Around the World with Bradley: Canada: Travel home

Arrive in Canada

 

Fly from Calgary to Edmonton. Landscape split in two. Rockies to the west. Right is flat prairies. Crossed by roads and fences. Rockies are white snow and dark shadows. Beautiful and dangerous.

Each paddock is mowed of ploughed differently. Snow settles in the deeper spots accentuates were tractor has been. Light covering of snow everywhere except for the roads.

All the fences straight. At right angles. Square blocks of paddocks. A few trees, conifers remain around houses and roads.

 

Leave Canada

 

Temperature -12. Pack squeeze push my suitcase shut. It is possible.

George checks the cows and fills the van with gas. He comes in dressed for the outside. We are dressed for inside. He puffs and drops of moisture hang from his nose and moustache.

Outside the air has form. It beats. It is solid can feel it. The cars idle and warm up. We wait inside.

Pam has two sets of car keys. In winter leaves the car idling, locks the car and go inside to shop.

Drive to Edmonton. Frost. The trees have a white frosty appearance. The frost hangs on the bare trees.

Couple of coyotes in the snow covered ploughed field. Scrouging around looking for field mice.

No birds apart from ravens, owls. Birds flow south migrating like some of the people. Silent frozen lakes. Devoid of birds. Static.

Pam: It is good to have some friends in Athabasca who are not Christian Fundamentalists. 50% of the population goes to church. Robert is the only one in his class who does non-RI. He wanted to do RI before Christmas because they were making Christmas Trees.

 

Edmonton Greyhound Bus Centre: Get lunch at a burger place. Robert/Neyland geta baby burger.

Stacey gets a teen burger. I get a grandpa burger.

Grandpa burger: Bun with three burger patties.

Teen burger: two burger patties and cheese.

The bus is full of single sole travelers. One person occupies two seats. Sits by the window and feet on the other side. Nobody talks apart from one lady in the front seat who spends the whole trip talking to the driver. The heating is incredibly hot. Scenery is everchanging quilted paddocks. Snow varies light, moderate and heavier near Calgary. Starts snowing. Whisps of snow flying and swirling.

Calgary the snow is more visible against the dark buildings. All the pedestrians hurry. Legs pumping. Heads bowed. No browsing. No shops face the street. Malls contain the shops. in Edmonton the highway is lined by rows of warehouses and family restaurants. Warehouses for computers, fishing equipment, food, clothes, office stationery etc.

On TV is a comedy program called 22 minutes. A section called America talks where a Canadian reporter goes ton Des Moines Iowa to interview the locals.

Canadian reporter: You know Air Canada has these propellor planes and they’re talking of getting jets. I don’t feel comfortable. I want to look out the window and see something go round.

The Americans all laugh at the Canadian reporter. The Canadians watching TV all laugh at the Americans. Cause we sucked them in. We are not really that stupid.