Calgary has certainly had both: high water from the recent flooding and hell from its aftermath. However, the city is determined to go ahead with its beloved Stampede prompting its organizer to utter this phrase.

The “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” kicks off with the annual Calgary Stampede parade. Then it’s 10 days of “yahooing”, free pancake breakfasts and  all things country and western. Having lived there many years I have experienced the Stampede first-hand both as a parade participant and as an exasperated vegetarian. The Stampede does however bring a spirit to the city which is normally quite banal.

The rebuilding of Cowtown (i.e. Calgary) will take a lot of time and money. Flood relief efforts continue to pour in long after the state-of-emergency status has been lifted. During the course of Stampede I will be featuring posts on the highlights of Calgary and surrounding areas. Since tourism can be a boon to any city’s economy I hope these posts will encourage you to travel to Calgary thus contributing to the long rebuilding phase ahead.

3 Interesting Tidbits about Calgary

1. Mayor Nenshi, much applauded for his leadership throughout the flooding, has a doughnut named in his honur: Nenshi’s salted caramel. This was pre-flood. Post-flood may warrant a street named after him.
2. The perpetually dry (? recently not so much) and cool climate of Calgary is ideal for chocolate making. Calgary is home to many boutique chocolate shops.
3. Prairie oysters are not seafood. They are bulls testicles usually served with all manner of flavourings during Stampede. Yahoo? Ya-no!