Lake Louise
Today’s weather was better. We decided to go to Lake Louise again and tried the Tea house hike to Lake Agnes. Lake Louise looked much better in good weather. The lake was calmer and we could see far into the distance.
Tea House hike and Lake Agnes
After we took some pictures at Lake Louise, we started our hike to the tea house. The hike was all the way up to the mountain, about 2000m. The kids were doing great. Even the youngest did a good job. It was not easy for him but he made it. We first passed by Mirror Lake and after a short hike later, we reached Lake Agnes and the tea house. I couldn’t help but said "Wow" when I saw the lake. It’s half frozen but was beautiful nonetheless. The tea house was a nice touch. The food was alright and not too expensive. Some of the furnitures there were over 100 years old and the staffs would warn you if you accidentally sit on one of those.
Cave and Basin Historic Site
After Lake Agnes, we hiked back to our car and ate lunch. We then drove to the Cave and Basin Historic Site. It’s the birthplace of the Canadian National Park. There were some interesting histories about the cave and how people tried to monetize it. The tour guide was knowledgeable and explained the back story very well. The place was of moderate size with some outdoor and some indoor space and the kids enjoyed it.
Upper Banff Hot Spring
After the Cave and Basin Historic Site, we drove to the Upper Banff Hot Spring. It’s our first time having hot spring in Canada. It’s definitely the first time our kids had hot spring ever. The hot springs here were not made by volcanos. Instead, they were made with water that sips through the cracks in the mountains. The water absorbed the minerals inside the mountain and was heated by geothermal energy. The hot water finally bursted out as hot springs. The water temperature was a nice 39°C. My youngest son initially complained about going there but once he’s in the pool, he loved it. The other kids were excited about going there too. For me, I was happy to have done it. It felt like an achievement to be able to manage it.
After bathing in the hot spring, we drove back to the hotel and enjoyed our dinner together. Everyone was happy and we had a good sleep. Mom was a bit sick though.