August 31, 2025

Banff to Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

It is an early start day. Bags outside the door of our hotel room at 07:00. Down to the bus at 07:45. We did manage an on-time departure at 08:00. Our first stop was Lake Louise. We will cover 500 km on our way to Kamloops today, so it is mostly a coach ride. The one thing the train does, being you sleep on it, and these long coach rides give you is the sense of size and majesty of Canada. Lots of beautiful nature and open spaces.

Lake Louise, aka Ho-run-num-nay (Lake of the little Fishes) by the Stoney Nakoda First Nations People, is a glacial lake known for its turquoise-colored water. The color is derived from the rock flour carried into the lake by meltwater from the glacier that over look the lake. It was known as the Lake of the Little Fishes because the rock flour prevented algae grow which in turn limited the food supply to the fishes, which resulted in smaller than normal fish.

The Indigenous People had long visited and known of the Lake of The Little Fishes prior to the arrival of Canadian Pacific Railway Survey Crews in the 1880’s. Thomas Wilson was thought to be the first non-Indigenous person to visit the lake, having been led there by a Stoney Nakoda guide in 1882. Wilson named the lake “Emerald Lake” and promoted its development. Unfortunately, there was also another lake names Emerald Lake so he was forced into renaming it.

The lake was remained after Princess Louise the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and wife of the Marquess of Lorne, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. In 1890 a small hotel was built followed by Château Lake Louise one of Canada’s grand railway hotels. And one which we need to stay at.

We are on Highway 1, the Trans-Canadian highway on our way to Kamloops. We do a pit stop in Golden and get right back on to the road. The drive though Glacier National Park. The scenery is beautiful, but perhaps a little monotonous. Over pass and down hill to Revelstoke. This is the lunch stop, but we have ours. There is an A&W here so we stopped in for a root beer float. They apparently don’t have them here in Canada?

Back on the road and ending up in Kamloops about 17:00. We are staying at the Thompson Hotel. No more porterage service so we have to carry our own bags to our room. It was to Kamloops that my great aunt Matilda McClarty immigrated to in 1903. It is said that she reported it to be nothing more than a bunch of cowboys, and left almost immediately for San Francisco. I have always wanted to come here and do a little research. I have to believe that she didn’t come here without knowing or having some family members. Unfortunately it is Sunday and Labor Day Weekend, so no chance of doing so. However, it is a much bigger city than expected. It apparently has about 100,000 people.

We chose to have dinner at the restaurant attached to the hotel. They are offering a 15% discount for hotel guests. The Embers Brewhouse. We are greeted by a very youthful hostess. I think she might have been 14, Mary thinks 16. She was working there with her sister who looked like she was maybe 10 or 11. I was thinking they have a shortage of staff and it is a family run place.

Dinner was quick and easy. We were tired from sitting on the motor coach all day, so immediately after dinner we headed back to the room and bed.

Buonanotte e ciao,

Enrico e Maria