Tropical 118

Jackie and I set out to see just what 118th Ave had to offer.  I'd been in the area to visit Elite, but never to shop.  What we found was a hit of tropical in Edmonton. 

Paraiso Tropical Latin Food Market had a whole wall of interesting spices and chillis.  And would you know it - a Spiderman pinata!  Just yesterday Laura was hoping to find a Batman one. 

Both Jackie and I had fun poking around the shelves.  We tried to decipher what was inside the different colourful packages, or just what was different between this version and the familiar one for some international brand items. 

There were some baked goods here too, but nothing that was quite right in feel to bring as a gift to my parents. 

Not far away was Kasoa Tropical Food Market. 

This place had both dry and grocery goods.  It reminded me a bit of Chinatown for its smells of raw meat and fish - but mingled with unfamilar spices.  I wondered if this slightly nauseating and confusing sensory experience is what other people get when they enter a Chinatown supermarket.  We took a quick look around and left. 

(Above left: Ah!  So that's where one finds fish stock cubes! 
Above right: Woah, that's Chinese writing. ) 

There were plenty of stores we didn't make it to because we'd run out of time.  But perhaps next time, I'll be adventurous enough to actually buy something to cook with. 

A bit more Calgary and then Home Sweet Home

We were still in Calgary Tuesday morning, but already Paul's mind was back in Edmonton and to work.  I used my remaining few hours in Calgary to do things my way and with a bang!

Breakfast was about trying the waffle maker I'd eyed since day one, and then tipping the syrup grenade (liberally) over the resultant waffle.  So bad for me, but so yummy too. 

(Left: Though they were pretty, I didn't eat them.)

I started my adventures and exploring by returning to the Red Mile (17th Ave SW).  Famed for being the party / bar area at night, it was quite a bit like daytime Whyte Ave during the day -- without the night crowd line ups and neon lights, the coffee shops, bookstores, and interior decorating shops stood out.  I explored a couple, but kept walking further past the shops.  My goal was to find the wire fence that had been strangely covered with clothes on hangers which I saw from the car last night on our movie outing. 

 

The fence was there, but the clothes and hangers were gone.  No matter, the sign explaining what it was still there (a clothing exchange). 

 

Wonders did not cease!  The house right next that fence had another fence with art and yoga poses and messages... I'd stumbled onto something! 

 

(Left: I'm glad someone else also made the connection.)

Not quite sure if it was a commune, but it was something definitely community-minded. 

I kept exploring. 

An (abandoned) "Fun" Chapel (right) was only blocks away from this quaint church (below left) on Superior Ave and Scarboro Ave.  Which was all a few block away from a community garden. 

Conscious of the time, I headed back to the hotel on a different route, relying on the grid system to get me there.  The soft hidden community area soon turned more industrial, and then changed again back to downtown high rises. 

 

 

I made it back to the hotel on time to leave.  I didn't get to try the hotel's sauna (it was on my list), but I did feel I got a morning of good exploring. 

Paul took on the hard duty of driving us home.  I took it all as a chance to snooze. 

Back at home, it seemed like everything in the pots had sprouted (and then dried out a little bit too much...)

I prepared dinner while Paul returned the car.  And, it just felt good to back. 

House Hippo and Coconut were happy to see us too.  Especially so when they saw we'd brought them back an eccles cake. 

A Calgary Sunday

We ventured downtown in the morning with high hopes to see the newly renovated Devonian Gardens and found Calgary was definitely not New York* -- it was Sunday morning and everything was closed!  From the +15 downtown pedway system to most of the buildings, we were locked out. 

(* I guess even making the comparison reveals what I thought of yesterday's experiences). 

We tried to make the best of the next couple of hours by taking pictures as we walked through downtown and back to the hotel. 

(Right: Cowtown - where even pylons are cowboy hat shaped). 

Paul concentrated mostly on a train engine that was part of a memorial.  I was mostly taken in by the bird that perched on top of it. 




















Then I spotted lions in front of the Oriental Phoenix Vietnamese Restaurant. 

This momma seemed to be saying "Get out of my close up shot."  Which I guess is slightly better than what some other lion mothers I've encountered seemed to be doing. 
















After lunch, we went by car to Kensington.  This lovely area had been written up in a guide as being both hip and trendy while having a village feel (my mind immediately thought of our Whyte Ave during the day). 

Paul indulged me by going into a second hand clothing store which was having a sale.  We didn't buy anything, but between looking at vintage Vogue magazines and laughing at 70s and 80s fashions, and trying on hats, I think he had more fun than I did! 

Next, to Bernard Callebaut for some chocolates.

We headed down the main strip (Kensington Road) where there were more shops and more people, and that's when we saw the violin player.  Buskers aren't uncommon, but this man on the corner was amazing.  I could tell he knew what he was doing and Paul confirmed this by asking to stop and listen a while.  All from memory, classical* pieces flowed from the man and instrument as he swayed and nodded to passerbys. 

* Possibly even big C.

When we finally moved on (both lured into Livingstone & Cavell by their colourful window display and promise of extraordinary toys) we still had him on our minds.  Aside from his ability, there was also his age that was unusual.  I dreamed up a backstory for him (heavily inspired by one from Vincent Lam's Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures), before focusing on all the nicely made and non-electronic toys that were L&C's specialties.

On our way back to the car I turned my attention to the residential area we'd parked in.  The brightly coloured houses caught my eye in their contrast to the grey sky.  One also had a timid gnome and ferocious (?) lion cat in the front yard! 

Another's backyard was so loud I had to take a peek.  It was filled with birds and squirrels! I could see 3 bird feeders and 2 bird baths.  This was the place to be!  But not the place really for photographs because of the lighting.  Oh, well... I guess we'll just have to set up a similar critter oasis when we get back home (only half joking). 

 

We were to have dinner at Angela and Patrick's along with Jeffy.  But since we were quite a bit early, I suggested visiting Nose Hill for a walk.  It was windy and starting to get cold, but there was a strange beauty on the trail that kept us going. 

I stopped to take pictures of flowers (though there weren't that many) and Paul went on ahead to the lookout point to try and get the Calgary skyline. 













































Angela and Patrick (mostly Angela) had prepared a feast for us.  I particularly liked the homemade seaweed soup (apparently from Canadian seaweed). 

 

Afterwards, Jeffy took us over to see Jack's new (to us) house.  The grand tour showed many modern and stylish renovations, but I was mostly interested in Jeffy's contributions: An "iron" to make a classic HK egg "waffle" dish (I still remembered having it from my only visit so far) and the aquaponics system he had built and set up in the basement to grow vegetables (Jack will be surprised!).

Jeffy showed us his camera collection and he and Paul talked shop.  As always, I felt I could talk with (or listen to) Jeffy all night (Dao's been so important in his life and I wanted to know about his health... his garden...).  But, it was late.  We headed back to the hotel to rest with another full plate planned for the day. 

 

(Above: Unintentional, but perhaps the best of my self portraits.)

More photos of yesterday's adventures found here.