Hello Alberta

This morning was relaxing, we slept in, took showers, enjoyed our breakfast and didn't rush to take the tent down. The kids really liked the campground because there was a park where they could play nearby to our campsite and that is what they did after breakfast was done.  The bathrooms at the campground also got the seal of approval by the girls, although there were a few too many spiders in the shower.

With the kids at the playground it gave Francois and I some time to reorganize the van.  I must admit it is frustrating at times when we are looking for something and it is the bottom on the pile of totes in the back of the van.  Francois does a great job in organizing and reorganizing the totes.  We can certainly make a mess in a short amount of time.

We left Medicine Hat shortly after 9:30 am and stopped in Lethbridge at the Visitor Information Centre.  It was a great place because there was a playground for the kids and picnic tables so we could prepare our lunch.  Andrea also made a few more purchases at the gift shop for some people on her list.

We made our way to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, which has been recommended by several people as a must visit while in Alberta.  It was very interesting to see and the kids enjoyed watching the movie that recreated the herding of the buffalo to their deaths over the sandstone.  I  must admit I was a little nervous when we walked outside the building and there was a notice to keep small children under close supervision as there were sightings of a bear and a cougar.  Now I had another new animal to add to my list of worries and we haven't even hit the Rockies yet!  Thankfully we did not see any of those animals, but we did see herds of Bison in the distance.  We also saw a lot of windmills on the horizon.  Sometimes we are led to believe that only PEI has so many windmills, but that is not the case - Alberta seems to be using lots of this type of green energy too.

Now we are making our way to Calgary where we plan to meet with my good friend, Scott Maxfield and his wife Nicole, Avery - their daughter and their new addition, Zachary - who was born a week ago.  We are staying in High River for the night - where the CBC show Heartland is taped.  The town is very quaint, but the mosquitos at the campground are out in full force.  They also have Cotton wood trees which are dying and it looks like it is snowing outside there is so much pollen in the air.  Natalie commented, while we were putting up the tent, that she wouldn't want to have severe allergies with so much pollen in the air.  I said, "I know I was thinking of Janice and Ryan and how this particular campground would not be good for them."

Because of the mosquitos we decided to eat out and the kids chose McDonalds.   Our first stop at this restaurant since we left PEI.   Now the girls and I are at the local library, while Francois and David are gone to Sobey's to pick up food for tomorrow.  

We hope to go to another National Historic Site tomorrow, Bar U Ranch and then make our way to Calgary.  

Have a good night

Tanya