1st days of Spring/ a Chinook is a silly word

Well, winter is supposed to be officially over but I don't think I'm going to get off that lightly. All the weather reporters on Friday were stirred up about the "chinook" (a warm wind) which was on it's way, destined to melt snow, force us into plus temperatures and make the roads a havoc. Outdoor sports competitors discussed the impact of the chinook on the snow/ ice they would be competing on and whether it would advantage or disadvantage them by a milisecond. It was a big deal.

On Saturday it came and as predicted, vast piles of snow melted and 2 months worth of grime flowed into the streets. Some of it refroze overnight, making black ice (near impossible to tell from a puddle) and pretty dangerous.

The weather has reflected my week of extreme contrasts. Calgary is called the "Gateway to the West" and it's been hard to see evidence of "the west" in this sophisicated town. People have worn beanies (toques) instead of cowboy hats, funky man hairstyles instead of mullets. But I am on the lookout for both and will be sure to report back.

One thing I have noticed here, Calgarians are TALL. I feel like a real shortie, it's just as well Chinatown is the part of downtown I have to walk through to get to the rest of downtown from my house. I know it seems unfair, but passing 80 year old folk in that area always makes me feel better.

The city is a lot like what I imagine Perth to be- big modern skyscrapers and spectacular sunsets over the river, but a feeling of openness and space everywhere. It is built on a plain east of the Rockies and I have been frustrated by my inability to see the countryside beyond the buildings. I was told I needed to get up higher if I wanted to see the Rockies, off street level. So I did. Yesterday for the first time, I climbed up high enough in my neighbourhood to see the distant snow capped Rockies. They looked in minature but there they were. I am looking forward to getting more settled so I can take a trip out of town and see them up close.

This weeks' gold star goes to Laura, who has been a top mate, helping me shop and move into my new place, and showed me true Texan hospitality during my stay with her. I slept under a handmade American patchwork quilt made by her aunt, ate Cheerios for breakfast and was as happy as I could be with a head spinning from travelling 5 provinces in 4 weeks. I managed to drag myself away from her cosy downtown apartment on Thursday to move into my place- which is well-located and has great neighbours, so nothing to complain about. However, amongst other refinements, Laura's place had a fake fire, which, despite my world-travellings, I'd never seen before. It turns on with the flick of a switch, is a real gas flame that appears to burn up some real- looking logs but doesn't and it gives off real heat. It's also surprisingly soothing to sit in front of whilst it is snowing outside. Whilst nothing can top Moses and the burning bush, it impressed the socks off me. Sometimes I am a simple creature.

On Friday I had a true Calgarian experience and was let in on one of their best-or-worst kept secrets. A Pyrogy (Peer-ro-gee) is a Ukranian dumpling- 99% wheat and potato and 1% something unknown. Alberta has a huge Ukranian immigrant population- 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations. Pyrogies are so popular that they sell them frozen at Safeway supermarkets here and people cook them at home. One of the Ukranian Catholic churches twice a year hosts a Ukranian dinner and opens it's door to the community for $10 a head to eat fresh made Pyrogies, cabbage rolls, Borsht (beetroot soup) and dessert. At first I thought Laura was pulling my leg when she put me under strict instructions to meet her not later than 4 pm so we could get there by 4.30 pm to line up for when the doors opened at 5 pm. Sure enough, when we arrived at the church shortly after 4.30 pm, there was a line out the door. I was astounded.

I managed to make it through a few pyrogies, cabbage rolls and a small slice of Saskatoon berry pie (apparently they have berries there). I am convinced that the millions of Ukranian mothers "in the old country" were probably commissioned to feed the Ukranian army on Pyrogies during WWI, whilst our boys were on ANZAC biscuits. You can go a long way on that much wheatstarch and potato.

Laura and Lisa ironically ended up sharing a table with two old ladies named Carol and Carolyn. Upon finding out we were both foreigners, they gave us lots of choice (and unsolicited) friendly advice about the local cowboys and what to do during the Stampede (Calgary Stampede July 2007) accumulated from their younger years of living in Calgary. This was all to the background of a Ukranian band playing in the church hall where we were sitting, who were playing a mix of folksy Eastern Euro music and what may be best described as "barn dance music". It was a step towards finding the difference between country and western music. Apparently, that was "western".