Blogs from Alberta, Canada, North America - page 4

In bright sunshine we resumed our quest of a couple of weeks ago to find the former house of our good Skrastins friend, Wally, who passed away in early 2020. From the public parking lot in Inglewood, a dozen walkers set out on the Bow River Pathway, marvelling at the striking scenery covered in soft snow. The downtown high-rises were a mere backdrop to the sculptural dark trees and the slashes of open water in the deep blue river. Climbing to Centre Street, we angled west up the path to Crescent Road. Huge new houses greeted us, but our leader Sheila confidently led us along the escarpment to the intersection where Wally’s former house stood peacefully amongst other traditional homes. For a few minutes we reminisced about his exploits as a fearless hiker and contribu... read more

This week Toby, a lively black poodle, took Dee and sixteen others on a race through the first-class dog park in url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/calgaryherald/obituary.aspx?n=sue-higgins&pid=169761533&fhid=5935Sue HigginsPark. Well, Toby raced and the group found a more reasonable pace. While the dogs had the run of several differentiated paddocks, we humans kept to our fenced corridor and made our way onto the Bow River Pathway. Under thick cloud, the rushing water of the river reflected the steel blue of an imminent storm. Actually, the air temperature warmed appreciably, and a shrouded sun lit the bare trees. High in one such distant tree perched a Bald Eagle that occasionally turned its face towards our hopeful cameras. We climbed up a slightly icy ridge and turned to see magnifice... read more

Some of the best-known mountain scenery on Earth is concentrated in a set of seven parks in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Indeed, in much of the world, mention of Canada evokes images of snow-capped peaks and chateauesque hotels in parks named Banff or Jasper. More than nine million people annually visit the seven preserves along the Alberta-British Columbia border. Rocky Mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, a picture-perfect mountain town and village, abundant wildlife and scenic drives come together in Banff National Park - Canada’s first national park and the flagship of the nation’s park system. Over three million visitors a year make the pilgrimage to the park for a variety of activities including hiking, biking, skiing and camping in some of the world’s most breathtaking mountain scenery. Banff is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks ... read more

Promised a look at the url=https://www.visitcalgarychinatown.com/ciss#:~:text=Chinatown%20Ice%2DSculptures%20Showcase&text=3%20Tigers%2C%20a%20Dragon%20and,Restaurant%20and%20Great%20Taste%20Restaurant.ice sculptures in Chinatown, we gathered at Pumphouse Theatre for our gentle 10 km trek. The Bow River Pathway was cleared of snow and ice, allowing our minds to wander and conversation to flow. With the chinook developing behind us, trees and bushes were silhouetted black against the frozen white of the river. The detour around the flood-mitigation work near the Centre Street Bridge brought us to the huge Waterfront Condo development. In acknowledgement of its proximity to Chinatown, Waterfront has insta... read more

2022 BANFF SNOW SCULPTURES Otters: This sculpture depicts North American river otters as the lively inhabitants of Banff National Park that they are. They represent joy and playfulness, the perfect embodiment of Banff. Created by Susanne Ruseler & David Ducharme from the Kootenays, BC. Spreading Joy: This sculpture is a reminder of the importance of the simple beauty that surrounds us. Created by Susanne Ruseler & David Ducharme from the Kootenays, BC. Sharp Feet: This sculpture prompts us to experience the thrill of going where no one has gone before. Created by Peter Vogelaar & Alex Avelino from Winlaw/Nelson, BC. Kids Gotta Fly: This sculpture embodies childlike playfulness. It doesn't take much....some snow, a hill and a toboggan! Created by Peter Vogelaar & Alex Avelino from Winlaw/Nelson, BC. Mutual Passion and Affection: This sculpture depicts two ... read more