haven't accepted that one yet). So it is that today we depart from our fine hosts here in Edmonton. The dogs bark, which I take to be a sign that they know their lives will never be quite the same. And though they do not bark, I feel that the humans, Leah, Jack, and Jake (who has already left for work) will also be irreparably damaged (or improved, depending on how you look at it).

The world's largest mall was our locale yesterday. Indeed, the indoor roller coaster went uncomfortably close to the ceiling and the flamingos hooted and honked inside their tiny environ. The mechanical dragon did not breathe fire in front of us, but we did witness the expert Dance Dance Revolution skills of an unidentified rogue. A good time was had by all, I believe. What you see here are the memories and players in said memories of our time well spent. --SPH

E-Town!

The home of the Oilers! We have the pleasure of being immersed in the busy family lifestyle of my dear cousin Leah, her partner Jake, their son Jack and their extraordinarily friendly puppies, Lady and Gracie. We spent the day exploring the booming metropolis of Edmonton, and feasting on Alberta beef in a delightful BBQ dinner. We encountered this crazy little dude in a sombrero and this group of street thugs in the downtown. We now relax with some delicious G & Ts and reflect on the fact that the best part of our road trip has been the incredible opportunity to visit the friends and family we haven't seen in so long. [sidebar: while typing this blog entry, I left my G & T unattended and Jack sneaked by me and had a sip. He is now slurring his words...]
We spend another day in Edmonton tomorrow and then hit the road again Wednesday morning en route to Regina... --JW

Icefield Parkway

From Banff to Edmonton, we took the scenic route through the Icefield Parkway. And for $20 it better have been this beautiful. Not much else to say. I will let J tell the story of Edmonton. --SPH

Mountains + Hot Springs = Happy

Here we are, nestled in the natural beauty of Banff, Alberta. After arriving yesterday, we hiked through some woods where we encountered a couple of lunching mule deers, named so because of their muley ears. We also came upon some stunning views of the rockies cloaked in various moods of whispy clouds. A close second to the majesty of the mountains is the splendor of our current abode, the Banff Springs Hotel. It is everything of a Canadian Hogwarts, complete with low hanging chandeliers, plush carpet and furniture, and a roaring waterfall running adjacent to its Southern wall. Of course the cheese, fruit and dessert buffet we enjoyed last night helped to increase our appreciation of this destination.
We leave this afternoon North-Eastern bound to Edmonton to visit my family out there. More to come from the land of cowboy hats, oil barons and delicious steak... --JW

Lake Louise

As much as we tried to find camping grounds last night, we could not and were forced to spend a night at the Lake Louise Inn. Despite a disagreeable exterior mobbed with drunken, noisy teenagers, the private accommodations were pleasant enough. And as these pictures suggest, the surroundings are quite beautiful.

Because we live in the age of digital trickery, it is worth commenting that the blue of the water is indeed more brilliant even in person. This is caused by rock dust, which slowly settles, but absorbs all the light spectrum except for the blue. Now, some of you brain-boxes have probably heard that water is usually blue for reflecting the sky. However, in this instance, it is actually the substance of the water itself. Remarkable, yes?

Tonight we stay, thanks to a generous donor, at the prestigious Banff Springs Hotel. More beauty is sure to follow. --SPH

Presently we stay on the majestic Bowen Island with the old friend and colleague of J's, Mary (here pictured). Last night we dined at Mary's restaurant wherein she waited on us hand and foot. Lucky for her the food was delicious, and as such, we saw fit to remain on good terms.

Sadly, our stay here must be short and we are bound in a few hours for a ferry back to the mainland of the continent. The journey to Banff Hot Springs is before us. --SPH