It's been so long since I've written here I could not figure out how to get in. They changed the door I used to use. Oh well, somehow I here, I'm back. And ready to share an insight or two about those strange yet polite people to the north: The Canadians.
OK, they aren't THAT polite, unlike the Brits (who say 'sorry' in every sentence), Canadians say 'eh' in every sentence (as we all know). That is the one thing both the English speakers and French speakers can agree on; to pepper their gab with 'eh'. But enough, eh, let's get to the good stuff.
The real question in traveling is how the actual experience compares with our expectations. I've always maintained a policy of low expectations in my life, and so, I'm rarely disappointed. This strategy worked well again on My Summer Vacation (MSV). Although it would have been fine otherwise too.
Let's start with my expectations.
We'll, we were booked to tour the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the province (that means state) of Alberta. This is located right above Montana (= mountain in Spanish). So, having been to Colorado many dozens of times, I expected to see cool stuff, but not necessarily stuff new to me.
On that, I was wrong.
If John Denver had visited this area instead of Colorado, he would have re-named himself John Banf, or John Jasper (but would have sold far fewer records).
We also used a tour company from last year (see Costa Whata?). Oh. I didn't name it last year. OK, free plug: Caravan Tours out of Chicago (my home town). They showed us a real good time in Central America last year, so we figured it might be the same if we went up North. It was.
So that's it for expectations: See stuff I've seen a million times before, but, with a group of 44 strangers. In the relative comfort of a cushy tour coach (sounds much better than "bus" don't you think?) with someone (the tour director) that knows more about the place than any one person should ever hope / want to know.
The reality was:
No use going into how fantastic the mountains were, or waterfalls, or glaciers, or wild animals, or food (yes, food! in Canada!). I won't bore you with endless tales about wearing a heavy sweater every morning to go to breakfast. Or being places where at least a dozen different languages were being spoke. (The tourists talked funny too.) I found out the average Canadian is rainbow colored and speaks in several tongues. After this, I will trust Caravan to show me a good time, and deliver a good bang for the buck, where ever we are going.
Also, They (the government) discovered "Woman" about 50 years before Texas did. There is a group of statues larger-than-life in Calgary explaining how these 6-7 women had to explain to the men folk ( in 1912 or so) that "person" in their constitution meant women and men. Naturally, men folk always believed "persons" meant Men, and occasionally women (like if a woman killed a man). The women fought the men in court passed the Canadian Supremes, to the Queen - I think you can guess how she saw it.
Well, it looks like I ran over. I have humorous tales of how the French tour guide, the 20 Brookliners, and us Texans struggled to understand each other the whole week, but it'll have to wait eh?
