Sunday, July 27, 2014

Canadian Trip Day 13 - Drumheller Dinosaur Capital of the World

Another day trip this time to Drumheller and we headed Northeast of Calgary for a dinosaur exposure.
Our first stop was Horseshoe Canyon after nearly 2 hours in the car (about 140km away), it's kind of a mini Grand Canyon in Alberta with a rich discovery of dinosaur fossils.
The ladies went down the canyon to have closer look.
While I went for a mechanical attraction, it was a helicopter service for the canyon viewing.
Horseshoe Canyon looks bare from the outside but it possesses great geological history. It has a number of easy walking trails to walk around the canyon.
These Hoodoos structures were formed through thousands of years of erosion of rain, glaciers and wind. These sandstone hoodoos are fragile and need to be protected. This was our 2nd destination.
These Hoodoos are located nearby Drumheller about 17km away.
Another fascinating creation we managed to visit and it was believed that they have spiritual power by the First Nation  forefathers.
Welcome to Atlas Coal Mine National Historical Site.
Another historical site of Canada, this time it was a former coal mine complete with many interesting timber buildings surrounding it.
Atlas Coal Mine is the only complete coal mine where one could have a tour of the mine learning how it works and how dangerous it was for those coal miners working there during those days.
One of the several old timber buildings of Atlas Coal Mine.
I like these wooden tipple and these are the last of its kind found in Canada.
Just before our lunch, Margaret took us to see another attraction and it was Star Mine Suspension Bridge.
The length is 117 metres across Red Deer River built in 1931 for the coal miners of Star Mine.
It was rebuilt in 1958 and currently maintained to commemorate the colourful activity of coal mining history in Drumheller.
Good choice for a wonderful lunch.
My awesome lunch and it looks like our Hainanese western food serving....
The town of Drumheller where dinosaurs are everywhere in this place.
At last we were at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.
There are more than 40 over mounted dinosaur skeletons in the museum.
The creatures of a time before human mankind and how do we explain for all these....
Chasmosaurus bellis.
The first discovery of dinosaur fossils in Canada was in 1881.
Bye bye Triceratops, it was nice meeting you.

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