Banff’s Hidden Truths
I always dreamed of Banff, lured by Instagram-perfect lakes and snow-capped peaks. But when I finally arrived, the reality was both breathtaking and, honestly, a little infuriating. The air was crisp, the mountains majestic, and the turquoise water of Lake Louise looked unreal—until I realized I was sharing the view with hundreds of selfie-stick-wielding tourists, all fighting for the same perfect shot.
I stayed in Canmore, a town everyone online swears is a peaceful alternative. It’s charming, yes, but don’t be fooled: prices are sky-high, and AirBNBs are booked out months in advance. Locals grumble about tourists driving up rents, and I saw more license plates from California than Alberta. Even public transit, supposedly convenient, left me stranded for an hour when a bus broke down—no one tells you about that in the glossy travel blogs.
Still, there were moments of magic. Early one morning, before the crowds, I watched mist rise off the Bow River, the silence broken only by the distant call of a loon. It felt like the real Banff, the one hidden behind the tourist traps and Instagram filters. But as the day wore on, the crowds returned, and I wondered: is Banff still a wild escape, or just another overrun photo op?
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