Banff, exquisite and crowded

I've always said that Banff was the to North American Rockies was what Chamonix is to the Alps. The best representation, bar none.

The first time I visited that postcard-place was exactly some 40 years ago. I have since returned three times, mostly to ski the nearby Sunshine and Lake Louise resorts.

Popularity of course comes with having a price to pay. In that case, it's a dismal amount of friendliness from the locals. Unlike in America, where the service industry workers are from Mexico, in Alberta, they all seem to hail from Australia, New Zealand or the U.K.

They sure master the language, albeit at time with an incomprehensible accent. But given the cosmopolitan nature of the place, it blends in perfectly and adds to the general confusion!