What I Thought of It

Christmas is that time of year when everyone does their best to be nice to the world. Even the movie folks do their best by releasing feel-good movies with heartwarming messages.

That was the case with a movie called Elf.

Elf introduces us to Buddy (Will Ferrell), who is an elf - or so he thinks. Buddy is in fact a human who climbed into Santa’s bag when he was still a baby orphan. Santa let him stay at the North Pole, where he grew up to be a human-sized being trying his best to be an elf.

One day Buddy finds out the truth. He also learns that though his mother passed away a long time ago, his father is alive and unaware that Buddy was ever born. Buddy’s dad works in the Empire State Building in New York City. Before long Buddy sets off for The Big Apple to meet his dad.

Buddy begins a long journey on foot from the North Pole to his destination. When he finally arrives at his father’s workplace, Buddy is kicked out of the building because the man won’t believe Buddy is his son.

Poor Buddy ends up in a department store, where the manager of the Christmas section mistakes him for an employee in elf costume. So Buddy goes to work and becomes infatuated with the beautiful department store elf Jovie (Zooey Deschanel).

From there more zany events unfold, just as you’d expect with Will Ferrell in the lead.

Like every good Christmas movie, Elf gets a happy ending.

Last thoughts: Elf is a delightful movie that’s fun to watch any time of year. Both Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel are perfectly charming, and boy, Zooey Deschanel can really sing! Get this movie ready for viewing this Christmas, because Elf is a must-see holiday film!

Genre: Comedy (2003)
Length: 97 min
Rating: PG
Story ++++
Cast ++++
Humor +++

The Bassano Dam is located about 8 km southwest of Bassano and can be reached by following the signs from this small Alberta town. Be warned that getting to the Bassano Dam is a bit of a puzzle. The signs are not great and most of the road is gravel.

Once you do arrive at the Bassano Dam, you’ll find a picnic area that offers a great view over the dam and the surrounding water.

At this viewing area you’ll also find a sign telling the story of the dam: how it was built in 1910 and refurbished in 1984.

After that there isn’t much more to do except walk or drive over the dam and get a view from all possible angles.

Last thoughts: I would not make a special trip to Bassano to see the dam. But, if you’re driving a long stretch on Highway 1 between the mountains and Saskatchewan, then by all means stop and have a picnic here.

Surroundings +++
Atmosphere +++
Experience +++

Find the Bassano Dam on the map.

The Star Mine Suspension Bridge
Rosedale AB

The Star Mine Suspension Bridge is just a short drive out of Drumheller (less than 10 km). Leaving Drumheller, take Highway 10 East. When you reach Rosedale, take the first left after crossing the Rosebud Creek. From there it is just another short drive while following the signs.

The suspension bridge was built to get miners over the Red Deer River, but it was not originally in this location. The current bridge was built in 1958 by the government of Alberta, which also maintains it.

On arriving at The Star Mine Suspension Bridge, you find a parking lot with washrooms and plenty of picnic benches. Of course, the main event is crossing the Red Deer River by walking on the 117-meter-long suspension bridge. The bridge is narrow and gets wobbly when many people are on it. On the other side of the bridge, there is not much to see. You could walk around a bit, but don’t expect to linger there.

Last thoughts: Visiting the Rosedale Suspension Bridge is kind of fun. Don’t expect too much, but it costs no money and it’s a great way to stretch your legs after a long drive. Definitely have a look if you’re in the area, and bask in the feeling of standing on a small bridge over a wide river flowing down below.

Surroundings +++
Atmosphere +++
Experience +++
Washrooms +++

Heritage Park
1900 Heritage Drive SW
Calgary AB
Phone: 403 268 8500
www.heritagepark.ca

Once Upon A Christmas at Heritage Park - which recreates the Christmases of the olden days - will be open from November 22 to December 21, 2008, on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 4 pm.

Heritage Park, as the name indicates, is all about the heritage of Alberta. In this beautifully designed park, you can admire old buildings, old trains, old traditions, and many more wonderful remnants of the early settlement of this province. Once Upon A Christmas is a special exhibit that lets us experience Christmas as it was in the olden days. Take a leisurely stroll to gaze at the beautiful heritage buildings, now especially decorated for Christmas in the style favored by the pioneers. When the stroll makes you hungry, simply walk into the bustling old Alberta Bakery and savor some fresh bread or cookies.

A visit to Heritage Park when it’s enfolded in the Christmas spirit is especially enjoyable. You’ll be serenaded with perfectly harmonized Christmas songs, courtesy of street carolers in period costume. You’ll wave to passing carriages and lorries, and you’ll get a whiff of the horses pulling them.

Christmas is of course the season of gift-giving, which is made easy if you go to Once Upon A Christmas. Heritage Park itself, as well as the Haskayne Mercantile Block outside the park, has numerous quaint shops where you can find one-of-a-kind presents for the lucky folks on your list. You can easily spend half a day browsing all the unique merchandise.

I heartily recommend visiting Heritage Park for Christmas, but do be prepared. The weather could be cold (you’ll be mostly walking outdoors), and most of the roads are sand so they could get muddy.

Last thoughts: Once Upon A Christmas at Heritage Park in Calgary is something you cannot miss this holiday season. It is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit. There is something to do and see for everyone, from model trains to rides on a horse-drawn wagon. I am even thinking of going back after a nice snowfall - the white stuff will surely enhance the park’s beauty. Before you go, get some 50%-off discount coupons at Safeway or First Calgary Savings, then you’ll pay only $3 instead of $6 for admission.

Surroundings +++++
Atmosphere +++++
Experience +++++
Washrooms +++

The Stoop
106 Main Street
Rouleau SK
Phone: 306 776 2406
www.thestoop.ca

If you’re a Corner Gas fan, then you of course know where Karen and Davis work. Yes, they work in the Dog River Police headquarters, and the Dog River Police headquarters in real life is The Stoop, a store / coffee shop where you can learn a lot more about the hit TV series filmed in this small town in Saskatchewan.

We visited Dog River (Rouleau, Saskatchewan in real life) in June of 2008, while the filming of the sixth and final season of Corner Gas was still ongoing. It was no surprise that on this Saturday, there were carloads of people stopping in the small town of Rouleau to see where Brent, Lacey, Oscar, Emma and the rest of the gang of Corner Gas live.

Of course, you can’t miss the main set consisting of The Ruby and the gas station. And when you go exploring in the town, you will find places that you’ll remember from the show, like the hotel, grain elevator, insurance office, and lots more.

Now about The Stoop: From the outside, it’s identified as the Dog River Police Department. When you look more closely, there is a sign on the door saying that it is not a real police office.

Inside, there is a coffee shop with little tables covered in all kinds of Corner Gas press and trivia. The walls are covered with even more Corner Gas memorabilia, as well as messages from Corner Gas fans. You’d be hard-pressed to find a blank spot to write a message of your own.

Other than the usual coffee shop food and drinks, The Stoop had some nice ice cream that cooled me down nicely on that hot day.

Of course, The Stoop sells a wide variety of Corner Gas merchandise. I still love and treasure the Corner Gas / The Ruby mug that I bought there.

Last thoughts: The Stoop is a great place to see in Rouleau, where there isn’t much to see besides parts of Corner Gas. The Stoop plays it smart by having all the series merchandise on hand for the die-hard fans like me who make the trip to see Dog River. I hope the town of Rouleau will find a way to keep Dog River alive for us. We will be laughing for years to come at the jokes from Brent and company.

Food +++
Service ++++
Ambiance ++++
Washroom +++

Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre
1745 Short Road (see map)
Golden BC  V0A 1H1
Phone: 250 344 6798

A wolf is an animal that most people fear. But do wolves deserve this reputation? When you visit the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre, you will learn that there is nothing to fear about wolves.

A tour of the Wolf Centre teaches you what wolves really are like, and of course you get to see some wolves up close, too. The Centre even offers photo trips where you can go on a walk with the resident wolves.

Northern Lights is open year-round and is pretty easy to find. Just go west on the Trans-Canada Highway from Golden heading to Revelstoke. Just outside of Golden there will be signs pointing you to the Wolf Centre.

The Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre is situated beautifully at the edge of the woods. I was there in the summer, when the trees were lush and green and flowers were in full bloom throughout the Wolf Centre grounds.

When you get to the Centre, you’ll be taken on a guided tour alongside the wolf enclosure. The knowledgeable guide gives a casual but informative presentation as you go along, and the more questions visitors ask the more interesting the tour becomes. The wolves are behind the enclosure, and some of them come up right to the fence. The wolves in the Centre were all born in captivity, but they don’t behave like typical zoo animals.

The Centre tries to create awareness about how important wolves are for many ecosystems. If you can, don’t pass up a chance to see the wolves at Northern Lights.

Last thoughts: The Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre is a great way to learn more about the beautiful creatures we know as wolves. The whole Centre is excellently maintained (solely by donations and admission fees), so after meeting the wolves you can extend your experience by taking a stroll around the gardens.

Surroundings +++++
Atmosphere ++++
Experience ++++
Washrooms +++

Find Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre on the map

The Crazy Creek Waterfalls and Suspension Bridge are a great stopover if you’re travelling on Highway 1 between Vancouver and Calgary. You can find these attractions halfway between Sicamous and Revelstoke in British Columbia.

From the entrance, you stroll along a boardwalk path through the surrounding forest all the way to the gift shop. From here, you can set foot on the suspension bridge that leads to the foot of the waterfalls. The Crazy Creek Suspension Bridge spans 240 feet across the underlying canyon, which is a stomach-clenching drop of 85 feet (think of a ten-storey building!).

Crossing the bridge was undoubtedly scary yet exhilarating. The bridge is made of really thick steel cables that keep it well in place, although expect it to swing in the wind or from the combined human traffic.

Upon reaching the other side of the bridge, you come to the viewing platform for the Crazy Creek Waterfalls. You can take in the roaring cascade from several great vantage points by walking all around the platform. It had rained buckets in the preceding days, so the waterfalls appeared truly massive and the rapids extremely ferocious.

Entrance costs $9 but is free on Sundays.

After surviving Crazy Creek, you can jaywalk across Highway 1 (extremely dangerous but dared by many) to visit the fruit stand, where you can find fresh British Columbia fruits at the right time of the year.

Conclusion: The Crazy Creek Waterfalls and Suspension Bridge are perfect for a little break on a long trip through the Columbia and Rocky Mountains. They are well worth the visit.

Surroundings +++++
Atmosphere ++++
Suspense +++++
Gift shop ++
Washrooms ++++

Find Crazy Creek Waterfalls and Suspension bridge on the map.