Alberta

These must be the Canadian Rockies, I suppose. The Selkirks in southeast BC are distinct from the Rockies but I lost track.

We weren't mentally prepared for snow in September. Neither were most Calgarians, but they are a cheerful, hardy sort with much thicker accents than your average Vancouverite. But one-horse town Banff is not because of all the tourism $$$$$. And there's a Cows which puts Glacier Berthillon, Salt & Straw, your very own special Roman gelateria, etc. to shame.

A ferris wheel may terrify Horace, but gondolas are A-OK, eh?!

So that famous glacial water color is indeed breathtaking in person. No number of tourists can take away from that.

Green.

This year's family holiday picture won't be coming from Lake Louise.

But we caught some worthy scrunchy-face moments.