Day in Calgary

First day in about 4 weeks where we had no plans.  Spend a lazy day in Calgary, checking out a few sites.  Thought we’d go to the Calgary Stampede Centre, we’d looked on the internet and couldn’t find a lot of information on it but we’d drive down and check out the information centre, surely they’d have some sort of museum or display attraction.  Got there and there was a gatehouse and the girl there was taking money for parking for the Alberta Food Awards Competition and Gala.  Left there a bit disappointed but full of enthusiasm because our hosts told us the Heritage Park was really good and being out of season, wouldn’t be very busy.  It had a vintage car collection, rides on steam trains and paddle steamers and about 50 old buildings tracing the history of ‘How the West was Won.’

Straight on to Kylie and she led us on a roundabout sort of way but got there eventually.  On arrival it was our ‘Wally World’ moment.  There was a huge carpark, probably capable of holding a thousand cars.  There were about 3 cars in the whole place.  Not a problem, we were early, we’d have a look anyway.  We walked over to the lake and saw a couple of other people come in; they looked like grandparents taking their grandkids on a day out.  We followed them across the deserted entryway, past a lonely admission office and walked into the front doors of the Gasoline Alley building. 

Nice girl behind the counter, sorry, the park is shut at this time of year except for weekends, we gave her $20 to look through the Gasoline Alley display of restored vintage cars, gasoline pumps and signs.  A sensational 5 minutes.  I resisted the urge to take the security staff hostage for a ride on the paddle steamer mainly because security outnumbered us 3 to 1. 

We stayed half an hour because we were the only tourists in the place and didn’t want to disappoint the attentive staff, there was a school group doing a bugs assignment and some young children and grandparents in a sort of childrens' area.  To be fair the display was very well done but not really what we look for.  Ah well, back on the road, into town, a late smoko then a wander round the city centre, a little busier today but not much.  We had a slow day, drove to the laundromat on the way home, bought tea and got home about 6.30.  I think we need to be a little more active, we are both worn out after our relaxing day.

The car park Heritage Park.

Packed out entry area.

Not the welcome we expected.

On Gasoline Alley.

Another alley

Gasoline anyone?

This one needs a bit of restoration, the truck's in pretty good nick though....

Our conquest yesterday.

Amazing sculpture made of 2"pipe.

Incredible from all angles.

Can even walk through it.

And see through it.

Horse made from scrap metal.

Horses galloping the prairie.

All cut from sheet metal.