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So today is my last day in Banff, and I wanted to do more things tourists would usually do when they’re here. My bus arrives at 9PM, so I have 10 hours left!
After waking up (at 9AM), I got ready and packed my things in my backpack to check out of my hostel. Usually, I would leave my luggage at the hostel, but I only had one backpack this time, so it’s fine to lug it with me. It was a gloomy morning, but weather changes quickly around here.
Cafe-hopping and Last Eats
As a cafe aficionado, I love love love cafes! One of my favourite activities when travelling is cafe-hopping. In Banff thus far, I visited three cafes (Whitebark Cafe, Evelyn’s Coffee Bar & Little Wild). This morning, I headed to Wild Flour Bakery, the reputed cafe/bakery/coffee in Banff.
Here, I had my breakfast and morning coffee while immersing myself in the Word and reflecting upon it. My coffee was delicious and my vegetarian panini was bomb! I highly recommend Wild Flour Bakery when you’re in Banff!
After spending an hour at Wild Flour, I walked around the plaza, and was surprised that there was a farmers’ market set up! It seems like a harvest markets since a lot of the vendors were produce & farmers selling apples, pumpkins and other fall produce.
There were also food vendors offering a variety of dishes, from ramen to sausages. The market seemed like a communal effort, because the vendors seemed like they know each other.
I then visited another coffee shop called “Banff National Perk” (a play on “Banff National Park”) to complete some blog posts I’ve been waaaaay behind on. Luckily, there was free Wifi, which is now a MUST for millennials.
This coffee shop was older and outdated, and didn’t see the crowds of the other cafes I’ve visited. But it’s frequented mostly by locals and older folks, at least from my observations.
Cherishing the Beauty of Banff
It was around noon and I got hungry. But like when I travel, I would rather pick up something quick & cheap to eat (aka street food). Unfortunately, there was no cheap street food around here, so instead I bought a falafel from a really seedy convenience store/shawarma station. But hey, if it tastes good, then it’s good enough for me!
After lunch, I prowled around the hiking trails near Downtown Banff, and revisited the beautiful vistas in the area. Banff is such a beautiful place, especially on bright & cloudless days like this afternoon.
It was intention to hike up Sulphur Mountain; however, the weather was not participating and I didn’t have the proper attire to hike, so perhaps next time.
Of course, I couldn’t leave Banff without having a Beavertail! I’m love classics, so I prefer the original cinnamon + sugar Beavertails, which is interestingly, vegan! Yayayay!
I then made my way to Evelyn’s Coffee Bar to hang out and blog and people-watch and idle around. It was quite chilly out, and I had a heavy backpack on me…not ideal for hiking.
After hanging out at Evelyn’s Coffee Bar for the last time, the sun was setting and there was a beautiful purple backdrop in the sky. It was too gorgeous to pass by, so I took some top-notch photos (perhaps to use as cover photos in the future).
A Rough Bus Ride
At around 8PM, I made my way to the Banff Greyhound station but not before grabbing quick grub at the supermarket. I bought chana masala curry with rice to-go and ate it at the station.
The bus to Calgary arrived around 9PM, and I entered the hot & crowded bus to find an empty seat. The riders of Greyhound are a mix & match of society’s people from students to vagrants to old people. Because of this, the bus ride was an amalgamation of different odours and germs. Greyhound is cheap but that comes with a price…
Overall, I very much enjoyed my short trip to Banff. I was able to do all the “touristy” things to do, and was reinvigorated in faith through God’s beautiful creations. For the next time, I think I’ll just drive to Banff instead. 😛
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