Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

Our next stop was the Guano Point, which is also known as the home of the Hualapai tribe. Here, we were treated with a hearty meal prepared by the Hualapai. Dinning in the midst of the majestic Grand Canyon was a wonderful experience.

The entrance of Guano Point.

Lunch served by the natives; corn on the cob, chicken stew, beef, baked beans, and salad on the side.

Tabasco and Mexican hot chili sauce. Yumm..

Overlooking at the Colorado River.

Red rocks of the Grand Canyon.

Climbing to the top of the rocks.

Las Vegas was the last stop of my two-week trip. One of the highlights during my stay there, was of course, a visit to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, a neighbouring state of Nevada. Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, but follows Mountain Standard Time instead. Therefore, Arizona is an hour ahead of Nevada during the fall and winter months; and they share the same hour for the rest of the year.

How grand is the Grand Canyon? Spanning 446 km in length, stretching between 6.4 and 29 km in range, and extending a depth greater than 1.83 km; the canyon is a creation of the Colorado River over a period of 6 million years. Even though it’s not the deepest canyon in the world, Grand Canyon is well-known for its majestic and colourful landscape.

There are three main visitation points at the Grand Canyon; North Rim, West Rim, and South Rim. Due to time constraint, we only had time for a day-tour to visit one of these points. I’ve always looked forward to exploring the Skywalk on the West Rim. Thus, West Rim it is!

We came across with the highway construction site near the Hoover Dam, on our way to our destination. Upon completion, this highway will ease the traffic flow of larger vehicles in this area. Looking for some big bucks? Apparently, rookies who work here get paid as high as USD 100 an hour. Of course, this comes with great risks for working at high elevations.

The highway construction site.

The Hoover Dam.

A scenic view of the Grand Canyon.

On our way to the West Rim of Grand Canyon, we passed by the 900-year-old Joshua Tree forest.

Joshua Trees (taller) and yucca plants (shorter).

A closer view of the Joshua Trees.

How would you like to visit the Grand Canyon? By land, water, or air?

Upon arrival at our destination, we took a shuttle to the Eagle Point. It’s the home of the famous Skywalk and Native American dwellings.

The breathtaking view of the canyon from the West Rim.

The Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge constructed with five thick layers of heavy-duty glass imported from Germany. The cost of construction was more than USD 40 million.  Suspending 4,000 feet above the Colorado River, visitors have the privilege to step beyond the edge of the Grand Canyon for a closer view of the canyon. How sturdy is the Skywalk? It can withstand the weight of 71 units of fully loaded 747 Boeing aircraft (more than 71 million pounds)!!

Opened on March 28th of year 2007 to the public, the Skywalk has recently celebrated its two-year anniversary.

Looking down the canyon from the Skywalk was an unforgettable experience.

“Eagle Point” was named after the shape of canyon which resembles an eagle with its wings widely spread.

Looking out the majestic Grand Canyon landscape at the edge of the Rim.

The house of the North American tribe, Hualapai (meaning “people of the tall pine”) who live here.

Spring is my favourite time of the year for traveling. Nice and cool weather without having to put on thick winter clothing is wonderful. Furthermore, it’s the perfect time to beat the crowd before summer kicks in. The lower cost of flight ticket and accommodation during the off-peak season is another added bonus!

I’ve travelled to the major cities in Canada in the past; Vancouver and Victoria (British Columbia), Calgary and Edmonton (Alberta), Toronto and Ottawa (Ontario), Quebec city and Montreal (Quebec), Halifax (Nova Scotia) etc. How about the United States? Piscataquis County (Maine),  St. Louis (Missouri), New York City (New York), and Boston (Massachusetts), are among the places I’ve been to before my recent trip.

The West Coast of United States is somewhere I’ve been longing to visit. The majestic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, famous Hollywood in Los Angeles, beautiful beaches in San Diego, the gamblers’ paradise of Las Vegas, mighty Grand Canyon & Colorado River in Arizona…..

My dreams came true, at the end of my two-week backpacking trip to the West Coast of United States. Together with my brother, we got the most out of our trip by traveling to various cities in a short period of time. We walked from one street to the other, hopped on and off buses, took the subway train one after another, travelled from one city to the other… It was certainly an enjoyable and fulfilling one. By overcoming the ups and downs throughout the trip as a team, we savoured the excitement of traveling. Things are made possible, when two are together. Thank you for the laughter and help, my little bro. The trip would not be as fun without you.

So much to do
So much to see
In this little world we live

People to meet
Places to visit
Go on an amazing trip

In a foreign land I stay
Challenges to face everyday
Listen to what others have to say
Learn new cultures on each day

Enjoy sceneries I’ve never seen
Listen to voices I’ve never heard
Savour flavours I’ve never tasted
Walk the path I’ve never travelled

Appreciate the goodness of life
Live out the dreams I have
Gorgeous dawn brings a brand new hope
Majestic dusk welcomes the serenity and peace

Unveil the unknowns
Explore nooks and corners of this globe
Hold onto the faith that lives
With this I cling to my believes

A journey full of adventures
Open my eyes in every single way
A world filled with treasures
In front of our eyes they lay

Dream of a dream
Live out a dream
A dream that persists
And forever lives

It was time to bid Hong Kong goodbye, after spending four and a half days in this beautiful island. I had an early morning flight leaving for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I got up when the sky was still dark, and waited for the first available airport shuttle bus at dawn.

Carrying a suitcase, a purse, a laptop bag, and at least two shopping bags filled with souvenir goodies, I slowly made my way to the bus stop. The weight I had on me wasn’t even funny. Oh well, it’s worth the effort after all :)

The interior of Hong Kong International Airport, colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport.

The modern design of the airport.

Was there anything for brunch? My hearty meal was served by the Cathay Pacific Airways; omelette, yogurt, fresh fruits (orange, apple, and dragon fruit), a roll, and a cup of orange juice.

I had truly enjoyed my stay in Hong Kong, despite the hiccups when arranging my accommodation. The weather was gorgeous most of the time, during my stay there. The urban city life, quaint architectures, hustle and bustle, delicious delicacies, nice scenery… have deeply captured my heart. Hope you too, will enjoy your stay in Hong Kong one day.

Walking around and taking the public transit is one of the best ways to experience the local culture in a foreign city. After my visit to the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, I hopped on a bus and headed towards Rua dos Mercadores.

Since I had only one short day to spare in Macau, I had to list down places of interest, so that I don’t miss out things I wanted to see or food I wanted to taste ;)

Macau is known as the first and last European colony in China. Macanese P (MOP$) is the currency used in Macau. Hong Kong dollars (HKD) is widely acceptable too. The exchange rate was at 1:1 during my visit.

The unique European-style architectures.

The famous Pork Chop Bun everyone should try! Silk Stockings Milk Tea is so-called because it’s as  smooth as silk stockings.

Busy street crowded with tourists.

Macau is popular for its food souvenirs.

At a public park.

The Ruins of St. Paul’s. The most famous landmark of Macau. The church was built in 1580 and was burned down in 1835 (leaving only the facade the staircase and portions of a wall).

A nice combination of colour for the building.

Another popular store for food souvenirs.

This restaurant is famous for its Macau-style desserts: Double-boiled Milk with egg White, Steamed Egg with Rock Sugar, and Steamed Milk with Ginger Juice.

Steamed Milk with Ginger Juice, to go with my yummy Polo Bun :)

Due to the time contraint, I had to head back to the ferry terminal to catch the ferry returning to Hong Kong Island. I really enjoyed my short trip in Macau.

Busy traffic in front of the ferry terminal.

The comfy seats in the ferry.

At last, I was back to the Hong Kong Island before the night kicked in.

Underground walkway is popular in Hong Kong. It’s a great way to avoid the heavy traffic.

My last night in Hong Kong, I spend it with my friend. We had supper together at a busy restaurant.

A generous serving of noodle soup with octopus.

If you allow yourself sufficient time to visit around during your stay in Hong Kong, it’s highly recommended to organize a day trip to the neighbouring city, Macau. TurboJEToffers frequent (departures every 15 minutes) ferry schedule on the Hong Kong <-> Macau route. The traveling time each way is about 70 minutes.

Some travelers visit Macau during the day and return to Hong Kong Island in the evening, in order to enjoy the night view of the city. Keep in mind that the ferry fare for evening departures is slightly more expensive, about HKD 30 extra.

I’ve to admit that my knowledge of Cantonese and Chinese characters was put into good use in this trip. It has certainly saved me from lots of troubles.

The HK China Ferry Terminal is located at the China Hong Kong City, on Canton Road. It took me a while to figure that out. I saw the ferry terminal from afar, but couldn’t get there. It was funny now that I looked back, even though it was frustrating at the time…

Busy Tsim Sha Tsui in the early morning. Everyone was getting ready for work. There were free newspapers available on the street. I was handed newly published newspaper on my way to the ferry terminal.

One of the things I looked forward to doing during my short visit to Macau, was visiting the casinos! I’m not a gambler, but have always been enjoying the fun of visiting casinos, especially the world-famous ones.

Upon arrival at the Macau ferry terminal, I was welcomed by the coach buses from various casinos. Resorts/casinos offer rides to their visitors at no cost, with these comfy, air-conditioned coach buses. It was quite an experience!

Opened in August 2007, there are currently 3,000 suites and 550,000 square feet of casino space offered at the Venetian Macao. With 3,400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables, it boasts to be the largest casino in the world!

This 40-storey building is the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the fourth largest building (by area) on the globe.

The captivating interior design at this Renaissance-Venice themed luxury hotel and casino resort.

The main lobby of the resort.

Enchanting design and layout. I felt very much like I was in Venice!

A statue? Would you like to dress up and act like a statue with your eyes closed for a job? Honestly, I pitied the young girl…

Experience a boat ride in the canals of Venice.

After my quick tour around the Venetian Macao, I took a bus back to the ferry terminal. Employees from the resorts/casinos were well-dressed with their great, big signages. A free ride to the resort/casino, anyone?

Macao is a busy city, mainly due to the big crowd of tourists on a daily basis. Nonetheless, it’s nothing compared to Hong Kong Island. I took a stroll towards the Fisherman’s Wharf, one of the main attractions in Macao you shouldn’t miss.

Yaohan in Macao? Interesting…

The “Tang City.”

Unique stairs.

Souvenir store. Food/snacks you shouldn’t miss!

My favourite polo bun. A sweet bun coated with crunchy cookie dough that resembled a pineapple.

Put Chai Ko, a palm-size pudding cake.

Portuguese egg tart. Yumm…

How can you possibly miss out the dim sum in Hong Kong? There is a wide variety of dim sum dishes, which includes meat, vegetables, seafood, desserts etc.

Yummy dim sum. It’s best to enjoy with a large group of friends.

Piping hot dim sum dishes.

After my dim sum brunch, I headed to Stanley, a nice little town, with Tina.

At a bus stop by the highway.

The view of dam as we crossed the bridge on our way to Stanley.

Stanley was crowded with tourists. The Stanley Market was an interesting place to visit. There are different stores in the building, ranging from clothing, food, souvenirs, to accessories, and much more.

At the Stanley Market.

In 2000, Murray House was successfully restored in Stanley; by putting together more than four thousand pieces of stones and columns that were marked and put away, before the demolition in 1982. The demolition was due to the construction of new Bank of China Tower in Central.

In front of Murray House, a Victorian-era building.

An overlook of Stanley from the Murray House.

Murray House in 1860.

We left Stanley after spending a few hours there, and headed back to Kowloon. What else should you try in Hong Kong?

The stinky tofu! It was crispy, greasy, and stinky. Delicious!

Busy crowd, with people from different culture background.

We visited a Chinese fast food restaurant, Ka Ka Lok, or better known as Café de Coral. Serving more than 300,000 locals in a day, it arises as the largest and most popular Chinese fast food chain restaurant.

Very presentable dish with grilled salmon, pork balls, and veggies.

The yummy-looking dish with grilled salmon and fish fillets.

Why is the restaurant so popular? Delicious and inexpensive dishes, friendly staff, and cozy ambience. On top of that, effective layout and quick service! Place an order and pay the cashier. An order number will be issued. Find yourself a table and wait for the number to be called upon. Collect the food from the front counter and enjoy!

The interior look of restaurant.

I met up with some friends (Stanley, Tina, and Bessie) for lunch in SoHo, Central. It was a fun get-together, after all these years (about 3 years). Lan Kwai Fong, a street in Central, is famous for its busy and exciting nightlife; dining, clubbing, and drinking.

The double decker tram, or known as “ding-ding” by the locals.

Busy construction sites can be seen everywhere on the Hong Kong island. Its rapid development is unbelievable!

A typical ice-cream vendor in Hong Kong.

Try out the smoothie and juice. They’re great energy boosters!

Subsequently, we visited Wan Chai; HK Convention & Exhibition Centre, and Golden Bauhinia Square. It was a nice view of Tsim Sha Tsui from Wan Chai.

Causeway Bay was the next stop. It’s a busy shopping district.

Magnetic chess/board games. Anyone?

Rent a shelf compartment and promote your products! It’s a wonderful idea, due to the staggering store rental and limited business area.

Mr. Corn: Pamphlets! Anyone?

The Times Square.

Busy crowd outside Times Square in the evening.

Tina and I visited a Taiwanese restaurant for supper.

Cold noodles with salmon and crab flakes.

I had the minced pork noodles with egg and tofu.

After our late supper, we headed to the Victoria Peak by bus, for some gorgeous night views! The scene is simply breathtaking!

Peak Tram. It was the last tram of the day, from the top of mountain to Cotton Tree Drive, at midnight.

Next, we took a bus ride to the Wan Chai Ferry Pier. The night view of the island from the water is never to be missed! We headed north, back to Tsim Sha Tsui.

Very neat bench design. The back rest can be moved to either left or right, depending on which direction the ferry is heading into.

Pretty lighting was seen from the Avenue of Stars.

My journey continued, as I walked north. Kwun Chung is a street parallel to Canton Road; King George Memorial Park located between them.

The Kwun Chung Municipal Services Building.

On my way to the Temple Street. Businesses are rather competitive here. Shops can be found on both sides of the street with their easily spotted large and striking signage.

A busy street.

The famous Temple Street.

Food is one of the things you don’t have to worry about in Hong Kong. Wherever you are and whatever the time is, food is always there for you. I was delighted when I saw these:

Chinese bakery!

Yummy baked goods.

The meat floss puff with dried seaweed was delicious.

Pawn shop.

BBQ Restaurant. BBQ chicken, BBQ pork, BBQ duck, BBQ…. All the BBQ delicacies you can think of, and beyond!

Whole durian or packaged durian? Take your pick!

Dried goods (shrimps, mushrooms etc.) and Chinese herbs.

The Jade Market, at the corner of Battery St. and Kansu St.

Numerous jade sellers at the market.

The night market on Temple Street was getting ready to rock!

Double-decker buses on Nathan Road.

St. Andrew’s Church, an international evangelical church, strategically situated in the heart of Kowloon on Nathan Road.

The Park Lane Shopper’s Boulevard. A shopping paradise!

I took the subway to Mong Kok to meet my friend for supper.

The busy crowd at Tsim Sha Tsui subway station.

We had soup noodles (with fish) at a restaurant, in a crowded shopping complex.

Night life in Mong Kok.

Busy crowd after 10 p.m.

*Sniff, sniff* Am I in my dream? A strong curry smell woke me up in the morning. Apparently, there’s an Indian restaurant (that’s what Chung King Mansion is well known for) and several other Indian food stalls in this building. Despite my worries that the smell will get into my clothes, the curry reminded me a lot about home…

I finally stepped out from the building around 10:30 a.m., which was unusual, as I’ve the tendency to start my day early whenever I travel. Oh well, what do you expect? I needed my 7-hour sleep after two sleepless nights.

I could still hardly believe that I was finally in Hong Kong! A place which I’ve heard so much about. I was pumped to begin my first full-day adventure in this beautiful island! There are tons of business centres and shopping malls in the Tsim Sha Tsui area. I walked into the Weng On Departmental Store and visited the Japanese Food Fair. I took this opportunity to grab some souvenirs (food items of course), including little sis’ favourite–dorayaki.

Does this pedestrian bridge look familiar to you? It appears on Hong Kong movies/drama series all the time.

The sky was cloudy and hazy. I could barely see the skyscrapers across the harbour. Let’s blame it on the air pollution due to rapid development. It was quite pathetic. I revisited the Waterfront. It was a different view during the day. I enjoyed the night view better, with the presence of gorgeous night lights, rather than hazy atmosphere in the broad daylight.

I had to be extra cautious when walking on the street alone with my purse, kept reminding myself that I was in Asia. “Trust no one except yourself,” as you were taught since little.

The rain came pouring down and I had to take a shelter at the New World Centre. I didn’t expect rain and had no umbrella with me. Rain can be rather horrible in Asia. Raining like cats and dogs seems to be the norm.

Surprise, surprise! Have a look at what I found:

Ganong candies (manufactured in NB, Canada) in Hong Kong!!

While waiting for the rain to subside, I had lunch at the food court.

Chicken chop with rice, and hot lemon tea (~ HKD 34).

The living cost in Hong Kong is rather high. It’s resonable to spend with CAD, not with RM (Ringgit Malaysia). You’ll find that you’re paying a whole whack more on almost everything; double of the price, if not more!

For dessert, I visited the McDonald’s for pie:

Red bean (a.k.a. azuki bean) pie from the McDonald’s (~ HKD 6).

Walking around the busy city in nice weather was rather enjoyable. I felt great to be in a BIG city again!

Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Hong Kong Space Museum.

Kowloon Public Pier, with the Beijing Olympic 2008 mascots display.

Clock Tower, one of the major landmarks in Kowloon.

Bus Terminus in Kowloon.

A big cruise ship at the Star Ferry Pier.

Commercial stores along Canton Road, one of the busiest roads Kowloon.

King George Memorial Park, on Canton Road.

It was Sugar Bush weekend on Mar. 21st and 22nd this year. Special events were held at the Kings Landing Historical Settlement, which generally opens to the public only during the summer and fall seasons.

The busy crowd has taken me by surprise when I arrived with a group of friends around 10 a.m. last Saturday. There were long lineups to purchase admission tickets. After standing in line for fifteen minutes to pay for the ticket and breakfast, it was an hour later before we were being seated for breakfast. The busy crowd was unbelievable. I had been there in the previous years and it was usually quiet in the morning. Everyone decided to be there early to beat the crowd this year, I supposed. Unfortunately, things are unpredictable sometimes.

The pancake and maple syrup breakfast is an annual fundraiser event organized by the York Sunbury Search & Rescue. A hearty and delicious breakfast. It was worth the wait!

The volunteers in orange shirts were busy serving the crowd.

A generous serving of breakfast; two pancakes with maple syrup, toast, two sausages, two strips of bacon, baked beans, and scrambled eggs. Yummy!

Horse-drawn wagon rides were offered to visitors.

Maple sap was boiled in iron cauldrons over an open fire, as a demonstration of maple and sugar making 150 years ago. A lady in costume was scooping out some piping hot maple syrup to make maple candies.

A sweet treat of candy-on-the-snow was sold for $2/stick.

The making of candy-on-the-snow: pour hot maple syrup on snow, and roll the slightly harden candy with a stick when settled.

The super sweet maple candy. It was a nice treat!

How much maple sap is required to produce pure maple syrup? The ratio of maple sap needed and pure maple syrup produced was a stunning 40:1!! The making of maple syrup is highly weather-dependent; slightly above freezing point during the day and a few degrees below overnight is perfect for maple sap flow. The harvest season again, is weather-dependent; usually about three weeks. Pure maple syrup is costly.

A demonstration of wool processing with a spinning wheel.

An iron cooking stove/oven in a farmhouse.

A close look at the ancient cooking stove/oven.

A sampling of buckwheat cake was offered.

Subsequently, we made our way to the Joslin farm to visit some animals; sheep, chickens, pigs etc.

Sheep in the barn.

The grist mill and frozen stream.

Winter view at the waterfront.

I’ve been participating in the Sugar Bush weekend for the past few years and truly enjoyed it. It’s a must-see for those who like to experience the welcoming of spring in a traditional New Brunswick fashion.

What other exciting winter activities can you think of, besides downhill skiing and cross-country skiing that I previously blogged about? How about skating? It can be enjoyed even in some warm countries such as Malaysia! I’m glad to be given the opportunity to learn skating at a young age with my siblings, at an indoor skating rink inside a shopping mall, in Malaysia.

The thrill of gliding on ice gracefully is fascinating! Falling is part of the learning process, just like skiing. Gloves are highly recommended for skaters; not only to keep you warm, but also to protect your hands from injuries when you happen to fall (hard ice surface and blades on other skaters).

In north America, you get to enjoy outdoor skating as well! In Fredericton, outdoor rinks can be found at various parks. Here are some interesting skating spots I visited:

Rockefellar Center Ice Rink in New York City.

Skating rink at the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta. The largest mall in north America!

Willie O’Ree Place in Fredericton that offers free skating during noon hours, in the winter.

Besides those top tourist attractions, I enjoy visiting university campuses when I’m in a foreign city! I visited the University of Alberta in Edmonton; and I should not miss the chance to take a tour around the University of Calgary campus, in Calgary (of course).

From top left (clockwise): A residence building, the Alberta Children’s Hospital, Nickle Arts Museum, and McMahon Stadium.

After the quick campus tour, we went to Kensington Road for breakfast. We had cupcakes and some Southeast Asian food. Yumm…

There are some unique stores along Kensington Road that worth a visit. Some of them were closed since it was New Year’s Eve.

Subsequently, we went shopping at the Costco Wholesale and IKEA, before heading to Stephen Avenue Walk (famous shopping district on 8th Avenue S.W.) and the City Hall.

Left: The “Women are Persons!” Monument near the Municipal Building (can also be found at the Parliament Hill in Ottawa). Other pictures taken at Stephen Avenue and surroundings.

After that? We had a quick visit to the Pacific Place, a Chinese shopping mall. Later, in the evening, we met up with few other friends for steamboat buffet as supper, before I bade Calgary goodbye at midnight. Yes, on New Year’s Eve. A different way to celebrate the New Year ;)

Overall, my trip to Calgary (and Edmonton, Drumheller, Lake Louise, Canmore, Banff) was a fantastic one! This was one of the very few trips where I didn’t have to do a trip planning and look at maps while walking on the streets (as if I didn’t already look like a tourist). Everything was very well planned and taken care of. I even received my trip itinerary more than a month before my arrival in Calgary, from my lovely big bro, Julian.

Special thanks to Annie and Julian, for their kind hospitality and wonderful friendships over the past number of years. This was one of the best trips I had ever been on! I greatly appreciate your time and effort in making my trip a memorable one!!!

Did I not mention that I visited Calgary? So, where are the pictures of Calgary? Amazingly, I spent most of my time (if not all) during the first five days of my one-week visit to Calgary outside Calgary ;) The last two days were days which I traveled around the city itself.

The expensive housing in Calgary is a known fact. One-bedroom apartment of less than 1,000 sq. ft. will cost around CAD 350,000 for starting price.

Why Calgary?

“Calgary is a dynamic and progressive city of just over 1 million people, close to the Rocky Mountains and famous for both the Calgary Stampede (‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’) and the 1988 winter Olympics with Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards and the Jamaican bob-sled team. Well known for its friendly people Calgary’s motto is ‘Welcome to Calgary, Heart of the New West’.”

~ Information from Canilink Relocation

All these while, I had the impression that Alberta is one of the provinces in Canada that offers the highest minimum wage. Shockingly, the minimum wage in provinces such as Manitoba ($8.50), Newfoundland ($8.50), Quebec ($8.50), Yukon ($8.58), Saskatchewan ($8.60), Ontario ($8.75), and Nunavut ($10.00) surpass that of Alberta ($8.40). Nonetheless, Calgary is a booming city that provides great job opportunities, owing to its fast developing gas and oil industry, particularly.

“Although British Columbia and Alberta account for only 20 per cent of the Canadian population, they produced nearly half the new jobs in the country last year.”

~ Maclean’s Magazine

Desperate looking for a job? There might one waiting for you in Calgary!

Residential area in downtown Calgary.

Public transit in Calgary. From top left (clockwise): bus in downtown, CTrain, interior of CTrain, and one of the many Light Railway Transit station.

CTrain which travels along 7 Avenue is known as the free fare zone. There is no cost for riding either CTrain route between 3 Street East and 11 Street West. Wonderful!

From bottom left (clockwise): Mewata Armoury, TELUS World of Science, Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, Chinatown, and the Chinese street signs.

The Mewata (“O Be Joyful” in Cree word) Armoury is a Canadian Forces reserve armoury in Calgary, located on 11th Street S.W.

Eau Claire Market (bottom left) and the winter scenes of Prince’s Island Park in downtown.

The awesome experience using the +15 walkway to avoid walking in the cold.

The +15 walkway is known to be the world’s most extensive pedestrian skywalk system with a total length of 16 kilometers and 59 bridges. Plus 15 refers to the skywalk that’s 15 ft from the ground level. It connects dozens of building in the downtown area, with enclosed shopping centres at the centre core. The rest of them are mainly office buildings.

Devonian Gardens, the large indoor urban park, are accessible from the skywalk. Unfortunately, the gardens were under renovations and I missed my chance to visit…

From left (clockwise): The entrance of Calgary Tower, Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Fairmont Palliser Hotel.

Bird’s eye views from the Calgary Tower. From bottom left (clockwise): City Hall and Municipal Building (top right corner), Delta Hotel, Pengrowth Saddledome within the Stampede Park, and buildings seen through the glass floor.

Calgary Tower is a 191 metre free standing observation tower in downtown Calgary. It’s the city’s most identifiable physical landmark.

It was an amazing visit to Calgary downtown. Despite the chilly weather, we managed to visit numerous places in the city. As a reward, we had our delicious meal at Bolero, the Brazilian restaurant :P