This is the 1st of a series of posts dealing with my 2023 trip to Calgary, Edmonton, and vicinity. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of a year later or to add further clarification. These are indicated by “NOW”.
Day 0:
With no airport shuttle running early morning anymore, Sunday eve I took a 70 bus (Victoria Regional Transit) from Victoria to Sidney (still Greater Victoria) and stayed with my friend Diana. We chatted on the balcony and then I turned in but had insomnia and couldn't sleep at all.
[NOW: I wouldn’t have made my flight without staying at a friend’s place or would have had to spend quite a bit on cab fare.]
Day 1:
We got up early and Diana drove me to the airport. Thankfully full service check in was possible because in my sleepy state, self-service check-in would have been difficult. I went through security with no problem. Because my camera has been giving me problems occasionally, I switched to my new backup camera (same make). I accidentally sat in the wrong seat but that was an easy fix. The Westjet flight to Calgary was good. I think I saw Lake Country where two lakes meet. Very little clouds. At Calgary International Airport, I got a fairly tiny day pass from the vending machine (at the airport, one use passes and daypasses cost the same). I took a 300 bus (all transportation upon arriving in Calgary is Calgary Transit) southwest. I had breakfast at A&W and walked the rest of the way to Calgary Hub hostel. En route I saw a large rabbit ahead of me and not for the last time walked around a household watering their sidewalk.
[NOW: What I thought was Lake Country was actually Penticton.]
I took a 38 bus to Brentwood Centre. CD Trader didn't open until noon so I continued on. A couple people seemed confused when I asked where the light rail station was, like they didn't think Calgary had one. I finally found Brentwood Station and took a 201/Red Line train to Southland Station. Imaginary Wars Gaming & Hobbies didn't open for another 15 minutes. Decided to skip. I walked to Buy & Sell Store (maybe because I was sleepy but the music seemed too loud) then had lunch at KFC. I took a 99 bus to the Lake Bonavista area. While some buses announced stops, this was one off the ones that didn't. Worse, a screen made taking photos and seeing street signs hard. So almost randomly I rang the bell when things looked close enough and it proved to be the right stop anyway.
[NOW: I later learned that locals call the light rail the CTrain.]
I got some horror DVDs at Video Game Trader but I had overlooked that Comic Traders was closed on Mondays. I overlooked Lake Bonavista itself, but didn't know where if at all the public lake access was. Realizing I had just missed a bus, I walked instead to Anderson Station, getting some nice shots on overpasses. I took another 201 train to Chinook Station. I walk to Comic-Kaze and then Owl's Nest Books. I took a 3 bus to the downtown area, visiting Shelf Life Books. I got on a 24 bus and realized midway that Alpha Comics is also closed on Mondays. It's out of the way so I decided to just shoot the exterior and leave it at that for the trip. I did get a Slushie at Circle K. I took another 24 bus. On 9th Ave SE I visited The Next Page and that street's branch of Fair's Fair Books.
I walked to the Saddledome but had to get photos from a slight distance due to construction on a few new Green Line. I had dinner at the McDonald's on 8th St. By then I was a bit disoriented due to sleepiness but finally found Prince Island's Park. After I finished my burger there, a flock of Canadian geese, looking larger than the BC and Washington ones came over wanting food. I took a 3 bus north and returned to the hostel. I'm using a new Chromebook so it asked me a ton of questions before finally letting me in.
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