We started our road trip across the Canadian West in Calgary. As we had arrived late afternoon and tired after the long flight all we did on our first day on Canadian soil was check into the hotel and then head for a supermarket for some groceries. Then we called it an early night.

The next morning we drove from our hotel in Airdrie to Calgary with a short break at Nose Hill Park for a first glimpse of the city skyline.

First stop in Calgary was Eau Claire Park, North of the city center, from where we walked into Prince‘s park. The morning air was still rather fresh but we enjoyed being able to stretch our legs after the long flight the day before.

The park follows Bow river and is frequented by joggers and tourists alike. It is a beautiful part of Calgary and invites you to spend a lazy day in the green surrounding.

Exiting the park towards the East we reached Chinatown which in Calgary is very small but features a beautiful Cultural Centre. This center does not only offer many classes from Tai Chi to Caligraphy but it also had an intergrated TCM doctor‘s office.

From Chinatown we walked downtown. By this time we had already reached our 10.000 step goal easily.

As you stroll between the skyscrapers in downtown the Calgary Tower keeps peaking up again and again. The tower features a viewing platform. But we decided against going up there. Instead we continued to the Calgary Central Library.

If you follow me on this blog for a while you might have noticed that I cannot pass up on a beautiful library. And the one in Calgary looked fantastic. Not only because of the breathtaking architecture but also the way they turned the library into a place for all citizens.

Children play areas are combined with reading nooks and a café invites you to stay. I could have spent all day walking around the collections.

A famous part of Calgary is Stephen Avenue. It is here that you find a large mall with a lush garden on the top floor. Party folks can enjoy the many bars and restaurants in a pedestrian zone.

When we visited Calgary we missed the Calgary Stampede by just a few days. I wished we had known about it earlier because I would have loved to see a live rodeo. But at least we got a bit of the buzz at „Lammle’s Western Wear“, a shop right next to the Palace Theatre in Steven Avenue. Here you get everything you need for a fashionable rodeo outfit.

On our way back to the hotel in the evening we had one more stop planned. We still wanted to buy bear spray for the trip to the Rocky Mountains. It is advised that you carry pepper spray on the hikes there so we wanted to stock up.

We stopped at „Bass Pro“ in Rocky View. This shop is incredible! Not only can you get anything imaginable for your camping, hunting or fishing trip but also you get to see loads of real stuffed animals in a setting that looks like you stepped into a western town.

If you are in Calgary this shop is a must on the list!