Get update alerts
Locations
- .All Trips
- Art
- Car Culture
- Central America/Caribbean
- Food
- Food Tour
- Pic of the Week
- Sl;ovenia
“Pic of the Week”, December 25, 2020: Some Scenes from Central Alberta
The terrain of Alberta is mostly that of the great Canadian prairies. It’s where farms on gently rolling hills yield vast crops of canola, wheat and beef. It’s where lots of oil is pumped from the ground — part of the rich dinosaur heritage of the region.
This past summer I spent several days driving around the central part of the province, between the major cities of Calgary and Edmonton, exploring small towns and destinations I’d not yet seen. Here’s a sampler of what that’s like:
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance slideshow)
Dec 24, 2020
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, December 25, 2020: Some Scenes from Central Alberta
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
…
Calgary’s New Central Library
Calgary’s new Central Library is located on the eastern edge of downtown. It opened about two years ago on Nov 1, 2018, replacing the existing library branch in Downtown Calgary. As you can see, the exterior of the building uses textured and clear glass panes in an effective manner.
The building is considered a new landmark in the city and has been a popular destination, with visitation so far at about 2,000,000 people per year.
The city had begun planning for a new library in 2004 and contracted with architectural firms Snøhetta (an international/Norwegian firm) and Dialog (a Canadian firm). Their design features an oval shape with a large central skylight and a spacious central four-story atrium.
Central Atrium, Downtown Calgary Library
Tagged Calgary Central Library
.All Trips / Central Canada / North America / Saskatchewan
Rambling around Wolseley, Saskatchewan
A roadtrip across the Canadian prairies can be both interesting and boring. There’s always something to see near the TransCanada highway if one looks — colorful fields, animals, etc — but much of the drive is across hundreds of miles of flat farmland where one mile often resembles the next, so it’s important to take breaks to keep from day-dreaming while driving.
My mind was starting to wander when I spotted a sign for a town in eastern Saskatchewan that offered two unusual sites : 1) a swinging bridge, and 2) an Opera house. You don’t see many opera houses in small Canadian towns, so I decided to pull off, get a coffee, and see what was of interest in Wolseley.
Wolseley …
Tagged opera house, swinging bridge, Wolseley
.All Trips / Alberta / Central Canada / North America
Markerville Lutheran Church, Alberta
It’s not easy to find the small Alberta town of Markerville on a map, but you’d be charmed by it as I was when I visited. The most memorable building in Markerville is this simple but pleasing church.
Markerville was established by Icelandic immigrants who arrived in Alberta via the United States in the late 19th century, and grew to a thriving (if small) community. After hiring a full-time minister in 1905, the residents decided they needed a church. Local farmers brought their tools and began the work of building their house of worship in 1906. Most Icelandic people at the time were Lutheran, so it makes sense they would build a Lutheran church.
The foundation was made of sandstone quarried in …
Tagged Icelandic, Lutheran Church, Markerville
“Pic of the Week”, October 9, 2020: Bow Falls, Banff
Bow Falls is a wide but relatively short waterfall (<9 meters) which, because of it’s location, is often visited. When the Bow River is filled with spring thaw it really roars, but in the drier summer months its flow is significantly reduced and the falls are less impressive.
Bow Falls is located less than a kilometer south of the Banff townsite, near the Banff Springs Hotel. You can access the falls from a parking lot immediately downriver from them or from Banff by following a trail adjoining the Bow River (there are trails on either side, but the best views are from the west side). If you continue further downriver, past Bow Falls, you’ll quickly hit the junction of the Spray River …
Oct 8, 2020
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, October 9, 2020: Bow Falls, Banff
.All Trips / Alberta / Car Culture / Central Canada / North America
Great Cars Along the Highway: 1960 Chevrolet Corvette, Calgary
I think Chevy Corvettes — especially those made in the 1950s and early 1960s — are among the most attractive cars ever made in America.
The Corvette was first built in 1953 — this model was made in 1960, one of just over 10,000 made that year. The car has a front placed engine (generally a 283 cu in (4.64 L) V8), rear wheel drive, and is a two-door, two passenger vehicle.
The Corvette was one of the first cars to use fiberglass for the outer body, a tradition that continues to this day.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance slideshow)
Tagged Chevy Corvette
“Pic of the Week”, September 4, 2020: Reflections of the Alpenglow, Lake Louise
Sometimes you’re lucky enough to be at the right place at just the right time.
We’d been hiking in Lake Louise, doing its famous Plain of Six Glaciers hike. The weather had been pretty nice — some threatening clouds but mostly a pleasant day. We enjoyed a tasty dinner at the Chateau Lake Louise and as we getting ready to leave stopped for one final look at that iconic scene of Lake Louise framed by Mount Victoria and its glaciers.
We were looking west, and Mount Victoria faces east, so it was in shadow. The clouds above the mountain were catching the pretty light of the distant sun as it hit the Pacific horizon, the so-called “Alpenglow”.
The lake was so …
Sep 3, 2020
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, September 4, 2020: Reflections of the Alpenglow, Lake Louise
.All Trips / Alberta / Car Culture / North America
Great Cars Along the Highway: 1952 Oldsmobile Super 88
One of my favorite vehicles is the Oldsmobile 88, a car which was also very popular with American consumers. The line was introduced in 1949 and the Oldsmobile 88 was produced until 1999. It was the top-selling line of cars for a remarkable twenty-four years.
In 1952, Oldsmobile’s most popular car was the Super 88, with 118,558 units sold. The Super 88 had been introduced the prior year as a more upscale version of the basic 88. Super 88s were offered in five different body styles, but what made them so popular was a well-earned reputation for being a top performing car. The Super 88 was powered by a Rocket Power V8 engine, shared with Oldsmobile’s Super 98 line.
A beauty –the …
Tagged 1952, Oldsmobile, Super 88
