Calgary Expatriation

Episode 27

5th December, 2006

Instead of returning home to Australia for Christmas I decided to stay on in Calgary a little longer to experience a white Christmas, not my usual 'beachmas'. For a change all the images of sleighs, fur-lined hats and snow actually fitted the environment - a welcome change from the santa hats and budgie smugglers on the beachs of a 38° xmas day.

Above & below: The Calgary skyline at night.

Above & below: The 20th Lions Festival of the Lights display in Calgary.

Above: The full moon rises over the display.

Below: Ice fishing at dawn with Shawn. This was on Lake McGregor, about 120km from Calgary. It is an elongated lake, approx 20km x 6km and the ice was about 15-20cm thick. It was only -5° but with a fierce wind blowing into our backs it was very bloody cold!

Above: Does it look cold?

Below: After having no luck in the morning at our part of the lake we started driving around to try our luck at a different spot. On the way we came to a dead end road...

Above: Gronk's warning to would-be trespassers.

Below: At least there was one easy way to warm yourself up in the cold weather!

Above: That's how you do it!

Below: After a whole day freezing our butts off, one of our automated traps (called a Tip-Up) went off and Shawn hauled in this Northern Pike.