It’s great fun to be a tourist in my own town
It’s not like I’ve ever needed an excuse to get out and enjoy everything there is to do in the Bow Valley.
I love the outdoor activities (though not the extreme ones), the cultural attractions, concerts, festivals, galleries, great restaurants and shopping. Just about any new Canmore or Banff resident you ask will tell you they moved here as a lifestyle choice, and if they’ve been here more than a few days, they’re likely to tell you it was the best decision they ever made.
While I’ve lived here almost nine years now, it’s only been a year since I began my work on SolaraLife. It all started with a long list of ideas, all of them subject matter for future editions of this monthly visitor and lifestyle mag. It shocked me how quickly I could come up with several hundred things worthy of becoming a story for SolaraLife.
While I’ve loved living here since the day I arrived, the fun really began when I had to start my “research” for SolaraLife. I put my tongue firmly in cheek when I write that, because it’s never felt much like work.
Everyone who knows me well knows I love to shop, so research for this pre-Christmas issue on great gift ideas made in the Canadian Rockies was far more fun that work. And don’t get me started on how fun it was to do some investigative reporting on where to find the best chocolate in Banff! That was the subject of an article that appeared this summer. (Remember, all SolaraLife issues are archived, so have a look through past editions if you are logging on for the first time.)
It’s also been fun to write about some of the outdoor activities I had never tried before — like dog sledding. Last winter I had my first mushing experience, and I was hooked! The pure power and enthusiasm of a dog team, coupled with an unparalleled winter outdoor experience left me dreaming of the next time I would have the chance to do it again.
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This winter I have vowed to learn how to snowboard — a fitting sport to take up in one’s 40th year, I think. It’s something I’ve thought about for years, and though I know I’m in for some sore muscles and a few bruises, I can’t get the idea of floating along a cloud of white snow on a slippery snowboard out of my head.
The Canadian Rockies are all about living life to the fullest, whether that’s at a perfect string quartet recital at the Banff Centre, or testing your mettle on a mountain. There’s really no difference, then, between those lucky souls who call this place home and the visitors we welcome every day.
We all know there’s every excuse to have the kind of extreme fun that’s only found in these mountains.
- Shari Bishop Bowes, Editor, SolaraLife
We welcome your comments and suggestions, as well as submissions from freelance writers who have a passion for the Canadian Rockies. Contact us at contact@solaralife.com
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