This is the 8th 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”.
Definitely one of the better days despite a few quibbles. My alarm from last week woke me up around 4; that was supposed to be one only. Did manage to get a bit more sleep. Sleeping in a bed is far nicer than a bunk. I eventually got up and checked the forecast. The next two days were supposed to be sunny (albeit smoky today) followed by rain Wednesday and Thursday. Since I had park focussed days scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, I hedged my bets and did my Wednesday itinerary today. Passing a rabbit (maybe the same one as before) I had breakfast at the A&W nearest to the Calgary Hub hostel, after a short bit of wandering around before the dining room opened at 7. Unlike what I'm used to, that A&W asks to stay or to go rather than for here or to go.
Because of the limited places you can get a day buspass I walked the long distance to SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. I think it was there that I saw another rabbit. There was construction there but finally managed to reach the light rail station there. I bought a daypass (all transit today Calgary Transit) and took a 201/Red Line CTrain to 39 Ave Station. I bought a Slurpee at a nearby 7-11 and walked to Stanley Park, which I also visited last Tues. I walked to Britannica Park (my map book called it Riverdale Park but it's a bit outdated). I saw people walking through the river because it was so shallow. I walked in a little but decided that while crossing the river would have made for a good story, I didn't want to risk slipping and dunking the camera in water. From there I crossed over to the not entirely accurately named Sandy Beach. It did have a restroom. I walked west and then south to a Circle K. They were almost out of sandwiches so because I knew I'd be at my next destination awhile, I reluctantly spent over $8 on two premade sandwiches, and also bought a Pepsi Frostee.
Heading south I dodged the metaphorical bullet: my backpack has two separate zippers to the same back section and the lower one had started to unzip; I noticed this when I sat down for a rest and saw my other camera sticking out. I zipped it up and soon after saw my next bus (66) on a layover and ran to it. Had I not needed a rest right before then, there's a good chance that when I ran for the bus, the other camera would have fallen out and landed on concrete. Instead I had a more relaxing trip to Weaselhead Flats.
Weaselhead Flats has some amazing views of the Elbow River, some from above, some at ground level. It was a nice place to hike and I got some great shots. There's one area for people who are a bit... uninhibited (as tends to be the case for some middle-agers, but not this particular middle-ager). Fortunately because there were only a few and mainly spaces apart a fair ways, I was able to get photos of the river without people in the shots even there. But that was only a tiny section of the nature reserve. I also saw a group of school kids so it's definitely all ages friendly overall. And there are so many nice and distinct views of the river, including where it curves, I would say that it's not to be missed when visiting Calgary.
I took another 66 bus back downtown (it arrived at the stop just after I did; really lucked out there). After grabbing some bus schedules from a transit centre, I walked to City Hall, having noticed on the train that this one also has water jets, though the set-up's a bit different (larger so jets more spaced out, and apparently not chlorinated). One guy was scolding the fountain. Restrooms were closed and the sign said they weren't to be used as changing rooms anyway. There were portable potties nearby so I changed into my swimsuit and walked into the jets.
[NOW: The water jets are actually at Olympic Plaza, so near City Hall but not at it.]
I was supposed to bus to Chestermere soon after but it's an hour each way and there were only two buses going there spaced an hour apart. Plus it would have made for a more late dinner. I decided not to risk it. I instead took a 202/Blue Line CTrain to McKnight-Westwinds Station. I couldn't find Talwandi Video. The Real Canadian Superstore wanted too much for cold drinks. I took another 202 CTrain to Calgary Zoo Station.
I visited the zoo, focussing on animatronic dinosaurs. I did see one wild animal: a large garter snake crossed the path I was on. I know some would be unnerved but it was just going about its business same as me. I took another CTrain back to City Hall. Definitely time better spent than in Chestermere. I grabbed strawberry water from a tourist shop and then grabbed a 3 bus; this time being unencumbered I was able to switch from the 5 stop to the 3. A little worried that the guy behind me was coughing. I got off and grabbed dinner from my usual A&W before returning to the hostel. I told a guy what I did today and he said it was a busy day. I told him this was one of my slower days.
[NOW: There’s more to the zoo story but I decided I didn’t want to share it with the public. I folded in the snake bit from a later report.]
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