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7/21-7/26/25 – Ontario, CA 🇨🇦 to ND/MT, USA 🇺🇸to Alberta CA to Carlgary CA  🇨🇦

  • ms8993
  • Jul 26, 2025
  • 3 min read

Yup, we call this country hopping!  The desolate stretch of southern Canada was boring except for endless fields of crop for vegetable oil

... and I got a $495 ticket in Winnipeg, so back to the USA for 2 days, then hopped back to CA via the Oh So Loverly International Peace Gardens (I’ve been here 3 times!) Gary was again flagged by immigration again and had to explain the engineering project story.

This is how we travel with Chelsea in between us on the console.

Chelsea has fallen irrevocably in love with Gary.


The International Peace Garden is a 4-square-mile park located along the Canada–United States border between the province of Manitoba and the state of North Dakota. It was established as a symbol of a peaceful relationship between the two countries. It is half in the US and half in CA so you can stand with one foot in the US and the other in CA. 


Celebrations of peace and cooperation exist throughout the park, with unique installations like the Carillion Bells that sound every half hour, the lovely chapel with scripture and quotes about peace, the Hands of Peace sculpture, the 9/11 Memorial that includes I-beams from the destroyed tower and beautiful memorials, the Clock of Flowers, a Conservatory of succulents from all over the world, and the Sunken Gardens.  All is surrounded by 150k plants installed each year … and they are perfect!  The Peace Gardens is always such a lovely, lovely, peaceful experience.


HANDS OF PEACE
HANDS OF PEACE

  THE 9/11 MEMORIAL.


CLOCK OF FLOWERS
CLOCK OF FLOWERS

THE CHAPEL
THE CHAPEL

SCRIPTURE ON THE CHAPEL WALLS
SCRIPTURE ON THE CHAPEL WALLS

BOUNDARY LINE
BOUNDARY LINE

FLOWERS EVERYWHERE
FLOWERS EVERYWHERE

MANY FOUNTAINS, THIS IS THE HANDS OF PEACE AGAIN
MANY FOUNTAINS, THIS IS THE HANDS OF PEACE AGAIN


THE BELL TOWER ... EVERY HALF HOUR BEAUTIFUL CHIMES
THE BELL TOWER ... EVERY HALF HOUR BEAUTIFUL CHIMES
THE CONSERVATORY HAS A SUCCULENT GARDEN OF PLANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
THE CONSERVATORY HAS A SUCCULENT GARDEN OF PLANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MRS PEACEFUL PEACOCK AND HER PALS
MRS PEACEFUL PEACOCK AND HER PALS

We stayed in another circular hotel in Kenora, Ontario where we watched the sun set and rise over the river. 

 

SUNRISE FROM OUR ROOM
SUNRISE FROM OUR ROOM

A DEER ON OUR DRIVE TO HOTEL
A DEER ON OUR DRIVE TO HOTEL

… and onto Calgary which has now become my very favorite city in all of N. America. I have made this claim over my 15 years of travel … but I think this really is the best city of all. I always say this, don't take me seriously. It's just that Jesus seems to be everywhere!

This is at the top of 15 flights of stairs at a Prince Island Park (absolutely beautiful) that connects to downtown in the distance by a pedestrian bridge over the Bow River.
This is at the top of 15 flights of stairs at a Prince Island Park (absolutely beautiful) that connects to downtown in the distance by a pedestrian bridge over the Bow River.

Calgary is a small town, similar to GVL but on a larger scale, with incredible architecture and greenery everywhere. Amazing Prince Islands Park connects to downtown by a long suspension bridge over the Bow River.  Within a 5-minute walk from lush greenery you are in a most perfect downtown where each building is a serenade to architecture’s best.

THE WALKWAY WE TAKE OVER THE BOW RIVER
THE WALKWAY WE TAKE OVER THE BOW RIVER
CALGARY CIVIC CENTER, ALL BUILDING ARE STEPPED AND MADE OF GLASS, SO INCREDIBLY LOVELY.
CALGARY CIVIC CENTER, ALL BUILDING ARE STEPPED AND MADE OF GLASS, SO INCREDIBLY LOVELY.

SEE THE SADDLEDOME WHITE/LEFT, WAS THE VENUE FOR ICE SKATING IN THE 1988 OLYMPICS.
SEE THE SADDLEDOME WHITE/LEFT, WAS THE VENUE FOR ICE SKATING IN THE 1988 OLYMPICS.

THIS 10-STORY HEAD SCULPTURE IS CALLED WONDERLAND FLANKS THIS LOVELY BUILDING CALLED THE BOW.
THIS 10-STORY HEAD SCULPTURE IS CALLED WONDERLAND FLANKS THIS LOVELY BUILDING CALLED THE BOW.

ANOTHER GORGEOUS GLASS BUILDING ... YES, THEY REALLY ARE ALL GLASS DOWNTOWN
ANOTHER GORGEOUS GLASS BUILDING ... YES, THEY REALLY ARE ALL GLASS DOWNTOWN

THE CALGARY TOWER, 626 FEET TALL, AMAZING VIEWS OF THE CITY AT THE TOP AND SUCH A LOVELY RESTAURANT.
THE CALGARY TOWER, 626 FEET TALL, AMAZING VIEWS OF THE CITY AT THE TOP AND SUCH A LOVELY RESTAURANT.

"WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS DOG THAT HAS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH ME?", SAYS GARY AT THE TOP OF THE CALGARY TOWER
"WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS DOG THAT HAS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH ME?", SAYS GARY AT THE TOP OF THE CALGARY TOWER

THIS IS OUR VOLUNTEER TOUR GUIDE WE MET AT THE TRAIN STATION. SHE'S A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER FROM BUDAPEST AND SO FULL OF JOY AND JOIS DE VIVRE!
THIS IS OUR VOLUNTEER TOUR GUIDE WE MET AT THE TRAIN STATION. SHE'S A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER FROM BUDAPEST AND SO FULL OF JOY AND JOIS DE VIVRE!

THIS BUILDING IS AN EXCEPTION TO THE ALL-GLASS EXPERIENCE ... NOTHING LIKE LOVELY COLOR!
THIS BUILDING IS AN EXCEPTION TO THE ALL-GLASS EXPERIENCE ... NOTHING LIKE LOVELY COLOR!
THE SKYLINE OF THE BUILDINGS IS STEPPED. SUCH GREAT ARCHITECTURAL PLANNING.
THE SKYLINE OF THE BUILDINGS IS STEPPED. SUCH GREAT ARCHITECTURAL PLANNING.

YUP, THEY EVEN HAVE ONE OF THESE ... TAPERED INTO HEAVEN.
YUP, THEY EVEN HAVE ONE OF THESE ... TAPERED INTO HEAVEN.
AND HERE WE ARE IN FRONT OF THAT AMAZING BUILDING JUST AFTER EXITING THE TRAIN THAT RUNS ALL OVER THE CITY
AND HERE WE ARE IN FRONT OF THAT AMAZING BUILDING JUST AFTER EXITING THE TRAIN THAT RUNS ALL OVER THE CITY

THE COVERED PEACE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACROSS THE BOW RIVER
THE COVERED PEACE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACROSS THE BOW RIVER

Calgary is pretty much a non-car town.  We walked about 10 miles in our 2 days there. Fast-speed trains and walking and biking trails take you everywhere. 



It is truly a remarkably beautiful, highly sophisticated town.  The people are kind and courteous and from all nationalities. It was a God-given pleasure to be in this beautiful experience. 

 

We are off to Banff National Park now which is a little over an hour west. 

 
 
 

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