We were up really early for the flight to Calgary and hadn't had much sleep after a great night with John and Lynn involving all sorts of fun and games.
We had hoped to be able to see the Canadian Rockies on the flight over but it was a pretty overcast day and we couldn't see much. As we descended to Calgary we couldn't believe how flat the land was for miles and miles and also how much snow they had.
Calgary is well known as being a 'cow-boy town', very different to Vancouver. It's home to the very famous Calgary Stampede-the world's largest rodeo lasting 10 whole days. Cow-boy attire is common for your average man in the street here (even now, in winter) which gives the place real character.
We were met at the airport by Lorraine's daughter Kari. It was her birthday and that night they were having loads of family round to celebrate at Lorraine's house later. We arrived at the house we'd be spending the next month at and were met by L and L. We were shown our room and given a tour of the house. We were given a room in the basement which has its own bathroom/kitchen. We were so tired from the early rise that we had a power-nap to make sure we were on top form for meeting the wider family. Strangely, Kari didn't turn up for her own birthday party! She came down with something later that day we heard. Anyway we met 2 of Lorraine's other kids, Russel and Tracey, their other halves and all their sprogs. Lorraine had a big cake in for Kari, the candles of which she lit and we all blew out on her behalf while singing happy birthday down the phone to her.
The next day Lorraine gave us a guided tour of the surrounding area and we signed up to the gym at the University, only a ten minute walk away. We were keen to shift a bit of excess blubber before heading back to the UK. We've managed to hit the gym everyday since which is rather surprising!
We got on really well with Lorraine but found Lister a 'difficult nut to crack'. But later discovered that his somewhat subdued manor was not something solely reserved for us!
We also discovered that the family we were staying with were Mormons. To the uninitiated, Mormons are basically Christians but believe in an extra prophet called Joseph Smith who received a vision from God at the tender age of 14 telling him that all existing religions were wrong and that he should start his own religion using scriptures which he dug up having been informed of their whereabouts by angels. Mormons are also forbidden to consume tea/coke/coffee and alcohol so this Christmas was going to be tough on us!!
In the weeks leading up to Christmas we went Downtown a number of times. Because the weather in Calgary is so cold they have designed Downtown so that you never have to step outside! Every building is linked by glass tunnels 15m above ground level. It's like a big high street of shops, all attached to each other over the City. It's only a ten minute ride on the C-train.
As the days lead up to Christmas we were both really sad to be away from our families, for Matt it was a first. We made our room really festive, putting up a mini tree and a few sets of lights which cheered us up. We both also received a Christmas package from our rents which was brilliant and contained some wonderful things. We had a few drinks on Christmas Eve in the room listening to a CD we made covering all the Xmas hits..
Christmas day and we were up bright an early tearing into our packages from home along with a few things we'd bought each other.
The plan for the day was to head to Russell's early to have brunch with him and his kids and then, after his much loathed ex-wife came to collect the children, stay with him for the day. It was a very different type of Christmas to the usual, alcohol wasn't part of the occasion as expected so we brought our own along. Joining us for Christmas dinner was Kari and her other half-Jeff and kid Tristan along with Lorraine's brother Christopher and partner Cathy. It wasn't the usual fun and games but the dinner was corking. There was an addition to their Christmas turkey dinner which was somewhat of a surprise. They served with it an interesting blend of pistachio nuts and marsh-mellow! Neither of us could cope with it and wonder to this moment how it got entwined with this meal.
Russell got his banjo later on and taught Matt a few chords which was a laugh..
On boxing day we went to Lorraine's daughter Tracey's place for the evening and they were good enough to give us a card with $40 in as well as a muchly appreciated offer of alcohol (neither of these guys have religious preferences otherwise).
The next big occasion was New Years Eve and it was a rip-roarer!
We decided to head to the local pub, for the occasion. L and L went to their own party with some church pals for which they created some rather funky hats (see pic!). Anyway we had a good few to drinks at the house and then made the short walk to the pub. It was absolutely freezing that night, so we proceeded with haste. The pub wasn't that busy but was still a corking place to spend NYE. It was really nicely decorated and had loads of free party hats and horns etc. It wasn't long before we got chatting to these cool lads. They were from all over the world, Ireland/Ukraine along with a few locals. They welcomed us to the table and we met the wider group whom we both got on with really well. One of the girls at the table was actually doing a massive project on Coventry of all places! They bought us drinks all night which was handy..a little later on we were invited to a house party by some random Canadian called Cole and so we brought our gang down to his house nearby shortly after the pub kicked out. This involved further drinking and a rather long game of poker which brought us to 4am by which time we decided to head home! Cole had a tank with some huge lizards in called red-bearded dragons which we all got out and had a play with! It was a great night. The walk home was the coldest walk ever, we hadn't come out armed with the appropriate snow attire as we hadn't wanted to worry about where to put it in the pub. Matt in just a shirt and Vick in a thin dress speed-walking home in temperates of minus 30 degrees! Somehow we didn't catch pneumonia but it's definitely the coldest we've ever been and hopefully ever will be.
On New Years day we all went sledging. It was amazing. They took us to this near-vertical hill, thick with snow and sent us down on various 'vehicles' from inflatable rubber rings down to random offcuts of plastic! What an experience. The speeds and thrills were incredible. We've desperately wanted to go and do it all again but a lot of the snow has cleared up of late so were waiting for the next 'dump' of snow.
Today we realized the Samaritan within us and helped out at the local Church with a campaign to Feed the Homeless of Calgary. We had to get up real early and were peeling veggies by 8am! It was actually a really nice, rewarding thing to do and there was a good camaraderie between the volunteers. We were joined by Russel and co. We then also helped to sort through thousands of donated kids toys which needed to be grouped and boxed. We were both shattered when we got back.
So, the next thing on the calender is the arrival of Carol and Janet, Vick's Mum and Nan. They will be arriving in 2 days time on Tuesday and we're both really looking forward to seeing them.
One more thing we should probably mention. Our initial plan was to head back to John's and catch our flight on the 25th from Vancouver. Well, he's hit a few snags his end (long story) and so we've changed our flights to now fly from Calgary on the 16th January, on the same return flight as Vick's fam.
So we're now left with just 10 days left of the rock'n'roll ride..
What an adventure it's been..
xxx
Canada
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