Monday 30 January 2012

Canada Trip Day 25: Fort Edmonton Park

7 July 2010 - This travel post is taking me almost two years to finish! Anyway, things got a little hectic during our last few days in Canada because of the way we had arranged our trips. Having left Alberta and back in British Columbia, we flew back to Alberta where Edmonton is. Mum has a friend who lives in Edmonton and she has very much been excited our Canada trip and had so warmly invited us for a visit. My aunt was nice to wake up early in the morning to drive us to the airport for our Edmonton flight. In a way, I was happy we got to fly in, having the view of the Rockies during the flight was such a privilege. As we soon came out of the arrival hall, we saw the happy face of mum's friend. Soon, we were happily catching up in the car. With us being chauffeured by mum's friend during our two-day stay, we somewhat caught a glimpse of Edmonton. The city seemed less busy, in comparison with Vancouver and Toronto. As time was short, my mum's friend and her husband had planned to bring us to the Fort Edmonton Park for a visit and then a nice, big Chinese dinner somewhere in Chinatown.

Seeing a beaver was the main highlight of the Fort Edmonton Park visit. We were walking to the fort along a dirt footpath where we came upon a bridge. As we were crossing, I had noticed movements in the water, which came to be a beaver. I was so excited and alerted both my mum and sister. All three of us were so enthralled by this elusive animal.

The Fort Edmonton Park is a huge historical playground. I call it a playground because they have made learning about the history of Edmonton as fun as possible. I enjoyed looking at the old machines at the bank and the post office. I love horses, so the sight of them grazing by the stables, pulling carriages and so forth was exciting. I particularly liked the visit to the replica of the 1846 Hudson's Bay Fort. It was impressive how they build high walls and towers, all completely out of wood. It felt like I was in a scene of some very old war movie. The walk in woods was relaxing. I was glad there always nature nearby anywhere in Canada.






View of the Rockies from the plane

Through the airplane window, a glorious river flowing through the Rockies

Arrived in Edmonton to the sights of Rape fields

Greenhouses in a field of Rape flowers

At Fort Edmonton Park

Amusement area with all the rides and games

Vintage car area

Another vintage car

Vegetable farm

Egge's Barn and bunkhouse at 1885 Street

Beautiful horse by Egge's barn

Al-Rashid Mosque in 1920 Street

Old cash register at the Sun Drug Store at 1920 Street

Some machine at the Bank of Montreal, if I remember correctly.

Post office boxes at 1905 Street

Masonic Hall Museum

Tent City

Inside the tent
Early settlers' wagon at Fort Edmonton Park
 
Inside the wagon

Wagon Tours at Fort Edmonton Park

Horses grazing

Beautiful black horse

A beaver swimming along a river

High wooden walls of the fort

A tent (tepee) of the natives. Native lady taking photo with mum and sis

Inside the tent (tepee)

Entrance into the fort

Rowand House

Tradesmen' Quarters

Missionary Cross

A farmer tending to her plants at Fort Edmonton Park

A field of rape flowers

Exhibition

Carousel at Fort Edmonton Park

Gate of Happy Arrival at Edmonton's Chinatown

Our dinner of Chinese yummy food; lobster, pork chops and stir fried beef

Yummy crab dish

Yummy steamed oysters

We went passing the Alberta Legislative building when the husband of my mum's friend decided to stop the car for us to take some photos.