From: jabraham@acs.ucalgary.ca (John Abraham)
Subject: Re: Calgary & surrounding area (Jasper? Banff?)
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 16:47:01 GMT
Organization: The University of Calgary, Alberta

In article <1993Jan15.110741.14845@walter.cray.com> toma@baritone (Thomas Arneberg  {66642 CF/DEV}) writes:
>My wife and I will be in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from June 30 until July 4
>this summer (for the International Barbershop Quartet Contest, of course!).
>
>We've never been up that way, and thought it would be fun to spend a few
>days before and/or after our convention to celebrate our tenth anniversary

I tried to e-mail you this one, but it bounced.  Do you have a
better address?  Or you can email me.  Nonetheless, this is
sufficiently general that it's worthwhile posting...


My personal suggestion - since it sounds like you enjoy hiking
but don't want the hassel of backpacking:  A backcountry lodge.
There are quite a few, usually about 5-6 hours hike in, they
charge $CAN80 a night or so per person including three meals.  So
it's like backpacking but you don't have to cook or bring a tent
or sleeping bag or food or stove.  Just bring your clothing,
camera, and other personal effects and hike in.  Would be
especially good for an anniversary I would think.

If you're interested, email me and I'll find some phone numbers.
Be warned that you should probably reserve now.

Other things to do - hit the Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleantology
in Drumheller.  Dinosaur bones and the like.  Very big and
impressive.  And the sorrounding desolation of the badlands is
also neat.  About 1.5 hours away by car.  There are the standard
tourist things in Calgary - your glossy brochures will tell you
about them.  And if you don't go to a backcountry lodge you'll
want to spend a few days in the mountains anyway.  Again, your
brochures should be adequate for that.

Places to hang out, shop, eat, drink, etc.

 - 17th avenue SW (between 14th ST SW. and 6th st SW.)
 - "Kensington" (officially called "Hillhurst") which is 10st NW
(between kensington road and about 4th ave NW) and kensington
road (between 10st nw and about 12 st nw).
 - 4 st sw between 17th ave s.w. and about 25th ave s.w.
 - Downtown is also fun, better then most north american downtowns.
Safe, but still pretty dead after the stores and offices close.

I'd recommend picking a hotel close to one of these areas.
Downtown is probably your best bet.  Or...

Downtown, Kensington, the Zoo, a bunch of malls, etc. etc. are
well served by LRT (light rail transit) so if you choose a
"suburban" (and hence cheaper) hotel on the LRT line you can buy
a transit system day pass for $CAN4.50 (I think).  Especially
important if you don't have a car for a few days.  For comparison
good parking downtown is $5 - $8 dollars (a single ride on the
transit system is $1.50, a book of ten is $12.00).  You can stay
at "Motel Village" (ask your travel agent) which is a bunch of
reasonably priced motels in the northwest by the university and
right on an LRT stop.


Hope I've Helped.
--
"Wow, it's like a 'Calvin and Hobbes' fantasy but without the
artistic look to it" - Scott Adams' (SCOTTADAMS@AOL.COM) character
"Dilbert" talking about Internet.
-- 
John E. Abraham, P.Eng.               ***** University of Calgary
jabraham@acs.ucalgary.ca               **** Department of Civil Engineering
Mathematical Modelling                  *** 2500 University Dr. N.W.
Computer Simulation                      ** Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4
Transportation and Land Use Interaction   * Canada


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