Recuperation, and another river

The usual poor night's sleep - I just find hotel rooms so stuffy so had to open the window wider in the small hours which then let in the noises of trains, reversing lorries and returning revellers!  Breakfast was included at this hotel and we were pleasantly surprised at the good range of items available plus, for an additional charge, the usual cooked breakfast items.  We were fine without these and were soon on the way downtown with a rucksack full of laundry to be done!  Passing another hotel further down the road we found a very naughty elk munching flowers!  I wonder if the hotel gets compensation from the parks authority? We found the shopping mall and eventually the laundry in the depths.  Coffee was fetched but we were beginning to fade in the hot atmosphere by the time the drying was finished.  Next stop was the supermarket where we were horrified at the prices of items but this is a resort after all.

By now the cloud had cleared with brilliant skies showing off the surrounding mountains to great effect.  It had also warmed up considerably so no coats required in the afternoon when we ventured downtown to check out the park pass (about twice the price of the US one) and walk around the river to Bow Falls which were pretty impressive.  We walked up one side from town and then along the other side with spectacular views and colours.  We headed back downtown, back to Safeway for more fruit and then back to the hotel.  We had sussed out a cheap place to eat down the road - meal deals between 5-7 and returned there after distributing the washing/dried items to dry/air - the rooms were just being sorted when we ventured out in the afternoon so not sure what the maid thought of all the clothes artistically draped and hanging off lamp fixtures!  We turned up the heating (now whisper quiet after attention to a noisy fan) to finish off said washing so when we returned from our meal (and yet another trip to Safeway for donuts!) the heat hit us as we opened the door but needs must!!  The special today (at the backpacker hostel) was roast pork and very nice it was too.