Day 2

Arthur Conan Doyle was right about this place...it's more than a little unbelievable. Thank you for the story Timaru :)

We were late leaving Edmonton and then dawdled along the road once we crossed into the borders of the park so I haven't had time to explore the lodge much as all yet. First impression is wow. It's greener than I expected for this time of year but there is also a golf course at the lodge, which is already open, so I am guessing there is some artificialness or at least extra coaxing going into making things greener than they might be on their own. There is a paved path that goes for a good distance around the perimetre of the lake which I hope to explore on Sunday.

Our cabin is right beside the lake. It's not the one the Queen stays at. Apparently she and Philip (and her parents before her) stay in the 6 bedroom top of the line cabin that is a short distance down the shore from us. We are in one of the "mid" level cabins. Not the shabbiest, but not the nicest either. Oh well. I suppose I will make do.

Thoughts on Edmonton

Just a quick update for now. More this evening if I can. We were supposed to leave for Jasper by 8:30 am. It's now 9:22 am and we are not even close to leaving. Where have I written this before? lol

Although we were very late leaving Calgary the drive to Edmonton went well. We took a small detour at Red Deer to go to Sylvan Lake to visit my cousin Seth. Then we stopped at the Walmart in Lacombe to get new windshield wipers. The van has needed them for at least 4 months but of course it never got done until one of the blades literally flew off the van because the rubber rotted through. Since it looked like it would rain, we thought it best we stop and get new ones. In a moment of madness I decided to go into Walmart rather than waiting in the van.

We did finally make it to Edmonton in the late afternoon. There is an intense rivalry between Calgary and Edmonton and as somebody who has lived in the Calgary area most of my life, I have been conditioned to dislike and insult Edmonton--for not other reason that it is the inferior city. And likewise people in Edmonton detest Calgary. Actually I think all of Canada detests Calgary but anyways, I think that for the first time ever I can appreciate what a beautiful place Edmonton is. There are no mountains, so in the way it maybe lacks some of the dramatic views that one can get around Calgary. But the enormous North Saskatchewan River flows right through the city and for a city of close to a million people, there is an amazing amount of green space. Central Alberta is so different from the foothills of Southern Alberta that I am used to. I am willing to concede I may have been unfair in my previous assessment of Edmonton as a place I would never want to live. The sad thing is I have been to Edmonton many many times. I have just never "noticed" it before.

One thing that would keep me away though--the weather is bitterly cold and unlike Calgary where we at least get the relief of the chinook winds to break up the cold. The deep freeze in Edmonton can last 6 or 7 months. Or more. My favorite Edmonton comment I have ever heard came from my friend Rob who once referred to Edmonton as "the only city colder than my ex-wife's black heart" lol

(Actually Rob has never been married but it was still an incredibly funny and memorable quote)

Anyways if you have never been to Edmonton, I would encourage a visit. I wish we had more than a few hours here. More pictures later as I am out of time but here is one shot from last night. We were right downtown at the Marriot. I admit it was a weird feeling as I can't recall the last time I stayed anywhere that was as "downtown" as this. Even in Vancouver last summer we stayed more off centre.

We were supposed to leave no later than 9 am. It's now 10:04 and we are not even close to leaving.

At the request of an American friend who is unfamiliar with Alberta geography I am going to post maps. An overview of day 1, the blue line showing today's part of the trip. We aren't really going that far (about 300 km). But as I mentioned yesterday concerns about my ability to travel with my collar bone had us looking to find the best way to split up the trip. I would have loved to travel through Banff and up Icefields Parkway in order to be in Jasper later this afternoon. But it is better to err on the side of caution and split the trip into 2 days. There really was nowhere that could serve as an appropriate half way point if we took the shorter route. So through Edmonton it is, although I don't get to see that part of the province very often so this will work out.