I've been away on vacation with the family for the last week or so.  This is probably the first time in about 3 years I decided not to take a laptop or any type of electronic device with me (except for a cell phone) on a vacation and to consciously disconnect from the grid.

Best decision I ever made and highly recommended for folks who really want to de-stress on their vacations.

We have family in western Canada and decided to enjoy the scenery and slow down for a bit and enjoy the mountains and the fresh air.  So we made the road trip from Edmonton to Banff, which is always a very scenic and enjoyable drive. I still remember the first time I made that drive and seeing black bears playing by the side of the road, snow capped mountains and the amazingly beautiful lakes. The vistas were just as spectacular this time.

We rented a chalet in Banff, did some trail riding on horseback, read some books and in general sat around and did a whole lot of nothing except have fun and explore nearby areas such as Lake Louise.

It was great! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.