Fort Edmonton Park

At all - food is just the usual man not so special! But ya nice slushes and coffee :)

One thing about Edmonton is that when you have to go outside city limits, its public transport is not the best. So I set off with the aim of reaching Fort Edmonton Park and almost got lost along the way (I did go over a bridge in a nice green slopy/foresty area with ducks swimming around in the stream below, as a consolation). The Park is a good 2 km walk from the road.
But it was worth it. The Park is arranged in a series of 'roads', each depicting a period of the history of Alberta; hence it is called a living history museum. So each lane is like a time capsule that takes you back! Starting with tepees; wooden forts that existed during the peak of the fur trade; farm houses - how they evolved when the conveniences increased. Well done, but it is more like a white European take on Canadian history. The First People (politically correct name for the native Indians) are given a single tepee, thats it. which I found weird.

But otherwise, very accurate reconstructions. old time coaches and wagons being driven around. In the 1800s street, there was a milliners store lifted straight out of Jane Austen; also in one of the houses two women dressed in Jane Austen-ish gowns and having tea on the porch of one of the houses! so thats what they both do all day. Sit there and drink tea with whoever comes by!! There was also the first bank in the area. So I entered and a guy from inside (dressed in a tail coat) comes and says "Welcome to the Bank of Montreal. You must be new to the area! Do you want an account?" and so on and so forth! It had a mechanical cheque writing device and a rudimentary cash counter and calculator! Also the first Post Office. Old seals made of wood! An old drugstore complete with posters and advertisements (even a notice saying shop boy needed). A miniature golf course called Tom Thumb! Very cute. There was even a Masonic Lodge with all the Mason uniforms on display. I remembered Sherlock Holmes - one of the novels in the background has a lot on Masonic lodges. Also a tobacconist, a horse related stuff store, a hardware store.. All very well re-constructed, almost like they were still functional. I really enjoyed it.

I also went to Valley Zoo. Again, had to walk a lot! I htink i mist have walked for some 10 km or something today, with the walk to and from bus stops and inside the PArk/zoo. I was disappoited with the zoo; I think I had too many expectations, so it kinda left me feeling deflated! Zoos depress me; I thought that this will be a well maintained, very different kinda zoo, as it seemed from the ads. But nah - not worth it!