We are still loving the high-rise condo life — the views from this place are a nice way to wake up, drink coffee and read the local paper (in the am) and watch the lights in the evening. We’ll be here until March 18 at which point we’ll be off to explore Edmonton, Jasper and Canmore via (rental) car. But, before that happens, we have been busy exploring Calgary.
Trails, trails, trails. The Bow River is the main waterway through Calgary and the city was founded on the confluence of that river and the Elbow River. Along the rivers are tons of trails that we are enjoying exploring and running on. A lady told us there were over 300 kilometers (186 miles) of trails in the city. It is not even peak season, and the trails are active with walkers, runners, and bikers. There are many great views and public art to look at. We think any city is enhanced with a good trail system!
Neighborhoods. We have been hoofing it all over town to explore various neighborhoods — so far in addition to the greater downtown area, we have poked around the Inglewood and Ramsay neighborhoods to the East, Bridgeland, Kensington, and Nose Hill, and U of Calgary areas to the North, and the Mission area and 17th Avenue areas to the South and West. All very cute with a good mix of residential and retail.
Flame out. We are not big hockey fans but when in Rome…. So, we went to a hockey match the other night in the Scotiabank Saddledome (a 10 minute walk away). It was a fine facility and very iconic, but we have heard talk of the possible building of a new stadium. While we enjoyed our cheap seats and watching the match, the Calgary Flames ultimately lost to the San Jose Sharks in OT. The Flames are not having a great season, but they still drew a good-sized crowd with nearly all of the attendees in Flames jerseys. Prices were reasonable for a sporting event with beers costing C$9 for 18oz (US$6.75).
Fort Calgary. This fort is located at the intersection of the Bow and Elbow rivers–near the location of the original fort which marked the founding of Calgary. The fort was established by the North West Mounted Police (under the direction of Lt. Gen. James McCleod) in 1875. Later the CPR, Canadian Pacific Railway, would buy the land and build the train line into town which ensured the city’s growth. The Fort is now a museum and interpretive center with some nice videos and exhibits that explain the history of the city.
Poutine. I started loving a dish called poutine when Beth and I first visited Montreal a few years ago. It is a nutritional power house of French fries covered with gravy and then topped with melted cheese curds. Beth googled “best Calgary poutine” before we left Austin, and one of the top restaurants cited was Brasserie Kensington, so for Christmas, she bought me a gift certificate to the restaurant as a gift. We had a great time at the restaurant on Saturday night! The food was good, and we sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen, so we got to watch all the action and talk with with the chef. We also struck up a conversation with a couple next to us when we noticed their baby was wrapped in a Dallas Cowboy blanket. The husband was originally from Iran, but had lived for a number of years in the Dallas area and still has family there. She was originally from the Quebec area, but they all live in Calgary now.
That’s all I have for now — hope you are enjoying your own adventures!
Peckish Travels 