Last Day in Calgary

Day 7
Kilometers travelled; Just a handful

Today was our last day in Calgary and we had a surprise in store for our train lover. He has marvelled at every single train that we have travelled along side so far on this journey so we thought he might enjoy an actual ride. We got up early and headed to Calgary's Heritage Park. It's a really neat look back in time at how Calgary would have looked in the early 1900s. This Park also happens to have a functioning steam train that takes passengers on a little voyage around the park. As we arrived, everything was just beginning to open so we poked around a number of different places discussing how times have changed. No matter what we looked at Will wanted to know about the train, "When does the train leave?", "Are we going to be late for the train?" , "I just want to know that I am going to get to ride the train at some point!" Finally the first departure time arrived and we headed to the train. This five year old could not contain himself. He was practically vibrating. Particularly, because this train looked an awful lot like the Polar Express and the conductor who was collecting tickets also happened to look a lot like the Polar Express Conductor. We boarded the train and went right back to the very last car. Will absorbed everything about that train. All the stations we went through, the tracks we were on, the conductor who came back to talk to us, I think he took about one million pictures! Finally, the ride was over, Will waited and waited at the edge of the grass to watch the train leave the station again so that he could take a video of it. He has since watched that video on his little camera many, many times. The focus now switched to Nate and his quest to go on a horse drawn wagon ride. We first stopped at the bakery to have a fantastic cinnamon bun (which became our lunch!) and then headed to the spot where the wagon rides depart from. We had just missed a ride so we walked over to the black smith shop where a very kind blacksmith made a ring for each boy out of a nail while they stood and watched. They had a million questions about "why the metal was red?" and "how he could bend it like that?" and "will it still be hot when he gives it to me?" As we left the Blacksmith's shop, we saw a very jovial looking gentleman heading into the stable. He talked to Will and Nate and asked where we were from. He then brought one of the huge Clydesdales to the gate so that we could pat his nose. Nate just stood and stared, I don't think he could believe he was really standing at the foot of this beautiful horse. The man was getting these two horses (Brad and Andy) ready for the next wagon ride and he was going to be our interpreter. He showed how to put on all the tack and how to hitch the team together. We finally dragged Nate away to go to the pick up spot. The driver took us on a very entertaining ride and Nate chatted away with him for quite a bit of the trip. When the ride was over Will and Nate bid a sad farewell to Brad and Andy and we left the park to begin the visiting portion of our day.

My cousins Gord and Erica both live in Calgary. We had had the opportunity to see Gord and his two boys the night before and now it was time to see Erica and her new baby Charlie. It has been a while since the boys have been around a really new baby so I wasn't sure how they would respond, they were great. Nate kept commenting on how every thing about Charlie was so teeny. He said, "Mommy, his feet are so teeny, his toes are so teeny, his head is so teeny!" It was a great visit and then we were off for dinner with Ken's Aunt Peggy, Uncle Tom and his cousins Warren and Alex. We went for a great walk along the Bow River in a park that is behind their home. Nate was complaining that his "body was soooooooooo hot!" so we dipped our toes in the river, however, Nate did a little more than dip. Will spotted a chip bag floating down the river. He exclaimed, "Mom, there's something bad int he river" he tried to get it but the current took it by him to quickly. Nate saw the bag and jumped right into get it. The Boate boys, cleaning the Bow, one chip bag at a time! After a lovely visit and dinner it was back to Lisa and Don's for one last sleep in Calgary. Tomorrow, watch out Vancouver, here we come!