Canada Trip Day 26: Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton

8 July 2010 - This was our last day in Edmonton and also the second last day of our entire Canada trip. Mum's friend took us to the Muttart Conservatory. I'm impressed by the large varieties of plants in a not-so-large conservatory made up of four glass pyramids. I particularly love the showcase on the different types of cacti. I wish the labelling can be more complete. There are some plants which were without labels and I did to do a good bit of investigation online before I stumble upon them. To be fair, I came across a very interesting term, inflorescence and there are so many types in the way the flowers of plants are arranged while trying to find the names of the plants. It's amazing to actually see the physical appearances of the plants which we only know by name on bottles and packaging of shampoos, lotions, soaps and so forth.



Stone engravings on the wall at Muttart Conservatory 
Mermaid lying on a bed of flowers - Muttart Conservatory 
Witch Hazel

Mexican Orange - Choisya ternata 'Aztec Pearl'

Lotus corniculatus "Plenus" Bird's Foot Trefoil

Dragon Mouth (Horminum pyrenaicum) Europe

Woolly Thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) Asia

Maidenhair Tree (Gingko biloba)

Sleeping lady sculpted from moss, Gaia Mother Earth

Common Fig (Ficus carica)

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis): An interesting fact is the chemistry of jojoba oil is similar to that of sperm whale oil but cannot handle the high temperatures to be a replacement of the latter, as a lubricant for machinery.

Moonstones (Pachyphytum oviferum) North America
Kangaroo Paws (Anigosanthos sp.) Pacifica
Elephant Foot Tree (Beaucarnea recurvata) North America

Shaving Brush Tree (Pseudobombax ellipticum): Its bark was used to make tea in El Salvador to treat diabetes and floral tea can be made for gastrointestinal ailments.

Woolly Rose (Echeveria 'Doris Taylor') North America

Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) North America

Bishop's Cap (Astrophytum myriostigma) North America

Blue Chopsticks (Senecio serpens) Africa

African Milk Tree (Euphorbia trigona) Africa

Aloe burgersfortensis Africa

Aeonium arboreum 'Schwarzkopf' Africa

Sisal Hemp (Agave sisalana) : Interestingly, this plant was extracted by Mayans and Aztees to weave the sisal fibers into rough garments.

Panda Plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa) Africa

Corkscrew (Euphorbia mammilaris) Africa

Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) North America

Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria) Africa

Dwarf Coral Tree (Erythrina Zeyheri) Africa

Agave Americana 'Marginata' (Century Plant) North America

Peruvian Apple (Cereus peruvianus) South America

Totem pole cactus (Lophocereus Schottii 'Monstrosus') North America

Silver Torch (Cleistocactus Strausii) South America

Borzicactus sampipatanus South America

Joseph's coat cactus (Opuntia vulgaris 'Variegata') North America

Costus barbatus
Pachystachys lutea Different types of cactus in one of the pyramid rooms

Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum Camphora) Asia

Coffee (Coffea arabica) Africa - I love this coffee!

Calamondin (Citrofortunella mitis)

Fancy-leaved caladium (Caladium X humboldtii)
Rex Begonia (Begonia X rex-cultorum) leaf and flowers (pink petals, yellow stamens)

Araceae

Aechmea fasciata 'Silver Vase'

Queen Sago Palm (Cycas circinalis) flower: How beautiful are these golden and regal looking flowers
Queen Sago Palm (Cycas circinalis)

Snow Banana (ensete glaucum) Asia

Purple orchid

Spider Orchid - patterned petals brown and yellow; purple labellum
 A type of Cholla tree

Spines of a cactus plant

Barrel cacti; two species; two barrel cactus on top of another species with finer spines

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.