Edmonton
The historic streets of Old Strathcona are lined with buskers, vendors and show posters. A silly song about forlorn cows drifts over from the outdoor stage. You hum along and review your options carefully. Absurdist physical theatre. A hip-hop musical comedy. Surreal clowns of horror. They all sound like fun.
Undecided, you head for the concession stand, where you hope to catch the buzz on the must-see shows of the festival. As you take your first sip of draught, a human chain bursts through the entrance. Led by the cast and crew, the entire audience from the venue next door has linked arms and is sidestepping around the tent shouting some incomprehensible mantra. One of the actors hooks his arm through yours and pulls you into the dancing swirl of bodies. Laughing and tripping, you ask, “So, when’s your next show?”
Category: Cities & Destinations
Regina
Hidden behind the rocks and bushes on a protected island, a family of scruffy little goslings emerges from their shells for the first time. Mom seems quite proud. Cattails bristle in the spring breeze as you blow errant strands of hair from your face, compromising your balance for a moment as you ride along the water. You dismount by a handsome poplar tree and lean your bike against its sturdy trunk. The grass crunches as you plop down for a short rest. On the other side of the lake, ministers in dark suits stream down the steps of the legislature.
Churchill
A dozen polar bears roam the vicinity, blotches of creamy softness ambling along the flat white terrain. As fierce as you know they can be, you are more in awe of their relative tranquility. A pair of cubs wrestles playfully in the snow, their protective mother looking on. Two males spar briefly for dominance, then go their separate ways. Others snooze the day away on the open tundra.
A steady crunching of snow grows louder as one hefty bruin approaches. You hold your breath as he leans his front paws against the enormous tires of your tundra buggy, stretching out his long neck for a better view of the parka-clad audience gathered above him. You lean over the railing to meet his gaze. Your eyes lock, each of you searching the other’s face for answers to some unspoken question.
Yellowknife
Your face burns red from both the sting of frigid air against your face and the heat of bubbling hot tub waters enveloping your body. Just when you think to reach for your mug of apple cider you see it – a subtle, stripe of white light glowing against the pitch-black sky.
Gradually it bends and stretches into broad green streaks that reach high into the stratosphere. Before long, more colours appear – gold, red, purple – and the entire night sky comes alive with the mesmerizing brilliance of countless veils of undulating light. They exist for just a few moments and then disappear into the darkness. Hours seem to have passed in seconds.
Whitehorse
Flowing green canyon rivers, eagles cruising above, beavers slapping their tails and you‘re walking along a hill colored with purple fireweed, only minutes away from Whitehorse, the Wilderness City. Nature rests on all sides and the Yukon River runs straight though town.
Whitehorse was settled in the traditional territory of two First Nations?the Kwanlin Dun and the Ta’an Kwach’an?and boasts a vibrant arts and cultural community.
Vancouver
The air is warm, but a shiver runs up your spine as you dip your toe into the cool Pacific water. Scampering back to the giant log you’ve annexed as your own, you wrap yourself in a warm beach blanket and an even warmer friend. All along the nearby Seawall, the hip and the healthy dance in and out of each other’s paths – managing to never once get in each other’s way. Across the bay, the snow-capped peaks of the coastal mountains hold the entire scene in their impressive embrace.
Iqaluit
You push the ice block into place as fast as you can, fighting the encumbrance of your bulky parka and fur lined snow boots. A flurry of mittens pushes and pats the crude cuts of hard packed snow into a lumpy hemisphere. You are delirious with the thrill of competition and numbing chill of arctic temperatures when you finally climb atop your freshly built igloo – and fall through its flimsy roof. Good thing your team booked a hotel room.
Banff & Jasper
Monumental frozen spires dip dramatically into lush green valleys and turquoise lakes. The pure mountain air fills your lungs with a rejuvenating essence. As you reach a cupped hand toward the rush of water roaring down the cliffside, a sudden flash of white catches your attention. You look up only to find a big horn sheep perched on an invisible ledge staring right back. Reaching back to the falls, the pure, crisp taste of glacial run-off refreshes your spirit with its icy sting. Down in the valley, a moose swims valiantly across a pristine lake, sending out a few gentle ripples on an otherwise glass-smooth surface.
Eastern Townships
Slivers of light sneak through cracks in the wooden planks of the old covered bridge. You tighten your grip on the handlebars of your bike as it rattles toward the light at the end of the tunnel. Out the other side, your picturesque autumn day resumes with a stunning view of rolling forests and farmlands, fiery foliage and bright green pastures.
Calgary
At first, the lanky cowboy in black seems in control, one hand on the rope, the other stretched out behind him. But the angry bull beneath him won’t stand for it. Hind legs buck high into the air and the rider’s body ripples like a whip, his head snapping backwards. You grip the bench and lurch forward in your seat. Hang on, man! Another powerful kick and the rider is thrown face down into the dusty corral. Ouch, seems like an understatement. Wiping a fleck of dust from your face, you adjust your crisp, white Stetson and mosey on back to the beer garden.