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So our last day in Edmonton and we were hoping that it was going to go up in our estimation. Our first stop of the day was a short walk west and up nine blocks to The Alberta Legislature. Now this building actually looks like it belongs in Bath Spa as the stone that they have used to build it has that distinct honey golden colour about it. It actually would fit in quite well in bath as it was all doric columns and roman triangular apexes. Unfortunately for us they were doing some major remodelling of the square in front of the building so you could not get close. They also had the roof of the building shrouded in canvas and scaffolding. Needless to say the building was still very impressive and it needed to be. This is the place where all the laws are passed for the state of Alberta, kind of like a house of lords and it is also where the state was formed and

is still governed from today. It was even still flying the Union Jack .Our next planned stop was just a short walk away but it was not up and running just yet (yes we were too early for something) so again changing plan we shifted onto our third plan of the day "THE MALL".

We caught the 100 express bus for the twenty five minute journey out to the West Edmonton Mall. Now I wrote it in capitals above because this really is the mall of all malls. The size of a town and with facilities like you have never seen in your life it was both ridiculous and awe inspiring both at the same time. No wonder all the guide books say you have to go shopping for a day in Edmonton and it really is it's star attraction.

So what makes a mall so different.....well if you take the shops out of the equation and yes there are lots of them (we only actually went in about four and bought things in two) its all the recreational spaces that really set this mall apart.

For a start as we walked in there was a full size ice hockey rink in the middle of the floor. Everyone was leaning over the first floor balconies and watching from the ground floor as two local little league hockey teams fought it out on the ice. These little guys were really fast and all over the place on the ice and it was crazy to watch.

You often see the football fields of England full on a Sunday for little league matches and this was very much the same but on ice and in the middle of a mall but it did not end there.

Our next port of call was Galaxy Land.....a full blown crazy amusement park in another wing of the mall. Now this was not just a few merry go rounds, oh no. This place had triple looping crazy fast roller coasters and gravity defying towers that shot you into the sky. It was a real mix of white knuckle and kids rides all offered at a really reasonable price as well. It was rammed with families and you can see why.

Round another corner and again in the middle of the shops we came across a lake complete with a live sea lion show, an aquarium and a full size pirate ship that you could hire out for kids parties. It was just like having HMS Victory being right outside say Debenhams!

The craziest thing of them all though has to go down to the waterpark, this was truly world class.

It had a fake beach, a huge wave pool that did not just let off a few rippling waves oh no. THis let off mini tsunamis in the water and it was crazy. Then there were the water slides. Now we have been to a few water parks in our time but I have never seen water slides like it. One of them almost was a loop the loop and you could see the shadows of the brave hurtling down at a terrifying pace....just incredible.

Now we did not really come here to go shopping at all, it was all about seeing these crazy wonders that the guide books all go on about it and they were right. A trip to The West Edmonton Mall is well worth it and if ever you are here bring your swimming trunks, you wont regret it one bit.

It was time to get back into town and revisit what was meant to be our second stop of the day but first off all we had to board a bus again and I have to say this is a bus journey that we won't forget for quite a while! Now as we had driven out to the mall we both commented on how much nicer the city felt on this side and the suburbs really did look good but getting a different number bus back into town that illusion was about to be shattered again.

So we are on the bus and a number of people get on that have all obviously taken drugs prior to getting on the bus or live in a total state of drunkenness. So one of these guys is on his mobile phone as the bus drives along and you would not believe the conversation. He was on the phone to the police, yes the police basically telling them that his drug dealer wanted to kill him and they needed to go and arrest her now! The whole conversation was beyond bizarre but as this guy was on the bus with some of his friends that uncomfortable feeling did seem to creep forward on that bus rather quickly. We were certainly rather glad when are stop came up and we were out of there.

So our last stop of the day was to get the High Level Street Car to Old Strathcona. Now this was an old street car (tram to you and I) that travelled along the top of a steel bridge that crossed the river in town. The line and the electrical power that this tram travels on has been completely restored by a group of volunteers and the attention to detail is astounding. Now I could hark on here as the history really is astounding but I will try to be brief.

This tram line had been used back in the 1920's,then as trams were removed from service the line fell into disrepair and was left like that until the 1970's. It was then that a group of volunteers got together and wanted to reopen the line. The city agreed and they went about their work slowly and surely to bring the line back into use. They even laid all the overhead electric lines themselves and as for the cars that you travel in...these are stunning. We sat on woven basket ware seats and all the windows had beautiful tapestry individual blinds that you could pull down on each window. It really was like travelling back in time and as we crossed the river on the top supports with no safety rails on either side it felt like we were back in the 1920's as they would never allow that today. Those volunteers should be congratulated for bringing something back to life that really tells a story of transport history and like I said before the cars should now be considered a work of art......WOW!

So then it was on to Old Strathcona. What a contrast to Edmonton. This was a suburb that had the urban neighbourhood feel of Brighton's North Laine along with the same quirky mix of independent retailers and more coffee shops that you could ever sit in. It was such a relief to be honest, to be somewhere that felt good and inspiring as Edmonton had been lacking a little of that. We walked around and took in the sights, all the cool people reading in the coffee bars and the plethora of cup cake bars that were dotted about here and there. The architecture was also really varied with red bricked victorian rubbing up next to 1930's art deco and even early american inspired saloon houses complete with wooden verandahs and balconies, just like you used to see men getting shot off in all the western movies on the television on a Sunday afternoon.

We caught the bus back into downtown and headed for the hotel after what had been a great but long day out. Jonathan headed off to the gym for a run whilst Trev starting sorting out things ready for tomorrow and our first flight in what seems like ages. Tomorrow we fly for four hours and gain two as we head off to the state of Ontario and Ottawa.

Its an early morning for us.

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