Through local eyes ...

My cousin has been living in Banff for many years and I was lucky to spend the day with him and get a local's tour of the area and see so many picturesque spots. It will surely be difficult to live anywhere else after having this area as your backyard.

Went for a walk around the edge of Lake Minnewanka, with spectacular clear green water and deep green firs. Incredible to hear that it completely freezes over in winter and my cousin has played ice hockey on the surface.

The dam was heightened in 1941, resulting in the local village being submerged and now scuba divers come here to visit the remains of the underwater town. But with the water temperatures still icy cold, no one was even risking more than a few toes in the water.