Our Western Canada Vacation - Part 1

In May, my husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary by taking a road trip in Western Canada!  I'm going to split my posts about our trip into six parts, because it would be way too long of a post if I put it all in one!  We were gone for 17 days, from May 9-25.

This first part includes May 9-11.

We left on May 9 from our home province of Manitoba and headed to Saskatchewan.  These are certainly not the most thrilling provinces of Canada.  No offense to anyone who lives in them or loves them.  But, apart from some specific areas (where we did not go), traveling through is mostly just a view of highway surrounded by endless flat fields and pastures.

Leaving on our road trip early Saturday afternoon!

 

When the most exciting thing you've seen all day is a loose herd of cattle some men are trying to corral, it's probably time to call it a night.

After spending the night in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, we woke up to Mother's Day.  Having celebrated with our moms before leaving, and being on the road away from commercialism, I honestly don't recall noticing it much.  I noticed it more the day before, when we stopped in at a mall and there were daddies with kiddos everywhere.  It affected me in that crazy way of feeling sad at the same time as thinking they were all so sweet.

Back to the trip.  It was a lot more driving through Saskatchewan.  There were a lot of big puddles beside the highway full of shore birds and ducks.
 

One lake we stopped at was called Reed Lake and it had a tower we climbed up to birdwatch.

American Avocet, one of my favourite birds.

We arrived in Calgary, Alberta for the night.  The next day we went to the Calgary Zoo!  I love zoos, but have been to very few.  Neither Hubby or I had ever been to the Calgary Zoo before.  The main animals that I had never seen before were giraffes, hippos, rhinos, gorillas, and most of the kinds of penguins.

King Penguins are disappointingly smaller than I imagined, but still regal.

Attractive, eh?  Lol!

 

The rhino looked really prehistoric.

Mama & baby.  I love meerkats!  There were lots of them; they were standing in the sunshine and as they got sleepy they almost fell over - very funny! 

The conservatory and gardens were beautiful.

We left Calgary which meant we started seeing mountains, and stayed for night at a really nice place - Falcon Crest Lodge in Canmore, Alberta.  Both of us agreed we'd like to come back to this specific lodge and stay longer!

Please come back to read the second part tomorrow :)