A few weeks ago, I went to visit some old friends in 'Cowtown', AKA, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. One of my good friends had just moved there, I had a free ticket, and accommodation and food paid for, so it was a no brainer. On top of that, it was time for the Calgary Stampede, which is one of the truly Canadian Events that I have heard a lot about, but had never been to.
Calgary is basically a city in development. Given the proximity to abundant energy resources, it is just a matter of time before the infrastructure/population develops to the point where it becomes a major international destination. Unfortunately, there are very few social activities for people to partake in, other than the Stampede. Basically, it is a chance for Calgaryites to let themselves loose, and pretend like they are back in the old west. There is a huge fair put on at the stampede grounds, with a mainly agriculture theme. I don't think I have ever seen so many farm animals in one place at once. Lots of usual amusement park kind of things, like games, rides, and plenty of junk food. There are modern 'saloons' serving alcohol which are set up in tents around the ground which seemed pretty rowdy.
The main events which go on during the stampede everyday are the afternoon rodeo, and the evening chuckwagon race, followed by a stageshow and fireworks. While we missed out on the rodeo, we did get tickets for the race and evening show.
In all honesty, the chuckwagon race got a bit dull... essentially four horses are hitched to the front of a wagon and raced around the track at high speeds. It gets a bit repetitive after a while. Rather, we enjoyed the show/fireworks which followed. The show was a bit like 'Cirque de Soleil', with acrobats performing truly phenomenal physical feats, and even the fireworks were pretty good. All in all, it was a good day. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment