72 hours in Calgary

I have spent the past 72 hours in the city of Calgary Alberta. I stayed downtown at the Fairmount Palliser hotel and attended a conference at the Telus Convention Centre sponsored by the Canadian Tax Foundation.

The first thing a Torontonian has to adjust to upon arriving in Calgary is that the inter-building connective walkways are not on the underground concourse level (as in Toronto's PATH network; rather they are elevated in bridges across intersections on the mezzanine (Plus 15) or second levels.

I had a chance to sample both a Stampede style breakfast and a mini-rodeo (featuring cowboys riding bulls and a first nations native performing a hoop dance) while in Calgary. The rodeo was held on the Stampede grounds in the agricultural building just across the street from the Saddledome. I also and also made it out to Flames Central (an old theatre converted into a sports bar - eatery featuring jumbo flat panel TV screens). Also I enjoyed an excellent 5 course dinner (featuring Alberta beef and sea scallops) Tuesday night at the Divino Wine and Cheese Bistro. Both Flames Central and Divino are located on the Stephen Avenue Walk section of 8th Avenue. That section is a pedestrian only mall. The city is easy to navigate. It is laid out in grids along numbered streets (running north to south) and avenues (running east to west), similar to Upper Manhattan.

I flew on Air Canada flights from Toronto Pearson to Calgary. Flight time in the air is approx. 4 hours but since Calgary is on Mountain time you gain two hours on the flight out West and lose it on the return flight back East. The aircraft I flew out on came equipped with seat back VOD displays. I was able to catch two feature length movies on the way out, both of which were excellent. The first, entitled Man on a Wire, is a documentary telling the story of a French high wire walkers successful attempt to walk between the tow towers of the World Trade Centre in the 70s. The second, entitled Frozen River, is a contemporary drama about the unlikely pairing of a two mothers--- one native, one American-- who form an unlikely business pact to shuttle Asian illegal aliens from Quebec into upstate New York across frozen rivers flowing thru a native reserve. I would highly recommend both.