Canadian Trip Day 15 - Goodbye Calgary & Our Last Destination Toronto

Margaret gave us a special treat at a Brazilian Fire Grill outlet called Bolero at Macleod Trail South of Calgary. It was a buffet eat all you can meal and if you love meat this is the place. The BBQ meats were awesome just too bad I could not consume too much. Thanks to Margaret for such a great meal and for being a great host I simply enjoyed the stay.

Also thanks to Margaret's mum for all the home cooked foods she had prepared for us. Nothing like eating at home especially in a foreign country where Asian food is quite difficult to find.

Bye bye Calgary I hope to visit this place again.

Toronto was our last destination and has a time different of two hours from Calgary.

A friend originally from Kulim, Tamijuddin picked us up at the airport and went straight to his house at Brampton. Lunch was already waiting for us. Nothing like a home cooked food prepared by his wife and the Nasi Beriyani was simply awesome.

So this is the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant, Brampton a relatively new and well planned community and it will be our base for the next couple of days.

Cheltenham Badlands, Caledon and locted exactly at GPS : 43.774069, -79.944778 at the roadside of Olde Baseline Road.

The Red Clay Hills has to be carefully taken care as it is a fragile formation and restriction access is ought to be carried out. 

Just imagine it used to be a river bed once upon a time, it used to be occupied by a large river and it got dry up over the thousands of years and now it is a red clay hills.

We were excited to see a wheat field and we insisted we to stop to have a closer feel and we did.

Me and an old school mate from Sultan Badlishah School, Kulim.

Terra Cotta Conservation Area is one of the most environmentally-significant areas in the Credit River Valley. The area comprises 504 acres of valleys, cliffs and bedrock plains mixed with diverse forests, wetlands and streams. This landscape provides a varied hiking experience with over 12km of trails.

We visited an apple farm as we were driving back to Brampton.

Actually the farm was already closed but our brother Tami managed to sweet talk the owner for us to have  a brief visit. Well done bro!

Our last stop for the evening was at Shalimar's home for a tea.

Canadian Trip Day 14 - Let's Go to Nose Hill Park

My plan for the day and this was my last cycling activity in Calgary. Nose Hill Park here I come.

The ride was to use as much cycling paths as possible and these are mostly found within the roads of residential areas.

The cycle paths are definitely longer comparing to the vehicular roads and zip zapping through residential communities. I was lost several times locating for the right connecting paths. Certain stretches of the paths are of severe gradients and can be tough for some cyclists.

I stopped at a petrol station for a quick bite and drink after a mind boggling morning ride. But thankfully I was already half way to Nose Hill Park.

Tim Hortons is Canada and Canada is Tim Hortons that is how popular Tim Hortons is...at the beginning it did not ring my bell at all what is Tim Hortons but after staying for a few days in Canada I realised that Tim Hortons is bigger than McDonalds and Starbucks. Tim Hortons is also found in Petrol stations. By the way Tim Hortons was a Canadian hockey player and the chain was formed in 1964. Tim Hortons died in 1974 in a car accident.

I was attracted by this nicely carved timber fencing of a residential development along one of the cycling paths at Shaganappi area.

This is the largest municipal park in Canada and North America. It is a natural environment park and a great retreat for city folks with an area of 1,129 hectares. There are numerous hiking and cycling trails in the park.

Basically it is a grassland with small groups of trees or rather it is insignificant as far as trees are concerned, coming from a person from a tropical country.

A popular haven for dog owners to hang out.

Truly a quiet and serene place away from the bustling city.

Nose Hill Park is home to some wildlife animals.

Jogging freely on the park on a summer morning is a commom sight and it is vast and interesting.

My share of a visit to  Nose Hill Park and why the name Nose Hill, it was many moons ago the people said that the shape of the hill resembles the nose of their Chief.

Gene and his dog named Roy. A popular partnership seems in the earlier years at this vicinity.

The couple were well known ranchers working very hard ranching this area. The existing development at northern outskirt of Calgary were the livelihood of Hanson and they shall be remembered. The development is continuing spreading northwards and in no time it will reach Road 566.

After a tiring adventure seeking ways to Nose Hill Park I was hungry as I was about to complete the mission. I decided to pull over to Cedars Deli at Panorama Hills for a Mediterranean sandwich. It was a healthy and awesome lunch.

Canadian Trip Day 12 - Let's Visit Lake Grassi, Canmore Alberta

It was a day we moved out of Calgary. Margaret drove us westward to Canmore and Banff to see more places of attraction which we did not pick up during our Western Trail by Key West Travel & Tours. I guess she drove at least 300 kilometres for the day.

Our first destination was Grassi Lakes Trail (near a town called Canmore) after a long drive from Panatella which is 120 kilometres away. Margaret was introducing her trekking poles to the KL ladies.

Hiking is something I hardly do but when you are at such a scenic place like this one when you must not miss it and go for it. Besides hiking this place is also popular for mountain biking and mountain climbing. Welcome to Grassi Lakes Trail.

So there are two turquoise blue lakes to see at the end of this trail so let's go check it out.

Thank you to Lawrence Grassi who built this trail back in 1920's. The weather was excellent with close big pine trees along the trail and occasionally we get to see some wild flowers.

There are two trails going to the lakes, the difficult trail comes with awesome scenic views of waterfalls, Bow Valley and Canmore town. We took the difficult trail up and the easy trail down. The hike was moderately easy, relaxing and fun with lots of photos taking.

Her name is Blazer and she is hyper active and fun. Thanks to her owner for allowing me to pose with her.

A good view at Bow Valley and at the far distance is Canmore Town.

Lawrence Grassi was an Italian who migrated in 1912 to work in the railway construction and coal mines. He was very passionate with mountains and made a name for himself in Canmore as far as mountains are concerned in Alberta.

The timber logs bridge with loud gushing chilled water beneath.

I was testing the temperature of the water and it is chilling cold leh.....

Grassi Lakes was voted one of the Special Places of Alberta in 2000.

The lake is so spectacular with turquoise blue water an ideal place for a calender picture shooting.

Mountain climbing activity in progress.

Having a feel and grip of mountain climbing I think I am over aged for this kind of sport.

Just look at the crystal clear water (I submerged my camera partially for this shot).

Some of the beautiful flowers seen along the trail.

The 4.5km walk took us nearly two hours another fantastic opportunity to have visited Grassi Lakes Trail. A beautiful place I shall remember.