Lots for the diary today. Last Sunday at Sarah and BJ’s I met with Sybille and Adriana, friends of Sybil’s and Ruedy. The following Monday I showed Sybille and Adriana some of downtown Calgary, while we went for a trip to Drumheller the next. These combined into two eventful and entertaining days for the three of us as we walked, talked and travelled.
Today is John’s birthday which he is celebrating in Vienna with his family, as I write this. He called me twice, but I was too busy to call back at the right time. I tried just now, but had no luck, but did leave a message after all.
Returning to my two days of showing my guests the lay of the land, I’ll begin with Monday morning, when we met at the motel at around nine thirty. From there I drove to my place where I re-parked my car and the three of us went on to take the #3 bus to downtown.
We got off at Stephen avenue mall, remaining first outside for a block to show the layout relating to the +15 walkways. Then, since it was nippy, we took the up escalator and walked on to the Lancaster, where we looked around and used the public facilities.
On to the Hudson Bay store where we entered the Men’s department and soon my company enquired as to where the ladies clothing might be. Well there are two upper floors for the ladies, excluding the beautification department on Main, leaving the guys in the dust, as it should be:).
Now, switching to the outside mall, since the weather had improved, we continued eastward to Centre street and then North to admire ‘The Bow’ skyscraper, when the clouds hang low enough. Once there, we admired the intriguing gauze frame sculpture shaped like a human head of at least one story in height.
Adriana was so intrigued with it, that she j-walked, crossing in front of a departing parked car. However, all went well and Sybil and I met up with our furtive companion after we crossed the street on the "white-mans” walk sign. Many pictures followed, also from inside the gauze like frame head, giving the impression that a heavenly face looks down on Calgary, whether or not, it does so approvingly, is difficult to discern. We hope for the best!
It turned out that just the second floor level is open to the public - it is commercial -, while the others are so only when accompanied by a working - and I suppose willing - employee. From here we proceeded to view the food courts of the formerly ‘PetroCan’ structures, where we admired the ‘Norseman’ airplane hanging from the ceiling, with its engine off!
Next was ‘Arts Central’ - slated for the hammer at this year’s end - where Sybil and Adriana treated me to a nice lunch in the old ‘Siding’ - now the Colonial - restaurant. This was followed by a short C-train ride and a walk to Memorial Park, from where I walked home to get my car, after leaving my ‘charges‘ until my return.
After meeting up again at the said park’s Memorial library, we walked a block to the new ‘Lindt’ store. Here my Swiss companions had to ensure that the chocolate was of tried and true Swiss origin, which it was not! It came from Toronto! After this uncovering this deceit - so frequent in the history of chocolate and yet here again - we quickly left the store for my car, I with my Advent chocolate calendar!
We met Sarah at home close to the appointed hour of three pm and from there the ladies with little Alec, Bj’s Dad Laddie and not to forget Louie the quadruped, went for a walk to the park at the point, while I had a much deserved snooze.
Just after my awaking, BJ came home and we chatted about a derailed car deal until the walkers party returned Then, we all headed out for dinner to the ‘North gate?’ restaurant on Edmonton trail, celebrating Sarah’s birthday, after which we parted for the night.
Meeting as strangers, we part as friends.
Tuesday morning I first gassed up the car and went to meet Sybil and Adriana around nine am at their lodge to start our planned trip to Drumheller, its well known Tyrrell Museum on Dinosaurs and evolution, its Hoodoos and the surrounds.
<10:05am, coffee break; continuing at 10:22am>
Driving from the lodge motel without interruptions under pleasant skies and enjoying the many views and vistas, we arrived at - with a small overshoot on my part - at the Horseshoe Canyon located about thirty clicks West of our destination. Adriana immediately hiked down into the canyon, absorbing its wondrously formed spaces, while Sybille and I followed her journey from the rim, taking in the spectacle of the canyon spaces below us. Our view took in a space of about two kilometres deep, three wide and several hundred feet down.
After a few more pictures, we continued our trip to the Museum, where we arrived at around lunch time, for which we were ready. After our lunch pause, we were ready to tackle the extensive exhibits awaiting us. A clearly laid out map of fourteen (14) venues, with their matching illustrations guided us from start to finish, which was the gift shop!
I had not seen the museum since 1997, when I was there with my two sisters. Most of the content and methods of presentation have changed since then, except for the dinosaur hall where the large skeleton reconstruction are on display.
Compared to the three day visit in the Fall of 1985 - with my wife Ina at the time - the strongly scientifically oriented information has now taken on a style that conveys the process of discovery with less emphasize on all that has been discovered.
In this regard, I could only find the Cambrian extinction reference, while the others were gone. However, added was the modern view that birds descend from the dinosaurs. What remains, on my inquiry, is the controversy as to whether the dinos where true reptiles or were also - some of them - warm blooded, such as birds are - at 44dC instead of the mammal’s at 37.
Once outside the museum Adriana went on the field inspection walk about an hour, while Sybille and I chatted on the patio as I enjoyed a coffee and brownie that Sybille had kindly brought me. Thanks Sybille!
By this time it was around two thirty (2:30pm) and time to go on to the Hoodoos.<10:59am now, lunch and news break, followed by an old fashioned snooze making me to 2:01pm, while the afternoon tea steeps and ‘Swiss Made’ chocolates await my attention; none of this Toronto stuff for me, unless … .
But, before we stopped for the Hoodoos, we did so for the true suspension foot bridge at Rosedale - dale is like the Dutch ‘daal’ for valley - from coal mining days, 1913 to 1957. It is now maintained as a tourist attraction and provide quite a sensation when walking across it as it swings and sways, until reaching the other end, a challenge overcome as Sybil confessed to me while we waited for Adriana.
That end is where the steep Northern inclines of the Red Deer river called Adriana like the Sirens did Odysseus and his crew. <tea time at 2:15pm + that Swiss stuff called Cresta and Milchnuss; these chocolates seem to take on personalities for the Swiss! But, are they good …!!>
While Adriana made new friend atop with a travelling couple, Sybil and I waited and chatted below awaiting our companion’s save return. This happened within a short time and we took our swaying steps back as we were held by the bridge in suspense above the gently flowing dinosaur valley river. Then is was onto the actual Hoodoos, but before we got there Adriana spotted the turn of to Wayne and its bridges, which was duly noted as the first attraction to be, after the Hoodoos.
The Hoodoos are a small group of hard rock capped soft siltstone pillars that slowly erode diminishing in stature, but some with attitude like Pisa’s well known tower has for different reasons. I made my way among these natural pillars as Sybille waited below and Adriana had been swallowed up by the challenges of the landscape.
Coming to the highest of the hoodoo platforms I spotted a familiar black haired human figure in a Buddha like pose on top of a local rise high up. I continued my hoodoo walk, which I had done since, as a family, when we first discovered them on a trip during our first Labour day weekend in the West in 1973. I had not been back here in all those years.
That walk into past completed, I joined Sybil while we waited for Adriana to return from her ‘hoodoo’ like meditation. Now is was on to Wayne road of the Eleven Bridges, seven with very quiet wooden travel decks, some crossing the Rosebud River. After we crossed the last of these spans we came upon Wayne - formerly 2000+ but 28 now -, which consisted of the Rosedeer Hotel with a maybe grocery store and a no nonsense ‘Last Chance Saloon’.
It was entered with some misplaced misgivings, but once in it turned out to be difficult to leave. It was full of paraphernalia dating back many decades into the previous century, including a one person post office and a crank phone! We looked around, taking in the unusual and quaint memorabilia with our eyes, while enjoying some snacks and drinks.
Dinner time was approaching, but we did not want to make our newly found saloon our last chance dinner. I recalled the town of Rosebud’s dinner theatre and suggested it may be worth a try. We returned to highway 10. went west along 9 to 840 to go south. Moseying along it, we came to Rosebud, but where to eat. The theatre runs from Wednesday to Saturday and our day was the one of Tiwes [Tues] a Germanic deity.
As I made a forlorn right turn, we spotted some lights and parked cars which let us to ‘The Thorny Rose’, a house dressed up as a little restaurant and gift shop. It became our dinner place to mutual satisfaction and even having ‘wifi’ as Adriana discovered here as at that Saloon of last chance! While all three of us answered the call of our stomachs, Adriana in addition those relating to the bookings for the hotel and plans for the next day in Toronto.
After pictures for face book postings were taken by the new owner operator of this Rose, we found our way south to the very dead end of 840 through Sharen’s old home town of Standard, going onto number one (1) highway, the ‘TransCanada’ that binds all Canadians with its slender, but enduring ribbon. Going West on it, we arrived at the home destination at around 9+pm for Sybille and Adriana and at 10pm for me.
Like our journey ends in a home like place, so must my account of it come to its closing thoughts. First I want to thank Sybille and Adriana for the various treats and the costs that they covered, especially for that ‘Thorny Rose’ dinner that was such surprise to the three of us.
But more so than that is ‘the pleasure of the company’ all through the three days that we got to know one another. It was a delight to me to share the things that I knew and those we discovered among ourselves. It made it all a delightful and valued memory to keep for later reminiscence.
Starting on Sunday night as strangers, we became well acquainted on Monday and parted as friends on Tuesday, such a wonderful, unexpected and inspiring experience; a gift to keep in the heart.
Bon Chance for all three of us.
<4:02pm, dinner preparations are creeping up on me, but I have ‘Swiss Made’ chocolates and wine from the Malbecs. And after supper I now finalise the edit and get it ready for email and web posting.
<6:16pm~