Detouring Through the Medieval Streets of Dinan: I AM CALGARY’S Summer of 2019
Dinan – not to be confused with nearby Dinard, as is easily done when trying to pronounce the names of the well-known Brittany towns as English-speaking folk in slurred French – is another tourist magnet. Visiting this medieval town is like stepping into a time warp for North Americans. When compared to our very recent history, how can such a
Hiking Lake Louise and Larch-Peeping in the Fall
I recently revisited a hike with my brother that I had done in the same season in September 2012. Hiking at iconic Lake Louise in Banff National Park is really quite surreal. Experiencing it during the spectacle of the luminescent golden larches during the very brief window of opportunity as they don their fall colours
Exploring Magical Mont Saint-Michel: I AM CALGARY’S Summer of 2019
🇫🇷 Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, France Upon seeing the island community of Mont Saint-Michel for the first time, one is both enchanted and captivated. Purported to be France's 3rd most popular tourist attraction, the walled fortress - dominated by the mountain-top abbey - is a UNESCO world heritage site and certainly a memorable sight to behold.
Mesmerizing Walks on the Island of Herm: I AM CALGARY’S Summer of 2019
👣 🇬🇬 Herm, Channel Islands, UK Herm - an island with a small name but conjuring up great expectations. Herm lies less than 3km off the coast of Guernsey. For some adventurous types, this may seem quite swimmable. I suspect you'd be right. But you'll certainly need to navigate some pretty busy
I AM CALGARY’s Summer of 2019: a million memories, 18,000km, 30 Days, 11 Modes of Transport, 9 Beds, 5 Countries
You've no doubt heard the saying, “Have passport, will travel”? That could never have been a more tangible reality to me than when I became a Canadian Citizen in December 2018, receiving my new passport shortly after. The world of international travel suddenly opened before us since I was now able to travel to
Ignite Your Imagination at TELUS Spark
The TELUS Spark Centre is an interactive science museum that will stimulate the senses and brain of adults and children alike. The geometrically incongruent-looking glass facade structure, strikingly illuminated at night by an evolving LED light display, opened on October 2011 having previously been housed on 11th Street SW where it was formerly known
Hurtling Along Skyline Luge’s Downhill Karting Track at Winsport COP
Hurtling down the concrete-paved race course, swerving around tight hairpin bends, white-knuckled, screaming like a girl. As an onlooker, I’m sure this ride down the Skyline Luge track at Calgary’s Winsport COP didn’t look like a particularly spectacular race between Christa and myself. However, this description captures my blurred recollection of the fun-filled five-minute gravity-driven
Saunter, Shop and Sightsee Along Stephen Avenue Walk
Stephen Avenue Walk forms a part of 8th Avenue South, bounded by 4th Street SW at its west end and 1st Street SE at its east end. Home to some of Calgary’s finest restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes, this pedestrian mall offers its foot-travellers uninhibited access to some of downtown's key attractions and facilities, including
Floating the Bow and our kayaking essentials checklist
As novice kayakers, it was quite an adrenaline rush to gather our equipment, load the boats, decide upon a suitable launch location and then stand on the banks of the Bow River surveying its flow pattern. This, partly to look as if I knew what I was doing and partly to reconsider whether we should
Derek’s favourite 5 value-for-money Garden Centres in Calgary
I have to confess that I’m one of those gardeners-in-denial. I’m all gung-ho to get my garden growing just as soon as the weather warms to daytime highs in the low teens with mild disregard to the still-chilly overnight temperatures. I simply don’t have the patience to wait for that unspoken gardening rule to come
