Canada Trip Day 21: Heli Ride at Kananaskis

3 July 2010 - We were on the Trans-Canada Highway heading to Kananaskis for a helicopter tour. As we approach the town, the magnificient Rocky Mountains ranges loomed into view. They reminded me of the mountain ranges that was seen in New Zealand and Tibet. It was amazing that monstrous rocks raise from the ground reaching the skies in places around the world, with much fascinating rock formations. I've been avidly following BBC documentary How Earth Made Us and how these kings of the skies were formed were incredible. In David Attenborough's BBC documentary First Life, he traveled to the Rockies to explore the fossils found that may explain how the first animals are created and evolved. Thus, these structures are so much more than a creation from tectonic plate movements that now stand to awe us and provide us with recreation. Some of the answers of our being actually lies here, which I find so amazing.



Telus World of Science: Calgary's Science Centre

Ski jumps at the Canada Olympic Park (COP)

Canada Olympic Park

Calgary West Campground

Barns and farm houses

Elbow Sheep Wildland

View of a shack and Elbow Sheep Wildland in the background from Trans-Canada Highway

Grazing cattle in front of Elbow Sheep Wildland

Trees and shrubs

Green Drop lawn

Letters on a slope

Mountains from Elbow Sheep Wildland

Helicopter Tours sign board

Kananaskis Heli Tours Inc

Helicopter control board

Pilot getting ready for takeoff

Bow Valley

Bow Valley Provincial Park

Barrier Lake with Kananaskis Trail on the left, going into Elbow Sheep Wildland on the left and Bow Valley Wildland on the right

Barrier Lake and the Canadian Rockies at Bow Valley in Kananaski

The Rocky Mountains in Bow Valley

Rocky Mountains in Bow Valley

Rocky Mountains in Bow Valley

Bow Flats Natural Area with cement factory in Exshaw on the right

LaFarge Canada Cement Mill in Exshaw

Mount Yamnuska

Loder Peak

Close-up of Mount Yamnuska

Close up of Loder Peak

Bow River with a dam

Canada Trip Day 20: Thai & Tai - Ultimate Vietnamese Subs N' Grill

2 July 2010 - As the restaurants were closing along Stephen Ave, we got recommendations from a waiter packing up to dine at Murrieta's. When we found it, we were both excited and frightened. It looked expensive and we agreed on a no after scanning through the menu. Thus, continued our search for the "right" restaurant. There is a time and mood for different types of restaurants. And right then, we wanted something fast, simple, cheap and definitely, nice. We found a small restaurant named Thai & Tai which had menu that appealed to all aforementioned aspects. Unexpectedly, the meal turned out to be really good for a really good price! What I like about the restaurant are these beautiful photographs in black and white of ethnic scenes in rural areas of Thailand. It's a pretty amazing feeling, munching my food while marveling these photos and secretly envious of the photographer's travels.

Photos by Sakana

The restaurant counter

Thai & Tai signage at the entrance

Beautiful black and white photographs lined along one wall in the restaurant

I love this photograph! My favourite out of all.

Mango Juice with Pearl, absolutely delicious and refreshing

Menu Combo Three: Lemongrass Chicken, Tiger Prawns and Spring Roll over rice

The menu board

Canada Trip Day 20: Mariott Hotel in Calgary

2 July 2010 - We had flown in the day before the tour started and decided to stay at Mariott Calgary Hotel, opting for somewhere comfortable, convenient and private. The tour bus would pick us at Centre Street beside the hotel.

I was so glad that we picked Mariott to stay instead of the backpackers' hostel. It was amazingly comfortable. I immediately let myself fall on the soft, comfy bed after placing the bags on the floor. It felt like heaven! I could almost fall asleep right away if not for the hunger. Had a wonderful shower in a simple but spacious bathroom. It was luxurious to have the shower coming down in great volumes. The tiring journey between cities in the past two weeks has made the stay in Mariott such a big contrast to comfort, which I exceedingly appreciated.


Lobby of Mariott Calgary Hotel decorated with vintage furnitures and items

Vintage telephone, coal iron and a bunch of wheat

Vintage luggage and radio

That's mum doing some light unpacking and me on the couch.

So many pillows, and all so soft!

Nice big LCD tv

Bathroom with clean towels

View from our room with the Telus Convention Centre right in front of us

Menopause Out Loud van in front of the hotel

Walked along Stephen Avenue looking for a nice restaurant to have dinner when many places were closing at about 10pm.

Stephen Avenue looking quite busy

Canadian Pacific Railway building with a dome

Canada Trip Day 20: Flying to Calgary

2 July 2010 - Today marked the end of our backpacking trip as we were flying to Calgary to catch the Peaks and Parks Tours organised by Brewster Tours. We checked out from HI-Montreal and went across Boulevard René-Lévesque and waited at the bus stop adjacent to Bishop Street for Express Bus 747. Bus 747 took us to  Montréal-Trudeau airport, costing CAN$7.


Me and mum waiting for the bus. Thank God they had benches for us. Our bags were so heavy and we were far from finishing our trip.

The buses that run at this stop

747 Express Bus running from Boulevard René-Lévesque to  Montréal-Trudeau airport

At  Montréal-Trudeau airport

By now, we are familiar with the self-check-in kiosk

We had Subway before we entered the departure gate

Was happy there were power points and Wi-Fi access at the waiting terminal

Me reading The Next 100 Years by George Friedman. An interesting book which brings new thoughts and some maybe crazy to the reader about the future from current world situations including some sci-fi stuff that may really happen.

This time around, my sister had apples instead of chocolates for her dessert in the plane.

I had carrot sticks instead.

Food trolley stowed in compartments at the back of the plane

Beautiful clouds

Two layers of clouds

View of farm lands from the plane

Built up of frost around a small air vent

Sun rays filtering through thick, grey clouds

At YYC Calgary International Airport at the belt waiting for our bags

Decorations showing places of interest in the middle of the belt

The Bow office tower under construction and to be completed in 2011

Calgary Tower