can I stay here forever?

I find myself always wanting to explore the unbeaten path. Maybe it's the inner underdog supporter. Or the pioneer. Whatever the case, I'm always on the lookout for locals' favorites and insider's tips. Naturally, I was a bit weary of the infamous Lake Louise. Could it really live up to its hype? 

One glimpse and I knew.

Being one of the most well-known spots in Banff, Lake Louise gets noisy with tourists coming in by the bus. The 47-seater charter bus. Thankfully, gazing at this beauty never gets old. Unpredictable weather creates views that keep changing - it's like watching a slow time lapse movie unfold before you. With the fog and clouds playing hide and seek, the lighting never stays the same. Stand there for awhile and see it in

 partial shade, 

backlit,

behind other admirers,

shrouded in mystery,

a bit darker,

and drinking up rain.

Climbing the main trailhead for 15 minutes provides a tiny glimpse from higher up. By the time we got up there, the sun had come out, making Louise radiate a blue I thought only existed in Powerade.

You can also stay on the ground and take a walk along the loop for different angles.

If it gets too cold (or rainy like it did for us), take shelter inside the Chateau.

 And go down to the lower level to a boutique named Goodies Candy Shop for some locally made MacKay's ice cream. I picked maple walnut because - when in Canada. It didn't disappoint.

I believe in fighting cold with cold. And indulging multiple senses at once. So take your tastebud treat outside, and enjoy it with some eye candy. P.S. Ice cream tastes really good in the snow. 

For round two, I got the Alberta Saskatoon Berry. Om nom nom. 

wild thing

Whenever I travel, I come back having learned things I didn't know about myself. This particular trip pitched some heavy revelations I was no match for, but an exciting piece I found is - drum roll please - a newfound affinity for wilderness. Not sure exactly what it was, but standing in the midst of the bluest hues, inhaling tree-scented oxygen had me wishing I could be camping out there in the Rockies - sleeping outside in the open, stargazing the night away...

I'm no Thoreau, but the slight possibility that my recent development of love for nature and whole, untainted foods may point toward hippie leanings scares me. Four years in Smog City - aka the most park poor city in the nation - has clearly done some damage. I need to get out more.

Each body of water we came across wore a different tint of blue, and I could not be happier.

pebbles, unscathed

O Canada!

Getaways are magical. The idea of leaving everything behind and going somewhere, getting out of the everyday and into the unknown... enticing.

No matter how many times I travel, I'm always blown away by how I can hop on a plane and land in a whole new world in a matter of hours. Step out and greet foreign sights, smells, and cultures. The novelty of a place... but that's a different story for another time.

6:30 am (all thanks to selfless Connie, who escorted us to LAX at an ungodly hour), Air Canada A319 lifted off to the sun rising,

proceeded to fly right over the California coast,

 and in between dozing off and admiring the scenery, took us across the border to Canada.

 I dream of a day when pilots point out the landmarks we fly over. Is there an app for this yet?

Canada, you had me at hello. Or should I say first breath? Stepping out of our plane at YYC, we could immediately feel the 50 degree difference from the perpetual summer that is LA. Not just temperature-wise, but also in the quality of the air. So crisp, so clear that I subconsciously blurted out, "I love Canada!" a good 7 times within the first 10 minutes.

 Another first impression: the stereotype is true - Canadians are super nice. I've not had a more pleasant experience at the airport than at Calgary. From the security guys to the car rental workers, customer service was nothing short of stellar. So our journey on the ground began, excitement rushing through my veins. I wanted to hug this wonderful nation and every Canadian I met.