Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Our town, Edmonton, June 21

Attended a performance of the opera Our Town by Ned Rorem based on the Thornton Wilder play. Performance was put on by Opera Nuova, with young performers from around Canada. It was played at the reconstructed Capitol Theater at Fort Edmonton Park -- a somewhat Disneyfied version of Edmonton history. The opera was well done -- the story is bleak but compelling.

Capitol Theater
More buildings at Fort Edmonton Park





National Aboriginal Day, Edmonton, June 21

National Aboriginal Day was celebrated at Sir Winston Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton. Interesting to learn some of the history of the First Nations peoples in Edmonton and Alberta and take in the performances.

Drum group welcoming the spirits

Arrival of the Eagle Staff with local elders
Arrival of the Eagle Staff with local elders

Inter-tribal dancing

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Summer solstice chamber music festival

Erhu maestro George Gao playing at an Edmonton restaurant,  Ampersand 27. Late night chamber music!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Whistler Mountain, Jasper, June 16

Took the Sky Tram up and then hiked up to the summit. Wind was blowing a gale in the early part of the walk and very cold. The phone stopped working at this elevation. The views were fantastic.





Valley of the Five Lakes, Jasper, June 13

An excellent easy day hike. Each of the lakes are very different from each other. Note the essential bear spray.















Peyto Lake

https://goo.gl/photos/vXJchSJtS1mydcJ37 Peyto Lake on the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper. Fred from the Peyto Glacier.

Maligne Canyon, Jasper National Park, June 15

Maligne Canyon is one of the most beautiful hikes that is possible to do anywhere in the world. At the upper reaches of the canyon, it is so narrow and deep that photography is impossible.












Thursday, June 11, 2015

Interesting garden architecture, June 9th.

https://goo.gl/photos/cvEyQyP6aMmDYmyp9 These are at the Cascade Gardens at the Banff National Park Headquarters. An interesting use of recovered timber.

Sunwapta Falls. June 10





  The Sunwapta Falls on the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper. The river comes through a narrow Canyon. Impressive.

Jasper, AB. June 11

An interesting sign at our campground in Jasper. Fortunately, no sign of Grizzlies in the campground. We did see a grizzly and a black bear on the road to Maligne Lake.

Picking up the RV trailer in Pasco, WA

Many boxes from Amazon to be unpacked and get set up. May 18.