Los Angels, Calgary and Banff

Los Angels, Calgary and Banff

The first Day
From Japan to Los Angels

We prepared for travel in whole night.
Then, because we'll go to Los Angels at first, we watched "SPEED" again.
It was very interesting.
Our flight's seats were filled, by a lot of Chinese and American.

I knew that Narita Airport is a hub-airport at Far East.
And, I rent a car after arriving at LAX.
In fact, I had once driven a left-handled car under the U.S rule 10 years ago.
The rented car was named Ford, but it was truly made by Matsuda.
That feeling is Japanese car as same as my car except for FF system.
However, the U.S rule isn't habit, one black man shouted me "Fxxx" at first.
After that, there was no problem, even if freeway
Los Angels areas are very large, many highways are built.
The highways are very wide.
But there are many cars, sometimes it was happened a traffic jams.
And, we drove Anaheim.
While driving, we drove off at a wrong interchange, and I lost a direction to the Anaheim Hilton Hotel.
We drove two times around the Disneyland.
Finally, I listened to the direction to the hotel at Anaheim Convention Center.

We didn't have enough sleeping and drove for 2 hours under inhabit rule, so I was very tired and slept for an hour.

Then, we went to Disneyland.
We paid US$42 x 2 at the entrance.
It was very crowd around the shopping street.
In fact, A cerebrating 45-years memorial parade was occurred at that time.
The parade was smaller than Tokyo Disneyland's.



I felt the Tokyo Disneyland is bigger than the original Disneyland.
But some attraction are building in the original Disneyland, if they will be completed, it may be going to change.
After sightseeing the parade, we went enjoying attraction.
Because it was very crowded and we had no time, we decided to enjoy the original attraction without existing Tokyo.
So, we went to a most popular attraction, an Indiana Jones Adventure.
We were told to wait for an hour, and recommended a "FastPass" system.
This system is : at first, each Pass is entered the recording machine, it was assigned time, and people can enter the attraction smoothly without waiting at the assigned time.
I felt it was good system, and we checked.
After checking, we took a lunch for waiting time.
We took some Juice, Janbalaya, Fried Chicken(about US$20).
Each dish was too much for us, but other people ordered more foods than regular size. It was unbelievable.
I thought that Japanese could not win to American in the war.
After the lunch, we enjoyed the assigned Indiana Jornes Adventure.
It was interesting.
A tricky moving viechle, CG and pressure by air guns are surprised us.
Then, we enjoyed some attraction, and looking for some souvenirs.
There was a Bear Poo, and we were said that we had to watch the attraction to take a photograph with Bear.
But after watching the attraction, Poo's job time had been over.

While we saw a waterproof by Sprush Mountaions, it was at 8:30 PM


We would like to watch a special Night show, "Fantasmic".
But the first Fantasmic show was much more crowded than Shinjuku-station in week-day morning, we cannot watch them enough.

While we waited to make a room for next show under the Hanabi show.
It was wonderful, because all timing and location of blowing with sounds were perfectly calculated.
If Japanese traditional Hanabi is like a picture, but that Disneyland's hanabi is like motion pictures.
I felt that was better than the most famous Sumida Hanbi.
We were waiting for half an hour with listening good Jazz music played at boats.
The second Fantasmic show was started.
It was composed of waterproof, water shower, light, sound and actors.
Motion pictures were lighted on the screens made by water shower.
And some Hanabi, Lazor and actors wearing character-face played show.



The story is a simple.
Many Disney characters lived peacefully, evil wizard appeared.
Her power was very strong, for example, the flame was burning on the water surface. (it may be used oil).
But Micky and other characters' imagination power removed her.
The story was as same as other Disney's story, but an idea for expressing is wonderful.

It told us "U.S is great, an Entertainment culture is great!".
After that show, because the attraction was over, we were looking for any souvenir at the shopping street.
We bought Tai(US$28), three Pasta(US$12) and went back to the hotel.

The second day
From Anaheim to Downtown

We were tired by long distant travel and enjoying Disneyland, then we slept till noon.
After checking out (car parking US$9), we moved to a Downtown area.
And, we checked in next hotel, The New Otani Hotel & Garden, and kept baggages.
We ate lunch in Macdonalds($7), the taste is same as Japanese.
But the amount of Juice is twice.
While driving, I found "YOSHINOYA" which was the Beef-Bowl restaurant, we tried to do, but it was very crowded and in the wrong atmosphere. so we gave up eating.
I was interested in a beef bowl made by California rice.

We looked at a Rodeo Dr. and BivelyHills.
Rodeo Dr. was very beautiful, and there are gentle people.



The black guard-man with good suit in front of the GUCCI was a handsome guy like fashion model.

There were many sightseener in front of Man's Chinese theater in Hollywood as same as a Disnyland.

We took some pictures as a typical sightseeners.


I was surprised there were many bad shops around the theater.
Some shops sells Bontage dresses, there are dirty place like Kabuki-cho.
We bought some drinks(US$3), and we went to Santa Monica.
Santa Monica was hard traffic jams, we needed to big efforts to park near beach side(parking fee was US$12).
That town was peaceful, and people are enjoying.
Many movies were took in the town.
It was the firehouse which was used "SPEED".

I felt the best town in the Los Angels area.
A famous Pia was very crowded.

There were many merchandiser in Santa Monica Pia which is the famous spot, for example, painters, gaming, and Henna Tattoo painter.



I attempted to be painted Henna Tattoo.(US$10)


It was painted, sprayed for fixing medicine, and drying for two hours.
The tattoo will stay two or three weeks.
This picture was taken after three days



And we ate delicious seafood in a Italian restaurant(US$57).
The sunset time was 8:30 PM, so it was past 11:00 after dinner.
However, there were many people at the 3rd promenade in Santa Monica
It may be safety.
But, our staying hotel is located Downtown near Little Tokyo.
There were no person in the night and may be dangerous.
I will hope to stay a hotel near Santa Monica at the next time.

The third day
Universal Studio

A parking fee was US$9
We arrived there on 8:30 morning, we bought ticket(US$41).
In fact, I visited it ten years ago, new interesting attractions were increased, I was enjoyed.
Especially, T2-3D opened on spring 1999 was the best attraction.
The show was composed of the three Dimension movie and playing real actors.
At first, we were guided the CyberDine company developing SkyNet.
The guide's making explanation is laughed, of course, it was spoken in English.
Then, the story was beginning when John and Sara came to crush the SkyNet.
In the 3D movie part, a Terminator was played by Schwertzneger.
John and Schwertzneger's T100 goes attacking SkyNet in the future through the Time warp.
At last, SkyNet was destroyed by the T100's sacrifice, appearance said brabow!
Schwertzneger's T100 is strong and great. Don't miss the attaraction in the Universal Studio.

I heard that T3 would be made with Schwertzneger as a bad Terminator.
If it is true, I am delightful.

And I experienced the popular Jurassic Park THE RIDE.
At the end of attraction, the ride jumped to the spring, and person are certainly wet like Sprush mountain.
But the charm point is only one.


We attempted a "Back to the future THE RIDE"
The ride was tricky motion and CG gave us virtual images like Star Tours.
And we enjoyed, "Back Draft", "E.T", and "Studio Tram Tour" and etceteras.
The latest attraction was better than old one.
For example, an "E.T"'s attraction isn't currently interesting.


We tried to watch a stage show after eating lunch(US$25).
One is the "WILD WILD WEST", which is a western stant show.
It was added comedy taste. You may laugh.


And we attempted to enter the WATER WORLD show.
But it was so crowded that we stopped entering them.
At last, we lined 3rd times, we enter the show seat after waiting 30 min.
In the show, there were many wonderful stant action, for example, explosion, active Jet-ski, Diving plane.
A stant show in front of face was full of reality.


But, I recommened Disney's fantasmic.
We ate some foods and drinks(US$18) between show-time.
I felt that Disneyland's targets are child and family, but Universal studio's ones are young or adult.
I enjoyed the Universal Studio better than the Disneyland.
We bought T-shirts and some goods about US$28 as souvenir.

And, an Universal City Walk were built in front of Universal Studio.
In the shopping mole, there are a Hard Rock Cafe or an Ice cream shop were existed.
We bought a T-shirts($18), Ice-Cream($4).
In the dinner, we ate Teishoku(US$19) at the Japanese restaurant near the Little Tokyo.
I felt it was delicious, but its value has nothing.

The forth day
From Los Angels to Calgary and DrumHeller

We have to ride on a airplane departing at 8:00 AM from LAX, so we checked out hotel before 5:30. (The hotel parking fee was US$30.0)
It was bad to take the parking fee from the guest.
After checking in the air-plane, we ate Barger king's breakfast and starbuck's coffe.(US$18)
We went to Calgary via San Francisco.
It was very cold in the shuttle airplane to San Francisco.
While waiting about an hour in San Francisco, we were writing homepage scripts or eating Beef-Jerky.
We slept through the air-plane because we had to wake up early.
When arrived at Calgary, the three hours were past though our flight time was about two hours.
It was the magic of time-differential.


In the Calgary air-port, it was risen up to the Calgary Stampede festival.
I heard about tickets for Rodeo show at the Stampede, these tickets were sold by Ticket master.
I called the Ticket master, but I knew a Rodeo show was over CN$100.
We hoped to buy cheaper ones, we drove to a Stampede park for instruction.

In the Calgary city, there two 1st, 2nd 3rd street which were running from South to North in East side and West side.
I didn't understand the naming, so I lost directions in the town.
There are one named avenue running from east and west.
The area is same size as Shinjuku town.
After difficult driving, we arrived at the park, where were preparing for Calgary Stampede park occurred after three days.
At that time, it was just 5:00 PM.
We tried to drive to DrumHeller at North-East 120km far.
our car went straight roads alone about 100km.

Moreover, suddenly it rains hardly with thunder.
We arrived at Royal Tyrell Museum in DrumHeller with fear about 6:40 PM
The Royal Tyrell Museum was one of the most famous Museum about Dinosaurus.


We bought pass(CN$15). I paid them by U.S dollars, the changes were returned Canada Dolores.
In the museum, we watched a lot of Dinosaurs, for example, T-Rex.
I excited to watch many Dinosaurs in the same floor.



I wanted to stay more hours, but we had to start at 8:00 PM.
We went back to Calgary and Banff.
Our travel was top of July, so sunset time at there was 10:00.
We came back to Calgary at 10:00 PM, we filled the tank (CN$24).
And we bought two Combos at KFC(CN$6).
With eating them, we drove to Banff.
That road was going to Mountains, there are many curves, and up and down.
After sunset, we drove with setting 120km up.
There was the house paying for a National Park Tax, but I passed them through the side.
And we arrived at Hotel in Banff about 11:30, and we checked there in.
Finally, we drove about 400km after riding off the air-plane.
So, we went to bed with checking weather forecast who said "it would be rain."

The fifth day
From Banff town to Lake Louise near Banff

We waked up at 8:45 AM.
Our active hours were night, we weaken up in morning.
It was fine throughout it would be rain by weather forecast at previous night.
And by weather forecast at that morning, it would be fine and cloudy through that week.
That local weather forecast channel around Banff was unbelievable.
At first, we would went to an Information Center to pay Tax for National Parks.
Banff was the center of National Parks, we needed to pay tax for keeping environment.
We found the gate for paying them, but we passed through that's side.
So, We had to pay that in morning.
It was necessary, in fact, the police checked it at anytime, anywhere.
Then, we bought some foods, 200g cooked hums, two kinds salad, milk, water, breads, chips, and so on (CN$49) at shopping store.
We ate them at hotel room for discount the money instead of eating at restaurant.
After eating, we went riding a Mt.Sulphur's gondola near Banff.
We rode with old gentle couple in the gondola.
We looked at wild animals, goats at the top of the mountain.


We looked at Banff from the top, and we went down.


Then, we went taking picture in front of Banff Spring Hotel.
It was great, traditional hotel, but it was too expensive and far from downtown area.


And, we drove to Lake Louise at 53km north from Banff.
It was famous there was a beautiful Chateau by the Lake.
We would like to ride on the boats, but we gave up riding by $30 par hour.
We began to walk at 3:00 PM.
At first we walked around the Lake Louise, but we walked to the Miller Lake.
Moreover, we walked up to Lake Agnus near Tea House.
We got a Dargilin tea and handmade cookie, they were great taste(CN$5.0). (When I paid them, I said "no change".)
It was better we walked back to Lake Louise, but we went to the "plain of six glacious".
I heard the length was "Half of Mile" from old couple at Mt.Sulphur, the signboard said 1.5km between Lake Agnus to there.
In fact, it was hardly climbing up.
And it snowed at the previous night.
There were snow at the road even if in July.
My shoes were usual walking shoes not trekking shoes, it was very slip.


We continued walking to the Tea House near the "plain of six glacious" past 7:00 PM, but it was closed.
However, we drank tea (CN$5).
We were said that we needed to walk 1.5 km to the view point of "plain of six glacious" from the tea house.
It rains a little, I walked back to the Lake.
It wasn't the weather of summer season, it might be ski season's.


I understood to need a ready for trekking.
Then, I walked back to the Lake Louise at 8:30 PM.
There were nobody and quiet.
We drove back to the Banff, and tried eating dinner at steak restaurant Bamper's Steak House facing hotel.
But, it was closed at 10:00 PM, so we were introduced another restaurant, "Keg" between one block from the restaurant.
We ate Prim-rib, beer(CN$55)
I ate 100 onz Albata Prim-rib Beef.
I liked Prim-rib better than Saloin.
But that waiter gave us bad service, (we might be Japanese ?), we ordered de-gas mineral water, one bottle of beer, but he took sparkling water and one paint beer.
After drinking beer, I said to the facts. He said to pay back.
In fact, I paid full of money(CN$55) because I had already drank them.
And we filled gas tank (28 little = CN$18.7) and bought some foods and waters(CN$19).

The sixth day
From Banff to Colombia Ice field.

It drove long on this day.
The weather forecast said rain and cloudy.
Truly, it was beautiful fine outside the window.
It evident the weather forecast cannot be believed.
We would drive to The Athabaska glacious tours which is a part of Colombia Icefield.
Bus tours were sightseeing some lakes through the Ice field parkway.
We heard that the Ice field tours were very crowded, so we drove there at first, and we would see some lakes when we would return.
The Icefield Parkways was gorgeous, rocks with Rocky mountains, glacious and beautiful greens.
Mountains and blue sky were reflected on the surface of lakes under the morning sunshine.
Our automobile passed many buses.
We arrived at Icefiled center at 10:30 AM.
Then, we gathered 11:00 bus tours (CN$25).
Another buses shows empty seats, but our bus seats were filled. I don't know that reason.
The guide explains about glacious with driving bus to Icefield.




We walked around about 15 minuets on the glacious.
It was strong wind, I felt 1, 2 temperature.
We took some pictures and enjoy staying there.
It was very fine, the guide said to "You are lucky, today!".
It had snowed five days ago.
We returned Icefiled center at 12:00, and bought some souvenirs.
Three table sheets printed pictures(CN$3x3), photograph books(CN$16), items(CN$7), golf balls(CN$8), all was CN$40.
We gave up going Athabasca falls, returned back to Banff with sightseeing some view points.

Bride veil falls
It was thin beautiful falls.


Athabaska River
There were wide points. These atmosphere was different from another points.


Weeping wall
The waters were falling down from the term of rocks.
The system was as same as Shiraito falls which was most famous falls near Karuizawa.
But the rocks were bigger than the Shiraito falls.


Then, we ate some Breads and Hums at rest space with benches.
We found digging rats.
They lived digging hole near the bench.

Crossing Point
It was the center village between Jasper and Lake Louise.


Peyto Lake
It was very beautiful.
What words do I represent for them?


Waterfale Lake
It was also very beautiful.


Bow Lake+Crowfoot IceRiver
This Lake was most beautiful.
But it had been more beautiful than in the morning sunshine.
In the afternoon, colors were changing from near to far.
The crowfoot glacious were existed over the lake, and the water melted from the glacious were falling down to the emerald lake.


And we watched Morrein Lake near Lake Louise.

The small rock mountains existed.
I tried to climb the rocks, but there was a road to climb to the top opposite side of the slope.
It was 6:00 PM at that time.
Emerald Lake was far from there, we went back taking pictures for Castle Rocks.
The first photograph was taken at morning, the second one was did at evening.


The digging rats lived there.
We went back to Banff, and we walked around the downtown.
We found OK shops whose owner was Kyosen Ohashi.
They said cheaper than Free Tax shops, it was exactly cheap.
Moreover, Japanese can buy Japanese language.
But the shopping store which we bought breads and milk sold a little cheaper than OK shops.
Maple syrup were red tags.
Of course, the difference was a little, but I didn't desire Kyosen Ohashi.
We were exactly to buy the shopping store with living persons.
Finally, we also ate Prim-rib steak and drank California wine (CN$82) at the Bamper's Steak House.


This meat was more delicious than Keg's restaurant.
The meat soup filled in the mouse....
And we filled gas-tank of our rented car (10little=CN$6).
The 450km long driving made us tired.

The seventh day.
Calgary Stampede.

We checked out hotels and went back to Calgary.
We watched wildlife through the highway to Calgary.


I could not take Elk's photographs.
We enjoyed Stampede at Calgary.
In Japan, 7th July is Tanabata, but it was opening day of Calgary Stampede in 2000.
We went back to Calgary at 9:30 AM, a part of street was closed for opening parade.
We would like to watch them, but we cannot find car park, we lost them.
So, we went to Stampede park.
We stopped park's parking with paying two adult(CN$9 x 2), car parking(CN$10).
At first, we walked to ticket booth to buy Rodeo show and Chuck wagon race(CN$85).
In the Stampede park, there were horse races, pavilion, moving attraction, markets and contests of cattle.
I supposed that the origin of Stampede was market of cattle, and it developed current style.
I bought a cow-boy hat(CN$15) to protect a sunshine in the souvenir shop.
And, we ate all fast food, Tacos(2/CN$5.5), Greek Pita(CN$6), Roast Beef Hamberg(CN$7.5), and Hot dog and Juice(CN$3.5).


We looked Rodeo show at first.
It was very hard.
In the television program, the good ridings were only broadcasted, but many riders actually made mistake.
And, a lot of horse riders catch a lot of cattle, sheep riding by kids, tricky horse riding by women, bull riding and so on.
Rodeo show was long event from 1:30 to 5:00 PM.


In the evening, Chuck wagon races were occurred.
A start of chuck wagon race was interesting.
Horses with Wagon ran whole of racing space after running eight shape at start point.
The wagon getting inner course at start usually wins.
But, there was only one race winning from outer course.
In the high light of television night program, the race was introduced as the best race.
The later race was high level and short time.

After looking all race of Chuck Wagon, we went to hotel at 9:30 PM.
In the term of Stampede festival, it was special price, but we stayed sweet room.


Next day, it was final day in Canada, we waked up at 5:00 AM, and departed hotel at 6:00 to airport.
See you again, Canada.


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mail to yas@kanagawa.email.ne.jp