This time next week I’ll be heading to Heathrow with Sally for a Tuesday morning flight to Calgary. Finally, we get to return to the most vast and beautiful country I think I’ve ever been to. Canada.
I have one week left to burn as many calories as I can before I park the bike for two weeks and fatten up on Canadian beer and Poutine. The first part of our stay is just south of Calgary with friends (Hello Polly and Craig!, thank you for having us!) in Okotoks before we head out on a long drive north to Edmonton, then west to Jasper, south via the Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise, Banff for a few nights then back to our friends again to finish our holiday with them before our flight home. It is scenery overload.
Firstly, let me describe Poutine. Chips n Gravy. We get that in the UK. Quite common but then they add cheese curds. Looks a bit rough, tastes amazing though. Not Masterchef but a real, dirty treat.
Other culinary highlights I can’t wait to try again are Jasper’s Bears Paw Bakery cinammon swirls washed down with their self-serve filter coffee. OMG I can’t tell you how well that set’s you up for the day! Dirty but nice. Oddly, I’ve trawled through my pics of our last trip and can’t find one. Must have eaten them too quick lol. Here are some stock photos so you get the jist
My other favourite thing, if you know me, is beer or real ale more specifically. Canada has a great craft beer scene, like the UK, with lots of small, independent brewers that pop up on taps in bars. Decent ale too although it generally tastes a bit different, in my opinion, and is vastly more expensive. With the current exchange rate I’m expecting it to be £6-£7 a pint. I’m on holiday, who cares.
The overwhelming reason to visit Canada though is the scenery. It is breathtaking and never let’s up. Miles and miles and miles of mountains, forests, lakes with the odd bit of wildlife thrown in. Last time we saw bears. Actual brown bears in the wild. We couldn’t not go back.
So people, here is your 7 day warning. If you don’t want to see endless pics of me being daft with Sally in the wilds of Canada for two weeks, mute me, mute me now
Well that’s it. In three weeks I’ll be fat and unfit again which is ironic given how much I’ve managed to do on the bike recently. It’s been quite a lot for me and that’ll all be gone. Motivation to get fit for the winter though and with the nights drawing in and temps dropping I’m sure I’ll be back on the turbo again
This post is (obviously) sponsored by Sally Ward – Not Just Travel. If you fancy Canada, she’s an expert but if you want to go anywhere else in the world, she can help you with that too. Someone wanted to go to Bora Bora this week. I’ll take Canada thanks.
