Hello, Calgary!

After three-quarters of a year of anticipation and planning, the day finally came yesterday: we were on the plane to Canada. We had to transfer in Amsterdam and had slight delays on both flights, but we still landed in Calgary around 2:00 PM local time - completely exhausted because we could hardly close our eyes for more than 20 minutes during the turbulent flight. Now we had to hold on to overcome the eight-hour time difference.

In the terminal (typical North American style with carpeted floors!), we were already welcomed by cheerful and well-protected airport employees and guided through customs. Everything went quite smoothly and less interrogative than the immigration process we know from the USA. However, what did not differ from our USA experience was the approach of the employees at the car rental station. After several unsuccessful attempts to sell us a larger car, additional insurance, and paid extras, we were asked to wait. Then a staff member approached us and spoke the magic words: free upgrade 😆 just like three years ago on the West Coast, there was apparently no car left in the budget category we had booked, so the agent at the counter initially tried to get a few more dollars out of this situation by trying to convince us to opt for a paid, voluntary upgrade. Luckily, we already knew the game - now we will be driving a VW Jetta with great features and a huge trunk through the Rocky Mountains for the next two weeks. And all without an extra charge.

The drive downtown to the hotel, the Sandman Calgary City Center, took about 20 minutes and was easily manageable without a navigation device thanks to our directions and good signage. The hotel, a large brown-gray block, is not in the nicest part of town, but all the sights are within walking distance. Room on the 19th floor, underground parking for $25 per night - typical big city. At first glance, everything in Calgary seems like any other North American metropolis: the streets, the buildings, the hotels. Until you take a few steps towards the Peace Bridge.

The red bridge, which visually resembles the structure of a human gene and winds its way like an oversized, glassy red eel over the Bow River, connects both sides of the Eau Claire Parks. The park already gave us a taste of the nature that awaits us in the next few days. The almost crystal-clear water of the river blends perfectly into the backdrop of lush green trees and lovingly arranged flower beds, pots, and hanging flower baskets. Some of the city dwellers spend their evenings here jogging, strolling, and relaxing.

We took a walk through the park and enjoyed the evening sun at nearly 20 degrees Celsius before ending the evening at Ceilis Pub. Our waitress told us that she spent a year as an Au Pair in Hamburg - the world is indeed small.

We woke up early today and will soon be testing the famous Tim Hortons breakfast before heading to Banff.