Sandy Supposes....

May 30th Jasper, Alberta, Canada

         At long last our virtual travel group is in Canada. Hooray! This is a novel experience for me the Canadian. I have yet to explore this glorious province and it is on my bucket list. I have driven straight through Alberta enroute to British Columbia, but for some reason I've never lingered there. Many times I have meandered through the Rockies and marveled at the majestic beauty. There's no place like it.

         After our exhausting air travel it feels wonderful to relax in a mini bus and gawk at the incredible scenery from a sitting position. No huffing and puffing. No undo exertion. I can point a camera and shoot, or just point. All of us had our respective noses pressed to the panes of the immense windows as we espied wildlife oblivious to our gawking. Lyn's a Witchy Woman , 🌻 thankful pwheeler nano , 💙 Carly-wrimo 2024 , Apondia and moi oohed and aahed nonstop. We laughed at the antics of wrestling and tumbling black bear cubs. We speculated about the endurance and the balance of those stilt legs moose teeter about on. We envied the incredible view the swooping eagles must enjoy and their effortless gliding in a vast sky of blue.

         Of course The Rockies framed everything. They posed as a towering backdrop.

         We were more than ready for our afternoon culinary culture tour. Appreciating raw beauty works up an appetite. There's always room to sample and sip, n'est-ce-pas? As long as cucumbers were not contaminating any of my food, I was game to taste anything. Sauntering from restaurant to cafe also guaranteed that the calories did not make themselves at home. No one wanted that type of souvenir. I for one wanted a lifetime in my memories not on my hips. I also believe the gabbing/chin wagging burned any potential super calories. We're writers, eh? There are so many words to describe the enjoyment, the flavour of food. Scrumptious. Superb. Magnifique. Delicious. Savoury. Sweet. Incomparable.

         If we wobbled and teetered from the final festive eatery it was most likely due to the robust fresh mountain air.

         What better way to cap a perfect day than to attend the Jasper Planetarium in the evening. Is there anything more awe-inspiring than a vast ebony sky bejewelled with gazillions of sparkling stars? We encircled a roaring, crackling campfire with dancing flames of yellow and red. We inhaled pungent wood smoke. We peeked through the lens of a powerful telescope.

         I overheard another tourist mention magnetic midnight. Apparently, this occurs most often between eleven p.m. and one a.m. It is supposed to be the optimal time to be outside awaiting the appearance of aurora borealis. It blessed us with a spectacular light display. Vivid splashes of neon green shimmered and undulated across the night sky. Pulsating purple shimmied amongst the dark sentinels of evergreens. It was magical! At one point I held my breath and feared blinking. It's also awe-inspiring.