Banff Anniversary Trip

Last month, Ryan and I celebrated our one year anniversary!  I still cannot believe that one year has passed by.  Last year was very momentous for me with the wedding, moving into a new house, picking up my old hobbies again, and starting this blog 😀  To celebrate our one year of marriage, Ryan whisked me away on a quick surprise visit to Banff (in Alberta, Canada)!

We arrived at the Rimrock Resort and Hotel and quickly scarfed down our lunch…

Ryan had booked us a visit at the spa for a couples’ massage, and we didn’t want to be late!  It was my first time ever getting a massage, and it was so relaxing with the soothing music they played in the background.  One and a half hours went by incredibly fast.  This was our gorgeous view at lunch.

After our massage we ended up napping before heading off for our fancy dinner at Eden.  This amuse-bouche seemingly looks like a cherry but it was actually delicious foie gras!

They also started us off with this tasty seared fish…

I had the Tartare of Yukon Territories Arctic Char as my appetizer.

Ryan tried the Rabbit Two Ways.

For my entree, I had the BC Sablefish ‘Grenobloise’.

Ryan had the Angus Beef Tenderloin and 72 Hour ‘Birch Bark’ Short Rib.

This was our stunning view from our hotel room 🙂

Down below is where the spa is located.  After our massages, we actually sat outside in our robes for a little bit to soak in the breathtaking beauty around us.

The next morning for breakfast, I was delighted by a certain menu option that was available: Lobster Eggs Benedict!  I had never seen this served before, and given my affinity for lobster, I knew I absolutely had to try it!  It was delicious.

We walked around town and browsed through the cute little shoppes.

Banff is so picturesque.

Haha, we quickly ran across the road to take pictures on the median 🙂

Banff is very popular with Japanese tourists, and many shops sell Japanese items and souvenirs (plenty of Hello Kitty!).  Look at what I saw in one of the display windows: a giant Amineko (crocheted cat)!  I went inside and found out that it was made by a local Japanese artisan who was selling it for $70.  It was pretty neat seeing such a big amigurumi 🙂 

To end off our trip, we headed to Cows, famous for their creamy ice cream.  Apparently they were named “Canada’s best ice cream” (surveyed by readers of Reader’s Digest) and named the “World’s top place to get ice cream" (Tauck World Discovery)!  I tried their signature flavour ”Wowie Cowie“, a blend of vanilla, caramel, chocolate and heath bar pieces.  It was indeed very good…I also really enjoyed the delicious waffle cone. 

This was a very quick trip to Banff filled with food and relaxation.  There is always a lot to do in Banff, including riding the gondola to Sulphur Mountain, outdoor and water activities (mountain biking, hiking, fishing), skiing and of course, the Banff Hot Springs.  It was a great trip and a wonderful way to celebrate our one year anniversary.  Thanks for planning everything, Ryan!