Craig's Family Resturant - Canmore

For dinner we went to Craig's Family Resturant... I was so full from lunch - I wasn't really in the mood for dinner. But nonetheless, we went out anyway. I had blueberry pancakes (which had soooo many blueberries) with icecream, while Shannon had spaghetti (then a cinnamon scroll and bagels picked up from sobeys later that night).

Yum Yum

Canmore - The Wood

After walking around for an hour and a half looking for a seafood restaurant that no longer exists (whoops!), we made our way back to The Wood. We had fish and calamari (weird, because we are in the mountains... nowhere near water...) But the food was yummy and the ambience was great - because everyone was eating outside due to the nice weather!

Canmore

Over my birthday weekend, we went to Canmore, which is a 1 hour drive from Calgary. The drive is relatively straight forward - pretty much on a highway the majority of the way. The mountains do draw you in.... they look almost surreal.

We started off our trip, the same way we normally end up spending our trips. Walking, walking, walking. In fact we walked somewhere to find that the "somewhere" no longer existed - 1 and a half hours later. hahaha. We spent a lot of time by the Bow River. Shan dipped his toes in and almost got frostbitten. Although the weather was around 24 degrees, the river had not yet warmed up! We did however managed to get sunburnt. It was the first time in Canada, that we have actually felt warm !

We didn't see too much wildlife unfortunately... just prairie dogs which are rodents...ewww..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canmore,_Alberta

AFL Dream Team - Round Eight

A lot can happen in two rounds. Shan is #2 - how fitting.... and I'm #3.

Sizzling House, Drumheller

Sizzling House in Drumheller was yummy chinese..... you wouldn't think we would be able to eat all of that food. But we did. And shannon bought popcorn to eat later that night. which he burnt. but thats another story...

Royal Tyrell, Drumheller

The Royal Tyrell, is a dinosaur museum - which is fitting because Drumheller is the dinosaur capital of the world. It is quite impressive, because the badlands here have been home to many dinosaur bone findings. There is a room in the museum, where people continue to fig around the fossil remains. I never realised that this area was littered with dinosaur bones!

http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/

The Hoodoos

Hoodoos are sandstone pillars that can be found throughout the badlands.

The name "Hoodoo" comes from the word "voodoo" and was given to these geological formations by the Europeans. In the Blackfoot and Cree traditions, however, the Hoodoos are believed to be petrified giants who come alive at night to hurl rocks at intruders.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodoo_(geology)

http://www.traveldrumheller.com/hoodoos.html

Suspension Bridge, Rosedale

Golfin in Drumheller

The photos do not do it justice... but this golf course was awesome! Shan was lucky enough to play the back 9 by himself, while I drove the buggy around the golf course. The course is unbelievable..... we played in the heart of the bandlands, and there was canyons everywhere, so it was easy to loose balls. Shan managed to loose 4. But managed to pick up 13 (when looking for his ball, he managed to find another 7 in less than 10 secs). The first photo shows Shannon going to get his ball after the second hole.

http://www.dinosaurtrailgolf.com/

Yavis Family Restaurant, Drumheller

We made our way to a dodgy looking resturant, only to be surprised by a number of patrons there. As the saying goes, eat where the locals eat... and they all seemed to be here.

The food was great... Shan had a great steak and kept giving compliments to that effect to the waitress. I had to try ribs again... but could only manage a little.. so Shan ate most of it for me including the spaghetti.

If we ever get to Drumheller again, we'll definetly be back!

Drumheller

Drumheller is the capital of dinosaurs. I kid you not. There are statues of dinosaurs everywhere... on street signs, as icons for stores... everywhere!! You can't escape them. The photo above is the largest dinosaur in the world!!

http://www.dinosaurvalley.com/index.php

Little Church, Drumheller

Just past Drumheller on the way to Horsethief canyon, is a "little church"... which seats 10,000 people... 6 people at a time.
Bizarre

Horseshoe & Horsethief Canyon

drum

Over the long weekend, we visited Horseshoe & Horsethief Canyon.

As you would expect, Horseshoe Canyon is in the shape of a horseshoe. It is 3km long. Horsethief canyon got its name because it apparently was used by horse thieves in the old west to hide stolen horses.

Shan describes these canyons as baby canyons in comparison to the grand canyon. Breathtaking nonetheless.

Chillis

Today we went to Chillis for lunch at North hill for the first time. Shan had convinced me that I would just buy an orchid blossom (which I loved in Hawaii - deep fried whole onion). But of course it wasn't on the menu!

Instead we got burgers... and they were huge and yum. mmm...

Inglewood Bird Sanctuary

Today we went to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. Well we eventually we got there after being stuck in traffic downtown due to the Mothers Day Funrun! The temperature was perfect for it - 17 degrees. It was the first time Anne had been able to wear shorts outside since being in Calgary.

We saw a hawk in the sanctuary and the sanctuary being on the banks of Bow River was delightful.

Running is hard work in Calgary...

and now we know why. Adelaide is 50 metres above sea level. Calgary is 1,050 metres above sea level. No wonder we can't get any air in our lungs!!

Farmers Market

Today we went to the Farmers Market for the second time. The place has a great feel to it - in comparison to Central Markets. Now I am not knockng Central Markets - because I love it. But it has a dirty feel to it, don't you think? Farmers Market is a lot smaller, but a lot neater.

This morning we had breakfast there - yummy croisants from one of many bakeries there. mmm....

Saskatoon

Shan, had to visit Saskatoon this week for work. Saskatoon is the largest city in the Saskatchewan province (approx. 202, 000 people). According to Shan - he was glad he didn't have to pay to get there - because apparently it would have been a waste of money. ouch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatoon

Fiore Cantina Italiana

Last weekend we went to Fiore Cantina Italiana on 17th avenue (17 avenue is the equivalent of the main street of Norwood). The temperature was about 17 degrees and everyone was eating outside, wearing shorts, singlets and thongs - ha! Its funny to think that 17 degrees is warm over here!

Shan had another steak sandwich, while I had a lasagne.... yummy!

Nose Hill Park

Last week, we visited Nose Hill Park, which is one of the largest parks in Canada & North America and is located in Calgary. The park is more of a grasslands - but it is ideal for cyclist and walkers. We saw a number of people walking around the park. The photos above show the view to the Rocky Mountains and the last photo shows a view of Calgary city.

The park today contains numerous tipi rings (see the photo above) - circles of stone once used to weigh down the conical-shaped skin dwellings of plains bison hunters. Cool huh?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nose_Hill_Park