O Canada!

Today is Canada's national day and in Banff the residents (I assume) and visitors are getting into the spirit of things by crowding into the downtown to celebrate. The footpaths are crowded and as I draft this in the late afternoon some thousands of people have assembled on the town's main street to watch a parade.

Our morning got underway as the flag was raised on the hotel grounds with a ceremonial to mark the occasion.

We wandered into the downtown early this morning to have a stroll. It has the look of a theme park or  Disney movie interpretation of small-town USA.

However the town's setting surrounded by mountains is undeniably beautiful.

In the afternoon we visited some attractions on the outskirts of the town. First up hot springs at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site.

Hot springs

Next, Johnston Canyon.

The lower falls

A local squirrel

Finally, scenic outlook from Mount Norgay.

Banff Springs Resort Hotel in the distance

Tonight we have dinner in one of numerous restaurants in the hotel; this one a Germanic/Austrian one apparently.