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Our plan for Canada: A whistle-stop tour of this vast country taking in the Canadian Rockies, endless prairie and catching up with family. |
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Men Are From Mars...
Tragedy strikes - barely across the Canadian border, the Vanagon conks out completely. As Magnus feebly attempts to fix it, wiggling "the red wire transmibutor thingy", Cheryl takes matters into her own hands, securing the services of a handy tow truck! |
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Lovely Lake Louise
While the van was being revived, we drove a rental car to the jewel of the Canadian Rockies - and site of the Tourney's honeymoon - Lake Louise. The turquoise blue water in this picture postcard glacial lake is caused by refraction off the glacial silt. |
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Canoe Race on Moraine Lake
A large crowd (of sheep) gathered to witness the first Annual Moraine Lake Race as Magnus and Cheryl sliced through the icy waters, capsizing hapless nearby paddlers in their mighty wake. Here Cheryl smiles bravely through the bitter tears of defeat. |
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Burn, Baby Burn
Campfire Inferno! |
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Not-Very Wildlife in Banff National Park
In the Canadian Rockies, deer, black bear and inquisitive prairie dogs tread guilelessly by the road. Moose don't fare so well around roads: their natural defence mechanism is to charge any threatening object - an unfortunate approach in the age of the car and truck... |
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Don't be Wary of the Prairie
Canada is REALLY BIG, something we discovered traversing Saskatchewan. Unreal cotton candy cloud formations, bright yellow fields of canola and roads stretching endlessly to the horizon held a hypnotic beauty. |
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The Endangered Canadian Grain Elevator
Towering landmarks of the prairie, the grain elevators of Canada are slowly being replaced by mega-grain stores of large agricultural companies. The loss of these picturesque towers is symptomatic of changes we see everywhere we travel - the tension between useful yet often dull products of modernity and the resulting loss of cultural landmarks and traditions that make the world a more interesting place. |
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Evidence of an Alien Landing?
At the exact geographical centre of nowhere-in-particular we stumbled across this field hosting dozens of these strangely menacing blue structures, laid out in an indecipherable pattern. Were they recently landed Alien space craft awaiting orders, giant helmets for a one-eyed monster from another dimension, or perhaps some off-beat advert for that Boston mime troupe, the Blue Man Group? Clarification from our expert readers would be much appreciated. |
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Be it ever so Humboldt, there's no place like home
Winter '74 in Canada must have been a cold one because in June 1975, Cheryl emerged in this little town and the world has never been quite the same since! |
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We are Family
The highlight of our trip to Canada was catching up with family. Despite mechanical obstacles we found time to: * Munch fantastic perogies and hear stories of Grandma T's days as a part-time T.V. repair whiz * Take afternoon tea with Grandma B, Uncle Dick and a group of friends * Marvel at Uncle Brian, Bev, Kali and Morgan's massive new motorhome (and the kids' crazy growth spurt this year) * Visit a palm-fringed beach with Noelle and Auntie Glenda (O.K., it was Noelle's bedroom...). * Finally meet Lyle and get a last look at Amber before she becomes a mum * Catch up with Magnus' identical twin (and folk/rock/sonology fiddle legend) Murray We can't wait to see them all again soon. |
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Back to British Columbia to Collect the Camper
With our van repaired, we detoured 2000km to collect it and zig-zag to Yellowstone for a rendezvous with our friend Janet. Plans for a romantic log cabin with a roaring fire duly cast to the wind, Cheryl's birthday was spent driving for 16 hours then crashing out at a Walmart parking lot by the U.S. border. Ladies, never let it be said that Magnus doesn't know how to show a girl a good time! |
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