"Leaving my homeland
Playing a lone hand
My life begins today“
O Canada, land of immigrants. And it's great that we have remained a tolerant and welcoming society relatively free of racial tensions. Huge waves of Eastern European immigrants came to the West a hundred years ago, many of them congregating in specific towns and regions for mutual support. A large number of Ukrainians settled around Vegreville, and its giant Pysanka, the world's largest Ukranian easter egg, celebrates this ethnic heritage.
Now if only all the fellow Filipinos I've met and seen in Alberta would set up a town, maybe someday there could be a Big Balut, with a larger-than-life duck embryo rearing its head from the cracked shell, replete as a dripping water feature. Maybe not.
There was a loud thunderstorm this morning, and I was so glad I was indoors at Rem and Steph's. I had some of their delicious home-made granola and chatted with Steph through breakfast. I had promised my bike a "spa treatment", so a couple of days ago I emailed a bike shop in the east side of Edmonton for a service check just to see If there were some issues I've overlooked and parts that need to be replaced or fixed. I made my way out to Sherwood Park to a shop called Mud Sweat and Gears where they changed my derailleur cable as it was getting quite stretched. I had a nice lunch before making my way back to the Yellowhead Highway.
The road goes through Elk Island National Park which home to a few herds of bison. One of them started running alongside me as I rode by. It was a good thing there was a fence, but I was scared that the humungous beast would just bust right through it.
Someone in Edmonton told me to check out the "Big Sausage" in Mundare which was about a 5 km detour. It was a good laugh, proof that "Big Balut" would not be such a far-fetched idea.
The last 20 kilometres to Vegreville seemed to take forever, and my wish for a hearty Ukrainian dinner was dashed. It seems they only do it on weekends. Oh well, lasagna is somewhat ethnic.
There was a loud thunderstorm this morning, and I was so glad I was indoors at Rem and Steph's. I had some of their delicious home-made granola and chatted with Steph through breakfast. I had promised my bike a "spa treatment", so a couple of days ago I emailed a bike shop in the east side of Edmonton for a service check just to see If there were some issues I've overlooked and parts that need to be replaced or fixed. I made my way out to Sherwood Park to a shop called Mud Sweat and Gears where they changed my derailleur cable as it was getting quite stretched. I had a nice lunch before making my way back to the Yellowhead Highway.
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| The Alberta Legislature wrapped up for the summer |
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| Self-portrait on the mirrors that reflect light into the underground walkway skylights |
The road goes through Elk Island National Park which home to a few herds of bison. One of them started running alongside me as I rode by. It was a good thing there was a fence, but I was scared that the humungous beast would just bust right through it.
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| Spot the real bison on the left |
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| This guy ran alongside me for about half a kilometre. |
Someone in Edmonton told me to check out the "Big Sausage" in Mundare which was about a 5 km detour. It was a good laugh, proof that "Big Balut" would not be such a far-fetched idea.
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| Good intentions for self promotion from a meat processing plant in town.... |
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| ...but so unfortunately rude looking from another angle! |
The last 20 kilometres to Vegreville seemed to take forever, and my wish for a hearty Ukrainian dinner was dashed. It seems they only do it on weekends. Oh well, lasagna is somewhat ethnic.
This being a Canadian blog, the CRTC requires me to play some Rush.
"Fly by night, away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night, goodbye my dear
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend"
Change my life again
Fly by night, goodbye my dear
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend"
Some would argue that the ruder angle is the better one.
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