Tuesday, September 24, 2013

To Edmonton



Drive to Edmonton today, just over 300 kilometres.  Pam has a habit of buying a little keyring from significant places we stop at and because Calgary is the cowboy central of Canada (and the world) she was keen to get one from Calgary.  We had gone to the few souvenir shops yesterday; all she wanted was a bucking horse keyring.  She couldn’t find a bucking horse anywhere.  I told her it didn’t have to be a horse at all.  She insisted and kept on about this bucking horse.  I told her to forget it and to tone down the language in a foreign country.  I forget what she said but I don’t think ‘horse’ was mentioned.
On to Edmonton.  Stopped at Ponoka for coffee because we missed the Red Deer turnoff.  The country is completely different to the Rockies.  Wide rolling plains, rich wheat country with the occasional horse or cattle stud and a few elk farms.  Interesting landscape with the traditional farm houses and barns.  Could see the Rockies in the distance to the west and farming country as far as the eye can see to the east.  Drove into Edmonton  then headed for the West Edmonton Mall before going to the motel.  This mall has the worlds largest indoor wave pool, the worlds largest indoor lake (with a replica Santa Maria ship), the worlds largest indoor amusement centre, a full sized indoor NHL ice hockey rink, an 18 hole mini-golf course, an indoor aquarium with sea lions, two motels attached, 800 specialty shops and 6 major supermarkets/chain stores.  It takes up 48 city blocks.  I can’t describe how big this place is.  Pam thought she’d died and gone to heaven.  Got there about lunch time and left at 5.  Pam thinks it will only take another 3 weeks to get around it all.  I’m going to keep going around Canada and she’ll be home in Australia sometime before Christmas...maybe.
Booked in to the motel and walked down town for tea at an Irish Pub, watched an Ice Hockey game till half time, had to come back to the motel and watch the second half; had to watch Edmonton win their home game.

First I had to find a place to park my Ferrari....

Ice rink.

HUGE sailing ship

Feeding the sea lions.

Enjoying the enclosed beach.

Catching a wave.

Childrens' playground on steroids.
Complicated roller coaster.



3 comments:

  1. My my, and they say "only in America" Think this shopping centre outdoes America for sure! It seems a bit like where the guys went in Vegas to this Outdoor World, where you can actually fly fish inside, there's a shooting range, boats, anything to do with outdoor sports and of course, at the back there's a Casino!!! Needless to say, they got very lost there! Whilst us girls did the Pam thing and went shopping!!! xoxo

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  2. I love reading your comments each night Deb! The shopping centre was amazing but I am forever conscious of overweight luggage for the trip home so I am not buying anywhere near as much as I would like!! We have already sent a parcel home when we were with Cath and intend to send another before we leave Vancouver. Will have to come back with an empty suitcase I think! There has not been a lot to see in Calgary and Edmonton hence the shopping centres!!! We are back in the Rockies tomorrow with more sight seeing. Apparently there has been snow in the foothills of Jasper so we are looking forward to that - not driving in it though! Hope you are all well. Love to Johnny and the boys if you see them! Take care! Love Pam xoxo

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  3. I love reading your blogs - they're great, and to not comment would be awful, as you really don't know who's reading them or not! So, I'll still keep stalking you until the end - don't worry ha!
    Don't know if I told you that we sent parcels back from Ireland, and the guy in the post office just looked at us when we took the box over and to where it was going, and said "Have you not heard of internet shopping?" It really is JUST NOT THE SAME! Us tourists have to keep these people employed! Enjoy your next few days, sounds lovely (but cool). Will pass on your love to Johnny and the boys and they are all keeping well. Won't be seeing Ben and Matt until towards the end of November. Take care and stay safe xoxo

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